DocuBox
DocuBox od do
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.
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.
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.
THE SUBVERSIVES
Theo van Boven becomes Director of Human Rights for the UN in 1977, where it was impossible to even name a country for gross violations. No bureaucrat, he battles the most repressive regimes of the late 20th century, such as Chile and Argentina and opens the UN door for the first time to "subversive" survivors from across the world. Risking everything, he even takes on the US and the Secretary General.
ST. HELENA, FORGOTTEN ISLAND OF THE ATLANTIC
360°GEO - Report sets foot on the isolated island of St Helena and documents what life is like in the midst of the South Atlantic.Standing solitarily far out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean is the British Overseas Territory of St. Helena. Island do not get much more remote than this. It is situated 2,000 kilometers from the African coast and 3,000 kilometers from the South American Coast. You can see why it was chosen as a place of exile for the French emperor Napoleon.It is all but impossible to escape from St. Helena. Even today, the only connection to the outside world is by ship, given that the island has no airport. About 4,000 people or "Saints" as they refer to themselves, brave the solitude and live on the island.
SPEED KILLS
EP. 01. Desert creatures endure searing heat and zero rainfall, but speed is their ticket to survival.A Tiger beetle runs at the human equivalent of 500 miles per hour. A caracal jumps six feet to swat a weaverbird out of midair. And the world’s fastest chameleon hunts on the desert floor.Only the hardiest, fastest animals survive. Nothing else stands a chance.
THE NEW CUBA
Cuba, decades after the revolution. There is a new spirit emerging in Havana. Reforms are encouraging new business ideas and a large number of licenses have been issued for independent enterprise. The sale of real estate and cars has been legalized. In the socialist enclave of Cuba, there is now a spirit of letting visions and lifestyles become reality, of shaping a new Cuba. “ArteCorte” is such a dream come true. The master hair stylist Papito has built up the best beauty salon in the city. Customers love “ArteCorte” and are all very different from one another: young and old, proper and offbeat, poor and slightly less poor.
A DOG'S LIFE
A Dog’s Life explores the widely assumed facts that may actually be based on faulty and out-dated research. Ingenious experiments and meticulous observation reveal that the problems dogs solve best are those that involve interacting with humans. A fascinating and fun documentary that gives us ‘a dog’s eye view’ on the world.
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.
ARGAN OIL: THE WHITE GOLD OF MOROCCO
This report follows the process of making Argan oil, beginning with the harvest and ending with the cooperatives working for the international market. Made from the nuts of the Argan tree, which grows almost exclusively in the Essaouira region of Morocco, Argan oil has become one of the latest miracle ingredients of the beauty industry in Europe. Publicity is created around the fact that this oil is made by Berber women. But who are they? How do they live? And how hard is their work? We accompany these women in their daily lives and take part in their traditions.
DIVING OFF CAPE HORN
Mid-July, during the Antarctic winter when night-time temperatures sink to -20ºC, marks the beginning of the Centolla season on Tierra del Fuego. Spider crabs can grow up to a half meter long and may only be caught during a few months. It's peak season for crab fishermen on Cape Horn. Taking their boats out to sea, they will hoist the popular delicacy out of the icy water.
NEW ZEALAND'S RACE OF EXCESSES
A plunge into New Zealand's Ultramarathon preparations, a tradition that comes from a Maori legend. 55 year-old Lilac Fley is an athlete and many times winner of the extreme race. A Maori legend dictates the course of the Ultramarathon. It tells the story of a boy who once lived with his tribe on the New Zealand coast. One day his mother asked him to search for some kumaras, or sweet potatoes, for a meal. Instead of digging for them, he decided to steal some from the neighboring tribe. Till this day, runners follow in his footsteps along the coastline - during New Zealand's most famous marathon.
BHUTAN IN THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS
Nestled in the heart of the Himalayas, the small kingdom of Bhutan has decided to do away with the dictatorship of Gross Domestic Product and economic growth at all costs. A new wealth indicator has now become the country’s gold standard: Gross National Happiness. Launched by the country’s fourth King, the “new paradigm” is based on four pillars: protection of the environment; conservation and promotion of Bhutanese culture; good governance; and responsible and sustainable economic development.
