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PARIS Berlin: Shapes AND Shades OF History - THE CLASH
Paris and Berlin have developed and grown facing each other over four centuries of tumultuous historical relationships and mutual admiration. The architecture and urbanism bear witness of this complex and rich confrontation.
WWII Documentary FILMS - ABOVE AND Beyond: THE Incredible Escape OF JewisH-American B-17 Pilots FROM NazI-Occupied Europe IN WWII
Award-winning documentary films produced to enlighten future generations about the personal stories of the WWII generations.
WWII Documentary FILMS - UNCLE JACK THE Manhattan Project AND Beyond
Award-winning documentary films produced to enlighten future generations about the personal stories of the WWII generations.
WHAT IN THE WORLD - EP 01
Presented by Peadar King, this series illustrates the human consequences of global economic inequalities and human rights violations, by focusing on how people encounter these issues on a daily basis. At the heart of Africa, the Congo for many people will always be associated with Joseph Conrad’s early twentieth-century novel the Heart of Darkness, a title that has become a by-word for the country. And for Benjamin and David, two former child soldiers, and Funaha held as a sex slave by one of the many militias that continue to terrorise the country, that metaphor remains a daily reality. The film explores how this seemingly never-ending conflict impacts on the people of North Kivu.
WHAT IN THE WORLD - EP 02
For over 24 years, East Timor (now known as Timor Leste) endured a crushing occupation inflicted on them by neighbouring Indonesia on the pretext of the fight against communism. The war was brought to a controversial conclusion in 1999. However, trauma from that period lives on as evidenced by the testimonies of Nelson Belo, Gregorio Saldanha and Pascal Oliveira, survivors of the infamous 1991 Santa Cruz Massacre. This film recalls the trauma of Timor Leste in this the tenth anniversary of its independence.
WHAT IN THE WORLD - EP 03
Timber is one of this country’s biggest natural resources and the source of great potential wealth. Hence the existence of wholesale illegal logging, irrespective of the consequences to the local environment. This has led concerned parties to set up the Olancho Environmental Movement. This organization has mobilized to protect these forests, at some risk to its members, like Rene Gradiz, whose testimony is disturbing in the extreme.
WHAT IN THE WORLD - EP 04
Indris Seid Yimer and Emyet Assen Woraki’s lives have been utterly transformed in the last thirty years. In 1984, they, their families and their community were engulfed in famine and devastation, a famine memorably described by BBC journalist Michael Buerk as “the closest thing to hell on Earth”. Set in the Wollo area, the epicentre of the 1984 famine, the film tells their story. Other contributions featured are from people like entrepreneur Samuel Alemu and financier Ermyas Amelga. It also showcases the hauntingly beautiful UNESCO World Heritage site in Lalibela.
Remote Control WAR
The current campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan are the world’s first Robotic War, with over 7,000 robots in the air and 12,000 on the ground. Warfare has been revolutionised in a monumental shift. Mankind’s five thousand year monopoly on war is breaking down. Robotic war is here.
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".
Solomon Treasures, THE
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.
WHAT IN THE WORLD - EP 21
Presented by Peadar King, this series illustrates the human consequences of global economic inequalities and human rights violations, by focusing on how people encounter these issues on a daily basis. At the heart of Africa, the Congo for many people will always be associated with Joseph Conrad’s early twentieth-century novel the Heart of Darkness, a title that has become a by-word for the country. And for Benjamin and David, two former child soldiers, and Funaha held as a sex slave by one of the many militias that continue to terrorise the country, that metaphor remains a daily reality. The film explores how this seemingly never-ending conflict impacts on the people of North Kivu.
WHAT IN THE WORLD - EP 23
Presented by Peadar King, this series illustrates the human consequences of global economic inequalities and human rights violations, by focusing on how people encounter these issues on a daily basis. At the heart of Africa, the Congo for many people will always be associated with Joseph Conrad’s early twentieth-century novel the Heart of Darkness, a title that has become a by-word for the country. And for Benjamin and David, two former child soldiers, and Funaha held as a sex slave by one of the many militias that continue to terrorise the country, that metaphor remains a daily reality. The film explores how this seemingly never-ending conflict impacts on the people of North Kivu.
