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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.
CAMBODIA'S LAST BAMBOO TRAIN
This report climbs aboard the bamboo train, learns about its passengers and portrays life as it currently is in Cambodia. Without this bamboo train, people would not be able to go do their daily tasks such as going to work or to the doctor.Deep in the Cambodian Battambang region, a small bamboo train called "Norry" makes its way through rice fields and jungle passages. It is considered to be one of the most important lifelines into the poor region. But it looks like Norry's time is running out, because of the changes in Cambodia over the last years.More and more fields are being cleaned of land mines, new roads are being built, and many Cambodians are now able to afford a motorbike. The people fear that in a few years' time the bamboo train will stop operating.
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.
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.
UNDER THE LIGHTS: PELE
Pelé was a prodigy that played with "ginga". As a child he played insistently in the favelas as of Sao Paolo, he developed perfect balance, unique vision, and an unimaginable control of the ball that left everyone breathless. The King Pelé, as he was referred to by all Brazilians after winning the country's first World Cup in 1958, is the OLDEST LIVING LEGEND in all of sports. He is a global icon, and idol to so many, not only for the exceptional athlete was but for the human being he is. A true role model for so many around the world. Sabbatical's latest production is highlighted by remastered in game footage of Pelé's most legendary goals for Brazil throughout his indelible career.
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.
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.
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.
THAILAND'S ELEPHANTS, GET OUT OF THE CITY!
In former times, 4.000 elephants and their Mahouts used to work in Thailand's forestry but nowadays, they are no longer welcome in Bangkok. Since then, at the end of the 1980s, when the government stopped deforestation, they have been unemployed. More and more elephant guides have moved to the big cities. For 4 years now, the government has been trying to ban them from the cities, as they are a safety risk for street traffic. Non Yamdee lives with his elephant Poon Thap in the outer districts of Bangkok but doesn't want to be caught by the police and resettled. He has heard about a new elephant camp in the south – and that is where he intends to go.
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.
DIVING WITH CROCODILES
In Africa’s waterways, one predator reigns supreme – the Nile crocodile. One of the biggest and most deadly reptiles on Earth, it commands a fearsome reputation and strikes terror those who share its domain. Countless attacks in which victims are ruthlessly taken from riverbanks or attacked in their canoes leave no doubt that the Nile crocodile may views humans as natural prey. In fact, the animal was recently reclassified as the number one killer of humans in Africa, overtaking the previous record holder, the hippo. In ‘Diving with Crocodiles’ cameraman and crocodile expert Brad Bestelink undertakes the unthinkable and dives into the waters of the Okavango Delta. Without a cage or any other protection, he gets up close and personal with these fearsome creatures in this groundbreaking film. Such a feat has never been recorded before. But Brad is well prepared – his decision to take the plunge is the result of many years spent studying crocodile behavior in his native Botswana. His window of opportunity to dive is small and dependent on the seasonal ebb and flow of the Okavango. There are only a couple of months each year when visibility in the delta allows for perfect filming conditions. This extraordinary film provides all the high drama associated with modern-day exploration, coupled with the exhilaration of interacting with wild animals. The underwater secrets of the Nile crocodile are revealed with unique and compelling footage in the pristine underwater environment of the Okavango delta.
INDIANS IN CANADA
The six remaining Indian tribes of the Tsilqhot’in in Canada are trying to combat the commercialization and exploitation of their land. The Xeni Gwet'in First Nation has been litigating to finally secure rights to their own land against the British Crown in a huge court case going back over 20 years. Representing all Indian tribes, Chief Roger William is the chief plaintiff in the most significant case in the history of indigenous case law. The Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa has handed down its verdict.
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!
A COUNTER HISTORY OF INTERNET
A look back at the emergence of Internet freedom defence movements that have sprung up in reaction to growing regulation of the Web by governments and multinationals. Internet was created by hippies while being funded by the military! This improbable culture shock gave birth to an area of freedom that was impossible to censor or control. Yet for years, that is precisely what a certain number of political leaders have sought to do, prompting hackers and defenders of freedom to enter the political arena.
