TVO presents the North American broadcast premiere of critically acclaimed documentary, Ping Pong

TORONTO, Jan. 7, 2013 /CNW/ - Octogenarians from around the world go for the gold in the critically acclaimed documentary Ping Pong premiering on docstudio.tvo.org Wednesday, January 23, and on-air Wednesday, January 30 at 9 pm. TVO celebrates the online debut by launching TVO Doc Studio's Ping Pong app, and hosting an event where fans play table tennis alongside Steve Paikin and Polkaroo.

Ping Pong follows eight seniors competing in the over 80s World Table Tennis Championships in Inner Mongolia. Directed by Hugh Hartford, the 80-minute documentary's colourful cast of characters includes: seven-time world champion Les D'Arcy (89), who maintains a strict weight lifting routine; Lisa Modlich (85), a US champion who seeks a world title; and Inge Hermann (89), who used table tennis to train her way out of the dementia ward and is ready for her first international competition. A film about ageing and a passion for table tennis, Ping Pong shows strength of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

According to the Toronto Sun, Ping Pong has "ferocious competition, edge-of-your-seat tension and a life or death outcome for at least one person" and Blogto.com says "Truly a film for anyone, if THEY can get out there and do this, what's stopping you?"

Beginning January 23, iPhone users can download the free TVO Doc Studio's Ping Pong app at tvo.org, challenge another player by syncing their devices, and play a virtual game of table tennis using their phones as paddles. The TVO Doc Studio Ping Pong app was developed in collaboration with Mad Hatter Technology.

To celebrate the online launch, TVO invites fans to join Steve Paikin and Polkaroo at TVO's Ping Pong Challenge on January 23 from 6-9 pm at SPiN Toronto, the city's first ping pong social club (461 King Street West). TVO's Ping Pong Challenge encourages fans to face-off in games of table tennis, check out TVO Doc Studio's Ping Pong app, and mingle with familiar TVO faces.

About TVO
TVO is Ontario's public educational media organization and a trusted source of interactive educational content that informs, inspires and stimulates curiosity and thought. TVO's vision is to empower people to be engaged citizens of Ontario through educational media. TVO is funded primarily by the Province of Ontario and is a registered charity supported by sponsors and thousands of donors. For more information, visit tvo.org.

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SOURCE: TVO

Media Contact: 
Nicole Morrison
Public Relations and Communications Specialist
416-484-2600 x 2281
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