Plot Synopsis

For the first time in HBO's history, the cable channel is presenting a series of documentary films in the fall season. Known for its long history of groundbreaking films, HBO has typically presented a series of award-winning and thought-provoking documentaries from spring through summer. In 2013, the cable channel aired films on 10 consecutive Monday nights, from October 14 through December 9, 2013, including these docs: VALENTINE ROAD (debuting Oct. 7), which unravels the school shooting of a young teenager who had begun exploring his gender identity; MONDAYS AT RACINE, OPEN HEART and REDEMPTION (debuting back-to-back Oct. 14), which were all nominated for a Documentary Short Subject Oscar earlier this year; LIFE ACCORDING TO SAM (Oct. 21), which explores the remarkable world of 16-year-old Sam Berns, spotlighting his family's courageous fight to save their son from the extremely rare and fatal disease Progeria; SEDUCED AND ABANDONED (Oct. 28), which follows Alec Baldwin and James Toback as they attempt to make a deal to produce their version of LAST TANGO IN PARIS at the Cannes Film Festival; TALES FROM THE ORGAN TRADE (Nov. 4), which is an unflinching descent into the shadowy world of black-market organ trafficking; DIAL ONE FOR VETS (Nov. 11), which explores the epidemic of suicide among American war veterans; WHOOPI GOLDBERG PRESENTS MOMS MABLEY (Nov. 18), which celebrates the iconic African-American standup comedienne Jackie 'Moms' Mabley, who broke racial and sexual boundaries; TOXIC HOT SEAT (Nov. 25), which follows a courageous group of firefighters, mothers, journalists, scientists, politicians and other activists as they fight to expose a shadowy campaign of deception; THE BATTLE OF AMFAR (Dec. 2), which shows how Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor and research scientist Dr. Mathilde Krim fought to create America's first national AIDS research foundation; and SIX BY SONDHEIM (Dec. 9), which is an intimate look at the prolific career of renowned Broadway lyricist and composer Stephen Sondheim.