Independent Lens: Half The

FALL PREVIEW PBS Times columnist Nicholas Kristof and wife Sheryl WuDunn, follows Eva Mendes, Meg Ryan, Gabrielle Union, Diane Lane, America Ferrera and Olivia Wilde as they travel to 10 countries. In India, Ferrera (Ugly Betty) witnessed a community of mother- and-daughter victims of forced- prostitution. “The hardest thing to take in was a lot of these women were trafficked into sex slavery at such young ages,” she says. Mater- “The concept of the village was so cool: a nal mortality, gender- safe village of all women based violence, who bonded together to education and eco- build this commune of nomic empower- artists,” says Wilde m e n t a r e a l s o investigated through first-hand stories. “Women do it “I was over- all,” says Independent Lens: whelmed by love,” Clooney of the women says Wilde (House), featured in Half the Sky recalling the self- the special sustaining village of PREMIERES Monday, 10/1, 9/10c, PBS; Twitter: @Half women in Kenya who established George Clooney joins forces with an dren, work the land,” says Clooney, their own beading business to be- impressive roster of activist-actresses who introduces the two-part special. come financially independent and to help fight discrimination against “It’s not just that they’re important to fund their children’s education. “It women in Half the Sky, Turning Op- society—they’re driving it.” is uplifting and empowering be- pression into Opportunity for Women The documentary, which is based cause we are focusing on a solu- Worldwide. “Women raise the chil- on the best-selling book by New York tion.”—Elizabeth Wagmeister QUICK TAKES Upstairs Downstairs in-depth look at President chronicle of the terrifying Cold Death and the Civil War Premieres Sunday, 10/7, 9/8c Barack Obama and challenger War confrontation, timed to its Premieres Tuesday, 9/18, 8/7c Mitt Romney’s campaigns and 50th anniversary. Season 2 of the hit British sequel Ric Burns delves into the coun- investigates policy changes that brings scandal, love and politics try’s post-war transformation, might occur after the election. The Dust Bowl which resulted from the sweep- to 165 Eaton Place as England Premieres Sunday, 11/18, 8/7c ing death toll of 2.5 percent of faces World War II. Cuban Missile Crisis— Ken Burns turns his documenta- America’s population. Frontline: The Choice 2012 Three Men Go To War ry cameras on the harsh realities Premieres Tuesday, 10/23, 8/7c Voces Premieres Tuesday, 10/9, 9/8c of the worst manmade environ- Premieres Friday, 9/28, 10/9c New details emerge in this mental disaster our nation faced. This unbiased special takes an In honor of Hispanic Heritage American Masters: Month, four documentaries show- Ken Burns docu- Inventing David Geffen case Latino cultural events ranging Premieres Tuesday, 11/20, 8/7c ments the dust from Mexican “Lucha Libre” storms that Rock and roll with revolutionary masked wrestlers to female rodeo plagued America record mogul, agent, manager riders and a Tony-winning Puerto in the 1930s and producer David Geffen. The Rican poet in NYC. self-made billionaire, joined by Call the Midwife famous friends—including Cher, Premieres Sunday, 9/30, 8/7c Elton John and Steven Spiel- The hit British drama provides a berg—allows unprecedented witty, historical glimpse into mid- access in this account of his life wifery as a group of young wom- and chart-topping career. en in 1950s London’s East End Times subject to change; check encounters birth, life and death. local listings at tvguide.com TK CREDITGUTTER 62 | TVGUIDE.COM.

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