HBO2 CONTINUES ITS WEEKLY WEDNESDAY DOCUMENTARY SERIES IN THE FIRST HALF OF 2010 WITH A PROVOCATIVE AND DIVERSE LINEUP OF FILMS

Presentations Include A May Series On Children Of Africa And Susan Cohn Rockefeller's MAKING THE CROOKED STRAIGHT

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 14, 2010 � HBO2 continues its provocative Wednesday night documentary series in the first half of 2010, showcasing a diverse lineup of new presentations. From a May series on children of Africa, featuring MUSIC BY PRUDENCE, about disabled teens who find social acceptance through music, to GETTING OVER HIM IN 8 SONGS OR LESS, an animated musical tale of finding yourself after losing love, HBO2 spans the globe to tell unique, memorable stories.

Upcoming HBO documentaries include (in chronological order):

THIS IS MY AFRICA (Feb. 3) is a unique journey into an Africa that many don't know. Directed and produced by Zina Saro-Wiwa, daughter of Nigerian activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, and featuring interviews with actors Colin Firth and Chiwetel Ejiofor, among others, the film weaves together the observations of 20 Africans and Africaphiles, delivering a crash course on African culture.

GETTING OVER HIM IN 8 SONGS OR LESS (Feb. 14), debuting on Valentine's Day, is an animated musical chronicle of one women's journey after her husband of 17 years leaves her, offering a sexy, funny and poignant reminder that losing love can mean finding yourself. Directed by Debra J. Solomon.

MAKING THE CROOKED STRAIGHT (March 10) spotlights Long Island-born Dr. Rick Hodes, who has dedicated his life to helping heal the sick and poor of Ethiopia for 20 years. In addition to offering hospital care, Hodes has provided a foster home for 17 children, giving them a loving environment and an education. The film explores this remarkable man's work, his family life and the spirituality that has guided his choices and sacrifices. Directed by Susan Cohn Rockefeller.

AN OMAR BROADWAY FILM (March 24) is the story of an incarcerated man who smuggled a video camera into a maximum security prison to expose the excessive force used by the guards, and capture the realities of day-to-day life there. Directed by Douglas Tirola and Omar Broadway.

STUDS TERKEL: LISTENING TO AMERICA (April), directed by Eric Simonson (the Best Documentary Short Oscar(R) winner "A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin"), celebrates America's greatest oral historian. Surveying Terkel's eccentric career as an actor, musicologist, activist and best-selling author, the film underscores his quintessentially American philosophy that every life counts, and everyone's story is worth telling. Linda Ellerbee executive produces.

CHILDREN OF AFRICA:

THE LAZARUS EFFECT (May 5), produced in association with (RED), examines what happens when Africans suffering from HIV/AIDS without adequate health care are suddenly able to get access to lifesaving antiretroviral drugs (ARVs). Within months, they can transform from being near death to healthier, functioning and productive members of their families and societies. The film profiles a number of people in Zambia who are in the process of this remarkable transformation from despair to hope. Directed by Lance Bangs.

MUSIC BY PRUDENCE (May 12), directed by Roger Ross Williams, follows a band of disabled Zimbabwe teenagers and their singer, Prudence Mabhena, who find social acceptance through music in a society where physical disabilities are seen as a curse and the afflicted are often disowned by their families.

SAVING AFRICA'S WITCH CHILDREN (May 19) spotlights the work of Englishman Gary Foxcroft, who has devoted his life to helping thousands of poor, vulnerable Nigerian children branded as witches and blamed for catastrophes, death and famine. Directed by Mags Gavan and Joost van der Valk.