or


[09/17/13 - 09:16 AM]
Documentary "Valentine Road," Exploring a Middle-School Murder and Its Complicated Aftermath, Debuts Oct. 7 on HBO
HBO Documentary Films presents a weekly series this fall, debuting provocative new specials every Monday from October 7 through December 9.

[via press release from HBO]

DOCUMENTARY "VALENTINE ROAD," EXPLORING A MIDDLE-SCHOOL MURDER AND ITS COMPLICATED AFTERMATH, DEBUTS OCT. 7 ON HBO

Film Kicks Off HBO Documentary Films Fall Series

Feb. 12, 2008, started like any other day at E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard, a California beach town northwest of Los Angeles. Eighth-grade students filed into computer lab to do an assignment on the topic of tolerance. But before the class was over, 15-year-old Lawrence "Larry" King lay fighting for his life, shot twice in the back of the head at point-blank range by classmate Brandon McInerney. Two days later, on Valentine's Day, Larry died, the victim of a crime that grabbed national headlines and dramatically changed the lives of the students, teachers and community.

VALENTINE ROAD explores the murder of a teenager who had begun exploring his gender identity, revealing the circumstances that led to the shocking crime, as well as its complicated aftermath. Directed and produced by first-time filmmaker Marta Cunningham and shepherded by award-winning producers Sasha Alpert (HBO's "Autism: The Musical") and Eddie Schmidt (HBO's "Twist of Faith"), the film raises issues about the safety of LGBT teens, juvenile justice and the ability of the country's educational and social service systems to prevent such tragedies. VALENTINE ROAD debuts MONDAY, OCT. 7 (9:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO, during National Bullying Prevention Month.

Other HBO playdates: Oct. 7 (4:50 a.m.), 10 (11:00 a.m.), 13 (12:15 p.m.), 15 (5:00 p.m.) and 19 (10:30 a.m.)

HBO2 playdates: Oct. 9 (8:00 p.m.) and 27 (7:50 a.m., 4:35 a.m.)

HBO Documentary Films presents a weekly series this fall, debuting provocative new specials every Monday from Oct. 7 through Dec. 9. Other October films include: "Mondays at Racine" (Oct. 14); "Open Heart" (Oct. 14); "Redemption" (Oct. 14); "Life According to Sam" (Oct. 21); and "Seduced and Abandoned" (Oct. 28).

In many ways, Larry and Brandon couldn't have been more different, yet they also had much in common. Larry, who was multiracial, had become increasingly open about exploring his gender identity, and had recently started wearing makeup and heeled boots to school. Brandon, who was Caucasian, had a girlfriend and displayed a growing interest in white supremacist ideology. However, both had difficult childhoods. Larry had recently been transferred to a shelter for troubled kids, while Brandon was exposed to drug abuse and violence at home.

In the film, students describe a schoolyard Valentine's Day game in which students professed their romantic feelings for a classmate. The day before the shooting, Larry asked Brandon to be his Valentine in front of Brandon's basketball buddies.

VALENTINE ROAD features interviews with a broad range of people whose lives were touched by the killing, including students Marina and Mariah, who witnessed the murder; Brandon's mother, brothers and girlfriend; defense attorneys Robyn Bramson and Scott Wippert; prosecutor Maeve Fox; Oxnard homicide detective Jeff Kay; teachers who knew both Larry and Brandon; and jurors from Brandon's trial. Their candid comments highlight the complexities of the case.

Along with the incalculable human cost of the shooting, the film also explores its wider cultural and systemic implications. Under Prop 21, a California law designed to deter gang violence, Brandon could be tried as an adult, potentially facing life in prison without the chance of parole. Through interviews with legal teams, jurors, homicide detectives and hate-crime experts, the film considers the impact of the law as Brandon's case moves to an eventual criminal trial. Some of the interviewees, including members of the jury, express support for Brandon and insist that he shouldn't have been tried as an adult without a chance for rehabilitation.

VALENTINE ROAD also reveals polarized and potentially dangerous attitudes toward tolerance and gender expression in the United States. Even Larry's teachers span the spectrum of perspectives on how to manage a student exploring gender identity.

Ultimately, the documentary is a story of two boys whose paths led them to this incident. Tracing the human wreckage of their tragedy, the film probes notions of justice and identity, and puts human faces on key questions confronting social service agencies and schools all over the country: What can be done to help young people like Brandon and Larry before something like this occurs, and what can be done in the event those efforts fail?

VALENTINE ROAD was an official selection in the U.S. Documentary Competition at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival and has won numerous awards on the festival circuit, including Miami's Gay and Lesbian Film Festival for Best Documentary and Frameline Film Festival's Jury Award for Outstanding Documentary.

For more information, visit: Facebook: facebook.com/hbodocs; Twitter: @HBODocs #ValentineRoad.