CAMBODIA'S LAST BAMBOO TRAIN
This report climbs aboard the bamboo train, learns about its passengers and portrays life as it currently is in Cambodia. Without this bamboo train, people would not be able to go do their daily tasks such as going to work or to the doctor.Deep in the Cambodian Battambang region, a small bamboo train called "Norry" makes its way through rice fields and jungle passages. It is considered to be one of the most important lifelines into the poor region. But it looks like Norry's time is running out, because of the changes in Cambodia over the last years.More and more fields are being cleaned of land mines, new roads are being built, and many Cambodians are now able to afford a motorbike. The people fear that in a few years' time the bamboo train will stop operating.
SPITSBERGEN
ICY ISLAND. 360° GEO - Report attended German supplier Rupert Krapp, on his tours through the rough landscape and picturesque fjords of Spitsbergen.The Arctic autumn is short. As early as the end of September the inhabitants of Spitsbergen prepare themselves for the long dark winter. Those who can leave the island. But a small group of people stays, mostly comprised of students, scientists and logisticians: among them is Rupert Krapp.Since late 1999, he has been living in Longyearbyen, the largest settlement on the main island. From here, he delivers goods to all those requiring supplies at their solitary stations and on their scientific research vessels.
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.
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.
IN THE DARKNESS
An immersion in the heart of the biggest West-African prison: Abidjan. Located out of sight at the border of the Banco forest, this prison host 5,000 inmates but has capacity for 1,500. With the inmates’ help, life inside is organized, and a degree of stability exists.
A YEAR IN THE WILD
EP.5. The middle of the year sees the Okavango Delta’s channels flooded and waterholes filled to the brim, even though the rains already stopped around April. At 15.000km2 the Okavango Delta is the world’s largest inland delta with massive expanses of wetlands, but it can’t compete with the size of Brazil’s Pantanal region. This is a wetland that sprawls over an area of at least 140.000km2, with 80% of its floodplains submerged during the rainy season. Coral reefs, too, support an extraordinarily colourful diversity of life, despite their home in nutrient-poor tropical waters. All too often, the inhabitants of neighbouring homes pick fights with each other over territory, food or mating rights. Coastal marsh crabs in the Seychelles are no exception, busily collecting white flowers and defending their prizes against the attentions of other crabs. Day-to-day survival is always hard work in the natural world, and clashes with neighbours are common. At this time of year, the buffalo herds of the Okavango Delta are in prime condition, following the months of plenty after the rainy season. For the Xakanaxa lion pride, they are the preferred prey item, and they are often found hard on the heels of the buffalo. Just as the individual lions in a single pride join forces to ensure the survival of the pride’s members, leafcutter ants also work together for the greater good of their colony. Their colonies are huge, numbering 3 to 8 million ants in a single nest, which can measure 15 metres across and 5 metres deep. Such large colonies require a lot of food, and supplying their precious fungus with enough plant material to grow means that within the tropical forests of South America, leaf cutter ants collectively consume almost 20% of the annual vegetation growth, making them the dominant herbivore around. For ragged-tooth sharks, it is time to congregate at the Aliwal Shoal off South Africa’s coastline. Up to 50 ragged-tooth sharks can be seen bunched together in underwater caves and under ledges, showing tell-tale signs of scars and aggressive altercations that indicate their mating season has started.
