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EUROPEAN ISLANDS EP
10: MENORCA. The European islands are renowned primarily for their hotel resorts. However, we will show you a completely different face of theirs: forests, beaches, coves, mountains, valleys and rivers. Perhaps you will find places that will take your breath away. Why just lie on the beach when there is so much to see? Put on some good hiking shoes, pull your shoelaces tight, and get to know the entire island like the back of your hand.
CHINA UNCOVERED
THE COST OF BEAUTY RISING. Fashion designer Ji Cheng has shown her designs at London fashion week and, like beauty stylist A Zhi, is beginning to challenge the monopoly of Western brands in China. New levels of expendable income mean the wallets of the wealthy elite are helping fund this rising beauty scene and creating a market for luxury goods for shrewd businesswoman Felicity Feng. Expats from everywhere are trying to gain a foothold in this blossoming city, but can they handle its lightning speed?
ROLL ON CINEMA
This film endeavours to show how the invention of cinema was in no way inevitable, and how it may well have been a mere accident. To pinpoint the start, it all began in the heart of Paris, in the depths of darkened room, on 28 March 1798, when Etienne-Gaspard Robertson gave one of his first screenings of his "Fantasmagoria" - making ghosts and spectres dance. But how did we move from perfecting the magic lantern to the cinematography of the Lumiére brothers? The invention was born throughout the 19th century, out of the unpredictable crossing of two parallel research paths - that of philosophical toys and the photography of movement. Originally-named optical devices - such as the kinesigraph, the zoetrope, the praxinoscope and the phenakistoscope, without forgetting the photographic revolver or gun - associated the realm of toys with the realm of thought, reflecting both a fascination for the magical effects produced by animation and speed, and a desire to understand human anatomy, and analyse the phenomenon of vision. All these pre-cinema optical devices literally stemmed from a desire for spectacle and the will to acquire knowledge. Robertson, Reynaud, Plateau, Muybridge and Marey spearheaded the adventure. Thanks to these brilliant inventors, we travel across the 19th century, ending in Paris in 1895 in the Salon Indien du Grand Café, where the first public movie screening took place.
NEW FRONTIER
THE PLANET MAKERS. From the beginnings of our Solar System four and half billion years ago there remains tantalizing clues to its evolution; remnent debris: asteroids and comets. They vary in size from grains of dust to mountain sides, footballs to planetoids. They were the building blocks of the planets and perhaps carry the origins of life itself. Now within our grasp these rocks of ice and dust are ready to give up their secrets.
NEW FRONTIER
THE ICE GIANTS. Beyond the asteroid belt lay the ice giants, some can be seen with the naked eye, others only glimpsed once by a passing probe. We are again sending cameras to the edge of the solar system giving us new insights into the evolution of our worlds.
ANATOLIA LAND OF THE APRICOTS
Millions of golden yellow fruits dry out in the sun. They are called 'Gold of Mesopotamia', the juicy apricots of Anatolia. On the plantations at the shore of the Euphrates grow 95 % of all apricots processed worldwide. But the idyllic atmosphere is deceiving: behind this picturesque façade, seething conflicts erupt among the old patriarchs about more self-determination and, above all, the concerns over climate change and its effects on the harvest are hovering.
BOLIVIA HIGHWAY OF DEATH
Bolivia is a country of contrasts: the Andes with peaks of 5,800 meters in the West and the Amazon basin in the East. In between: the Yungas region and the most dangerous roads in the world - the workplace of trucker Julio Gustavo and his old Volvo. Julio is in his early 40s and is a truck driver in Bolivia. Driving trucks is his passion, but he cannot get used to the traffic on the new freeways. He still prefers the famous dirt road, barely 3 meters large. Because of the elevated accident and death rate, it is still known today as the "Carretera de la Muerte" or "Highway of Death".
THE PAST HUNTERS
THE HAUNTED PARADE. Derek Acorah’s The Past Hunters travel to Hoylake and investigate a building known as The Parade. Dating back to 1909, this once former school, still seems to have ghostly pupils and teachers taking class.
FENTANYL
THE UNSTOPPABLE EPIDEMIC. Canadians’ attention has been briefly grabbed by the headline: the story--an abnormally high number of overdose deaths caused by a drug called fentanyl. It merited a few days attention and then was pushed off the stage by other concerns. What Canadians failed to appreciate was that those few headlines offered a foreboding glimpse of what might be one of the most destructive waves of illegal drugs to hit North America since Pablo Escobar flooded the continent with cheap and powerful cocaine. Fentanyl is a killer. And fentanyl isn’t just preying on the addict population of this country. Its victims are also Canada’s unsuspecting middle-class. And the epidemic is showing no signs of letting up. In fact all signs point to the death count rising as more and more powerful versions of this drug seep into the country.The result, Canadians have no idea what’s “slouching” towards them in the near future. Through the eyes of four insiders in the fentanyl industry, Dam Builder Productions will take the audience inside this world in way that will enlighten, outrage, and even fascinate.
