October 1, 2009 - Throughout October, NYC TV airs the latest season of VOCES, a showcase of outstanding documentaries celebrating the rich diversity of Latino life.

Featuring films about musical legend Celia Cruz and documentaries about subjects like a unique soccer league made up of former stars from Latin America, VOCES is a presentation of Latino Public Broadcasting and is distributed by American Public Television. Acclaimed actor Edward James Olmos introduces each week’s program.

The Golden Age by Phil Tuckett
Friday, October 2, 9pm
The Golden Age documents a season in the life of the Golden Age League, a soccer league in Corona Park, Queens, New York. Not just any soccer league, the highly competitive Golden Age League is made up of middle-aged former World Cup players from mostly Central and South America. With muscles creaking, hairlines receding, and waistlines expanding, these incredibly skilled players compete at a level never before documented. During the week, these men are window washers, traders, and electricians -- but the weekend is theirs, and the passion for the game remains.

Celia the Queen by Joe Cardona and Mario de Varona
Friday, October 9, 9pm
Celia the Queen is a loving look at the amazing life and legacy of a woman whose voice symbolized the soul of a nation and captured the hearts of fans worldwide. Erupting onto the Cuban music scene as the lead singer for La Sonora Matancera, Celia Cruz broke down barriers of racism and sexism. With the powerful weapon of her voice and the warm tolerance of her heart, Celia soon became all things to all people. The film shows the diversity of the people whose lives she touched, from stars like Quincy Jones, Andy Garcia, and Wyclef Jean to ordinary people all over the world who loved not only her music but her incredible spirit. A co-presentation with National Black Programming Consortium.

Special Circumstances by Marianne Teleki
Friday, October 16, 9pm
At 16, Héctor Salgado was arrested and tortured by Pinochet’s forces. By 20, Héctor was without a country, living in exile in the U.S. Special Circumstances follows Héctor as he returns to Chile almost 30 years later, camera in hand, to confront the perpetrators and his former captors, looking for answers and justice. In the process, the film takes an unflinching look at U.S. foreign policy in Latin America in the ’70s and the legacy of Pinochet with which Chile still struggles today.

Soy Andina by Mitch Teplitsky
Friday, October 23, 9pm
Soy Andina tells the story of two women raised in different worlds: an immigrant folk dancer from the Andes, and a modern dancer from Queens, NY, who return to Peru to reconnect with their culture. After 15 years in New York, Nelida Silva returns to fulfill a lifelong dream and host the fiesta patronal — a celebration of dance, music, and rituals from Incan times. Meanwhile Cynthia Paniagua, a dancer raised in Queens, embarks on her own journey, determined to “quench a burning desire to know the real Peru, to unearth the mystery of the dances.” Soy Andina is an exuberant cross-cultural road trip, yet its theme is universal: a yearning for roots and connection in turbulent times.

Dream Havana by Gary Marks
Friday, October 30, 9pm
In August 1994, more than 30,000 Cubans attempted to leave the island by sea. Two writers, friends since adolescence, are faced with a choice: continue struggling with the hardships of the island or brave the open water on a homemade raft. Ernesto Santana chooses Cuba; Jorge Mota, chooses the sea. This is the story of their struggles, their successes and the friendship that binds them across the distance, from Chicago to Havana.

VOCES on NYC TV can be seen on Channel 25 on Time Warner Cable, DirecTV, RCN and Verizon FiOS, Channel 22 on Cablevision, and Channel 25.1 on digital broadcast television.