CREATIVE KILLERS
EP. 01. Peppered across Africa are a few iconic locations that are renowned for killing action. Arenas bathed in a history of blood, places where Africa’s icons have hunted successfully for generations. Predators here develop unique and clever ways to hunt. But the circumstances aren’t the driving factor in this story. Sometimes these predators look for the perfect patch of ground to kill, a small area of long grass, or a single path that leads to the perfect ambush. How do they amplify their age-old skills by using the lie of the land? Savuti is big cat country. But only the most resourceful cats make it to the top.The Marsh Pride, Savuti’s resident lions, is faced with their toughest challenge this winter: Buffalo. The complicated mix of boggy marsh, open plains and dense woodland provide extra obstacles in their path to a meal. Over centuries these heavyweights have adapted their hunting strategy to Savuti’s every challenge and the buffalos’ every move. And their secret: The nighttime hunt. When the sun sets, the tables begin to turn and Savuti is at the pride’s mercy. But there’s no shortage of challenges: Saba, the pride matriarch and most experienced hunter, has got to provide for her pride and keep them, and her territory, safe from two young male lions that are trespassing on Marsh Pride territory. It all seems doable until she gets injured after a run-in with hyenas… A lone female leopard is Savuti’s ultimate innovator. Her environment has forced her to change her hunting strategy and her prey, and she’s thriving!We follow three characters through Savuti’s winter, starting with the disappearance of the small game and the arrival of the buffalo. The film looks at how our characters use the environment and features of the landscape to their advantage. We focus on the numerous challenges of Savuti – the things that make it such a hostile place for predators, and also highlight the inter-predatory battles between the Marsh Pride and the Nomads. We look at the challenges the young leopard is faced with while hunting under the lions’ radar and trying to survive in her non-leopard-friendly environment.
MEDITERRANEAN, IN THE CETACEAN FOOTSTEPS
This documentary explores the paths of knowledge of Mediterranean Cetaceans. With scientists, veterinarians, representatives of associations, amateur or professional fishermen, we discover these mammals as well as major issues looming over their presence in this particular area of the globe. Through their very survival in the Mediterranean Sea we have a natural barometer of the "health level" of the local ecosystem. We focus on follow various peoples during their missions on a daily basis. All with a clear stated desire in mind, that being to look through the prism of this human mosaic working on the species survival... and thus contributing on sustainable development. This assembly has the potential to increase by tenfold the general public interest towards these sea creatures.
THE MYSTERY OF THE DISAPPEARING BEES
An investigation into a worldwide ecological disaster that could endanger the whole of humanity. The future of our food resources depends on one small insect - the western honey bee, or Apis mellifera. Indeed, it is the most important agricultural pollinator on our planet given that one third of our food supply depends directly on pollination from bees. This documentary tells the story of a worldwide ecological disaster that has been waiting to happen for several generations. It was filmed over an 18-month period in France, Germany, the U.S., Canada and Scotland and retraces the various leads carried out by research scientists in order to try and understand and to stop the declining numbers of domestic and wild bees. Scientists are not the only professionals to figure at the centre of this drama. Beekeepers are in the front line, and striking contrasts exist among beekeepers' experiences in different countries, in various economic situations. The documentary seeks to understand how the long-enjoyed harmonious relationship between man and bee has now undergone such a radical change. It seeks to find a solution that goes beyond science. A solution that cannot be found without thoroughly re-examining our agricultural practice and our model of society. Can we rise to the challenge? Awards : 2011 : Star of the SCAM (France). 2012 : Jade Kunlun Awards
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.
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.
SECRETS OF THE THRACIAN KING
In August 2004 in Bulgaria, archaeologist Georgi Kitov made a spectacular discovery in the valley of the Thracian Kings, a valley where about twenty temples and royal tombs are located. Kitov accessed a still-intact ancient tomb, which housed incredible wealth, dating back to the 4th century B.C., when Thracian culture was at its height. In front of the gigantic mausoleum, archaeologists found a magnificent, life-sized bronze head, one of the period's finest specimens ever found, and possessing an unsettlingly modern style. Who was this king and what does his tomb tell us about Thracian culture? Was he buried according to the Thracian custom of Orphic rites, and what do we know today about these secret rites that promised eternal life? Research into the deceased's identity revealed the tomb belonged to King Seuthes III. With the help of archaeologists and historians, who decipher the king's vestiges, the film pieces together the puzzle of Seuthes III's life. He was a modern king, who was open to Hellenisation, a warrior king, who was opposed to Macedonian authority, and a priest king, who was committed to preserving Thracian cultural rites.