DocuBox
DocuBox od do
SAVE THE BUCARDO
During many years, scientists and institutions fought to avoid the extinction of the Bucardo, a rare Pyrenean mountain goat. In 2003, Spanish and French scientists managed to clone the last bucardo. It was the first time in history that an extinct animal came back to life. They took a historic step in science, the first de-extinction in the world, the first real “Jurassic Park” and a new door was opened to hope.
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.
ISETENKHEB'S EGYPTIAN COFFIN
Follow from the amazing restoration process of one of the most cherished and mysterious pieces of History: an Egyptian sarcophagus covered with hieroglyphics (painted wood). With exclusive interviews of experts, art curators and restorators, discover everything about the story of the Isetenkheb coffin of Ancient Egypt dated from around 664-500 BC !
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!
THE AUTHENTIC BAHAMAS
The Bahamas - an archipelago in the western Atlantic that has long been the subject of legends. Over 700 islands and 2,000 coral reefs form this island paradise. Cat Island is one of the few continuously populated islands. In 2011, it was devastated by Hurricane Irene - the population is still coping with the aftermath. Untouched by tourism and tax havens, many people live on the poverty line. There is barely enough money to survive. Unemployment and hopelessness plunge them into lethargy. A few highly motivated women are now collecting ideas to inject hope and economic success into this island.
JAPANESE HEIGHTS
There is more to Japan's natural landscape than just Mount Fuji! Discover the country's numerous mountains and the ethos of the people who live there. From mountains with eight peaks, mountain gods who keep locals in their awe to building snow monsters & embracing modern activities like skiing - this documentary shows the unseen side to Japan!
IN THE STARLIGHT
In the Starlight is an intimate portrayal about the life of nature photographer Paul Zizka and his quest to capture the night skies.
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.
DAY WHEN, THE…
In February 1945, it was known that Nazi Germany lost the war. But the real winner remained uncertain. In Yalta, Americans, British and Soviets, compete for the domination of Europe. Two-on-one, English and Americans views should prevail. But thanks to his maneuvers, masterpiece of cunning and skill, Stalin tips the scales in favor of the USSR.
MEET MY WILD FRIEND
ALLIES. Gasp at animal power, gawp at childhood innocence, this is the true story of children who live as friends with wild animals. The director of The First Cry, Gilles de Maistre has traveled the world in search of children who maintain unusual and special relationships with wild animals. With the strength of innocence, the power of raw faith and the magic of respect, these little princes have found the balance between two worlds in harmony with one another, where child and animal trust each other, learn to know one another, live together and love each other. Gasp at animal power, gawp at childhood innocence, this is the true story of children who live as friends with wild animals.
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.
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.
OH DIOR!
Sabbatical Entertainment’s exclusive original documentary admires Christian Dior, the famous French fashion designer whose post–World War II creations were wildly popular and whose legacy continues to influence the fashion industry.
LOOKING FOR SULTAN
Despite efforts to protect tigers for the past 4 decades, tigers continue to be hunted down - poached, poisoned and squeezed into small pockets of protected forests.Tigers play a pivotal role in maintaining the health of the forest ecosystem and there is an urgent need to protect the tiger and its habitat.In India and across the world, Tigers have captured our imagination for centuries. We have feared them, respected them and even worshipped them. But during the colonial times tigers were hunted in thousands.At the turn of the century over a 100,000 tigers existed on the planet. Almost 40,000 of these were in India. But today only 3800 tigers survive across the world and 70% of these are in India.Today each and every tiger is important and that’s why we need to find Sultan.This film follows the story of Sultan, the up and coming dominant tiger of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve who vanished suddenly.Father and son wildlife filmmakers, Mike and Gautam, had been following and filming him since he was a cub and are now trying to put the pieces together to solve this mystery.More than 12 tigers have gone missing in Ranthambhore between 2012 and 2017. Young tigers who go missing are usually thought to have been poached or just lost forever. But the story is much more complicated.Tigers are born in parks and forests - a safe, secure place protected by their mother. But once these tigers mature they must find new homes but the question is where will they go? Trackers on ground have proved that tigers leave the protected territory of national parks to walk great distances in search for new territory. Tigers know no borders and young sub adult tigers must walk hundreds of kilometres to find a new home, prey and a new mate. Once they walk out of the protected area of the forest they are in direct contact with human habitation. People and tigers now share a complicated relationship - one of constant fear of the other.This is the story all across the country. Isolated populations of tigers in small fragmented forests surrounded by human beings and villages. The film looks at broader issues of conservation of tigers and their relationship with the people who share their habitat and the different efforts being made towards conservation in India through the story of Sultan.
