Horacio is a 45 year-old Uruguayan soldier. For his good service at the Naval Forces, he received the duty of lighthouse keeper at the Island of Sea Lions in the Atlantic Ocean. Horacio is poor and will soon retire. Meanwhile he sits amongst the 250 thousand sea lions who keep him company, he dreams of building a sewing machine repair shop in his backyard and giving a future to his daughter. But Horacio has to go to war to save up sufficient money. He will soon part to Congo as member of Uruguay's peace keeping force.
A true story about a band made up of singers and musicians with a wide range of mental and physical disabilities. This documentary is an inspiring look at a special group and their dream to make music. Revealing their struggles and triumphs, as performers and people, dealing with severe challenges while on a journey to become true musicians and perform to large audiences. With passionate concert footage and intimate behind-the-scenes glimpses into the band member's lives, the film paints a heart-warming portrait of what people with disabilities can do when given a chance.
Details the catastrophic effects globalization has wrought on the ship, truck and train industries. We visit displaced farmers and villagers in Holland and Belgium, underpaid truck drivers in Los Angeles, seafarers aboard mega-ships shuttling between Asia and Europe, and factory workers in China, whose low wages are the fragile key to the whole puzzle. At a moment when collective bargaining rights are under attack in the United States, and China continues to bow to foreign pressures to prevent such rights from being granted at all, this film asks: Is capitalism the Trojan horse that turns on its inventors?
The Weight of Chains is a Canadian documentary film that takes a critical look at the role that the US, NATO and the EU played in the tragic breakup of a once peaceful and prosperous European state - Yugoslavia. The film, bursting with rare stock footage never before seen by Western audiences, is a creative first-hand look at why the West intervened in the Yugoslav conflict, with an impressive roster of interviews with academics, diplomats, media personalities and ordinary citizens of the former Yugoslav republics. This film also presents positive stories from the Yugoslav wars - people helping each other regardless of their ethnic background, stories of bravery and self-sacrifice.
Starting with the image of a tour bus warming its engine in the stillness of an empty lot, this haunting, personal portrait of music legend Levon Helm evokes the mood of a lifetime spent on the road. Jacob Hatley's extraordinarily intimate documentary finds Helm, a founding member of The Band, at home in Woodstock in the midst of creating his first studio album in 25 years. The ultimate survivor, he's overcome drugs, bankruptcy, the bitter breakup of The Band and a bout of throat cancer -but then, as the rueful title indicates, he wasn't in it for his health
"Fannie's Last Supper" reveals the origins of American cooking and explores how the culinary expert Fannie Farmer sowed the seeds of the modern food revolution.
Donetsk is the coal-mining area of Ukraine. Here most people work for low wages in the run down mines, while others make a lot of money. No matter which side of the social divide you are on, coming from Donetsk you will almost certainly be an opponent of the Orange Revolution and a fan of the local football team, Shakhtar Donetsk. Billionaire Akhmetov invests heavily in the club, which is becoming a major European force during the season followed by the film. Yet this sporting success funded by an Oligarch fortune only seems to highlight the wider social and political stagnation of the region. Off the pitch, the outlook appears bleak...
Interviews and archival footage profile the life of Dennis Banks, American Indian Movement leader who looks back at his early life and the rise of the Movement.
Within each of us, there are special Gifts simply awaiting discovery. The sense of joy, power, fulfillment, freedom, and unconditional love that we experience in our lives is directly related to these Gifts, yet so many of us have yet to unlock their full potential, leaving us longing for a sense of happiness and fulfillment. For sister and brother team Shajen Joy Aziz and Demian Lichtenstein, something was missing in their lives until they tapped into the power of their own unique Gifts, leading to a profound personal transformation that has enabled them to connect to the fullness of life. Their incredible personal journeys of spiritual growth have fueled their desire to share what they have learned and in Discover The Gift, they share their story and take us step-by-step through this journey of discovery which has the power to change not only individual lives, but can transform our entire world.
Chandani wants to become a Mahout as her father. Her father decides to give her a chance and gives her responsibility for an elephant calf. Chandani is a girl in a male profession. Everyone doubts her abilities. The ranger Mohammed becomes her only supporter and shows her the world of elephants in the jungle. Here they save an elephant baby from its death. Strengthened by this, she makes progress in the work with her little elephant Kandula. But when Kandula is taken away from her, also her path changes.
For 40 years, Gerhard Steidl has combined the roles of printer and publisher, resolved to personally check each sheet leaving his printing shop in Göttingen. This perfectionism, combined with an unconditional love for books, for the traditional printing craft, and a commitment to the quality standards of manufacturing (in the original sense of the word, made by hand), has gained worldwide attention. The most internationally renowned photographic artists vie for the opportunity to collaborate with Gerhard Steidl, to conceive and produce the perfect publication with him.
Every year in June, nearly 2,000 athletes out of high school and college are chosen from an amateur baseball draft to play in the minor leagues. This inspiring documentary follows the lives of two young players on their arduous journey to launch Major League Baseball careers. As one faces his final year to tryout, another player wrestles with the pressure of keeping his million-dollar first-round draft contract intact. This thrilling and emotional journey illuminates the power determination can have on whether dreams are achieved or lost.
In 1942, when computers were human and women were underestimated, a group of female mathematicians helped win a war and usher in the modern computer age. Sixty-five years later their story has finally been told.
In his 51 BIRCH STREET, one of the most highly praised personal documentaries of recent years, Doug Block took a hard look at his parents marriage and his own relationship with his father. With his latest film, Block turns in the other direction, offering an exceptionally moving film about his relationship with his only child, Lucy. THE KIDS GROW UP is a chronicle of Lucy's emotionally-fraught last year at home before leaving for college. Moving fluidly between past, present and the fast-approaching future, Block uses a lifetime of footage to craft not only a loving portrait of a girl transitioning into womanhood, but also an incredibly candid look at modern-day parenting, marriage, and what it means to let go.
In Chile's Atacama Desert, astronomers peer deep into the cosmos in search for answers concerning the origins of life. Nearby, a group of women sift through the sand searching for body parts of loved ones, dumped unceremoniously by Pinochet's regime.
Philosopher, pop-icon, shaman and story teller - as one of the most influential comic book writers in the market today, Grant Morrison is all of these things. His explosive and often controversial 30 year career has made him a household name for comic fans, and he shows no signs of slowing down. Morrison's career is now taking a new turn, as he explores media beyond comic books. With film and television projects on the horizon, more and more people are asking "Who is Grant Morrison?" Grant Morrison: Talking with Gods is a feature length documentary that takes an in depth look at the life, career and mind of the man behind such pivotal titles as Batman RIP, The Invisibles, All Star Superman, The New X-Men, and many more. Featuring candid interviews with Morrison and his most important collaborators, Talking with Gods reveals an intelligent and thought provoking side of comic books that is often overlooked in Hollywood adaptations.