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TUSCANY'S LAST COWBOYS
At the heart of the Maremma, Tuscany's coastal region, cattle and horses have been bred for over thousands of years. Cattle herders are known here as "Butteri" - they are tough and resilient. May 1st is the day of the "Merca", the most important day of the year for every Buttero: wild roaming calves are separated from their mothers and branded with a traditional branding iron.
INFESTATION
THE FIGHT FOR FOOD. Every single day there is a growing number of people to feed and in the next thirty to forty years we will need to double our food production to sustain the increase in population. In this episode author Julian Cribb examines the infestations that are threatening our food supply.
SHATTERED GROUND
Hydraulic Fracturing or “Fracking” is a new technology that has opened up immense resources of natural gas buried in deep shale beds. Some see it as the answer to the energy crisis and a chance at energy independence. But fracking has become an incredibly divisive issue ripping apart communities and even families. The backlash is unprecedented, with states and countries adopting fracking bans. Shattered Ground is a one hour documentary that looks past the rhetoric and emotional arguments to find the real issues involved in hydraulic fracturing, the opportunity, and the potential health and environmental issues that will affect us all.
CHEETAHS OF THE DEEP
The Canary Islands are sheltered by a mild climate, protected from any extremes of weather. But high up on the towering mountains, the conditions can turn treacherous. In winter, water is released by high altitude storms and fertilized by nutrients washed from the soil. As this drains into the sea the soupy waters around the islands attract a huge variety of life, draw in in from the vast Atlantic Ocean. Many whale and dolphin species congregate in these waters, but above all Short-finned pilot whales are found here in the vast numbers.Isora is the leader and matriarch of one of the largest resident pilot whale pods between Tenerife and La Gomera and we document her activities over a one year period. Several females and their offspring form the hard-core of this close-knit society where all the main family members are related to the mother. Males in the pod also play a role, but not in reproduction, as they are blood relatives. With their vow of chastity, they ensure the protection of newborns and juveniles – a long-term investment which is crucial for pod survival.Physical contact is important for the whales and the film reveals moving and rarely-seen interaction between the older pod members and the new arrivals. But this carefree innocence is undermined by harrowing footage of the effect plastic waste is having on the whales and other species. Large squid are the pilot whales’ preferred food source and the best feeding grounds lie a thousand metres deep. But they are masters of deep diving and are involved in titanic battles with the squid on daily basis.As the mothers give birth we examine the close bonds between the new arrivals and the pod, and how the whales deal with the tragic death of one of the calves.This film also looks at other whale and dolphin species which frequent the area, including the rarely seen Risso’s dolphin, Brydes Whales and Atlantic Spotted Dolphins. Green sea turtles also frequent the area, attracted by the rich-sea grass beds which surround the islands.Filmed in stunning HD, this film delivers a comprehensive portrait of a unique and protected underwater haven, one of Europe’s last frontiers before the mysterious deep Atlantic takes hold.
PAST HUNTERS
S1 EP 06: DRAKELOW TUNNELS. The Drakelow Tunnels are a former underground military complexused mainly for storage. However, during the construction and running of this facility, 6 people are thought to have died. It is believed most of the hauntings that occur here are from the very people that died here.
JOURNEYS IN INDIA
NEPAL: KATHMANDU AND CHITWAN NATIONAL PARK. Just north of India is a land steeped in mystery—Nepal. Bill tours the city of Kathmandu, visits the World Heritage temple complexes, and walks along the city streets, where ancient and modern vie for space. We fly around Mount Everest, arguably the world’s most famous mountain, before heading into Chitwan National Park. In Chitwan, Bill searches for tigers from the back of an elephant and observes the myriad of wildlife that call the park home.
JOURNEYS IN INDIA
TAMIL NADU: CHENNAI, PONDICHERRY AND MORE. Chennai, formerly known as Madras, can trace its roots back to a tiny fishing village. Bill explores the city’s growth under the British East India Company, with visits to Fort St. George and the Fort Museum. We then travel to the nearby Sao Tome Basilica, the church and burial site of St. Thomas the Apostle. In Pondicherry, French influences can still be felt in the tree-lined streets, colonial mansions and cafés. Its beautiful setting on the Bay of Bengal makes Pondicherry a delightful place to spend the day. We also visit the ancient port city of Mahabalipuram, where the landscape is dominated by carved-stone architecture. The final highlight of our tour is the Descent of Ganga, which is the world’s largest bas-relief carving.