MINDWORKS
EVERYDAY ILLUSIONS. 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
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.
ARE THE SKIES TOO CROWDED?
International commercial aviation produces as much CO2 as Africa. The European Union plans to double the numbers of aircrafts by 2020. Can the earth handle a growing number of carbon dioxide-emitting planes in the upper atmospheric strata forever? The reduction of greenhouse gases is one of the main challenges of the 21st century and the aviation industry knows it will have to develop a "sustainable" aviation. Decline or regression is not an option. So, commercial aviation is looking for the answer in a field that has always served it well: scientific and technological innovation all over the world. Luckily, some interesting solutions are actively researched by those who are inventing the eco-friendly aviation of the next 50 years. The film aims to meet the players in an incredible transformation that will ultimately change everything about air travel.
SPEED KILLS
EP. 02. On the surface, the black lagoon looks peaceful. But dip beneath and a murky world of twisted mangrove roots and seagrass beds is revealed. A dark realm of freakish killers waiting to unleash bursts of speed. The otherworldy Mantis Shrimp has spears for arms. Eels make lightning fast strikes with their alien jaws. And a Bullshark’s stolen meal leads to a feeding frenzy of Blacktip sharks. There’s a lot more happening here than the calm veneer suggests.
CHINA UNCOVERED THE RHYTHM OF MODERN CHINA
Famous Chinese Erhu player Zhao Lei is leaving his stamp on classical Chinese music by experimenting with musical fusion between the East and West. On a sharper note in downtown Shanghai, Yuyintang Livehouse opens its doors to contemporary music lovers. The spiritual home of cutting edge beats in Shanghai, Yuyintang has started the careers of Visual Kei band Lilith and progressive metal rockers Mathlotus, but the modern music scene is still reeling from the Rock ‘n’ Roll ban of the Cultural Revolution. Join them as they strive to become the rock stars of tomorrow.
BRAZIL’S COASTLINES
THE AMAZON. A series to celebrate Brazil and its diversity. We will explore the beauty and richness of the 8000 kilometer-long coasts, focusing on their natural and geographical aspects but also on its economic and cultural facets. An exciting journey blending the best aerial shots with stunning photography across the country to reveal both a cultural and human portrait.
BRAZIL’S COASTLINES
THE NORTH-EAST. A series to celebrate Brazil and its diversity. We will explore the beauty and richness of the 8000 kilometer-long coasts, focusing on their natural and geographical aspects but also on its economic and cultural facets. An exciting journey blending the best aerial shots with stunning photography across the country to reveal both a cultural and human portrait.
JOURNEYS IN INDIA
UDAIPUR AND JAIPUR: INDIA’S NATURAL BEAUTIES. Whether you refer to Udaipur as the City of Lakes or the City of Dawn, you are sure to agree that romance and beauty fill the air. While traveling by boat, we visit the many palaces and temples on the shore. We also tour the majestic City Palace and the Garden of the Maids of Honor. In Jaipur, we tour the Pink City, paying close attention to such architectural treasures as the Palace of Winds (Hawa Mahal) and the Amber Fort. We also visit the magnificent collections housed in the City Palace.
NEW FRONTIER
THE MOONS OF OLYMPUS. These are the the Moon's of the gas giants. Each a unique and mysterious world of its own. Some have oceans of water, geysers of Sulphur or atmospheres of plastic. Some are just now being seen at the outer rim of our solar system, all are worthy of much more scrutiny.
NEW FRONTIER
THE SUN. It powers the machinery of nature; our weather, encourages and sustains life on land and at sea. When it sets in the West it reveals to us its many billions of sibling stars populating the night sky. We study our Sun closely, and like a Rosetta stone it can reveal the secrets of all the other stars above.
