Filmmaker Mark Lewis Returns to PBS With Four New Films About Passion, Ambition and the Pursuit of Excellence in Unique Fields - THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE Series Premieres July 2007 on PBS - A new series of one-hour films from filmmaker Mark Lewis (THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE CHICKEN), THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE, reveals the ambition, the determination and the passion of those who pursue distinction in unconventional fields. From the strength and grace of synchronized swimming to the glamour and creativity at the "Hair Olympics" to the adorable quirkiness of ferret shows, each film explores the striving for excellence in each activity and builds to a naturally suspenseful conclusion on the floor of the competition arena. The first three THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE films air Wednesdays, July 11, 18 and 25, 2007, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET on PBS. THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE follows filmmaker Mark Lewis' tradition of well-told stories with compelling characters, combined with an inevitably forward narrative and inherent humor. The featured characters are diverse in background, warmly endearing and sympathetic -- people consumed by passion, with strong ambitions in their individual quests. SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING: THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE (7/11) takes viewers below the surface of this glamorous sport to reveal the pain, sacrifice and determination required to be a champion synchronized swimmer. Graceful, sharp and visually spectacular, these dynamic routines are made only more gripping by the intensity of the fierce competition. SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMING follows two teams of ambitious and athletic girls -- and one very determined teenage boy -- through their training and team bonding until they meet in a spectacular display of churning water and synchronous limbs at the U.S. Open -- the climactic final event of the U.S. synchronized swimming season. FERRETS: THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE (7/18) offers an endearing and amusing glimpse at America's most playful, mischievous pets -- not to mention their distinctive owners. At the annual Ferret Buckeye Bash in Columbus, Ohio, the largest and most popular ferret show in the country, hundreds of top breeders, seasoned experts and ferret enthusiasts pamper and parade their pets in a quest for prizes and prestige. FERRETS offers a quirky contrast to the common animal show -- these curious creatures lack the regal air of show cats or the respectable nature of pedigreed dogs -- yet these ferrets are trained, pampered and primed by their doting owners in the hope of taking the top prize in the biggest ferret show in the country. HAIRWORLD: THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE (7/25) captures Team USA as its members clip, comb and spray their way to the 31st HairWorld Championships in Moscow, Russia. The competition is a spectacle of rich colors and provocative glamour; 800 stylists from 50 countries compete for gold, silver and bronze medals in timed tests of styling skill. Vivid sculptures of hair, from peacock blue to flaming red, adorn stunning models in killer heels as the stylists battle for the judge's attention. HAIRWORLD follows the trainers, competitors and models from Team USA as they embark on months of rigorous training. As the competition draws closer they must fight to overcome dramatic setbacks -- a devastating flood and a shocking wrist injury -- until finally their dreams unfold strand by strand on the competition floor. THE PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE is a Radio Pictures production in association with PBS. Underwriters: Public Television Viewers and PBS.
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