DIAMOND RIVER HUNTERS
BIG STONE FEVER. The team are pinning their hopes on the new hopper, as the more ground they can move, the more chance there is of finding big diamonds. The hopper is eventually completed and it is tested for the 1st time. But it’s not long before it is clogged and has to be shut down while they find the blockage. Peter and Rob are concerned about leaving Warren behind unsupervised, but they have no choice. Kim goes through the backlog of bags and finds a small two carat diamond. With most of the investors away on business the mine is being run with a skeleton crew. Tensions rise as Alan’s hasty approach to sorting the bags is not appreciated by Kim or Warren. There is a massive confrontation between Alan and Warren. Alan is frustrated by delays with the hopper. Friction between him and Warren is growing and frustrations boil over. They have another huge confrontation. Thabo the labour broker arrives on site to mediate a labour dispute, it seems the local team are not being paid. The hopper is moved and the platform rebuilt to get it working again. Warren overloads it and the operation is halted once again. He is frustrated and blames the investors for not researching the equipment properly. There is a big storm overnight and the river cannot be crossed. Warren and Alan are forced to walk to the mining site, where they find the equipment in danger of being swept away by the rising river. Warren jumps in the TLB and manages to hoist the pumps and machinery out of the flood zone. Warren has a close call when his air hose is not been connected properly and he is breathing from the wrong compressor, inhaling diesel fumes, which could coat his lungs and kill him. Alan leaves on a fishing trip and Warren is left to run the operation on his own. Immediately there is a confrontation between Warren and Simon. Warren cannot cope on his own, but Rob returns and relieves him. He sends Warren up the valley with a small team to prospect for diamonds. The new plan is to mine at both the sites as much as possible before the winter snows drive them out the valley. The Lesotho government agrees to convert their prospecting license into a mining license, which will allow them to export the diamonds they have found. A mines official arrives at the mine to certify that the diamonds are legitimate and not bought illegally. Big stone fever grips Warren and he goes rogue, consumed by the desire to find a massive diamond. But he is unsuccessful so Alan is forced to send him back to the mining site.
MINDWORKS
MUSCLE MEMORY. Understanding how we think and see by playing games with our brains. This factual entertainment series explores the way we see and interpret the world around us with engaging tests, activities, demonstrations and explanations. In each episode we experience visual and audio illusions, sensory puzzles and brain tricks from the worlds of art, science, nature and psychology and learn why they baffle our senses.
MINDWORKS
MOODS, INSPIRATION AND THE MIND. Understanding how we think and see by playing games with our brains. This factual entertainment series explores the way we see and interpret the world around us with engaging tests, activities, demonstrations and explanations. In each episode we experience visual and audio illusions, sensory puzzles and brain tricks from the worlds of art, science, nature and psychology and learn why they baffle our senses.
CORNWALL'S NARCISSUS ISLAND
360°GEO - Report spends the days in the run up to Easter on a flower farm. We also dive with playful grey seals in the Atlantic Ocean and reveal more than just the secrets of flower-growing.At the tip of the world - Landsend in Cornwall - are the Isles of Scilly. About 2,000 people live on these islands located at the entrance to the English Channel. Some of the locals are fishermen but their main activity is flower farming.The nearby Gulf Stream provides the islands with a year-round mild climate and as a result, millions of flowers are grown along the Atlantic Coast. Churchtown Farm specializes in Narcissi, and so it the pressure is on in the run up to Easter.
THE ISLANDERS
THE MALDIVES. Discovering some the world’s hidden treasures by revealing the hidden face of life and the inhabitants of the islands. Island folk are generally proud of their insularity and their distinct sense of identity. A rich cocktail of history, customs, cuisine and economic resources distinguishes the island people and the nature and beaches that surround them. Our documentaries explore the varied and often little known lifestyles and peculiarities on the twenty featured islands. The approach so effectively used during our series on beaches and coastal areas, is here recreated, each program a mix of stunning visuals and interviews, which together highlight the exotic and uncommon events of daily life with a backdrop of spectacular island scenery. The aim of this unique series is as always to surprise, amuse and inform the viewer.
