FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Ellen Levene
212-255-7997
Thirteen/WNET New York
Deirdre Branley
212-560-3130
Meredith Fleischman Tiger,
212-560-4919
"Wide Angle" Follows the Punishing Sahara Marathon, an Annual Race
Through the Desert to Highlight the Plight of Sahrawi Refugees
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 10, 2004--At a time when the world's
attention is focused on the Olympics, Thirteen offers a look at another
international sporting event that is demanding notice. Sahara Marathon,
premiering Thursday, August 19 at 9 p.m. on PBS (check local listings) is
the story of a unique marathon that is staged annually - in one of the
world's most punishing deserts - in the hope of drawing attention to the
plight of the Sahrawi people. Torn by years of bitter guerilla warfare
fought against Morocco's annexation of Western Sahara in 1976, the Sahrawi
are still waiting for the referendum on sovereignty promised in a
UN-brokered cease-fire more than a decade ago.
The story focuses on two competitors - Abdullah Mohammed, a Sahrawi
self-trained runner aspiring to win the race for his people, and Jorge
Aubeso, a top Spanish athlete sympathetic to the cause - who race through
brutal heat and the infamous sirocco sandstorms with winds up to 60 mph.
The filmmakers - ironically, one of only two media crews covering the event
- have full access to this unusual race and to the all-but-forgotten story
of 165,000 people who sense that the global spotlight is no longer theirs
and fear that their problem may never be resolved without a return to armed
conflict. This poignant story is representative of the aspirations of
small, forgotten minorities, and former Cold War conflicts, throughout the
world.
Former Secretary of State James A. Baker III, who recently resigned his
position as top U.N. envoy to Western Sahara citing "frustrations," is
interviewed by series host Mishal Husain after the film to put the story
into context, connecting the dots for American viewers. Says Baker: "This
issue is really not unlike the Arab-Israeli dispute: two different peoples
claiming the same land. One is very strong, one has won the war, one is in
occupation - and the other is very weak."
Sahara Marathon is part of PBS's acclaimed international documentary series
WIDE ANGLE, which airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. through October 7. By exploring
stories of real people affected by current events around the globe, WIDE
ANGLE strives to present the humanity behind the headlines.
Review copies of the film are available upon request. Photography and
additional materials are available for download at
www.thirteen.org/pressroom and www.pbs.org/pressroom.
Funding for WIDE ANGLE is provided by PBS, The William and Flora Hewlett
Foundation, Ford Foundation, The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation, The Jacob Burns Foundation, the Miriam and Ira D. Wallach
Foundation and Carnegie Corporation of New York.
WIDE ANGLE is a production of Thirteen/WNET New York for PBS. Stephen
Segaller is executive producer. Pamela Hogan is series producer. Andy
Halper is senior producer.
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