HIDDEN TRACES
This was the « other » Second World War – the one in the Pacific, confronting the Japanese Imperial Army to the Americans. Although not as famous as the war that raged in Europe, this conflict was just as ferocious and central to our collective memory.
THE MONKEY WHISPERER AND HIS DREAM
360° GEO - Report accompanies David van Gennep a committed animal rights activist and his team of volunteers during on a distinctly moving mission. There is great excitement in the back of the monkey transporter - after a 20-minute drive, 8 chimpanzees impatient to get out of the van, suddenly go silent. For here, there is suddenly no cold concrete floor, and no cage awaiting them, but a vast, natural expanse of trees, grass and blue skies. After years of imprisonment, maltreatment and isolation, they will now have to learn to liaise with conspecifics, build up families and live outdoors. "Monkey whisperer" David van Gennep wipes the tears from his eyes. His lifelong dream to found a paradise for maltreated monkeys in Alicante in Spain, is finally coming true.
OUTTA TOWN ADVENTURES (3)
S3. Outta Town Adventures travels both near and far to discover the best advenures the destinations have to offer. This TV series is dedicated to presenting history, culture and geography in a fun and pisitive way. It encourages people to explore this beautiful world - something that starts with simply getting out of town!
MONGOLIA, STEPPES EMIRATE
Battered by strong winds, and seen as a grazing land, Mongolia is the kingdom of steppes. With important mineral resources such as copper or uranium, coal and rare soil, Mongolia future is secure: the economy shows a significant growth rate and it is a business paradise for some expatriates. But for most of the population, needs remain unfulfilled.
OUTTA TOWN ADVENTURES (4)
S3. Outta Town Adventures travels both near and far to discover the best advenures the destinations have to offer. This TV series is dedicated to presenting history, culture and geography in a fun and pisitive way. It encourages people to explore this beautiful world - something that starts with simply getting out of town!
TRAVEL THRU HISTORY
BELFAST. We’re shipping off to Belfast, Northern Ireland on today’s episode. First, we’ll gawk at the world’s biggest Titanic museum. Then, we’ll learn about the province’s complicated history at the Ulster Museum. Finally, we get thrown in the slammer at the very creepy, Crumlin Road Jail.
TRAVEL THRU HISTORY
DUBLIN. We travel to the end of the rainbow in Dublin, Ireland. We’ll gawk at the Book of Kells, a holy book displayed at Trinity College. We visited the hallowed halls of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and touched famed Irishman, Daniel O’Connell’s crypt at Glasnevin Cemetery. Finally, we learn the complicated history of Irish independence at Kilmainham jail.
RACE OF LIFE
EP. 09. Crocodiles , like all living reptiles, they are descended from animals that roamed the Earth about 250 million years ago. There’s something so viscerally terrifying about these creatures that lay in wait for their prey, just under the waterline. The comparatively friendly seeming turtle is among the most ancient of the reptiles alive today and have a protective shell that encloses their body and provides protection and camouflage, just as it did millions of years back. They inhabit terrestrial, freshwater, and marine habitats and are found both in tropical and temperate regions. Poisonous or harmless, large or small, all snakes - from the desert rattlesnake to the dwarf pipe snake - have certain things in common: a long, thin shape; scaly, legless bodies; and unblinking, lidless eyes. Like all reptiles, snakes rely on the heat of the sun to control their body temperature. The venom of the king cobra, the world's largest poisonous snake, is strong enough to kill an elephant. Lizards have developed their own adaptations – some lose their tail when in danger, as a means of escaping from a predator. In time the tail will grow back again. The tail they leave behind will move and confuse the predator. What grows back will be slimmer and often a different color. For all these creatures, cold blood is definitely a competitive edge.
