New Documentary Explores the Inside Story of China's Race to Eradicate All Extreme Poverty by 2020

COSTA MESA, Calif., July 19, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- PBS SoCal, a content channel of Los Angeles' PBS flagship organization the Public Media Group of Southern California, announced today the premiere of its Co-Production "Voices from the Frontline: China's War on Poverty." Hosted and written by Dr. Robert Lawrence Kuhn, a renowned China expert and recipient of the China Reform Friendship Medal, and executive produced by Adam Zhu, "Voices from the Frontline: China's War on Poverty" is produced by a joint US-China production team, led by award-winning director Peter Getzels. The documentary provides a textured and intimate portrayal of China's historic anti-poverty campaign by following five cases that highlight China's poverty alleviation strategy. "Voices from the Frontline: China's War on Poverty" will premiere on PBS SoCal on Weds., July 31 at 7 pm PT.

"We had unprecedented access as we traveled China embedded in their poverty alleviation programs, meeting villagers, local officials, and special monitors," said Kuhn. "During the production, we discovered every poor family had a targeted plan to lift each above the line of absolute poverty. We witnessed democratic village meetings voting to determine who was and was not above this line of absolute poverty, while watching local officials being held accountable, their careers at stake."

China's economic development lifted more than 750 million people out of poverty, but for more than 100 million, the intractably poor who were often living in remote and mountainous regions, economic development was not enough. The film shows how President Xi Jinping has introduced 'targeted poverty alleviation' making the remarkable statement that poverty alleviation is his most important task. Targeted measures to eliminate poverty include individualized procedures and customized programs classified into "five methods" to lift poor families out of absolute poverty while adding third-party evaluations to assure accuracy and honesty.

Describing the international co-production, Director Peter Getzels noted, "Directing an international team in remote parts of China was a challenge, but our cross-cultural collaboration led to deep insights about how this extraordinary program works. We took a cinematic approach and edited the film in a way that shows — more than tells — thereby enabling people to present their own stories as candidly as possible."

"Voices from the Frontline: China's War on Poverty" is co-produced by The Kuhn Foundation and PBS SoCal in association with CGTN.

ABOUT PBS SOCAL
PBS SoCal is a donor-supported community institution that is a part of Public Media Group of Southern California, the flagship PBS station for 19 million diverse people across California formed by the merger of PBS SoCal and KCETLink Media Group. PBS SoCal delivers content and experiences that inspire, inform and entertain – over the air, online, in the community and in the classroom. We offer the full slate of beloved PBS programs including MASTERPIECE, NOVA, PBS NewsHour, Frontline, Independent Lens, a broad library of documentary films including works from Ken Burns; and educational PBS KIDS programs including Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood and Curious George. Our programs are accessible for free through four broadcast channels, and available for streaming at pbssocal.org, on the PBS mobile apps, and via connected TV services Android TV, Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.

Join the conversation on social media using #ChinasWarOnPoverty and #ClosertoChina.

ABOUT THE KUHN FOUNDATION
The Kuhn Foundation (KF) advances understanding and meaning of science and philosophy and facilitates informational exchanges between China and the U.S./world. KF co-produces, with CGTN, "Closer to China with R.L. Kuhn", featuring China's thought leaders and decision makers. KF co-produces, with Shanghai Media Group, the five-hour miniseries "China's Challenges" (three seasons), which won China News Awards (three), Emmy (Los Angeles), and Telly Awards (two). For all KF productions in China, Robert Lawrence Kuhn is host and writer, Adam Zhu is executive producer, and Peter Getzels is director. KF produces "Closer To Truth", the long-running weekly series on PBS stations, featuring world-renown scientists and philosophers exploring the big questions of cosmos, consciousness and meaning (www.closertotruth.com).

ABOUT ROBERT LAWRENCE KUHN
Robert Lawrence Kuhn is a public intellectual and renowned China expert. He was awarded the "China Reform Friendship Medal," China's highest award that honors 10 foreigners over four decades; five are living, Kuhn is one of two Americans. For 30 years, Kuhn, with his long-time partner, Adam Zhu, has worked with China's leaders and advised the Chinese government. He is a commentator on CNN, BBC, CNBC, Bloomberg, Fox Business, and a columnist in South China Morning Post and China Daily. He is the author of over 30 books, including How China's Leaders Think (featuring President Xi Jinping) and The Man Who Changed China: The Life and Legacy of Jiang Zemin (China's best-selling book of 2005). He is the host and co-producer of Closer to China with R.L. Kuhn (CGTN) on Chinese politics, economics, society and foreign affairs. He is an international corporate strategist and investment banker; chairman of The Kuhn Foundation; and creator/writer/host of Closer to Truth, the long-running PBS / public TV series on science and philosophy (produced/directed by Peter Getzels). Kuhn has a Ph.D. in anatomy/brain research (UCLA) and an MBA (MIT).

SOURCE The Kuhn Foundation