Nat GEO & Coca Cola partner to create Viviendo Positivamente in LatAM.

National Geographic Channel, together with Coca-Cola Latin America, has announced the launch of documentary series “Viviendo Positivamente” (Living Positively). The series premiered in 19 countries across Latin America on Nov. 6, 2012.

The documentary covers 40,000 kilometers, five countries and eight stories in the course of four episodes about the lives of everyday heroes who have overcome major social, environmental and economic challenges to make an impact on their communities and the world. All of the protagonists are supported by Coca-Cola Latin America’s Living Positively program, part of the company’s commitment to social and environmental values.

The documentaries were directed by world-renowned Latin American filmmakers: Kátia Lund (“City of God”) from Brazil, Carlos Carrera (“The Crime of Father Amaro”) from Mexico, Natalia Smirnoff (“Puzzle”) from Argentina, and Ciro Guerra (“The Wandering Shadows”) from Colombia.  Each of the four installments will focus on a different social cause: creating opportunities for work and education in impoverished communities, encouraging healthy bodies and minds, recycling, and agriculture. The heroes and their projects are based countries throughout the region, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Haiti, Mexico and Peru.

“The stories in ‘Viviendo Positivamente’ inspire viewers to become aware, to get involved, to change, to contribute to their community and improve their own lives,” said Guido Rosales, Integrated Marketing Communications Director for Coca-Cola Latin America. “Together with the National Geographic Channel and high-caliber directing talent, we are conveying these messages in a compelling and powerful way. Our organizations share a lot of synergy, and we’re pleased to be working with a leader of innovative and educational programming with such impressive scale in the region.”

“We found in each protagonist a powerful human and social value that deserved to be documented and shared with society,” said Fernando Semenzato, SVP of Content for FOX International Channels Latin America. “Nat Geo and Coca-Cola share a passion for sustainable development and environmental preservation, and we’re thrilled we had the opportunity to work together to produce special content that aims to inform, entertain, and educate audiences about our world and the environment in which we live.”

The documentary series kicks off with stories from Argentina and Mexico, directed by Natalia Smirnoff and Carlos Carrera.

In Argentina, high in the mountains of Rosario de Lerma, live extremely isolated communities. There, Ana Virasoro leads the Alfarcito Foundation and a school that provides technical education and the only possibility for young people to improve their lives. Nat Geo followed their work, and shares this source of inspiration.

Later, the Nat Geo team tells the story of Salvador Casteñeda, whose life was changed radically by education. Even though he had to struggle against his education to preserve his indigenous language and customs, it made it possible for him to fight for the rights of indigenous groups today.

The documentary serves as the latest example of Coca-Cola’s innovative approach to creating content, and highlights the company’s commitment to sustainability and sharing happiness. For more information on Coca-Cola’s Live Positively program, visit  http://viviendopositivamente.com/> .