FRAGRANCE & EMOTIONS
Unique documentary that takes you to discover the secret of some of the most luxurious perfumes and emblematic fragrances in the world. Visit the famous city of Grasse to meet the creators, the beautiful flower fields and all the incredible emotional powers of the Perfume.
UNDERWATER OKAVANGO
The Okavango Delta is one of the richest ecosystems on earth, but most of its creatures are rarely seen by human eyes. They hide beneath the surface, in the intricate underwater world of the Delta. Fearsome hippos and man-eating crocodiles guard these waters, and diving here is considered extremely dangerous. Few humans have ever ventured below the surface, until now. A team of film makers armed with experience and a deep knowledge of animal behaviour have dived the delta for the past year. Their experiences reveal a new, unexplored wilderness that is shaped by passage of the delta’s epic winter flood. Every summer, rains that collect in Angola surge down the Okavango River in a giant pulse. Just as the dry season draws near, that pulse reaches the delta, and sets a chain reaction of life in motion. Landscapes flood as the pulse pushes through, and drain in its wake. These forces shape the lives of every creature in the underwater Okavango. The first to feel the effects of the flood are the cave dwellers. The rising tide lifts vast floating carpets of reeds and papyrus off the sand, creating a labyrinth of caves beneath them. Mormyrids and squeakers hunt in the dark, but the live in fear of a far larger predator. Sharp toothed catfish are amongst the Delta’s most voracious hunters. They plague the smaller fish, but they in turn are hunted by giant crocodiles. As the pulse pushes into the main delta, tiny fish are sucked into the deep channels behind it. The waters fill with predators that gather to feast on the soup of small fry. The flood keeps pushing further and further out into Botswana, until in the peak of the dry season, it breaks out over dry land. Creatures travel from across Botswana to meet the life-giving tide. Huge elephant breeding herds flee the drought-stricken Kalahari, and walk hundreds of kilometres to reach the flooded delta. Though the water offers life, it harbours death as well. Their tiny infants must navigate crocodile infested floodplains, and face off with lions in the dense reeds. Nowhere is safe, until the flood finally reaches the end of its journey. Just as the rains threaten to bring the dry season to a close, the closing act of the underwater delta launches into action. Birds flock to the disappearing shallows to feast on trapped fish, and the fearsome catfish amass into an army. They charge down the channels by the hundred, and flush fish from the reeds. The stampede of hunters makes the water boil, and entices a new killer to the feast. Fish eagles swoop down one after the other, and snatch catfish from the churning waters. The frenzy of predators builds to a crescendo, until rains finally douse the feast. The wet season marks the end of the flood, but it feeds the beginnings of another. As rainwaters gather once more in the Angolan highlands, the journey of a new pulse begins. This film opens a window on an unexplored landscape of exquisite beauty, and the creatures that must play the daily lottery of life and death within it.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT, THE MACEDONIAN
A close look at Alexander the Great - from Macedonia to India. Alexander the Great has always enjoyed a unique status in history. To the Greeks and Romans, he was a hero, to the Arabs, he was a prophet, to Westerners, he is a myth. Alexander the Great spread Greek civilisation single-handedly throughout the ancient world, as far as the borders of India, by relentlessly pursuing his sworn enemy Darius the Great, King of Persia. But what remains today of the "real" Alexander? Of his life and environment? Through the many depictions of the hero and the archaeological traces of his triumphant conquest, this film portrays the legendary figure, who has always been, and continues to be, a great source of inspiration, even for artists of today.
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.
WILD AUSTRALIA WITH RAY MEARS
EP. 04. Ray starts by hitching a lift on a research crane to get a bird’s eye view over the Rainforest; from there, he can see the geographical position responsible for this lush vegetation: mountain range in the west and the sea in the east. He then goes down to the ground, delving into the heart of the jungle, he comes across millennial trees, camouflage spiders and a miniature dinosaur, the Boyd’s Forest Dragon. He pursues his journey by travelling on a zipwire with wildlife expert, Justin McMahon. Together they observe life in the canopy. Meanwhile, Ray’s cameraman Martin Hayward Smith has been filming an animal that can only be found in this part of the world: the Bennett’s tree kangaroo, a cute marsupial that lives like a monkey.