WHAT IN THE WORLD - EP 24
Presented by Peadar King, this series illustrates the human consequences of global economic inequalities and human rights violations, by focusing on how people encounter these issues on a daily basis. At the heart of Africa, the Congo for many people will always be associated with Joseph Conrad’s early twentieth-century novel the Heart of Darkness, a title that has become a by-word for the country. And for Benjamin and David, two former child soldiers, and Funaha held as a sex slave by one of the many militias that continue to terrorise the country, that metaphor remains a daily reality. The film explores how this seemingly never-ending conflict impacts on the people of North Kivu.
Travel THRU History - Boise, IDAHO
We’ve got our own private Idaho in Boise. We’ll tour one of the most stunning buildings in the frontier west at the Idaho State Capitol, dance all night with the Basques at the Basque museum and cultural center, soar to new heights at the Warhawk Air Museum in Nampa, and get a shiver down our spines at the Idaho state penitentiary.
Travel THRU History - NEW Orleans
The Saints come marching in as we tour the iconic St. Louis Cathedral and the mysterious Ursuline Convent in New Orleans. We delve into Mardi Gras history at Mardi Gras World and visit the National WWII Museum's world class collection.
Mindworks - Visual Deceptions
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 - Altered VIEWS
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.
NEW Frontier - Tickets Please
The commercial space flight companies are edging closer and closer to flight readiness. Paying customers will soon be launching into space; tourists and their money is thought to be a major step forward into space and beyond. Blue Origin flight tests have been a great success and may launch commercial flights as soon as year’s end. Virgin Galactic is also smashing mile stones towards flight certification. SpaceX and its Manned Dragon capsule in direct competition with Boeings moves closer to an ISS taxi service.
PAST Hunters - S1 EP 03: THE BLOCK
The team investigate a disused factory in Burton-Upon-Trent. Reports of paranormal happenings are common and the team are ready for anything.
PAST Hunters - S1 EP 04: MILL Street Barracks
Built in 1861 Mill Street Barracks is steeped in rich history. It has accommodated many branches of the armed forces throughout its life. Like many other barracks it has also been used as a morgue making it a prime location for the supernatural.
Travel THRU History - ST. Augustine
There’s a lot to cover in the oldest city in America. Take a sip from the distinctively tasting Fountain of Youth. Then we’ll cross the draw bridge of the undefeated Spanish Fort, the Castillo San Marcos. Then we’ll learn the true history of pirates at the Pirate Museum.
Journeys IN INDIA - Central India: LAND OF Pilgrimages
Two of the most sacred places in India are featured in this fascinating episode. Bill first burst the myths surrounding the legendary Khajuraho and its intricately carved temples before heading to the Holy City of Varanasi. Varanasi, the Jerusalem or Mecca for Hindus with its deep connection to the Ganges River, is explored with an insider’s perspective.
Journeys IN INDIA - Ahmedabad: LAND OF Gandhi
There is no figure in Indian history that rivals Gandhi. Bill explores the land Gandhi called home and in the process, learns about the man himself. But Ahmedabad is more than Gandhi…its rich history and unusual architecture is revealed.
Journeys IN Africa - Kruger NATL PARK: HUNT FOR THE Cheetah
In all previous Journeys’ shows, only glimpses of the cheetah were seen. Here at Kruger, we get up close to this shy cat before heading out of the park and visiting a special research and breeding center dedicated to cheetahs.
Journeys IN Africa - THE LAND OF THE ZULU
South Africa has many different tribal groups and ethnic people, but none have a more fascinating story than the Zulu. These were once the most feared warriors in all of Africa and they have fiercely held onto that culture. They’re also dedicated conservationists and we see first-hand the wildlife sanctuaries they’ve created. This is a proud people with a unique history, and we get to share that with them.
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.
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.
OUTTA TOWN Adventures - S2 EP 9
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!
OUTTA TOWN Adventures - S2 EP 11
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!
BIG COAST - Hartley BAY Humpbacks AND Chinook
Humpback Whales, perfect water, summer sunshine and one of the finest fishing Chinook Salmon solo fishing days!
BIG COAST - BC Central COAST Salmon Safari
Running Southbound outside on Central Coast with a big Tyee Chinook Release finish North of Milbanke Sound!
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.
