Eighteen-year-old Rinzin Jurmey from Bhutan decided to become a monk and student of Buddhism when he was eleven years old. While many of his peers in modern schools are more materialistic, Jurmey enjoys a contemplative lifestyle. Bhutan, a small nation which was cut off from the rest of the world until only a few decades ago, uses a Gross National Happiness Index rather than gross domestic product to measure economic and moral progress and promote Buddhist spiritual values. But tourism, technology, and globalization have had a major impact on the country. As Jurmey travels between his monastery, his mountain village, and the city, he meets with hip hop dancers, video game enthusiasts, and sports fans, seeking to understand the intersection of tradition and pop culture. With guidance from cinematographer Cat Papadimitriou, Jurmey documents the ways in which he–and his country–are striving to preserve ancient practices while embracing modernity.

New York metro area, THIRTEEN: Sunday, April 25, at 7:30 PM

National viewers, please check your local listings.

Sixteen-year-old Faith Guilbault, from Baltimore, Maryland, loves skydiving and horseback riding and has walked the runway at Fashion Week in New York City. She is also one of 61 million people in the US living with a disability. Guilbault is visually impaired and has cerebral palsy, which affects her ability to move and maintain balance and posture. Yet she does not want anyone to feel sorry for her. She is resilient, hard-working, and determined to realize her dreams. With guidance from filmmaker Joyce Chopra, Guilbault shines light on her world, inviting viewers to focus on the similarities rather than differences between abled and disabled people.

New York metro area, THIRTEEN: Sunday, April 25, at 7:00 PM

National viewers, please check your local listings.

Nineteen-year-old Semon Shabaev, a Jewish native of Berlin, is proud of his religious and cultural heritage, attending a Jewish school, participating in a Jewish theater group, and playing on a Jewish soccer team in his hometown. As the last generation of Holocaust survivors fades into history, a new wave of Jews, including Shabaev’s family, has emigrated to the country that attempted to eradicate them. Shabaev interviews community leaders, friends, and rabbis, observes a remembrance service, and facilitates a cross-cultural workshop as he examines German-Jewish identity. Mentored by filmmaker Anja Baron, Shabaev shines a light on resurgent Jewish life in Germany at a time of rising worldwide antisemitism.

New York metro area, THIRTEEN: Sunday, April 18, at 7:30 PM

National viewers, please check your local listings for air dates beginning April 6, 2021.

Teens document antisemitism, disability, generational trauma and globalization in Season Three of Films BYkids airing on public television beginning April 6, 2021.

The new season of Films BYkids presents teenagers from diverse cultures documenting their experience of struggle and triumph dealing with antisemitism, disability, generational trauma and globalization. A collaboration between THIRTEEN and BYkids, Films BYkids pairs accomplished filmmakers with teens from around the world to create short personal documentaries that encourage understanding about universal issues and help foster empathy and global citizenry.

In the New York metro area, the series begins airing on Sunday, April 18, at 7:00 p.m. on THIRTEEN.

Sunday, April 18, at 7:00 PM for AGAINST THE CURRENT
Sunday, April 18, at 7:30 PM for L’CHAIM
Sunday, April 25, at 7:00 PM for FAITH’S WORLD
Sunday, April 25, at 7:30 PM for BUDDHISM, BHUTAN AND ME

National viewers, please check your local listings for air dates beginning April 6, 2021.