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AETN to host screening events for 'The Vietnam War'

Posted 03 Aug 2017

The Arkansas Educational Television Network and community partners will host multiple preview screenings of 'The Vietnam War,' a 10-part, 18-hour documentary film series directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick, throughout the state in August and September. An opportunity for discussion will follow each screening.

'The Vietnam War' will premiere on AETN Sunday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m. An immersive 360-degree narrative, the series tells the epic story of the Vietnam War as it has never before been told on film. The first five episodes will air Sept. 17 through Thursday, Sept. 21, and the final five episodes will air Sunday, Sept. 24, through Thursday, Sept. 28, at 7 each night.

Preview screening events include:

• Saturday, Aug. 19, at 2 p.m. – Jonesboro Public Library, 315 W. Oak Ave.
• Tuesday, Aug. 22, at 6:30 p.m. – MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History, 503 E. Ninth St., Little Rock.
• Saturday, Sept. 2, at 2 p.m. – Collins Theater, 120 W. Emerson St., Paragould.
• Sunday, Sept. 3, at 5:30 p.m. – Arkansas Travelers Operation: Military Appreciation Sunday, Dickey-Stephens Park, 400 W. Broadway St., North Little Rock.
• Sunday, Sept. 10, at 2 p.m. – Jacksonville Museum of Military History, 100 Veteran's Circle.
• Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 6 p.m. – Fort Smith Public Library, 3201 Rogers Ave.
• Saturday, Sept. 16, at 2 p.m. – Fayetteville Public Library, 401 W. Mountain St. Library of Congress Veterans History Project Director Col. Karen Lloyd will be keynote speaker.
• Saturday, Sept. 16, at 2 p.m. – Ron Robinson Theater, 100 River Market Avenue, Little Rock.

'The Vietnam War' features testimony from nearly 100 witnesses, including many Americans who fought in the war and others who opposed it, as well as Vietnamese combatants and civilians from both the winning and losing sides.

Ten years in the making, the series brings the war and the chaotic epoch it encompassed viscerally to life. It includes rarely seen, digitally remastered archival footage, photographs taken by some of the most celebrated photojournalists of the 20th century, historic television broadcasts, evocative home movies, and revelatory audio recordings from inside the Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon administrations.

The film will be accompanied by an outreach and public engagement program, providing opportunities for communities to participate in a national conversation about what happened during the Vietnam War, what went wrong and what lessons are to be learned. Viewers are encouraged to join the conversation: #VietnamWarPBS.

Other elements of AETN's local initiative will include:

• Vietnam story collection – AETN is collecting stories of those who experienced the Vietnam War. The public is invited to share stories through social media outlets with #VietnamStoriesPBS or the 'Share Your Story' tool at aetn.org/thevietnamwar.
• The Wall of Faces – The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is committed to finding a photo to go with each of the more than 58,000 names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. AETN is encouraging the public to help collect the more than 150 missing Arkansas photos for The Wall of Faces.
• Quilts of Valor – AETN and the Arkansas chapter of the Quilts of Valor Foundation have partnered to provide quilts of comfort and healing for Arkansas Vietnam veterans. The public is invited to nominate a veteran to receive a quilt. Anyone interested in contributing to the quilters' efforts may consider donating fabric and other quilting items at local screening events.
• Local productions – AETN is producing local programs in conjunction with the series premiere, including 'Arkansans Ask: Veterans History Project,' 'Men & Women of Distinction: Ray Rogers' and 'Barnes and…A Conversation With Col. Karen Lloyd.' Additionally, each Thursday night following regularly scheduled programs at 8 and 9 p.m., AETN will air short videos produced to complement 'The Vietnam War.'
• Educational resources – PBS is creating an interactive website and an educational initiative to engage teachers and students through multiple platforms. AETN PBS LearningMedia features a collection of classroom resources to encourage students to explore the many dimensions of this history including key military, political and cultural events, as well as the diverse human experiences featured in the series. Lesson plans, videos and activities will be available for K-12 students, teachers and parents.

Additional information about AETN's local initiative, including complete information on how to get involved, is available at aetn.org/thevietnamwar.

Funding for 'The Vietnam War' is provided by Bank of America; Corporation for Public Broadcasting; PBS; David H. Koch; The Blavatnik Family Foundation; Park Foundation; The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations; The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation; National Endowment for the Humanities; The Pew Charitable Trusts; Ford Foundation Just Films; Rockefeller Brothers Fund; and Members of The Better Angels Society.

'The Vietnam War' is a production of Florentine Films and WETA, Washington, DC. 

The Arkansas Educational Television Network is Arkansas's only statewide public media network, which enhances lives by providing lifelong learning opportunities for people from all walks of life. AETN delivers local, award-winning productions and classic, trusted PBS programs aimed at sharing Arkansas and the world with viewers through the distinct channels AETN PBS, AETN Create, AETN PBS KIDS, AETN World and AETN AIRS on SAP. AETN depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. Additional information is available at aetn.org. AETN is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro) and KETZ (El Dorado).