TAIPAN, THE MOST DANGEROUS SNAKE IN THE WORLD
360 - GEO Report joins Professor Brian Grieg Fry as he carries out his thrilling job : catching the most dangerous snake in the world for his research. About 7 of the world's 10 most venomous snakes live in Australia: one of them is the taipan, said to be the most venomous in the world. Its venom can kill a horse in just seven seconds. Yet if someone actually dares to catch this extremely dangerous animal, its venom can be used as a medicine and can save lives. Professor Brian Grieg Fry is one of the very few, who takes up this life-threatening challenge. For the sake of his research institute, he travels regularly through the country catching taipans, as well as brown snakes, sea snakes and skinks.
THE MYSTERY OF DARK MATTER
Dark matter, which is unknown and undetectable in our physical models, would appear to populate the cosmos on a massive scale. For the first time, a film portrays the wild scientific quest that dark matter gives rise to. A real thriller. In our physical models, the weight of all observable matter (stars, galaxies, etc.) accounts for just 4% of the universe, whereas an invisible, unknown matter that no tool has ever been able to detect appears to populate the universe on a massive scale. Today, astrophysicists and cosmologists - researchers in the fields of the infinitely large and the infinitely small - are joining forces to solve a major mystery: what is this famous “dark matter” made up of? A breath-taking thriller that leads us to the dawn of a scientific and metaphysical revolution, akin to Copernic’s or Galileo’s. It could totally change the way we perceive our world. 2013 : Best film Award at the International Science Film Festival (Athens, Greece).
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.
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.
GUANO THE ISLAND OF AGONY
Millions of sea birds nest on the Peruvian coastline. Their excrement - guano - is highly valuable, and is exported as fertilizer all over the world. Guano farming is done manually, in the same way it was done during the period of the Incas. Only the strongest of men can endure the harsh work, as well as the long months of isolation on the uninhabited islands. The stench of the excrement is difficult to bear, and the acidic dust burns the lungs. 360° - GEO followed the workers who collect the guano. A documentary on the islands of suffering.
THE PLOUSHARE TORTOISE OF MADAGASCAR
The angonoka tortoise, as the local Madagascans call the ploughshare tortoise, is an especially elegant tortoise with a high-domed golden shell. Reaching an age of well over 100 years, they are found in the wild only on Madagascar, off the south-eastern coast of Africa. Reptile collectors from around the world are frantic to obtain living specimens. However, the interest of Asians is limited to the shell, which is ground into a powder and is considered by many to be an aphrodisiac. Baly Bay National Park in Madagascar is the last natural refuge for the ploughshare tortoise.
THE SCIENCE OF MAGIC
Our film follows researchers who are bringing magicians’ tricks into the laboratory. With impossible magic, amazing facts, and opportunities for viewers to participate in the magic tricks, this extraordinary exploration peeks behind the curtain into a fascinating world where ancient magic meets modern science. Magician Julie Eng not only mystifies us with magic, she also takes us to Montreal’s McGill University to meet Jay Olson who is using card tricks to study consciousness. His research also includes an MRI machine that can apparently not only read minds, but also manipulate thoughts. In the US we meet with professor Anthony Barnhart. He’s a magician turned scientist who is using magic principles to investigate why we sometimes don’t see what’s right under our noses. We also meet Professor Amory Danek who is using the conjuror’s craft to study creativity and problem solving.Professor Ronald Rensink at the University of British Columbia discovered how small distractions can blind drivers to obvious dangers. These studies naturally led him to work with magicians to explore possible new experiments.In London England Gustav Kuhn conducts a study that tracks the eye movements of the magician’s audience. We see tricks that fool us despite nothing actually happening, as well as demonstrations that reveal we can be blind even to our own choices. Colourful and compelling, our film takes a critical and engaging look at the fascinating facts revealed when you see the human mind through the eyes of a magician.
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 !
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.
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.