PAST HUNTERS
S1 EP 07: RAZOR RUOCK'S HOME. We visit the home of Soccer legend Neil "Razor" Ruddock which seems to be haunted. Is it his home specifically? Or are these ghosts attached to him?
WWII DOCUMENTARY FILMS
WORLD WAR II: SAVING THE REALITY. Award-winning documentary films produced to enlighten future generations about the personal stories of the WWII generations.
RIP FILES
S01 EP. 01 - BLOOD IS WONDERFUL. The team explores St. Albans, a former sanitarium, and captures several shocking EVPs (spirit voices), including the one that became the title of this episode.
RIP FILES
S01 EP. 02 - ECHOES OF WAR. The haunted Graffitti House dates from the Civil War and many of its previous residents still linger.
NOMADS
WAITING GAME - FREESKIING THE WORLD'S BEST POWDER. The Waiting is the hardest part. The anticipation of the next face shot, of an uncut heli run, and of an approaching storm is enough to drive this group of skiers to devote their entire lives to the pursuit of a sport and a lifestyle.
ANCIENT CULTURE - (8)
Claudio Iturra takes viewers on a journey to the world’s most astonishing areas. Each episode of this fascinating documentary series shows a new place, which has amazed people since ancient times.
THE ISLANDERS
CHILOE, CHILE. Discovering some the world’s hidden treasures by revealing the hidden face of life and the inhabitants of the islands. Island folk are generally proud of their insularity and their distinct sense of identity. A rich cocktail of history, customs, cuisine and economic resources distinguishes the island people and the nature and beaches that surround them. Our documentaries explore the varied and often little known lifestyles and peculiarities on the twenty featured islands. The approach so effectively used during our series on beaches and coastal areas, is here recreated, each program a mix of stunning visuals and interviews, which together highlight the exotic and uncommon events of daily life with a backdrop of spectacular island scenery. The aim of this unique series is as always to surprise, amuse and inform the viewer.
MUSIC VOYAGER - (8)
Music Voyager is a music and travel broadcast series (television/cable, broadband, in-flight and mobile) that invites viewers to discover the exciting sounds of the planet. The host is Jacob Edgar, an explorer who does not search for lost cities or ancient ruins. He's on the quest for a different kind of treasure…music. As an ethnomusicologist and world music record producer, Edgar travels the globe hunting for the best songs the world has to offer, and he suffers through some of the worst…so you don’t have to. Along the way, he's rewarded with a backstage pass to concert halls, street festivals, recording studios and rehearsal rooms. With local musicians as his guide, Edgar tastes exotic and occasionally ghastly food, visits off-the-beaten path attractions and parties the night away to amazing concerts at hidden venues that only the locals know. Join music voyager for unexpected adventures and surprising discoveries that unveil the magic, mystery and music of far off lands.
MUSIC VOYAGER - (9)
Music Voyager is a music and travel broadcast series (television/cable, broadband, in-flight and mobile) that invites viewers to discover the exciting sounds of the planet. The host is Jacob Edgar, an explorer who does not search for lost cities or ancient ruins. He's on the quest for a different kind of treasure…music. As an ethnomusicologist and world music record producer, Edgar travels the globe hunting for the best songs the world has to offer, and he suffers through some of the worst…so you don’t have to. Along the way, he's rewarded with a backstage pass to concert halls, street festivals, recording studios and rehearsal rooms. With local musicians as his guide, Edgar tastes exotic and occasionally ghastly food, visits off-the-beaten path attractions and parties the night away to amazing concerts at hidden venues that only the locals know. Join music voyager for unexpected adventures and surprising discoveries that unveil the magic, mystery and music of far off lands.
JOURNEYS IN INDIA
OLD AND NEW DELHI: A CITY OF CONTRASTS. We explore the capital of India. The bustling metropolis is filled with modern skyscrapers that stand side-by-side with hundreds of ancient monuments, making Delhi a physical dichotomy of yesterday and tomorrow. In the old city, we travel by rickshaw through the narrow streets and discover a world that is quickly disappearing. Then it’s on to the tomb of Humayun, whose architectural design inspired one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the great Taj Mahal. We visit 2 mosques that are in the record books: the very first mosque in Delhi and the largest mosque in India. Next we visit the National Gandhi Museum where we view personal items from Gandhi’s life, visit a temple that’s open to all faiths and complete the quickest tour of India, without leaving Delhi.
