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StoryCorps Screenings, Q&A and StoryCorps MobileBooth Tour at DUMBO Arts Festival; Sneak-Peek of POV’s Brooklyn Castle at Brooklyn Museum: Meet the Film’s Young Stars, Play Chess!

If You Can’t Join In-Person, Hang With POV Online Every Tuesday for our Fall #docchat Series Via Google+ Hangout Starting Oct. 1 on www.pbs.org/pov.

PBS’s award-winning independent documentary series POV and the renowned oral history project StoryCorps, both headquartered in Brooklyn and recipients of 2013 MacArthur Awards, invite the public to join them during the 17th Annual DUMBO Arts Festival, Friday-Sunday, Sept. 27-29, 2013. Attend a sneak preview of StoryCorps first-ever animated special, Listening Is an Act of Love: A StoryCorps Special, meet the animators and get a tour of the StoryCorps MobileBooth.

On Saturday, Sept. 28 at 2 p.m., POV continues its Brooklyn love-fest with a special screening of the acclaimed documentary Brooklyn Castle, about I.S. 318’s young chess champions, at the Brooklyn Museum. Stick around after the screening for a Q&A with the students featured in the film, plus a chance to play chess.

Dates, locations and details:

Friday-Sunday, Sept 27-28: The StoryCorps MobileBooth will be at the DUMBO Arts Festival all weekend long–located at the Jay Street Overlook (Jay & John Street). Swing by for a visit and a free tour of the booth. The official Festival hours: Friday: 6 p.m.-9 p.m., Saturday: 12 Noon-9 p.m.; Sunday: 12 Noon-6 p.m.

Saturday, Sept. 28, 2 p.m.: POV and the Brooklyn Museum present a special screening of Katie Dellamaggiore’s Brooklyn Castle, the exhilarating story of a public school whose chess team has won more national championships than any school in the country. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Patrick Johnston, Justus Williams and other students from the film, along with an opportunity to play chess. The event is free with museum admission, but advanced purchase is recommended. For more information and to reserve tickets, visit www.brooklynmuseum.org/calendar. The Brooklyn Museum is located at 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11238-6052. Directions: www.brooklynmuseum.org/visit/directions.php.

Sunday, Sept. 29, 12 Noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.: POV and StoryCorps will hold three sneak-preview screenings of Listening Is an Act of Love: A StoryCorps Special. This half-hour animated film showcases six stories from the 10-year history of StoryCorps, framed by an interview between StoryCorps founder Dave Isay and his inquisitive 9-year-old nephew, Benji. A discussion with animators Mike and Tim Rauch and representatives from POV and StoryCorps will follow the 2 p.m. screening. Location: POV, 20 Jay Street, 9th Floor, New York, NY 11201.

If you can’t make it to the Brooklyn festivities, there are lots of ways to see the films, catch up with filmmakers and discuss the world of documentaries. Starting on Tuesday, Oct. 1, join POV on Google+ Hangout for our Fall DocChat weekly series with online chats about all things documentary, from engagement strategies to learning about how to be a critic. POV’s Brooklyn Castle has its national broadcast premiere on the PBS INDIES SHOWCASE on Monday, Oct. 7 at 10 p.m. (check local listings) and streams for a limited time on www.pbs.org/pov/brooklyncastle. Listening Is an Act of Love: A StoryCorps Special airs on PBS on Thursday, Nov. 28 at 9 p.m. and streams for a limited time on www.pbs.org/pov/storycorpsspecial.

The 17th Annual DUMBO Arts Festivalwill take place from Friday, Sept. 27 to Sunday, Sept. 29, 2013. One of the city’s largest and most ambitious arts events, the DUMBO Arts Festival will draw an expected 200,000 people to DUMBO to experience extraordinary art by more than 400 artists from around the world. Set amid the backdrop of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Manhattan skyline in one of the city’s most tech-friendly and culturally rich hubs, performances and exhibits will fill more than 50 stages, while 100 artists’ studios will open their doors as the entire neighborhood becomes an exuberant arts playground. For the full festival schedule visit www.dumboartsfestival.com.

The mission of StoryCorps is to provide Americans of all backgrounds and beliefs with the opportunity to record, share and preserve the stories of our lives. StoryCorps has collected and shared over 45,000 interviews. The POV | StoryCorps Animated Series is created with an exceptional degree of artistry and care. Each story is painstakingly researched, locations visited, archival photos examined and created with the full cooperation of the story’s subjects. They are among the few entirely hand-drawn animations left on American television today. StoryCorps believes that this level of craft and care is the only appropriate fashion in which to honor the poetry, grace, and dignity in the voices of everyday Americans. Visit www.storycorps.org.

About POV
Produced by American Documentary, Inc. and now in its 26th season on PBS, the award-winning POV is the longest-running showcase on American television to feature the work of today’s best independent documentary filmmakers. POV has brought more than 365 acclaimed documentaries to millions nationwide. Its films have won every major film and broadcasting award, including 32 Emmys, 15 George Foster Peabody Awards, 10 Alfred I. duPont-Columbia University Awards, three Academy Awards® and the Prix Italia. In 2012, POV achieved a new milestone, winning five News & Documentary Emmy® Awards. Since 1988, POV has pioneered the art of presentation and outreach using independent nonfiction media to build new communities in conversation about today’s most pressing social issues. Visit www.pbs.org/pov/.

Major funding for POV is provided by PBS, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, New York State Council on the Arts, New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, the desJardins/Blachman Fund and public television viewers. Funding for POV’s Diverse Voices Project is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Special support provided by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. POV is presented by a consortium of public television stations, including KQED San Francisco, WGBH Boston and THIRTEEN in association with WNET.ORG.

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POV Pressroom
Produced by American Documentary, Inc., POV is public television’s premier showcase for nonfiction films. Since 1988, POV has been the home for the world’s boldest contemporary filmmakers, celebrating intriguing personal stories that spark conversation and inspire action. Always an innovator, POV discovers fresh new voices and creates interactive experiences that shine a light on social issues and elevate the art of storytelling. With our documentary broadcasts, original online programming and dynamic community engagement campaigns, we are committed to supporting films that capture the imagination and present diverse perspectives.