NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC'S "HELL ON EARTH: THE FALL OF SYRIA AND THE RISE OF ISIS" PREMIERE

(NEW YORK) - June 11, 2017 - Over the past month, National Geographic launched a word-of-mouth screening tour to promote the documentary Hell On Earth: The Fall of Syria and the Rise of ISIS, the gripping film from Academy Award-nominated directorSebastian Junger and his Emmy-winning partner Nick Quested.

Premiering on National Geographic tonight at 9/8c in 171 countries and in 45 languages, Hell On Earth chronicles the chaos in Syria that allowed the rise of the Islamic State - better known as ISIS - in Iraq and Syria.

Influencer audiences in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Houston and Washington, D.C. got a chance to preview the film which features footage of a family living under ISIS control, Kurdish fighters in Sinjar and Shia militias in Iraq, and even al-Qaida-affiliated fighters in and around Aleppo and Raqqa.

Hell On Earth sets out to inspire empathy for the suffering of the people in Syria and beyond and to change the growing discourse on banning refugees from entering the U.S.

Screening attendees were moved -- many to tears -- by the heartbreaking portrait of life in war-torn Syria, but were also encouraged by the pride and resilience of the Syrians in their plight for peace.

Special thanks to the Baker Institute for Public Policy/Center for the Middle East, the Syrian American Council (Northern California Chapter), the International Rescue Committee(Northern California), Black Women Organized for Political Action (Bay Area), Ambassador Edward P. Djerejian, Alexandra Zavis, Lola Ogunnaike, Dr. Ivan Sascha Sheehan, Chauncy Glover, and Dave Clark.

#HellOnEarth premieres TONIGHT at 9/8c on @NatGeoChannel.