Throughout the 1980s, Miami, Florida, was at the center of a racial and cultural shift taking place throughout the country. Overwhelmed by riots and tensions, Miami was a city in flux, and the University of Miami football team served as a microcosm for this evolution. The image of the predominantly white university was forever changed when coach Howard Schnellenberger scoured some of the toughest ghettos in Florida to recruit mostly black players for his team. With a newly branded swagger, inspired and fueled by the quickly growing local Miami hip hop culture, these Hurricanes took on larger-than-life personalities and won four national titles between 1983 and 1991. Filmmaker Billy Corben, a Miami native and University of Miami alum, will tell the story of how these “Bad Boys” of football changed the attitude of the game they played, and how this serene campus was transformed into “The U.”
In this fast-paced hour long biopic documentary, Director Jon Brewer unearths the fascinating story that is the undercurrent of film icon Steve McQueen's favourite past time as a desert motorbike racer and hidden talents that are generally unknown. More specifically, his obsession with motorbikes and the invention of the racing bike which was the by-product of his relationship with Stunt Double Bud Ekins and the film they were in together, 'The Great Escape'. As the two men shared their enthusiasm for motorbikes, it was a natural progression for them to work together in Bud's motorbike shop in California, fixing , tinkering and riding, and working to improve performance. This brought about their concept of combining a Metisse frame and a Triumph engine for a new track racing bike. McQueen decided to take this model to England where he met up with the Rickman brothers of Metisse motorbikes, and the 'Desert Racer' was soon born.
A full journey from the beginning of "Swordplay" movies in Shanghai, growth in Hong Kong cinemas in the 60's and 70's and Ang Lee's epic "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" in 2000. The series also features interviews with such luminaries including John Woo, Chu Yuen, Lau Ka Leung, Gordon Lau Ka Fai, Sammo Hung, David Chiang and Cheng Pei Pei.
Georgia’s former prime minister has found a unique hobby. He collects century-old trees, some as tall as 15-story buildings, from communities along the Georgian coast. At a great expense and inconvenience, these ancient giants are uprooted from their lands to be transplanted in his private garden.
When Irena Ruppel, a fascinating Slovenian woman, arrives in a valley of the Po river, she is hosted by a man of that area, Gabriele. She seems to know a lot about Gabriele, whom at the same time is intrigued by this woman who doesn't speak Italian but she seems to understand everything that happens around her. Once she leaves, she gives a weak clue to Gabriele: her name and Tolmin, the name of a locality at the borders between Italy and Slovenia. Gabriele can't help it and goes to look for her, taking a journey that will bring him to the truth about his parents, himself and this woman who threw his calm life into confusion.
TUGS: A Bigg Retrospective is the definitive film telling the story of how the 1989 cult classic series 'TUGS' was brought to our TV screens, and how it survived beyond its premature end.
This documentary film follows a group of Welsh musicians interacting and playing in the studio. Combining shots of the city with the music of John Cale as performed by Welsh stars such as Catatonia, Big Leaves and Manic Street Preachers.
Celebrating the relaunch of Film4 as a free-to-air TV channel, Channel4 counts down their list of the fop 50 films to see before you die, as compiled by film critics and personalities.
Piwowski's documentary debut is a satirical reportage, referring to the poetics of the Czech school at the time. The starting point was an order from a film studio to join a project proposed by the Germans: what do teenagers in your country do on Saturday at 5 pm? Images from the lives of teenagers from Kętrzyn make up a contrasting slice of free time in a small town. Firemen maneuvering to start a fire outside working hours, bodybuilders training, choir rehearsal, dancing in Hitler's former headquarters...
Challenging the Western view that Islam inherently represses women’s rights, journalist Samira Ahmed travels across the world examining Islamic customs as they relate to women. In this two-part series, Ahmed explores whether current Islamic customs such as polygamy, honor killings, and requiring women to wear the hijāb (veil) are actually rooted in the Quran.
A film impression about Bohumil Hrabal - an encounter with the man and his literary work. The film was shot in places well known and close to the writer: in Prague and small Czech towns. In addition to Hrabal, it features director Jirzi Menzel, who talks about his collaboration with the writer.
The key stages in the career of director and actor Maurizio Nichetti, following his return with the film Amichemai. The documentary recounts his unique career, between surreal comedy, visual experimentation and cinematic poetry, revealing the soul of an unconventional author capable of revolutionizing the language of cinema.