NEW FRONTIER
MARS: ADAPT OR LEAVE. As the latest successes and failures come and go Mars continues to give up her secrets. Invisible clouds are revealed with ultraviolet light and the search for the source of methane continues with ExoMars. As we prepare to land humans on the red planet, getting there is one thing; staying long term is another, can we really conquor this planet?
TRAVEL QUEST - (7)
Bill Ball breaks the rules and stereo types of travel shows as he ventures beyond the highlights. What do you do after you’ve lead groups to over 140 countries and all 7 continents? Welcome to Bill’s bucket list on steroids... Travel Quest. This new, fast-paced series chases Bill around the globe as he seeks out anything but the mundane and ordinary—coming face-to-face with the largest crocodiles in the world, snorkeling with thousands of jellyfish, walking on the rim of an exploding volcano, feeding a group of sharks without a cage, bicycling across the Serengeti... this is not your typical travel show!
TRAVEL QUEST
WILD INDONESIA. Bill Ball breaks the rules and stereo types of travel shows as he ventures beyond the highlights. What do you do after you’ve lead groups to over 140 countries and all 7 continents? Welcome to Bill’s bucket list on steroids... Travel Quest. This new, fast-paced series chases Bill around the globe as he seeks out anything but the mundane and ordinary—coming face-to-face with the largest crocodiles in the world, snorkeling with thousands of jellyfish, walking on the rim of an exploding volcano, feeding a group of sharks without a cage, bicycling across the Serengeti... this is not your typical travel show!
CROC LABYRINTH
Herpetologist Vince Shacks and underwater cameraman Brad Bestelink go on a unique crocodile diving adventure to find out more about these cave systems, and how the reptiles use them. They enter a dark underworld of mystery and danger, and they find themselves doing things that no one has ever attempted before. Apart from swimming with huge crocodiles, they’re the first to noose a wild Nile crocodile underwater, and they’re the first to attach a remote camera to it, to see where it goes.
LOVE & MARRIAGE: THE LEGEND OF KALINGA
The Legend of Kalinga is a beautifully narrated journey to the village of Buscalan located in Kalinga, North of Luzon in the Philippines to explore the ancient culture of the Kalinga tribe through an ages-old love story. Whang-Od is the last female “Mombobtok” tribal tattoo artist of the Kalinga. Today she is 103 years old and is still performing tribal tattoos for tattoo seekers who arrive every day to seek her sought-after skin art. She recounts her painful love story of a handsome Headhunter from neighboring village with whom she fell in love while rendering a tattoo for his bravery. The Legend of Kalinga emotionally explores how old culture pushes and forces even the most ardent lovers apart.
TUSCANY'S LAST COWBOYS
At the heart of the Maremma, Tuscany's coastal region, cattle and horses have been bred for over thousands of years. Cattle herders are known here as "Butteri" - they are tough and resilient. May 1st is the day of the "Merca", the most important day of the year for every Buttero: wild roaming calves are separated from their mothers and branded with a traditional branding iron.
DESPERATE HOURS
EP. 05. In this episode, you can run for cover but you can’t hide from the wild winds. That means hurricanes, cyclones, tornadoes, twisters and typhoons. They’re all pretty much different names for the same thing, no? Powerful wind storms. Well no, not necessarily. Hurricanes mostly form over warm ocean water and once they have gathered momentum, can be up to 600 miles across. A tornado on the other hand, is a rapidly spinning tube of air which touches both the ground and the clouds above. In the US, they are often referred to as twisters. Did you know that hurricanes twist and turn in anticlockwise fashion in the Northern Hemisphere but in a clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere? Or that tornadoes can travel at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour? They can demolish large buildings, uproot trees and pick up and hurl vehicles hundreds of feet away, as if they were mere playthings. A tornado’s path of destruction can be anywhere in excess of a one mile wide, and some 50 miles long. 1000 tornadoes are reported in the United States in a typical year. Fortunately, only two percent of these are labeled “violent”, but that’s enough to create plenty of havoc annually.
