"Wandering Souls: Tet '68 Remembered", Receives Finalist Award at The New York Festivals

Contact: Olivea Oldham, Public Information Coordinator, (740) 593-4944 or Olivea_Oldham@woub.pbs.org

ATHENS, Ohio (January 29, 2001) -- Ohio University Public Television, WOUB/WOUC-TV, and producer/director, Blis Hanousek DeVault have a lot to be proud of these days. The documentary "Wandering Souls: Tet '68 Remembered" was a national finalist in The New York Festivals. DeVault attended the awards ceremony on January 19 at the New York Marriott Marquis.

For 43 years, The New York Festivals has honored excellence in communications media that reaches out to the hearts and the minds of viewers worldwide. The 2000 competition attracted 3,732 television and film and video entries from over 38 countries. The New York Film Festivals was founded in 1957 and has grown tremendously over the years. All entries are first evaluated in a preliminary round of judging which determines the finalists. Finalists are then reviewed by juries of professional peers, whose scores then determine the Gold, Silver and Bronze WorldMedal Winners.

"Wandering Souls: Tet '68 Remembered" was judged in the "History of Society" category among the ranks of The History Channel, Home Box Office, ZDF of Germany, and ABC News. The intense level of competition that exists in the industry is only one reason why DeVault is so proud of Wandering Souls being chosen as a finalist. "It was an honor to even be considered for an award among such outstanding top industry professionals from around the world," she says.

"Wandering Souls: Tet '68 Remembered" was only a dream four years ago. In 1998, DeVault traveled to Vietnam to record the 30th anniversary of the Tet Offensive. The one-hour documentary chronicles the experiences of local Vietnam Veteran Dave Garrod. Garrod, along with several men from the 25th Infantry Division, revisited the Tan Son Nhut battlefield in Vietnam as part of a healing mission.

Since the premiere of "Wandering Souls: Tet '68 Remembered" on January 31, 2000, the documentary has won a National Bronze Telly Award, has been distributed via satellite and aired on over 40 public television stations nationwide via the National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA), and has aired on Vietnamese television in Vietnam. NETA also awarded Wandering Souls a first place award for best promotion of a program or series at its recent conference in Savannah, GA.