SHOW ME WHERE YOU LIVE - Indonesiathe Toraja: Living IN THE Center OF THE Universe
Show me where you live is a documentary series that aims to answer the following question: How can human beings claim ownership to a space so that they can live safely within it, function as a society, and above all be in harmony with the environment around them?As we discover cultures and emblematic populations, we follow Philippe Simay who is at the heart of Inhabiting the World and represents its identity and originality. Philippe takes us on an epic adventure around the Human Habitat and sets the tone for the journey. As a humanist and philosopher, Philippe is a tireless surveyor of the city, and an explorer of living spaces. Determined to travel around the world, Philippe unveils how the populations that he encounters claim the space they occupy, shapes it and adjust to it.In this series of 20 films, of 26 minutes each, the habitat will be a major showcase revealing our capacity to adapt ourselves at a time where we need to find solutions in order to address immense changes.
SHOW ME WHERE YOU LIVE - Iranmasulehlife ON THE Rooftops
Show me where you live is a documentary series that aims to answer the following question: How can human beings claim ownership to a space so that they can live safely within it, function as a society, and above all be in harmony with the environment around them?As we discover cultures and emblematic populations, we follow Philippe Simay who is at the heart of Inhabiting the World and represents its identity and originality. Philippe takes us on an epic adventure around the Human Habitat and sets the tone for the journey. As a humanist and philosopher, Philippe is a tireless surveyor of the city, and an explorer of living spaces. Determined to travel around the world, Philippe unveils how the populations that he encounters claim the space they occupy, shapes it and adjust to it.In this series of 20 films, of 26 minutes each, the habitat will be a major showcase revealing our capacity to adapt ourselves at a time where we need to find solutions in order to address immense changes.
Travel BY DART - Cambodia
Travel by Dart is a series that features countries that are not necessarily top tourist attractions. However, Sorin finds all the hidden gems that make a region stand out. It is the case of Cambodia, too, a country that became one of Sorin's all-time favorites. This episode shows the host discovering the unseen beauty of the nation. The host takes part in an emotional Buddhist monk ceremony, then plants mangroves and immerses himself in the villagers' lifestyle. A great visit to the famous Angkor Wat is a must, but his favorite part was a sunset expedition on Samsara, a water version of the Orient Express train. The episode is not complete without a few personal touches and stunts, so this is another must-see show. At the end of it, the dart throw ceremony brings up a huge surprise.
Travel BY DART - Thailand - PART 1
While blindfolded in Cambodia, Sorin threw the dart at the world map and hit Thailand ("the Land of Smiles"). An incredible journey that spreads throughout two episodes, this adventure features everything you need to know about Thailand and its culture. The first part showcases Bangkok and its crazy good vibe and balances modern times with history. Sorin meets Yvonne, a Brit who came to Thailand to visit the famous River Kwai Bridge, not for tourism, but to track her father's footsteps. The old man was a Prisoner of War here during the World War II during the bridge building, and now Sorin and his friend are looking for clues about his ordeal. A significant breakthrough takes place.
Zenith - EP. 10
Zenith – Advances in Space Exploration reveals these latest developments and the implications they hold for all of us.
Zenith - EP. 12
Zenith – Advances in Space Exploration reveals these latest developments and the implications they hold for all of us.
OF BOATS AND MEN - EP. 07
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.
OF BOATS AND MEN - EP. 08
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.
THE LAST Orangutans OF Sumatra
Today there are only 6000 Orang-Utans living in Sumatra. According to pessimistic evaluations the chances of this threatened species to survive seem rather limited. The main reason for their extinction is that their natural habitat is being destroyed for the more profitable cultivation of palm oil plantations. By today already 70 % of the Sumatran Island is already covered by palm oil trees. In addition most of the local population sees them more as an object of entertainment rather than a national heritage which is worth being protected. Since that common attitude in society is even changing it could still come too late for those anthropoid apes. Ian Singleton who moved here from England is dedicating his life to the care of these apes. Since 20 years, he is working to facilitate a refuge for the last ones of their kind so they could live again untroubled in Nature and maybe even decrease their population
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.