DESPERATE HOURS
EP. 06. In this instalment, we batten down the hatches, and run for dry land, as we look at the damage a little water can do, or rather, a great deal of it. The European Union’s ‘Floods Directive’ defines a flood as “a covering by water of land not normally covered by water”. But that rather tepid description simply doesn’t do justice to the terror unleashed by raging currents and flash flooding. Natural disasters will be with us for a long time to come. But the death and destruction caused by Brazilian floods and landslides, the flooding after Hurricane Katrina and the Northern Indian Floods, could all have been reduced by environmental awareness in building codes, better coordinated relief efforts and so on. Then there was the massive flooding after the Tsunami of December 26th, 2004. Hundreds of thousands were killed in minutes, and millions lost their homes, as wave after destructive wave crashed into the coastlines of some 11 Indian Ocean countries. Environmentalists argue another factor causing floods is urbanisation. By replacing grass and dirt with buildings, roads and parking lots, insufficient soil is left, to soak up rainwater. When it does overflow, the results can be disastrous.
RACE OF LIFE
EP. 12. The ocean can be an unforgiving place. Animals living in the sea have to deal constantly with finding food, and protecting themselves from predators. There are many ways of hiding, defending, and feeding, and every different technique has advantages for different animals. For example, some animals use camouflage to escape detection or to sneak up on their prey, while other animals have coloration which intentionally makes them stand out. Some creatures hide from predators, while others stay in groups, out in the open, relying on safety in numbers. Some animals have dangerous spines or venom for protection, but even the most venomous creatures must sometimes be wary of predators. Different animals have taken advantage of different food sources, some feeding at the top of the food chain, and others at the bottom. Protecting themselves underwater is also a matter of invention and reinvention, and aquatic animals deploy an array of strategies just to stay alive. They have quite the toolbox to dip into – Evolutionary strategms such as colour and camouflage, toxins and teeth! Nudibrancs, clown fish, squid, octopus and orca whales are just some of the wonderful winners in the underwater race of life. Underwater footage shot in the wild, demonstrates vividly how these ocean creatures have evolved to survive by adapting to their environment.
RACE OF LIFE
EP. 13. In this episode we explore the Race of Life on a small scale but no less competive or cruel for all that. Insects burrow through the ground, hop and sing in the trees, and dart and dance in the air. They come in many different colors and shapes. There are many reasons why insects are so successful at surviving. Their ability to survive in all kinds of temperatures and environments. A strong, hard but flexible shell called an exoskeleton covers their soft organs and is resistant to chemicals, water and physical impact. Their wings give them the option of flying away from dangerous situations or toward food or mates. In this episode: Dragonflies hover like helicopters over ponds and lakes, then suddenly dart away, pursuing prey or other dragonflies. The monarch butterfly goes through a miraculous metamorphosis, changing from an egg to a hungry caterpillar to a quiet pupa and emerging as a beautiful winged adult. The praying mantis is master of disguise. Its green body, wings and legs merge into the green, leafy background so carefully it seems to be part of the grass. Perched at an angle, with its spiny forelegs raised in a prayerlike pose, the mantis sits in still rigidness - until another insect such as a fly comes too near and is suddenly captured and devoured. Ants, like bees, hornets and wasps, are social insects and live together in colonies in many-chambered nests. Whatever it takes, to stay in the race.
WILD ONES
EP. 10. The most venomous snake on land. The deserted heart of the Australian outback, where people seldom venture, is the hot, baked home of the most venomous land snake in the world – the inland taipan, a two meter long snake with enough venom in one bite to kill a quarter of a million mice. The rare envenomating lizard. Venom is not the exclusive domain of snakes and spiders. In the deserts of the south-west United States and the north west of Mexico lives the striking and venomous Gila Monster – the largest land lizard in North America. Blue ringed octopus. In the shallow waters of the Pacific Ocean is an animal the size of a golf ball that carries with it not one, but two types of venom. One is used on its main prey of crabs and is relatively harmless to humans, the other is used in defense and can kill an adult human in minutes. The tiny toxin wielding Red-backed spider. In secluded outhouses, under fences and letterboxes, under barbeques and amongst garden litter are the messy webs that hold the killing fields and the hundreds of offspring of a very deadly female. Tucked in the corner of her web the scarlet stripe of the red-back spider advertises her lethal capabilities. The ferocious Sydney funnel web. In contrast to the timid red-back spider, the fearsome Sydney Funnel-Web is more inclined to stand its ground than to run. And in contrast to the red back, it is the male funnel-web that is the more dangerous of the two sexes. Funnel-webs can be extremely aggressive and are armed with downward pointing fangs that are strong enough to pierce fingernails as they deliver their highly toxic venom – which has the deadliest venom?
