WXXI TV

A stunning and immersive look at the cost of opposing Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

FRONTLINE “Antidote” airs Tuesday, May 6 at 10 p.m. on  WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI app.

Antidote chronicles the lives of Christo Grozev, a Bulgarian investigative journalist whose reporting has exposed hundreds of Russian spies, assassins, and those involved in the poisoning of opposition leader Alexei Navalny; and Evgenia Kara-Murza, the wife of prominent political activist Vladimir Kara-Murza, who was poisoned twice and sentenced to 25 years in a Russian prison. 

The feature documentary lays bare the grave consequences that come with speaking out against the Putin regime, revealing the threats Grozev, Kara-Murza and their families face as they seek to expose the actions of the Kremlin to the world.

Photo: Edgar Dubrovskiy, credit: Passion Pictures

A portrayal of three families confronting the unique challenges of Alzheimer’s and how the disease transforms roles and relationships.

Independent Lens “Matter of the Mind: My Alzheimer’s” airs Monday, May 5 at 10 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming on the WXXI app.

Matter of Mind: My Alzheimer’s is an intimate portrayal of three families confronting the unique challenges of Alzheimer’s and how this progressive neurodegenerative disease transforms roles and relationships. Whether it’s a partner becoming a caregiver or an adult child shifting into being their parent’s caretaker, these stories show how families evolve when a loved one is diagnosed.

Roy Orbison fans won’t want to miss these two concert performances that celebrate the singer-song writer legend.

Roy Orbison Marathon airs Saturday, April 26 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on  WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI app.

At 3 p.m. it’s Roy Orbison Forever, featuring Interviews and archive performances that celebrate the life and career of the five-time Grammy Award-winning Rock and Roll Hall of Famer.

At 4:30 p.m. enjoy Roy Orbison & Friends: A Black and White Night. The singer performs with Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, k.d. lang, Bonnie Raitt, Jennifer Warnes, Jackson Browne, Tom Waits, T-Bone Burnett in Los Angeles.

To mark the passing of Pope Francis, WXXI presents an encore broadcast of this In Their Own Words episode.

In Their Own Words “Pope Francis” airs Monday, April 21 9 p.m. on  WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI app.

Learn what experiences led Jorge Bergoglio to the highest office in the Catholic Church. Taking the name Francis, he was the first pope from the Americas, and the first non-European and first Jesuit priest to be named pope.

Please note: Due to this program change, Single-Use Planet, which was originally slated for this time slot will debut at a later date, To Be Determined.

Explore the wealth of stories nestled along the world’s iconic waterways.

World’s Most Scenic River Journeys airs Sundays, March 30-May 4 at 7 p.m. on WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI app.

Narrated by Bill Nighy, explore the wealth of stories nestled along the world’s iconic waterways – from the Niagara and the Potomac, to Scotland’s River Spey and France’s River Dordogne.

Episodes include:
“Guadalquivir, Spain” – Sunday, March 30 Follow in the footsteps of explorers down Spain’s Guadalquivir River.
“The Potomac, USA” – Sunday, April 6 The Potomac River winds through America’s capital, passing a number of historic sites on its way.
“Dordogne River , France” – Sunday, April 13 France’s Dordogne River weaves past castles and greenery in the heart of Southwest France.
“River Spey, Scotland” – Sunday, April 20 The breathtaking River Spey in Scotland is home to world-famous whiskey and salmon fishing.
“The Hudson River, USA” – Sunday, April 27 The Hudson River winds through much of New York State’s most beautiful natural scenery.
“Niagara River, Canada & the US” – Sunday, May 4 Home to the iconic falls, the Niagara River boasts a storied history and scenic landscape.

A beloved American institution, the public library’s founding principle is simple: build a place where anyone can enter, free of charge, and encounter a universe of ideas.

Independent Lens Free for All: The Public Library airs Tuesday, April 29 at 10 p.m. on  WXXI-TV and streaming live on the WXXI app.

This film chronicles the fascinating evolution of the American public library’s trajectory, from the original “Free Library Movement” that began in the late 19th century to the present, when many libraries find themselves caught in the crosshairs of the culture wars and struggling to survive amid budget cuts and closures.

By the time she was 12, director Dawn Logsdon had visited over 100 libraries in almost every state as she and her teacher-parents road-tripped across America during their summer vacations. In “Free for All,” she and co-director Faulknor embark on a new journey — a fun and eye-opening jaunt from Louisiana to California, Massachusetts to Wisconsin, New York to Oregon, and more, visiting landmark sites in library history and uncovering the stories of the colorful personalities who shaped our libraries and the communities they serve. 

The film highlights inspiring librarians, past and present, mostly women dedicated to upholding the library’s integral position within our democracy, spreading literacy, offering solace and refuge, and uplifting their communities.