RACE OF LIFE
EP. 10. Some have powerful strides and flashing teeth, some employ poisons and trickery, so we know for sure that predators are well equipped for survival. But this episode reveals the unique ways in which animals protect themselves. Obviously, being able to flee a predator is the choice of many prey animals but there are also very interesting methods of defense which involve deception and chemistry. These include using toxic chemicals, camouflage, and mimicry. Insects that look like leaves, snakes that play dead, fish that fly, and toads with poisonous skin, these animals are among the many creatures that defend themselves in fascinating ways. Almost every animal is hunted as food by some other kind of animal and has developed ways to defend itself against predators. The relationship between predator and prey is a bit like an evolutionary arms race. As soon as one develops a weapon or defense mechanism, the other is working on an adaptation that allows them to circumvent that mechanism. Common defense mechanisms include claws, teeth, camouflage, poison, mimicry, and adaptations like echolocation. Some animals will spray toxic or foul smelling liquids at predators. Many animals have developed sophisticated defense mechanisms to help them avoid predation. Similar kinds of defenses have evolved in different species with slight variations. From the vice-like jaws of the hyena to the gunshot speed of the frog, from the strong-as-steel silk of the spider to the hypnotic patterns of the zebra, and the awesome antlers of the deer. A strong defence is key to winning the race of life.
THE NEW NOMADIC PEOPLE OF KYRGYZSTAN
360° GEO - Report accompanies the Kyrgyzstani nomad family and their 600 animals as they trek through gorges and rapid mountain springs. 40-year-old Kyrgyzstani Bachit makes his living by pasture farming. He is an astute shepherd and realized long ago that major changes were taking place in his homeland, the Tien Chan Mountains, on the Chinese border: the high mountain peaks - some of them at an altitude of 7,000 metres - are thawing rapidly. This is an effect of global warming, with as yet unknown global consequences. Bachit has adapted to the new situation: fince several years now, he has been leading his huge flock anually from the village to a 3,000-meter altitude summer pasture - a risky adventure.
SALTY LOVE
Salty Love is an underwater story of love and how marine life has found ingenious ways to reproduce. From the magic of coral spawning, the dance of the manta ray, the bond of marine mammals, the dedication of the male sea horse, the labour of love by sea turtles there are so many amazing underwater relationships.
NICKEL, THE KANAK'S TREASURE
In the heart of the Pacific, in New Caledonia, the Kanaks have been fighting for their independence for over 40 years, and they use nickel as a weapon to achieve their end. The subsoil of the island is filled with this ore essential for global growth. To finance their future state, the Kanaks open mines, build factories, to have a part on the materials market. Is this nation of 100,000 people at risk of losing far more precious by gambling with raw material and to shift from political dependence to a financial one?
DEPLETED URANIUM
More than 50 countries now possess weapons based on depleted uranium (DU). Experimentation has been rife, and the consequences for civilians and the military alike have been dramatic. This investigation compares and contrasts the arguments of those who defend and attack a technology that is highly toxic. For 20 years, scientists, doctors, veterans and activists have denounced the use of DU. Against them are the arms industry lobbyists and nuclear authorities who continue to minimise the risks. Through archive documents, interviews and in situ investigations, accompanied by key witnesses (victims, experts...) we aim to present a clearer picture of the issues and stakes linked to the use of DU. Quick-paced, with a sense of urgency, the film underlines the essential background and conflicting viewpoints, enabling viewers to make up their own minds about a subject that concerns us all.
SOKOTRA, ENDANGERED TREASURE ISLAND
Sokotra, an island off the Horn of Africa, has been a Unesco world heritage site since 2008, but the strict rules that once enabled the Beduoins to protect their biodiversity are now being relaxed. 360° GEO follows in the footsteps of a Yemeni goatherd on the island. Many rare species are being threatened by the increase in extensive grazing, which is even affecting the goatherds' very existence. 55-year old Abdullah Ablihin finds it hard to make ends meet with just his herd of goats.Sokotra, an island off the Horn of Africa, has been a Unesco world heritage site since 2008, but the strict rules that once enabled the Beduoins to protect their biodiversity are now being relaxed. 360° GEO follows in the footsteps of a Yemeni goatherd on the island. Many rare species are being threatened by the increase in extensive grazing, which is even affecting the goatherds' very existence. 55-year old Abdullah Ablihin finds it hard to make ends meet with just his herd of goats.
WATER: H2O STORIES
THE BLUE PLANET. Water: H2O Stories is a 3x52 series revisiting the story of water on planet Earth and its disrupted course over time which has led to the 21st century biggest challenge.
THE SOLOMON TREASURES
The discovery in Jerusalem in 2007 of a tomb said to belong to the family of Jesus of Nazareth is just the latest in a long line of extraordinary finds which have recently come to light in the Holy Land. But not all these finds are quite what they seem. Both a stone tablet said to come from the Temple of Solomon, and an ossuary apparently belonging to the brother of Jesus, have been declared fakes. The official investigation then uncovered dozens of other fakes, and attention eventually focussed on one of the most revered objects in Israel: the ivory pomegranate. This artefact has been in the Israel Museum for nearly twenty years. Like the stone tablet, it too was linked to the Temple of Solomon – and astonishingly it too, investigators concluded, was fake. As forensic scientists now turn their attention to the ossuaries from the ‘Jesus family tomb’, Israeli archaeologists are left fearing that history and science is being repeatedly distorted, and they face a challenge to separate fact from fiction.
