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WLRN Documentaries

WLRN Documentaries

Explores the Space Shuttle Program through the eyes of some of the exceptional men and women who worked behind-the-scenes to make it fly.
Explores the impact of human behavior on our environment - as seen through the lens of one of South Florida’s most beloved and fragile underwater creatures - the sea turtle.
A documentary that tells the story of Bill Baggs, the late editor of the late Miami News – a story that captures the history of Miami, the community’s geopolitical importance, and the loss of one of its greatest champions.
Miami native and former NASA Astronaut Captain Winston Scott traveled on three missions into space, but his road from adolescence to aeronautics was anything but simple.
An intimate first-person narrative from Auschwitz survivor Edith Eger and her personal journey of survival, forgiveness, and healing.
Take a wild ride into the riot of color, creativity and chaos that is Miami’s street art scene. Every year during the Art Basel fair, street artists from around the globe converge on Miami’s Wynwood district to transform its streets anew with a riot of creative colors.
An uplifting and exclusive behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to be a part of one of the largest events of the year. The story begins when the Macy's Parade committee selects Florida's Tarpon Springs Marching Band, one of ten marching bands selected to perform in the 2013 parade.
A first-hand account by last-known survivor Samuel Willenberg, now 92 years old, about his life during the Holocaust and as a Jewish inmate of the Treblinka death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. Samuel Willenberg was the last living survivor of the Treblinka death camp in Nazi-occupied Poland.
It’s a Saturday night in 1954 and the roar of the racecars at Hialeah Speedway can be heard all over town for the first time. Hialeah Speedway: No Gut, No Glory is a half-hour story of Hialeah Speedway’s 51-year run as a community centerpiece and launch pad for some of the greatest names in racecar history.
A Century in the Sun is the story of how Standard Oil magnate Henry Flagler comes to Florida in the late 1800s, builds a railroad and hotel empire on the last American frontier, and launches a population boom that lasts a hundred years. The film traces Flagler’s impact on Florida through the 20th century, as it becomes the fastest - growing state in the U.S.
For many, the word Prohibition conjures up scenes of gang wars in New York, New Jersey and Chicago along with some of the decade’s most infamous characters, Bugs Moran, Meyer Lansky and Al Capone. Yet few realize the prominent role South Florida, and its Caribbean neighbors played in the transportation of illegal booze into the U.S.
A documentary which delves into the lives of three adult survivors of child sexual abuse, who through their own personal experiences, are committed to helping others affected by this unthinkable crime. We explore how to shed light on this critical topic and learn about prevention, warning signs and how survivors overcome this traumatic experience.
From Key West to the Gulf of Mexico, where ancient mysteries and legends reside, we’ll travel the highways, byways and even down a few back roads in search of the Sunshine State’s weirdest and wackiest places. We will chronicle this sightseeing adventure with Charlie as our guide into Florida’s unknown world of weird where viewers will discover a different kind of tourist destination.
This one hour episode will fulfill the desires of weird fans everywhere with another bizarre journey to Florida’s zaniest places! Highlights include; a haunted restaurant in Rockledge where dishes fly off the shelf, a scary hill in Lake County that thrills drivers, New Smyrna’s mysterious ruins, and Key Biscayne’s underwater cemetery.
It was the early 1930s. Miami was still a young city, and a community was starting to spring up in the most unlikely of places: the middle of Biscayne Bay. Bait shops. Speakeasies. Gambling halls. Homes. Back then it was known as “The Shacks.” Today, we know this community as Stiltsville. Watch as we uncover a Miami community of the past trying desperately to preserve Stiltsville for the future.
Take a rollicking ride along Florida’s only All-American Road. Experience the stunning beauty of the Florida Keys and meet a colorful cast of off-beat characters. Filmmaker Tim Long (Bohemia in the Tropics, Escape to Dreamland) heads off the mainland down US Highway One from Key Largo to Key West in search of the people who personify the Florida Keys’ unique, funky, laid-back island culture.
Engaging and light-hearted story of how a radical New Deal economic experiment during the Great Depression created an image of Key West in the popular culture and how that image became the island’s destiny. The film features interviews with famous contemporary writers, such as Gore Vidal and Russell Banks, and newly uncovered archival photos and footage, including rare Hemingway home movies.
Explore this fascinating, little known, and surprisingly enduring subculture, culminating with a visit to the annual Hukilau celebration, a gathering of Tiki enthusiasts from around the country held every June at Fort Lauderdale’s famed Mai-Kai Restaurant, itself one of the last great holdovers from Tiki’s golden age—waterfalls, Polynesian floor show, and all.
Hecho a Mano: Creativity in Exile weaves together the stories of four Cuban artists living in Miami: pianist Francisco 'Paquito' Hechavarría, sculptor Tony López, and ceramists Nelson and Ronald Currás. From their beginnings in Cuba to their early experiences in exile to today, the film explores their dedication to craft and their ability to keep creating under often challenging circumstances.
It’s hard to imagine what South Florida looked like when Ralph Munroe arrived here back in 1877. No highways, no streets, and certainly no railroad. Yet he was captivated by the people and the natural world he found. He brought with him a talent for yacht building and architecture. He also brought something else that was new to the area – a camera. This is the story of Ralph Munroe and the legacy that helped shape South Florida forever.
Save Our Sisters (SOS) is the only breast cancer survivors’ dragon boat racing team in Miami from diverse backgrounds and ages. The stories of courage, hope and friendship will unfold as the team prepares for this challenge and their message is clear, it’s not just a race to the finish line, it’s a race against breast cancer.
Conquering the Dragon features team SOS, Save Our Sisters from Miami, Florida as members work hard to prepare for their biggest race ever, the International Dragon Boat Festival for Breast Cancer Survivors in Canada. The compelling stories of these survivors coupled with their struggles to cross the finish line, results in a vivid image of life and survival.
This is a story of how dragon boat racing has grown in popularity among breast cancer survivors across Florida and the participation in the sport among Hispanic women. Thousands of survivors from around the globe celebrate the sisterhood of dragon boaters; a community of support that helps women overcome the challenges of cancer.
From the Seminole Wars in the 1830's, through two World Wars, right up to Afghanistan, Jewish Floridians have proudly contributed and served in various campaigns within all branches and ranks of the U.S military. Now the stories of some of these dedicated and honorable individuals along with their families will be told.