Paraguay's NEW Houses
In Paraguay, the loofah plant is used to make vegetable sponges but nowadays, it can also used to build houses. 360°GEO - Report follows Elsa Zaldivar on her quest to free Paraguay from its housing shortage.Until recently, the loofah plant in Paraguay had fallen into oblivion. But over the past few years, it has experienced a successful comeback - as bath sponge. Today, loofah sponges are sold throughout the world.According to Elsa Zaldivar, loofah is now also being used in the construction of houses. The once densely wooded countryside has today been largely chopped down. Many people do not have access to affordable building materials. The idea of the loofah-cooperative is to compound loofah remains with plastic waste in order to create a a solid building material for house walls.
SARAH SHARK - EP. 04
Sarah travels to one of the top 10 dive destinations in Australia (Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, NSW) to dive with three species of Wobbegong Sharks within the Cape Byron Marine Park. She also conducts a street poll with members of the public to find out what they think about sharks.
SARAH SHARK - EP. 05
Sarah travels to one of the top 10 dive destinations in Australia (Julian Rocks, Byron Bay, NSW) to dive with three species of Wobbegong Sharks within the Cape Byron Marine Park. She also conducts a street poll with members of the public to find out what they think about sharks.
RACE OF LIFE - EP. 04
Deserts are dry. Deserts are extreme. True deserts get less than 18 cm of rain per year. True deserts have very few plants. Semi-desert habitats have enough rainfall to support more plant and animal life. Either way, deserts are not easy places for animals to live. Desert animals have evolved to handle the desert's heat and lack of water. They have adapted their bodies and behaviors to the desert climate. Most can survive on small amounts of water and many get all of their water from their food. Some drink maybe once a week and travel considerable distances to find isolated waterholes and springs. Large animals seek shade during the hottest part of the day. Some animals dig a hollow depression into the ground and lie in the cooler soil while others are nocturnal. Many reptiles and other animals protect themselves from the extreme temperature by spending their time in burrows. The scorpion is one of the most ancient creatures on earth, in existence since life first crawled out of the sea. One look and you can see why they’re born survivors. Not only are their bodies armoured against the desert heat – and other predators – but all scorpions have pincers at the front and a poisonous sting at the end of their tail. Rattlesnakes can be two meters long. They’re fast, tough and with a deadly venom, making them one of the most dangerous snakes in the world. But nobody seems to have told the Roadrunner, who regard rattlesnakes as quite suitable prey.
RACE OF LIFE - EP. 05
These are Nature’s own Battletanks, and (with the exception of the Indian Elephant), all endemic to the African continent. The African Savannah is the stage for thousands of battles every day. How do elephants, these large, cumbersome creatures survive and even prosper on a diet that even the strictest vegetarian would pass on! Well for one thing, most other animals get out of their way. But lions and hyenas are not always so easily moved – they prey on young, sick and old elephants in particular. This seemingly gentle giant has been revealed to have a darker side in the last few years too. They may survive on just plant life, but that doesn’t mean they don’t like a fight – to the death. Elephants have been observed attacking and killing Rhinos in the last 20 years. It’s a savage clash. Meanwhile, the Rhino, a tough looking customer if ever there was one, is an endangered species. When the great herds go on the search for food, predators go on the hunt for them. If ever there was an animal that seems destined to survive, it’s the Rhino, which has been around for over 6 million years. But it too has an enemy: mankind – the deadliest foe of all. Then there's the hippopotamus. An adult hippo is a huge, aggressive animal, and even the largest crocodiles tend to stay away from it. However, when baby hippos stray from their mothers, then crocodiles, lions and hyenas will have a go if they can get away without being attacked themselves by adults in the baby hippo’s herd. That’s why baby hippos must stay close to Mum
RACE OF LIFE - EP. 06
Males and females of most species will fight viciously in self-defense. And females, can be even more aggressive than males when defending their young. In this episode we'll explore the Race of Life from the point of view of food, territory, social status, and mates. Though some fights occur between two different species, most battles are fought between members of the same species. Though the wildlife warriors in these battles usually are not trying to kill each other, the fighting can result in death. Why would members of the same species fight with such ferocity? Food is one reason. Animals that store and horde food for survival will aggressively protect their pantries. Animals are also willing to fight to protect their food indirectly. For example, predators will defend a territory that provides them with enough prey, or food, to survive. This territorial aggression serves to space out members of a species across their range in a way that maintains sufficient food within each territory. But it also may limit population size. For example, if a pack of wolves cannot find, defend, or take over a suitable territory, the members may starve to death. Though food, territory, social status, and mates may be won and kept by fighting, aggression takes its toll. Animal combatants face exhaustion, injuries, time away from resting and eating, and the ultimate cost of battle: death. Thus, just like human beings, it’s often in an animal’s interest to win a war before it ever begins - or to avoid confrontation altogether.