ANDALUSIA: THE MOORISH ARCHITECTURE
Andalusia, the Spanish territory has a confluence of cultures which is represented in its architecture! Visigothic, Roman, Byzantine and Arab - the structures in the region display all these influences. Between 8th & 15th century, several dynasties from Arab to Berber conquered Andalusia impacting the way of life of people. The film tells this story through beautiful edifices of Andalusia.
ANIMAL DOCTORS
Explore how animals developed over time and generations their own medicine and health care strategies. How have these been passed onto early humans ? Questioning traditional boundaries between human and animal, we will travel from Central African Republic, to Tanzania, from the US to France with the leading experts in animal behaviour. Today\'s science revisits the birth of animal intelligence and culture.
FLOODS
PART 1. “Floods” is a film dedicated to the memory of those victims of the great floods like those of New York, Bangkok and Xynthia. This film takes us from New York to Tokyo and Bangkok, visiting Shanghai, the Netherlands and Germany on the way. Throughout the world, oceanographers, coastal engineers, geologists, economists, architects and insurance companies cooperate to understand, anticipate and create a strategy of sustainable protection systems. The relationship between man, his cities and its environment is entirely being redefined. A global and multidisciplinary approach is needed to push boundaries and convince political authorities to act now, to save entire regions from flood threat.
FLOODS
PART 2. “Floods” is a film dedicated to the memory of those victims of the great floods like those of New York, Bangkok and Xynthia. This film takes us from New York to Tokyo and Bangkok, visiting Shanghai, the Netherlands and Germany on the way. Throughout the world, oceanographers, coastal engineers, geologists, economists, architects and insurance companies cooperate to understand, anticipate and create a strategy of sustainable protection systems. The relationship between man, his cities and its environment is entirely being redefined. A global and multidisciplinary approach is needed to push boundaries and convince political authorities to act now, to save entire regions from flood threat.
CHEETAH: THE PRICE OF SPEED
The cheetah is a highly specialised animal. It excels at one thing alone, running down high-speed prey faster than any other mammal on earth.But this specialisation comes at a cost. The cheetah as a predatory model seems focussed on one single area of expertise. Outside of pursuing prey, how effective is this animal when compared to the other apex predators of the savannah?Alongside lions, leopards, vultures and hyenas how does the cheetah fit into the efficient cogs of the savannah system? Can it compete, or is it an outsider, cornered by it’s own specialisation?The primary character in the story is a cheetah mother, who goes about her daily life, hunting for her three cubs. Her trials and tribulations highlight the refined hunting system of the cheetah, but they also shed light on her weaknesses, and the lack of robustness in the species itself.
NEW YORK
THE WORLD'S SMALLEST OPERA HOUSE. "If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere". That's the vision people from all over the world have of New York. This report takes a look behind the scenes of the world's smallest opera house, in the heart of New York. Tony Amato, the son of an Italian butcher, thought when he came to New York in the 40s that he could make it too by realizing his dream of owning an opera house. The house is 3 stories high and three windows wide. The hall feels no bigger than a living room, however its 107 seats are always sold out. Tony Amato continues to be the center and linchpin of this miniature opera. Tony is barely 5 foot tall, with his sneakers and the small, wiry man seems to be held up by his pant-suspenders. His voice is persuasive, his eyes bright. He conducts, sings, jumps, laughs and grumbles all at once. At 88 years of age, Maestro Tony Amato is in the middle of the season's last production.
WORLD AFTER FUKUSHIMA
The derisory dosimeters, located at crossroads and hanging around children’s necks, are a constant reminder of the invisible monster and of the deadly particles people attempt to retain by placing bottles of water on windowsills. 2 years on, in the region of Fukushima, people’s lives - or at least their “existences” - carry on, as they integrate radioactive pollution into their daily lives. Beyond the earthquake and the tsunami, the nuclear catastrophe has revealed the shortcomings of a system and its criminal arrogance. And everyone remembers with dread the series of errors and procrastinations that sealed their fate, as politicians preferred to “downplay the situation instead of reducing risks”.
UNBREATHABLE CITIES ON THE VERGE OF ASPHYXIATION
With an epidemic of cancers among adults, and widespread asthma among children, China and India are on a constant health alert. Nor is the rest of the world free from harm as the pollutants are travelling.
