Brianna Perez of "Joe’s Violin" — Brianna Perez of “Joe’s Violin”

Celebrated PBS documentary series POV has acquired the broadcast rights for Joe’s Violin, an Academy Award nominee in Best Documentary (Short Subject). In the film, a donated musical instrument forges an improbable friendship between 91-year-old Holocaust survivor Joseph Feingold and 12-year-old Bronx schoolgirl Brianna Perez.

Directed by Kahane Cooperman, winner of 11 Primetime Emmy Awards as Co-Executive Producer of “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart,” “Joe’s Violin” showcases the impact of music and how a small act of kindness unexpectedly brings together a Holocaust-survivor and the young daughter of Dominican immigrants in the Bronx.

“We’re thrilled to include ‘Joe’s Violin’ in POV’s 30th season,” said POV Executive Producer Justine Nagan. “During these discordant times, finding stories that remind us of our shared humanity is of particular importance. As Joe’s Violin touches on the holocaust, immigration, the arts and urban education, it’s a timely reminder of how often our lives are woven together across divides.”

“I couldn’t be more excited that ‘Joe’s Violin,’ which got its start when I heard a promo for an instrument drive on public radio, will have its broadcast debut on public television as part of such a highly-regarded series,” said Cooperman. “POV connects people across the country through the power of storytelling and I believe there is no better broadcast home for our film about an unlikely connection between strangers.”

The film premiered at the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival and will debut on the PBS documentary series POV in 2017, after the showcase kicks off its 30th season this spring.

However, it’s been released online, presented by The New Yorker and Condé Nast Entertainment; the full 24 minute short film is embedded below.

Joe's Violin

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