Vietnam War Documentary Screening Set For Aug. 18 In Johns Creek

JOHNS CREEK, GA --The city of Johns Creek putting the final touches on its event that will showcase an upcoming PBS documentary series on a war that created deep divisions within American society.

The series, "THE VIETNAM WAR," will be shown between 8:15 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18 at Mark Burkhalter Amphitheater at Newtown Park.

The screening will show clips from the entire 10-part series, which is a new 18-hour documentary film series directed by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. It is scheduled to premiere Sept. 17 on PBS stations nationwide, including Georgia Public Broadcasting, the statewide PBS network (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app).

The first five episodes will air nightly from Sunday, Sept. 17 through Thursday, Sept. 21 and the final five episodes will air nightly from Sunday, Sept. 24 through Thursday, Sept. 28. Each episode will premiere at 8 p.m., with a repeat broadcast immediately following the premiere.

GPB reached out to the city with this offer following the visit of the traveling Vietnam War memorial, The Wall That Heals, in April. GPB also noted Johns Creek’s Memorial Walk, which honors all veterans from World I through the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, as another reason they believed Johns Creek was a good venue to host the screening.

PBS’s “THE VIETNAM WAR” tells the epic story of one of the most consequential, divisive, and controversial events in American history as it has never before been told on film. Visceral and immersive, the series explores the human dimensions of the war through the testimony of nearly 80 witnesses from all sides -- Americans who fought in the war and others who opposed it, as well as combatants and civilians from North and South Vietnam.

Like Johns Creek Patch on Facebook!

Ten years in the making, the series includes rarely seen and digitally re-mastered archival footage from sources around the globe, photographs taken by some of the most celebrated photojournalists of the 20th Century, historic television broadcasts, evocative home movies and secret audio recordings from inside the Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon administrations.

“THE VIETNAM WAR” features more than 100 iconic musical recordings from greatest artists of the era and haunting original music from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross as well as the Silk Road Ensemble featuring Yo-Yo Ma.

The screening in Johns Creek is free to the public. For more information about the upcoming series, visit its website.

Image via U.S. Army provided by the city of Johns Creek