WATERTOWN — Following its popular nationwide premiere on PBS, the award-winning documentary, “The Hidden Map,” has been scheduled to air again in several cities from Los Angeles to Boston during the network’s August pledge drive.
Especially noteworthy is Boston WGBH’s novel approach to telling the Armenian story. Recognizing its vibrant Armenian community, WGBH made the important decision to spend an entire day recording studio breaks for the upcoming broadcasts of the documentary in the impressive Armenian Museum of America in Watertown. Collaborating with filmmaker Ani Hovannisian and museum director Jason Sohigian, the WGBH team created a program that celebrates Armenian heritage, history and resilience, featuring lively exchanges and museum treasures to accompany the film. They hope to engage their diverse viewership including Armenians with the 90-minute program which will premiere on the main channel GBH2 on August 15 at 7:30 p.m.
The next broadcast will be on Boston GBH2 Special-Event Premiere of “The Hidden Map” will take place Sunday, August 21, at 5 p.m.
If viewers miss the primary showings, they can also watch on GBH44: Thursday, August 18, at 12 p.m. and Saturday, August 20, at 6 p.m.
August airdates and times in other PBS markets including Los Angeles, San Francisco, Fresno, Cleveland, Arizona, New York, New Jersey, Washington, Seattle, Phoenix, Tucson, Tampa, Miami, Philadelphia, Lexington, Charleston, Louisville, Grand Rapids, Providence, Austin, Fort Wayne and more are available by checking local PBS schedules or thehiddenmap.com.
“The Hidden Map” takes viewers on a daring journey with Hovannisian, a granddaughter of Genocide survivors, as she ventures to the lost ancestral Armenian homeland to uncover the forbidden past. A chance meeting with a Scottish explorer leads to a joint odyssey beneath the surface of modern-day Turkey, where the duo discovers sacred relics, silenced voices and the hidden map. They also meet Turks, Kurds and “hidden” Armenians who risk their safety by revealing long-buried truths.