WILD ONES
EP. 11. Wildebeest and Zebra - Africa’s most famous drifters. Hundreds of thousands of zebra live together in the Serengeti. Their distinctive eye-catching stripes are as unique as fingerprints and even within the largest of gatherings no two zebra will be found with exactly the same stripes. Turtles that make epic journeys to reproduce. The most abundant sea turtle in the world, Olive Ridleys' have extraordinary nesting habits. These small turtles migrate massive distances between their oceanic feeding grounds and the shores that draw them back to mate, and then to nest. Sooty Tern - Sea birds that don’t come to land for years. Like the turtle, once it has left land for the first time, a young Sooty Tern may not go back for years, spending all its time in the ocean skies until it is time for it to breed. Soaring on outstretched wings, these elegant seabirds feed almost entirely on the fish driven to the surface by the hunters below. Australian Pelicans - Water birds that follow ephemeral rivers. Pelicans – these quirky, comical, big billed birds are usually thought of as spending all their time around coasts and harbors. They are widespread in Australia’s lakes, rivers, billabongs and estuaries – or other waterway with enough food for their fish-loving lifestyle. The whales and whale sharks that roam the great oceans. Some of the greatest migratory animals on earth are those that live in its waters and traverse its great oceans. From baleen whales that travel from the nutrient rich polar waters and the whale sharks whose migrations we barely understand.
ON THE CITIES’ ROOFTOPS
PARIS. How is life on the city’s roofs? This series scales new heights, exploring apartment buildings, towers and monuments to discover a world full of unsuspected treasures : our rooftops. By day and night, the population changes on these heights. There are people who work here, people who live here, and others who come here to relax. The world’s rooftops are a continual hive of activity…
OF BOATS AND MEN
EP. 01. Travelling by boat bears a priceless sense of Freedom and offers endless new vistas to all passengers. Across waterways around the world Boats are an essential tool of daily life whether they carry goods, serve as utilities or services in remote areas.
QUIRKY SCIENCE
The Internet was invented during the cold war and launched in 1969. Yet it wasn’t made for the public. In fact, it was developed for the army to communicate quickly and secretly so that no spies could intercept and no bombs could disrupt the sharing of information! It was nothing like we know today. The Internet involved computers exchanging text, on a black field with green letters, and e-mail was only invented 2 years later because the developers needed a reliable tool to communicate. So only in 1972 was this application; electronic mail, introduced. The Internet we know now was actually a second, separate invention, launched over a decade and a half after the Internet was first launched, and was called the ‘World Wide Web’. Nobody was paying attention to Tim Berners-Lee and his pet idea, even though he had a radical new way for scientists to share data by linking documents to one another over the Internet! His proposal came back with the words "vague but exciting" written across the cover, so Berners-Lee took his invention to the people: with a website, bringing us the Internet we know today. Yet the Internet is only just out of its baby shoes, and is now being used to drive radical change in music and films, politics and business, changing the very way we see and interact with one another! From the computer screen to mass protests in the street, So what will the future bring us, how will the Web 3.0 change us? A web that can understand human needs?
