HISTORY EN ESPANOL(TM) Premieres Acclaimed Documentary 'Los Zafiros/The Sapphires' During Hispanic Heritage Month

HISTORY EN ESPANOL(TM) Premieres Acclaimed Documentary 'Los Zafiros/The Sapphires' During Hispanic Heritage Month

Special Debuts Sunday, October 5, at 8 pm ET

NEW YORK, Sept. 17 /PRNewswire/ -- As the Beatles were rocking Liverpool in the early 1960s, another great pop band was coming together in the tough musical neighborhood of Cayo Hueso in Havana. Playing a brilliant mix of American inspired Doo Wop, Afro-Cuban and traditional Latin forms, Los Zafiros became a sensation in Cuba and beyond before dissolving in the mid 1970s from the effects of the fast life, infighting and changing political and musical tastes. On October 5th at 8pm ET the acclaimed documentary "Los Zafiros/The Sapphires" brings the musical talents of the famed group to life once again with a special premiere on HISTORY EN ESPANOL.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080515/NYTH159LOGO )

"Los Zafiros/The Sapphires" is part of the network's continued celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and its commitment to bringing the living history of the Latin culture to its rapidly growing audience.

Throughout the month, HISTORY EN ESPANOL will feature special programs including the documentaries "The Sugar Curtain," an intimate portrait of the Cuban regime at its economic peak as seen through the eyes the mid-1970s generation that lived it; and the acclaimed special "Act of Honor," the story of the young Marine Sergeant Rafael Peralta, a Mexican immigrant turned hero, who flung himself on a live grenade during an ambush by Iraqi insurgents to save the lives of his five platoon members.

As part of the commemorative schedule, HISTORY EN ESPANOL will also air topical daily programming throughout the week, offering intelligent, thought-provoking series from the U.S. and Latin America spotlighting Latino roots and culture. This special Hispanic Heritage Month programming lineup includes:

Los Zafiros/The Sapphires -- Thirty years after their breakup, the two surviving band members of Los Zafiros, multiple-Grammy winner and Buena Vista Social Club alumnus Manuel Galban, and the group's co-founder, Miguel Cancio, reunite in the streets of present-day Havana, a place full of unforgettable songs and memories for them and for their still-loyal fans. Evocative archival films and recordings of the group are interwoven with newsreel footage that vividly parallels the Los Zafiros story with life in Cuba before, during and after the height of the Cold War. Engaging performance footage and original interviews help family members, fellow artists, and friends create a stirring and definitive portrait of The Sapphires for a whole new audience. Produce by Lorenzo DeStefano, Productions-a-Propos. Premieres on HISTORY EN ESPANOL on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 8pm ET.

The Sugar Curtain -- An intimate portrait of a generation that began its studies in primary school when the Cuban regime was at its best economically -- the mid-1970s. The film recounts this generation's childhood and explores what happened later, when the socialist regimes of Eastern Europe ceased to exist. It was at that moment that Cuba was left without allies, money or petroleum and the ideals of this generation were dismantled under the paralysis of the system. Directed by Camila Guzman Urzua, 90 minutes. Airs on HISTORY EN ESPANOL on Sunday, Oct. 12 at 8pm ET.

Act of Honor -- In November 2004, the Iraqi city of Fallujah was caught in a downward spiral of sectarian violence. After four American military contractors were brutally killed by a mob, U.S. coalition forces entered the city in an attempt to restore order. During the bitter battle that followed, dozens of American soldiers gave their lives, including the heroic Marine Sergeant Rafael Peralta, a 25-year-old Mexican immigrant, who flung himself on a live grenade during an ambush by Iraqi insurgents to save the lives of his five platoon members. The acclaimed one-hour documentary pays tribute to these soldiers' sacrifices and those of their loved ones as it traces Peralta's extraordinary journey from Tijuana, Mexico to San Diego to the streets of Iraq. Sgt. Peralta's family members and fellow Marines remember his life as a young man and exemplary war hero, as they grapple with the loss of son, brother and buddy in the theatre of war. Airs on HISTORY EN ESPANOL on Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 8pm ET.

HISTORY EN ESPANOL(TM) is a 24-hour television network dedicated to the Spanish-speaking audience in the United States. It presents a wide range of Spanish-language programming that focuses on the great dramatic moments and events as well as the pivotal figures in history. HISTORY EN ESPANOL is one of four domestic television networks of the History brand. HISTORY EN ESPANOL has emerged as the new "must have" for distributors. The network is now available nationally on DishLATINO and on the nation's top cable systems including Comcast, Charter, Insight, Cox, Cablevision, and NCTC, representing more than 29 million subs in key Hispanic markets across the United States. The channel's website is located at www.history.com/espanol.

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080515/NYTH159LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: HISTORY EN ESPANOL

CONTACT: HISTORY EN ESPANOL: Kathie Gordon, +1-212-210-1320,
kathie.gordon@aetn.com, or Martine Charles, +1-206-295-9114,
martine@teamelevation.com; or Spanish language contact: Magaly Morales,
+1-954-240-9818, magaly@teamelevation.com

Web Site: http://www.history.com/espanol

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