Real Stories from Around the World

Doc World: Keep It a Secret

Sunday, April 9 at 10 p.m. on WETA World; stream with WETA Passport

A film recounts the inspiring true story of the dawn of Irish surfing and how the sport’s pioneers found peace in the surf during the most violent years of The Troubles in Ireland. In 1972, every international sporting event in the country was canceled, except for one. Teams from around the world refused to travel to Ireland amid the height of sectarian unrest. Amidst the conflict, surf pioneers in both Dublin and Belfast transcended political hostilities to host the 1972 Eurosurf Championship. Keep It a Secret chronicles idealism in the midst of a violent conflict, and reveals how surfing gave a group of young people hope at a time of despair; how the sport would alter their lives; and how the community they formed would leave a lasting impression upon Ireland.

AfroPop: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange

Mondays at 8 p.m. on WETA World

In the April 3 episode of AfroPop: The Ultimate Cultural Exchange — the series spotlighting life, art and culture in the African diaspora — presents Rosalynde LeBlanc and Tom Hurwitz’s study of eminent choreographer Bill T. Jones’ masterpiece ballet D-Man in the Waters. The groundbreaking work of art was first performed in 1989 in response to the devastating impact of the AIDS crisis.

The episode Can You Bring It shows how, decades later, dance professor LeBlanc — and Jones (on left) — worked to bring the dance to life with contemporary students born after the height of the global health crisis. Other Monday AfroPop episodes this month spotlight superstar singer-songwriter Angélique Kidjo (April 10); artist Bill Traylor (April 17); and a traditional masked dance of Mozambique (April 24).

8 Billion Angels

Thursday, April 20 at 7 p.m. on WETA World

As humanity’s demand for resources vastly exceeds nature’s ability to sustain it, food, water, climate and extinction emergencies are unfolding before our eyes. 8 Billion Angels spotlights the conflict between the size of our global population and the sustainability of the planet. The filmmakers tackle a variety of misperceptions: that technology can save us; that reducing consumption is the only answer; and that blame lies in the developing world. Airing as part of a slate of programs on WETA World marking Earth Day, the film takes a journey into the lives of those witnessing an unfolding global crisis — and explores solutions.