LA’s Punk Rock Origins Explored in New Season for PBS

LA’s Punk Rock Origins Explored in New Season for PBS

PBS SoCal and KCET, Southern California’s flagship PBS stations, announced today the return of the original Emmy^® award-winning arts and culture series ARTBOUND, as well as a host of options to join in-person for local screenings and for viewers (or interested parties) to host their own screening events. The fourteenth season of the one-hour documentary series kicks off with an examination of two Chinatown restaurants that became the implausible heart of L.A.’s burgeoning punk scene in the 1970s. The additional five episodes of ARTBOUND from the new season include a look at the murals of David Alfaro Siqueiros, the impact of publisher Angel City Press, the influence of Asian American theatre company East West Players, the birth of the LA Rebellion cinematic movement from UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television as well as an exploration of the day to day life of artists-in-residence Céline Brunko, Christine Lee and Carol Zou. The new season of ARTBOUND will premiere with the documentary “Chinatown Punk Wars” on Wed., Oct. 4 at 9 p.m. PT on KCET and Fri., Oct. 6 at 8 p.m. on PBS SoCal. Following the broadcast, each episode will stream on the free PBS app. Members of PBS SoCal and KCET will get early access to stream all six episodes on PBS Passport starting Oct. 4.

PREMIERE & LOCAL EVENTS – FREE & OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
In collaboration with LAist, the non-profit, member-supported source for stories authentic to LA, PBS SoCal and KCET will be hosting an in-person screening series of all six episodes starting with an ARTBOUND Season 14 Premiere Screening Event of the season’s first documentary “Chinatown Punk Wars” on Fri., Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. at Grand Performances (350 South Grand Ave., LA, CA 90071) in downtown Los Angeles. The screening event will be FREE and open to the public and followed by a panel discussion with LA-based popular punk rock band The Linda Lindas and musician/author/punk rock trailblazer Alice Bag (The Bags), moderated by LAist Studios’ Antonia Cereijido. The event will conclude with a LIVE performance by The Linda Lindas.

Five additional FREE screenings of the entire ARTBOUND season 14 documentary lineup accompanied by filmmaker panel discussions will take place at LAist’s convening venue, The Crawford (474 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105) from October thru December (see specific dates below).

For more information and to RSVP for the in-person screening events, please visit: LAist.com/events.

The full lineup and descriptions of the 14th season of ARTBOUND are listed below as are details for upcoming in-person screening events with LAist.

New episodes of this season of ARTBOUND will premiere as follows (subject to change*):

“Chinatown Punk Wars” – Wed., Oct. 4 at 9 p.m. on KCET / Fri., Oct. 6 at 8 p.m. on PBS SoCal

In the late 1970s, two Chinese restaurants became the unlikely epicenter of L.A.’s burgeoning punk rock scene. The emerging music form featured fast-paced songs and hard-edged melodies with anti-establishment messaging. As told through interviews with John Doe (X), Alice Bag (The Bags), Keith Morris (Circle Jerks, Black Flag, OFF!), and Martin Wong (Save Music in Chinatown) featuring music from current performers such as The Linda Lindas and more. Production Company: Arclight Productions. Public Screening Event: Fri., Sept. 22 at 7 p.m. at Grand Performances (350 South Grand Ave., LA, CA 90071) Visit LAist.com/events for tickets and information.

“América Tropical: The Martyr Mural of Siqueiros” – Wed., Oct. 11 at 9 p.m. on KCET / Fri., Oct. 13 at 8 p.m. on PBS SoCal
Mexican social realist painter David Alfaro Siqueiros created Olvera Street’s popular “América Tropical” introducing an innovative and unprecedented technique to muralism that required revolutionary techniques and materials. “America Tropical” is considered the most studied white-washed mural in the United States. The mural and Siqueiros inspired many contemporary muralists working today profiled in the film including 3B Collective, Erin Yoshi and Fabian Debora (Homeboy Art Academy). The film also features commentary from Rubén Ortiz-Torres, Harry Gamboa Jr., Isabel Rojas-Williams and more. Production Company: Dignicraft Film and Art. Public Screening Event: Tues., Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. at The Crawford, LAist’s convening venue (474 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105) Visit LAist.com/events for tickets and information.

“Birth of the L.A. Rebellion: A Cinematic Movement” – Wed., Oct. 18 at 9 p.m. on KCET / Fri., Oct. 20 at 8 p.m. on PBS SoCal
Following the Watts Uprising, UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television enacted affirmative action policies to increase the enrollment of students of color in the film program—a group that had historically been underrepresented in the student population. The “ethno-communications” initiative to recruit students from Black, Asian, Chicano and Native American communities took on a movement of its own, when a critical mass of Black student filmmakers emerged known as the “L.A. Rebellion.” Includes interviews with Ben Caldwell, Larry Clark, Sandy Osawa, Eddie Wong and more. Production Company: Shoes Off Media. Public Screening Event: Tues., Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. at The Crawford, LAist’s convening venue (474 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105) Visit LAist.com/events for tickets and information.

“Artists-in-Residence” – Wed., Oct. 25 at 9 p.m. on KCET / Fri., Oct. 27 at 8 p.m. on PBS SoCal
Artists-In-Residence programs provide opportunities to artists like Céline Brunko, Christine Lee and Carol Zou to have time and space to create new work and engage with different communities and cultures, while growing as artists and people. This film explores the meaning, value and experience of artist-in-residence programs, as seen through the first-person perspectives of these three disparate artists in unique residencies around Southern California. Features several regional institutions including MAK Artists and Architects-in-Residence Program, SDSU Furniture Design and Woodworking Artists-In-Residence Program and LA County Creative Strategists Program. Production Company: Artifact Studios. Public Screening Event: Tues., Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. at The Crawford, LAist’s convening venue (474 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105) Visit LAist.com/events for tickets and information.

“Angel City Press: L.A. Through the Pages” – Wed., Nov. 1 at 9 p.m. on KCET / Fri., Nov. 3 at 8 p.m. on PBS SoCal
Angel City Press has been a publisher of distinctly high-quality nonfiction books about Southern California for over 30 years. Founded in 1992 by wife-and-husband team Paddy Calistro and Scott McAuley, they shaped and influenced the public’s understanding and appreciation of Los Angeles publishing award-winning books advocating for the region’s arts, architecture, food, fantasies, Hollywood, music and sports. Soon to retire, the couple will enter a new chapter in their lives, but not without changing the publishing landscape in Los Angeles for generations to come. Featured interviews include author Arthur Dong, author/radio host Frances Anderton, cultural historian D.J. Waldie, L.A. City Librarian John Szabo and more. Production Company: Junk Films. Public Screening Event: Tues., Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. at The Crawford, LAist’s convening venue (474 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105) Visit LAist.com/events for tickets and information.

“East West Players: A Home on Stage” – Wed., Nov. 8 at 9 p.m. on KCET / Fri., Nov. 10 at 8 p.m. on PBS SoCal
East West Players theatre company has been a home for Asian American artists such as George Takei, John Cho, Daniel Dae Kim, James Hong and many others featured in this documentary. Through candid conversations about the creative process, the film chronicles the 58-year history of the longest running ethnic theatre in the United States, founded by a group of rebellious Asian American actors in 1965. The theatre troupe continues to produce works and educational programs that give voice to the Asian American experience. Production Company: Rooster and Pig Productions. Public Screening Event: Tues., Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. at The Crawford, LAist’s convening venue (474 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena, CA 91105) Visit LAist.com/events for tickets and information.

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