CRANBERRY SEASON AT CAPE COD
360° GEO - Report visited the Manns family farm and witnessed first hand the great efforts put into little berries.With its endless coastline and multi-coloured forests, the Cape Cod peninsula on the US east coast: a favourite holiday destination, especially during Indian summers. The peninsula is also a playground for the beautiful and the rich, who own summer residences there.But for the locals, cranberries are the main sector of activity. These small red berries are gaining favour all over the world, although their cultivation remains difficult.
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.
FINE COCOA FROM ESMERALDA
Cacao Nacional from Ecuador is also known as "Theobroma Cacao" or "food of the gods". The pods grow in the remotest regions of the country, including in small villages along the Rio Santiago and the Rio Napo. Theobroma's distinctive flavor is valued by chocolatiers around the world. The high demand helps cocoa farmers like Lilian and Cleofe develop a new, long-term and more reliable means of subsistence. Cocoa plantations also immensely benefit the environment: cocoa trees grow in mixed species plantations and thereby protect the rainforest. They represent an alternative to palm tree plantations that are highly destructive to the local environment.
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.
KYUCHU: WHERE THE GREEN TEA GROWS
This report shows how the famous Japanese green tea is cultivated, explores its healing power and explains how deeply the tea has penetrated Japanese society. For the Japanese people, green tea is more than just an ordinary beverage. It is the key to the national culture - it combines enjoyment, philosophy and the art of living. In springtime, the entire country waits for the first flush, the very first harvest of the precious Sencha tea from the island of Kyushu, the world's biggest organic tea production region.
INCAN SALT
360° GEO - Report observed salt miners in the Peruvian Mountains. This documentary portrays the harsh day-to-day lives of the 'Salineros' as they work in a stunningly beautiful South American mountain landscape. The salt mines of Maras are situated in the highlands of the Peruvian Andes at an altitude of about 3.000 meters. They form a vast manmade labyrinth of salt wells. A thousand terraced wells collect the warm salty waters from the mountain. When the water evaporates under the strong sun, on the edges and bottom of the waterholes a precious white crust is left. This is Maras-Salt. To this very day, the descendants of the Incas harvest their "White Gold of the Andes" using this traditional method.
TRAVEL THRU HISTORY
SPACE COAST. Travel Thru History is an Emmy-nominated, un-hosted lifestyle/travel series designed to spark interest and enthusiasm in viewers about our world’s rich and fascinating history by traveling to diverse locales across the globe. Locations include New Orleans, Las Vegas, Oslo, Belize, Dublin and more. In this episode we visit the Kennedy Space Center located on Florida’s famous “Space Coast.” We’ll speak to NASA engineers about the past, present and future of American space travel, as well as take a look at the attractions KSC has to offer.
TRAVEL THRU HISTORY
LAS VEGAS. In this episode we explore Las Vegas’ lesser known past. We visit the National Atomic Testing museum to learn about how the desert outside of Vegas was used for testing America’s secret nuclear weapons. We also visit the Mormon Fort, the first permanent non-native settlement in the area, as well as the Neon Museum.
MINDWORKS
THE BRIAN-EYE PROCESS. 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
VISUAL PERCEPTION. 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.
JOHANA: MAKE UP AND MOTOR OIL
Colombia is the third largest exporter of coffee in the world. The main status symbol of its flourishing regions is the Willys Jeep. We met Johana, the only Willys female driver, who is entering this year's Willys contest. This is the jeep "that won the Second World War", the model that created the later legendary "Jeep". About 600,000 Willys Jeeps were manufactured by the US-Army during World War II. After 1945, many discarded Jeeps were delivered to Colombia, considered as "mula con motor","donkeys with engines". Mostly men can be found behind the wheel. But Johana is an exception.
INDIA'S JUNGLE BOOK HOSPITAL
In the densely populated India, living space for wild animals is getting short. Around the country land is being cultivated and houses are constructed. India's only scientifically run rehabilitation center offers shelter for wild animals. Here veterinarians Dr. Phulmoni Gogi and Dr. Prasanta Boro take care of ill and injured animals, which got in conflict with civilization and would have hardly survived on their own: a feverish buffalo, a dozen orphaned elephants and a young rhinoceros. With a lot of dedication and patience, the doctors aim is to slowly raise the awareness of the people to save the wild animals.