QUIRKY SCIENCE
Computers: Early examples of computers are the ancient Antikythera machine and the 19th century engines made by Charles Babbage. But Babbages's designs could not be completed as its construction was ahead of its time! The makers of the first electric computer got a $850 fee to complete their work. They did, but WW2 halted progression. That same war sparked the need for a rapid development for strong calculation machines. The computer was invented because astronauts and the military needed huge calculators. You see, it’s hard for a human being to calculate immense figures like ‘how far will this space shuttle be in six days if we launch it today?’ These early computers were 27,000 kg examples yet had about as much power as a calculator today. One invention created the possibility to downsize these huge computer models: the transistor. Developed in the early 1950s the fingertip - sized transistors replaced huge vacuum tubes of the pre-war computers, in helping them to make one decision, between: ‘zero’ or ‘one’, or ‘on’ or ‘off’. That simple decision is the foundation for a code, the language of computers. The transistor opened the door to the personal computer. What about its future? Supercomputers? Computers that are calculating most of the things around us: buildings, airplanes up to the smallest level: our DNA to calculate which gene would have to be targeted for medical improvements. Computers are way ahead of us – or so it seems.
HISTORIC FOOTBALL MATCH IN FLORENCE
Florence, the cradle of the Renaissance, is today a so-called "museum-city". The small city center is invaded by thousands of tourists every day. But there is one sport tourists usually don't know : the calcio florentino, a violent game with no rules, exclusively for Florentine people. Struggling with the consequences of gentrification, the city is losing its identity and its citizens. But there is still one way in which Florence and the "Fiorentini" can express their own identity - the "Calcio Storico Fiorentino" (Historical Florentine soccer), a game that has been played in Florence for 800 years but only 3 days a year in the month of June! This primitive, tough and dangerous mix of football and boxing is played in one of the world's most famous squares, the Piazza Santa Croce. The players can hit the ball with their hands or feet, and they can stop their adversaries in any way possible. These two rules make the game one of the roughest sports ever played.
MUSIC VOYAGER - (44)
Music Voyager is a music and travel broadcast series (television/cable, broadband, in-flight and mobile) that invites viewers to discover the exciting sounds of the planet. The host is Jacob Edgar, an explorer who does not search for lost cities or ancient ruins. He's on the quest for a different kind of treasure…music. As an ethnomusicologist and world music record producer, Edgar travels the globe hunting for the best songs the world has to offer, and he suffers through some of the worst…so you don’t have to. Along the way, he's rewarded with a backstage pass to concert halls, street festivals, recording studios and rehearsal rooms. With local musicians as his guide, Edgar tastes exotic and occasionally ghastly food, visits off-the-beaten path attractions and parties the night away to amazing concerts at hidden venues that only the locals know. Join music voyager for unexpected adventures and surprising discoveries that unveil the magic, mystery and music of far off lands.
JOURNEYS IN INDIA
PANNA: LAND OF THE DHOLE. Over the years, Bill has been able to find and film all of the great predators of India, but one—the wild Asiatic Dog or Dhole. These illusive and endangered canines have rarely been captured on camera. This is the last great wildlife challenge Bill has yet to conquer…Will he succeed?
MARS RISING
THE HUMAN FACTOR. The countdown has begun for the 21st century’s most heroic and potentially deadliest expedition - the first manned mission to Mars – and back. Produced by Galafilm Inc., Mars Rising offers a comprehensive six-part examination of the challenges, the obstacles, the fears and the successes of the mission. Over 300 experts with diverse backgrounds and nationalities contributed their knowledge to the series - experts in fields such as rocket fuel and lifeforms, crew selection and training, mission and space suit engineering, medicine, life support systems and robotics.
VERSAILLES FURNITURE
Via six masterpieces, the film reveals the beauty of the spirit of Versailles of the 17th and 18th centuries. A unique homage to the people that crafted it, the furniture reveals the personal tastes of its commissioners, and portrays something that has ceased to exist! These unique items of furniture that once belonged to Louis 14th, Louis 15th, Marie-Antoinette and Louis 16th have fascinating stories to tell: the tortoise-shell chest-of-drawers with inlays of brass; an astronomical clock - a veritable miracle of science; the most emblematic example of French furniture art in the world - the King’s Desk; and the exquisite items made for Marie-Antoinette - the queen’s jewellery case and the wheat-sheaf furniture.
LOVE & MARRIAGE: SERENITY
Serenity tells the tale of a forbidden love story between a passionate girl named Grace and her lover, Totoy, from the remote Aeta tribe, scattered in central Luzon Island, Philippines. Serenity delves deep into the lives of the rural mountain tribe and what is left of the Aeta’s ancient and in-depth culture including their rituals for love, match making, weddings, hunting, giving birth and family.