VALENTINE ROAD is a BMP Films (the film division of Bunim/Murray Productions) production in association with Eddie Schmidt Productions; directed and produced by Marta Cunningham; produced by Sasha Alpert & Eddie Schmidt; director of photography, Arlene Nelson; editor, Tchavdar Georgiev; consulting editor, Yana Gorskaya; music supervisors, Dave Stone & Justin Gage; associate producer, Kevin McSeveney; executive producers, Jonathan Murray & Gil Goldschein. For HBO: supervising producer, Lisa Heller; executive producer, Sheila Nevins.





  [september 2013]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S


· SHOWATCH
(series past and present)
· DEVWATCH
(series in development)
· MOVIEWATCH
(tv movies and mini-series)





[10/21/25 - 01:46 PM]
Apple TV's High-Octane Thriller "Hijack," Starring and Executive Produced by Idris Elba, Returns for Season Two on January 14
The eight-episode second season will premiere globally on Wednesday, January 14 with the first two episodes, followed by one episode weekly until February 25.

[10/21/25 - 12:10 PM]
FOX Nation to Premiere "Scammed: Getting Even" on October 22
The six-part docuseries, released weekly, follows viral YouTubers Ashton Bingham and Art Kulik as they take justice into their own hands - tracking, confronting, and exposing real-life scammers across the globe.

[10/21/25 - 12:02 PM]
Gerry Dee Returns to the Mic for His First Global Special: "Gerry Dee: Funny You Should Say That" Only on Netflix November 18
With dry wit, Canadian comic Gerry Dee explores his perilous years as a schoolteacher, the pitfalls of open marriages and the truth about Santa.

[10/21/25 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10 Week of October 13: "The Woman in Cabin 10" Sails Smoothly to No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
In the final stretch to Halloween, those lured in by the story of the OG horror villain put "Monster: The Ed Gein Story" at No. 1 on the English TV list with 9.5 million views.

[10/21/25 - 11:01 AM]
A New Season of "Project Runway" Is Coming to Freeform, Hulu, and Disney+
Couldn't keep this zipped up.

[10/21/25 - 10:01 AM]
Netflix Gives Fans a First Look at Little Garden in "One Piece" Season 2
Netflix's epic high-seas pirate adventure returns for Season 2 - unleashing fiercer adversaries and the most perilous quests yet.

[10/21/25 - 10:00 AM]
A24's "Eddington" Begins Streaming Exclusively on HBO Max November 14
In May of 2020, a standoff between a small-town sheriff and mayor sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico.

[10/21/25 - 09:04 AM]
"Surviving Mormonism with Heather Gay" Premieres Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 9:15 P.M. ET/PT on Bravo
All three parts will drop exclusively on Peacock on November 12.

[10/21/25 - 09:01 AM]
The History Channel Honors Veterans Day with Two-Hour Event "The Warfighters: Battle Stories" Premiering Monday, November 10 at 8/7c
Blending raw first-person accounts from Army Rangers, Green Berets, Navy SEALs, and Marines with archival footage and cinematic recreations, these stories are told entirely in the voices of the men who lived them.

[10/21/25 - 08:46 AM]
The World of "Catan," Based on Klaus Teuber's Beloved Board Game, Is Coming to Netflix
The world at the heart of this global phenomenon will be brought to life for the first time across film, series, and unscripted - including live-action and animation.

[10/21/25 - 08:12 AM]
Fulwell Entertainment's Uninterrupted, 4.4.Forty Media and State Farm Present "On the Rise: JuJu Watkins" Season 2 on NBC and Peacock
All four episodes will be available exclusively on Peacock after the premiere of Episodes 1 and 2 on Saturday, November 15, at 3:00 p.m. ET/2:00 p.m. CT on NBC.

[10/21/25 - 08:08 AM]
Video: New Season Three Trailer for Acclaimed, BAFTA-Winning Drama "Blue Lights"
The season will premiere November 13 with episodes dropping weekly through on December 18.

[10/21/25 - 07:31 AM]
"Is It Cake? Holiday" Season 2 - First Look and Date Announcement
The series returns November 25 for another festive season with Mikey Day and six All-Star cake artists!

[10/21/25 - 07:05 AM]
Apple's Beloved Comedy "Shrinking" Returns for Season Three on January 28, 2026
In addition to the ensemble cast, season three brings back guest stars Goldstein, Damon Wayans Jr., Wendie Malick and Cobie Smulders, along with new additions Jeff Daniels and multi-award winner and activist Michael J. Fox.

[10/21/25 - 07:04 AM]
Video: "Old Dog, New Tricks" - Season 2 Announcement - Netflix
Cash-strapped vet Antón takes a job at a fancy pet store, going from treating rural farm animals to peddling premium treats for pampered pooches.