NEW YORK
THE WORLD'S SMALLEST OPERA HOUSE. "If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere". That's the vision people from all over the world have of New York. This report takes a look behind the scenes of the world's smallest opera house, in the heart of New York. Tony Amato, the son of an Italian butcher, thought when he came to New York in the 40s that he could make it too by realizing his dream of owning an opera house. The house is 3 stories high and three windows wide. The hall feels no bigger than a living room, however its 107 seats are always sold out. Tony Amato continues to be the center and linchpin of this miniature opera. Tony is barely 5 foot tall, with his sneakers and the small, wiry man seems to be held up by his pant-suspenders. His voice is persuasive, his eyes bright. He conducts, sings, jumps, laughs and grumbles all at once. At 88 years of age, Maestro Tony Amato is in the middle of the season's last production.
GALLA WALLAH: THE SEARCH FOR THE BEST
The valleys of Nepal, around the Himalayan Mountains - the highest in the world - are the home of a special group of people callled the Ghurkhas. Because of the discipline and endurance they exhibit in their daily fight for survival, they are employed in the elite battalion of the British Army. For more than 200 years, the Ghurkhas have served the crown. Every year, more than 25,000 people apply for a position as a Ghurkhas, with only a few lucky ones chosen. For the chosen ones, it feels as though they have hit the jackpot. For the others, it is considered to be the worst defeat of their life.
ZENITH
EP. 13. Zenith – Advances in Space Exploration reveals these latest developments and the implications they hold for all of us.
BIG COAST
DUNCANBY LODGE SEASON KICKOFF. For 15 years the Big Coast Crew has remained completely committed to expedition boating, showcasing West Coast adventure and telling the tales of this final frontier. From iconic Chinook salmon to Grizzlies, Spirit Bear and Orcas, incredible wildlife roams this land and keeps watch over one of the last great coastal ecosystems on Earth. Each season, Big Coast runs the BC Inside Passage from Alaska and Prince Rupert Southbound through Great Bear Rainforest and Vancouver Island. It’s an epic journey of 1,500 kilometres through pristine coastal waterways and wilderness. And each season, with marine weather, wildlife and fish migrations, is a little bit different. In the spirit of coastal conservation, Big Coast practices catch-and-release Tyee Chinook Salmon (over 30lbs) angling and only taking what you need. Going strong for 15 years, Big Coast features 13 new half hour episodes every year! A 300-mile boat trip from Vancouver to Duncanby Lodge in Rivers Inlet for Percy Walkus Hatchery Chinook Fundraiser!
APPLE THE TYRANNY OF COOL
Apple, the brand that symbolises counter-culture, has become a giant that dictates cultural norms and trends. At the root of their success story lies the genius marketing ploy of making mainstream power look tacky by declaring themselves counter to it, thereby conquering consumers with their cool. The death of Steve Jobs, on October 5th, provided a dramatic illustration of the paradox of Apple, which is at the heart of this film. It is the first time in history that an entrepreneur has been applauded and mourned as a benefactor of mankind, and their commercial success lauded as a work of genius. This fascinating ability to combine a "rebel-brand" image with huge commercial profits will be the object of this documentary investigation, which examines both the universe of Mac and modern man and his ambiguities. Tracing the history of the brand, from the beginnings of the small computer company to today's multinational, the film shows how Apple has taken a giant bite out of the market, thanks to its aesthetic choices, emotional marketing and indisputable technological ingenuity.
GEORGIA, CRADLE OF WINE
360° GEO - Report portrays a changing wine region that is torn between the ancient traditions of its soviet heritage and modern market requirements.In the Soviet era, Georgia was said to be the wine cellar of the USSR.Even after the collapse of the huge empire, wine remained one of the country's most important export goods. But since Russia has imposed an embargo, exports have declined dramatically.Georgia is now in search of new sales markets at a time when winegrowing in its Caucasus region is in full swing. Small winegrowers, cooperatives and winegrowing estates based on the Western model vie with each other for quantity and quality.
THE TRUE COLORS OF US UNIVERSITIES
This documentary reveals the dazzling and obscure system of American University campuses: a world of money, influence, but also stress, decadence, excess, where alcohol freely flows and where drugs circulate. Follow the students every day; in their steps, their hopes, their secret rituals, and their wildest sprees!
BIG COAST
RIVERS INLET TO PORT HARDY. Trolling coho at Calvert Island and on a big Chinook Salmon quest Southbound around Cape Caution and Port Hardy!