RACE OF LIFE - EP. 07
With predators practically always on the lookout for a meal, prey must constantly avoid being eaten. Any defensive adaptation that prey can utilize adds to the chances of survival for its species. Some adaptations are defense mechanisms which can give the prey an advantage against their enemies. The first is very direct and comes naturally. Animals can use speed as a very effective means of escaping predators. In the evolutionary history of big herbivores and the carnivores that prey upon them, the phrase “arms race”is only technically a metaphor. Antelope are literally born to run, and many of the things that chase them, such as the cheetah, are either masters of endurance or champion sprinters. The evolutionary story almost writes itself: over millions of years of chasing, and being chased, wherever predators evolved to move quickly, their prey were selected to run even faster. Except of course there’s more to life than running for your life. An antelope’s frame is under more demands than evading cheetahs—it also needs to travel long distances to follow food availability with the shifting rainy season. The ostrich meanwhile stands at one extreme of bird evolution, for although unable to fly, of all the birds the ostrich runs the fastest race of life. More peculiar still is the Golden Wheel spider, the only creature known to turn itself into a wheel in order to get away from trouble. There are many ways to win the race, when the goal is always survival.
THE Leopards NEW SPOTS
The Leopard’s New Spots is a documentary film about one man’s mission to halt the alarming decline in southern Africa’s leopard populations due to a widespread skin trade. Traditionally, only the Zulu royals have been allowed to wear leopard skins. However, in the last three decades the Shembe Church, a four million strong religious group, has adopted the skins into their ceremonial costume. The demand for leopard skins is now astronomical. Because the use of skins is so wide spread and culturally entrenched, law enforcement seems helpless to police this trade in a protected species. It has become, in one researchers words, 'a major conservation blind spot’. Leopard researcher Tristan Dickerson believes that you can’t save the leopard without the support of the Shembe people. The film follows Dickerson as he travels from the heart of leopard country to the heart of Shembe and Zulu culture in an effort to discover a solution that benefits all parties. His best solution turns out to be fake fur. Bad fakes are commonly used by church members while they save for the expensive real thing. Dickerson believes that if he can produce a high quality, affordable fake fur, and gain the endorsement of the powerful leader of the Church he can turn the tables in favour of the leopard.
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
WHAT IN THE WORLD - EP 27
Presented by Peadar King, this series illustrates the human consequences of global economic inequalities and human rights violations, by focusing on how people encounter these issues on a daily basis. At the heart of Africa, the Congo for many people will always be associated with Joseph Conrad’s early twentieth-century novel the Heart of Darkness, a title that has become a by-word for the country. And for Benjamin and David, two former child soldiers, and Funaha held as a sex slave by one of the many militias that continue to terrorise the country, that metaphor remains a daily reality. The film explores how this seemingly never-ending conflict impacts on the people of North Kivu.
WHAT IN THE WORLD - EP 24
Presented by Peadar King, this series illustrates the human consequences of global economic inequalities and human rights violations, by focusing on how people encounter these issues on a daily basis. At the heart of Africa, the Congo for many people will always be associated with Joseph Conrad’s early twentieth-century novel the Heart of Darkness, a title that has become a by-word for the country. And for Benjamin and David, two former child soldiers, and Funaha held as a sex slave by one of the many militias that continue to terrorise the country, that metaphor remains a daily reality. The film explores how this seemingly never-ending conflict impacts on the people of North Kivu.
WHAT IN THE WORLD - EP 25
Presented by Peadar King, this series illustrates the human consequences of global economic inequalities and human rights violations, by focusing on how people encounter these issues on a daily basis. At the heart of Africa, the Congo for many people will always be associated with Joseph Conrad’s early twentieth-century novel the Heart of Darkness, a title that has become a by-word for the country. And for Benjamin and David, two former child soldiers, and Funaha held as a sex slave by one of the many militias that continue to terrorise the country, that metaphor remains a daily reality. The film explores how this seemingly never-ending conflict impacts on the people of North Kivu.