In 1942, in Vilna, the Nazi annihilate 55,000 Jews and squeeze the 15,000 survivors in a seven blocks ghetto. The twenty-two year old sadistic commander Kittel is assigned to administrate the ghetto in the capital of Lithuania, becoming the master of life or death. When he finds the gorgeous Hayyah sneaking with one kilo of beam stolen from the German army, he sentences her to death; but when he is informed that she was a former successful singer, he decides to activate the old theater and promote shows in the ghetto. The Jew Chief of Police Gens uses the theater and a sewing factory to save as much lives as he can; in his ambiguous position, he kills Jews to save lives of others.
This program presents the life and ministry of George Muller, who cared for thousands of orphans in 19th century England. He never asked anyone for money. Instead he prayed, and his children never missed a meal.
The mistress of a once prosperous, but now frustrated estate, wants to improve her affairs at the expense of neighboring possessions belonging to the rich widow Evlampia Kupavina. The lady hatches an ingenious plan using forged documents in order to marry her wayward nephew Apollosha to the widow.
"When this last war broke out, I was faraway in Paris. I had but one idea: to return to Beirut as quickly as possible and to begin shooting a film, for historical moments were taking place. This film became indispensible: to film so that history would cease repeating itself and to build up a picture library for future generations. I never understood why so few films were made during the Lebanese Civil War. Apart from the odd film, nothing remains from that time. The war surely merited more attention." (Waël Noureddine)
In a poor district of Edo lives a young samurai named Soza. He has been sent by his clan to avenge the death of his father. He isn't an accomplished swordsman however, and he prefers sharing the life of the residents, teaching the kids how to write etc. When he finally finds the man he is looking for, he will have to decide whether he follows the way of the samurai or chooses peace and reconciliation.
The images comprise only of material Sergei Loznitsa found in the Moscow film archives about the siege of Leningrad during the World War II. By providing the originally silent images with a meticulously reconstructed soundtrack, the scenes from everyday life under siege seem to be set in the present. By not intervening in the montage but giving the scenes room to tell a story, the scenes transcend the specific historic events and lead a new life. They do not evoke memories of the past, but become a breathtaking reanimation of reality.
Part history lesson, part deeply felt emotion, and part fascinating story of an unlikely solution to a dark time in American history, this award winning PBS documentary tells the true story of a Native American reconciliation group in North Central Washington State. Seeking to learn why there has never been any Indian presence or awareness in their community, a white couple begins a journey that starts as a small discussion group in their home. As the regions' (and later the Nations') history of cruelty, racism, and ignorance toward Native Americans is told, the whites are deeply affected. Word begins circulating around the reservations that something unusual is happening among a group of whites and Indians. Curious whites hear about Indians traveling to their community, and start attending. What follows is an amazing story of changed hearts, friendships between enemies, and ultimately, astonishing community renewal and transformation.
An old man is collecting the bodies of the dead in the fighting between the local parties and believes that everyone is the same and fighting for the same purpose.
Take a privileged look inside the building that is part monument part command center and part luxury mansion - an executive residence that is the international icon of the American presidency. This program offers a remarkable historical tour of the White House from its burning at the hands of the British in the War of 1812 to a tour of Jackie Kennedy's White House redecorations with the First Lady in 1960. In this fascinating examination of the resplendent Washington landmarks that commemorate our most celebrated leaders learn the stories behind the structures including how Freemasons influenced the Washington Monument and why a man was ousted from the opening ceremony of the Lincoln Memorial. From the unforgettable vision of Arlington Cemetery to the controversy that nearly derailed the Vietnam Veterans Memorial this program examines the nation's legendary war monuments and the heroes who inspired them.
Before George Washington became America's first President and an enduring national symbol, he was a soldier. this chronicles Washington's little-known military life, from his first officer's commission in the Virginia militia to his emergence as the soul of the American revolution.
The modern history of the Congo, the heart of Africa, is a terrifying tale of appalling brutality: how the greedy and incredibly ruthless King Leopold II of Belgium (1935-1909) turned a vast country into his private estate (1885-1908) and how he plundered the land and raped the bodies and souls of its defenceless inhabitants, causing countless victims; and what exactly is the true impact of this often forgotten story of crime and horror today.
Terry Jones' Barbarians is a 4-part TV documentary series first broadcast on BBC 2 in 2006. It was written and presented by Terry Jones, and it challenges the received Roman and Roman Catholic notion of the barbarian. Professor Barry Cunliffe of the University of Oxford acted as consultant for the series.
The retelling of France’s iconic but ill-fated queen, Marie Antoinette. From her betrothal and marriage to Louis XVI at 15 to her reign as queen at 19 and ultimately the fall of Versailles.