WILD AUSTRALIA WITH RAY MEARS
EP. 05. Ray takes the Great Ocean Road along the Antarctic facing coast of Australia – the longest South facing coastline in the world. He starts in Port Philp Bay the entrance to Melbourne Harbour where for the first time he sees a strange marine creature – the weedy sea dragon – a relative of the sea horse. He also swims with a unique species of dolphin – the Burrunan Dolphins.Crossing the Bay he heads off down the longest War Memorial in the world – the Great Ocean Road and meets 93 year old Doug Stirling who remembers the world war 1 veterans building the road.Ray visits the Penguin Colony on Middle Island where guard dogs protect the penguins from foxes and he watches the night time return of the penguins after a day spent at sea fishing.He takes to the seas and discovers the creatures of the deep waters – albatross, balls of krill and a pod of fast moving common dolphins.
WILD AUSTRALIA WITH RAY MEARS
EP. 06. In this episode, Ray explores the Red Centre of the country and shows that the Australian desert is filled with life for those who know where to find water.He arrives in the Red Centre by chopper as he flies over the Uluru monolith or Ayres Rock. For his first stop, he goes to a red kangaroo sanctuary where he cuddles a joey, meets their carer Brolga and gets close to the usually wary adult red kangaroos. He pursues his journey deeper in the desert to meet a local aboriginal Sammy Wilson. They go to a traditional waterhole and chat over a camp fire about Sammy’s ancestral knowledge of the land. Ray spends the night out under the stars before driving more inland to rocky areas where water collects. There Ray comes face to face with a wild kangaroo and rock wallabies. He then follows tracks along a dry river bed that lead him to Australia’s wild dog: a dingo.
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.
GROSSLOCKNER KING OF THE HIGH ALPS
The report accompanies Austrian farmers in the highest mountain of the country - the Glossglockner - from July until Christmas, throughout the changing seasons. It is mid-June and summer is finding its way into the valleys of East Tyrol, even though the Hohe Tauern Mountains are still covered with snow. In the distance, the Grossglockner gleams bright white above the Tyrol mountain village of Kals. This summer, mountain climbers from all over the world will scale the Grossglockner. Toni Riepler, a mountain guide from Kals and his wife Gitti have a lot of work to do. They run the "Glorerhütte", one of the oldest mountain huts in the area. For 3 months, from mid-June to mid-September, the family lives high up in the Alps. In the winter, they stay down in the valley.
THE POLAR SCHOOL OF NOMAD CHILDREN
360° GEO- Report visits the Nenets, the last true nomads on earth, on their remote Russian peninsula. Every August, on the Russian polar peninsula of Yamal, children of reindeer shepherds await a helicopter that will bring them back to school after the summer holidays. For the main part of the year, 600 nomad children from the indigenous people of the Nenet live and learn separated from their parents. Up until now, their home Yamal was an of Russia that was far from any semblance of civilization- until an enormous gas pool was discovered beneath the tundra. Now, destroyed nature and gigantic industrial plants are a common sight along the nomad's track - but this industrial development is also offering new opportunities to their children.
ON THE CITIES’ ROOFTOPS
TOKYO. 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…
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.
SURROUNDED BY WAVES
The international scientific community is called on to take sides and provide solid answers. "Surrounded by Waves" explores the methods and motivations behind the most prominent research in the field and clarifies what we currently know, all with a mind to the social context behind the issue. Through an elegant blend of interviews, archives, experiments and 3D animation, the film clearly assesses the estimated risk linked to cell phones while offering a subtle observation of society's growing distrust of its industries and the unprecedented role of science in the debate.
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.
THE FLYING FIREFIGHTERS OF VALENCIA
In recent years, the number of forest fires has consistently increased, especially in Catalonia. The loss of forest land is endangering the cultural and natural habitat of the Northwestern Mediterranean. This report accompanies Chimo and his colleagues through last years' fire season. The "Avialsa" Flying Firefighters squadron operates in the woodland areas around the western part of the Mediterranean Sea. Flying close above the flames ensures the greatest chance of success for the firefighters: the closer they can get their water cargo to the fire source, the quicker they can get the flames under control. Joaquim Miniana, "Chimo" for short, and the pilots of the "Avialsa" firefighting plane squadron in the Spanish province of Valencia are fighting against increasingly long, hot summers.