Documentary Tells Story of Adventurer and AAA Founder

Few adventurers can claim as many successes – or crashes – as Augustus Post. He was the first person with a car in New York City – and, as luck would have it, the first to get a traffic ticket. He was among the first civilians in a submarine and the 13th to fly an airplane solo. The Unforgettable Augustus Post tells the fascinating story of Post and his many exploits in a 30-minute film, which airs at 8:30 p.m., Friday, July 3 on KUAT-TV.

The film combines interviews with experts and relatives with historic photos and fanciful animations to tell the story of a man whose visionary ideas included jet propulsion and an interplanetary society at a time when automobiles and airplanes were still quite novel.

Post loved automobiles and played a role in founding what is now the American Automobile Association (AAA). His interests also had him airborne. He took his first trip into the air on a hot air balloon at the 1900 World's Fair in Paris, France.

"I can only imagine what it would be like at that point in human history to rise up above Paris, of all cities. The inspiration that must have given him clearly affected the rest of his life," said Peter A. Ward, a great nephew of Post.

Post and a companion would later take off for a free air balloon race. A race that would end with them being presumed dead until emerging as the victors.

The Unforgettable Augustus Post has received recognition at 16 different festivals, including:

• Best Documentary Short: The Chelsea Film Festival
• Best Documentary Short: The Orlando Film Festival
• Best Film Editing: The International Motor Film Awards

The film is presented nationally by WNED and distributed by American Public Television (APT). More information on The Unforgettable Augustus Post can be found at www.theunforgettableaugustuspost.com.

AAA Northern California's A3 Productions produced the film in collaboration with Bread and Butter Films, with animation by WeWereMonkeys. A3 Productions is the latest brand to explore original content production, following brands such as Airbnb, LiveNation, Marriott, Pepsi, and Redbull that have recently launched similar efforts.

About the distributor:
American Public Television (APT) is the leading syndicator of high-quality, top-rated programming to the nation's public television stations. Founded in 1961, APT distributes 250 new program titles per year and more than one-third of the top 100 highest-rated public television titles in the U.S. APT's diverse catalog includes prominent documentaries, performance, dramas, how-to programs, classic movies, children's series and news and current affairs programs. Doc Martin, Midsomer Murders, America's Test Kitchen From Cook's Illustrated, AfroPoP, Rick Steves' Europe, Christopher Kimball's Milk Street Television, Front and Center, Lidia's Kitchen, Kevin Belton's New Orleans Kitchen, Simply Ming, The Best of the Joy of Painting with Bob Ross, James Patterson's Kid Stew and NHK Newsline are a sampling of APT's programs, considered some of the most popular on public television. APT also licenses programs internationally through its APT Worldwide service and distributes Create®TV — featuring the best of public television's lifestyle programming — and WORLD™, public television's premier news, science and documentary channel. To find out more about APT's programs and services, visit APTonline.org.