HBO DOCUMENTARY FILMS SETS LINEUP OF HBO2 PRESENTATIONS FOR THE SECOND HALF OF 2010

NEW YORK, Aug. 4, 2010 - HBO Documentary Films has a provocative lineup of original presentations set to debut on HBO2 in the second half of 2010. From a story of conflict and change in Nepal to a look at European monks who became unlikely pop stars to an up-close report on the "death with dignity" debate, HBO2 documentaries take viewers to worlds others rarely see.

Upcoming HBO2 documentaries include (in chronological order):

WOMAN REBEL (debuting Aug. 18) journeys to Nepal, where nearly 40% of the guerillas in the rebel army that fought to overthrow the government from 1996 to 2006 were women. The film follows one of them, Uma Bhujel (army codename "Silu"), from the jungles of the revolution all the way to the halls of Parliament, capturing a turning point in the country's history. Directed by first-time filmmaker Kiran Deol.

WAR DON DON (Sept. 22) chronicles the sensational trial of Issa Sesay in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Prosecutors accuse him of war crimes; supporters call him a reluctant fighter who protected civilians and played a crucial role in bringing peace to the country. The film features unrestricted access to prosecutors, defense attorneys, victims and Sesay himself. Directed by first-time filmmaker Rebecca Richman Cohen.

DARK LIGHT: THE ART OF BLIND PHOTOGRAPHERS (Oct.) explores the artistry and innovation of blind photographers Pete Eckert, Bruce Hall and Henry Butler, whose luminous work can help others see the world through their eyes. The film asks the questions: Can vision succeed where eyesight fails? Can a blind person make meaningful photographs? How can the creator appreciate his own work?

Oscar(R)-nominated for Best Documentary Short Subject this year, THE LAST CAMPAIGN OF GOVERNOR BOOTH GARDNER (Nov. 3) follows the former Washington State governor's "Death with Dignity" campaign to legalize physician-assisted suicide after he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1993. Directed by Daniel Junge (HBO's "They Killed Sister Dorothy"), the film looks at both sides of the hotly-debated issue, painting an intimate portrait of a man who battles his own physical deterioration as he works to pass the legislation and solidify his legacy.

TOP 10 MONKS (December) is the story of Cistercian monks living in a 12th-century monastery near Vienna who scored a surprise Top 10 hit in Europe with an album of Gregorian chants. The documentary shows how they cope with the effects - and incongruities - of pop "stardom." Directed by Dana Perry (HBO's "Boy Interrupted").