To the Australian media Kenja is a 'secretive cult', their leader described in Parliament as a 'seedy conman'. Despite preparing to fight yet another court case Ken Dyers and Jan Hamilton allow a film crew unprecedented access to the 'spiritual evolvement centre' they founded in 1982. How can the view from inside Kenja be so different to the one outside? Through remarkable verite footage and candid interviews, Beyond Our Ken explores the anatomy and ambiguity of the 'cult' enigma.
YASUNI MAN is the award winning documentary feature about a conflict raging deep within the Ecuadorian Amazon. It's a real-life Avatar story. Once under siege by missionaries seeking to civilize them, the Waorani people battle industry operatives and their own government in a fight to survive. Join filmmaker Ryan Patrick Killackey and his Waorani friend Otobo as they embark on an expedition into the most biodiverse forest on Earth. Witness what may be lost as oil companies encroach, human rights violations run rampant, and a forest Eden is destroyed - all for the oil that lies beneath Yasuni.
Do you know how to turn ordinary water into a billion-dollar business? In Switzerland there's a company which has developed the art to perfection - Nestlé. This company dominates the global business in bottled water. Swiss journalist Res Gehringer has investigated this money-making phenomena. Nestlé refused to cooperate, on the pretext that it was "the wrong film at the wrong time". So Gehringer went on a journey of exploration, researching the story in the USA, Nigeria and Pakistan. His journey into the world of bottled water reveals the schemes and strategies of the most powerful food and beverage company on our planet.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Ukraine's social and political institutions faced massive change, including an increasingly corrupt government and crippled infrastructure. A number of the nation's youth wound up homeless and addicted to a lethal cocktail of injected cold medicine and alcohol. In the early 2000s a pastor from Mariupol named Gennadiy Mokhnenko took up the fight against child homelessness by forcibly abducting street kids and bringing them to his Pilgrim Republic rehabilitation center—the largest organization of its kind in the former Soviet Union. Gennadiy's ongoing efforts and unabashedly tough love approach to his city's problems has made him a folk hero for some, and a lawless vigilante to others. Despite criticism, Gennadiy is determined to continue his work.
Mark Twain's America interweaves the life and times of Mark Twain with the lives of current day enthusiasts who revel in the inventions and way of life of the 19th century. Utilizing archival stereo-optic photos, powerful images from the past seemingly come alive in a larger-than-life presentation. Archival photos representative of Twain and what he saw and experienced in his time are juxtaposed against scenes of actual present day recreations of that era.
Mayan Renaissance is a feature length film which documents the glory of the ancient Maya civilization, the Spanish conquest in 1519, 500 years of oppression, and the courageous fight of the Maya to reclaim their voice and determine their own future, in Guatemala and throughout Central America. The film stars 1992 Nobel Peace Laureate and Maya Leader Rigoberta Mencu Tum. All of the images, voices, expert commentary and music in the film come directly from Central America, the heart of the Mayan World.
By age 12 Bob Perry was one of the best bowlers in the country. He was set to compete at the World's Fair in 1964 in Queens. Two days before, Bob was hit in the face with a mallet and crushed the side of his head. He lost permanent vision in his left eye. Bob trained himself to bowl with one eye and by 18 has was bowling at a 220 average, an average that was unheard of in 1970. Follow Bob Perry's rollercoaster career though the Mafia and drugs, with an in-depth look at one of bowling's finest.
Through the eyes of 9 young girls from around the world, TuTu Much is the behind-the-scenes story of what it takes to become a dancer. These girls have been given the chance of a lifetime, a four week long summer audition to get into a professional ballet school. Which girl will prove to be the dancer they are looking for? Who will have the passion, the drive and the endurance to make it? And will she and her family be ready to make the sacrifices? TuTu Much gives us all a rare look at 9 remarkable girls and a summer that no one will ever forget.
Guy Hircefeld, a veteran who served in the Israeli military at the start of its occupation of Palestine in the 1980s, now fights against the Israeli occupation. His only weapon is a camera.
The crash of Roswell wasn't meant for New Mexico. In 1947, a neighboring state had 3 major sightings that were swept under the rug. With The Phoenix Light's and Travis Walton's "Fire in the Sky", there's a rich history of UFO involvement in Arizona. This film focuses on fresh UFO content from present day, containing interviews from residents and law enforcement officers statewide.
George Segal constructs a type of human form and vulnerability that feels rare in the world of sculpture. As we follow his process at the isolated New Jersey farmhouse that serves as his studio, the intimacy between Segal and his art is contagious. He casts people who he knows, respects and admires, making the final outcome of the piece seep with personality and humanity. Segal is focused on creating a mold that does not necessarily subscribe to society’s notion of beauty. Originally released in 1979.
Native American actor Martin Sensmeier travels to San Juan County, Utah, to investigate the controversy over the Bears Ears National Monument. While there, he learns how the fight over the monument is just one more battle in a long-running war between the county's Native American citizens and their Mormon neighbors over who will control the future of the county. His journey reveals how voting rights denied by the Mormons have led to the marginalization of their Native neighbors and learns about the long history of looting of sacred archeological sites in the county.
At a time when the world is discussing the impact of human actions on the environment, Amazônia Eterna presents a critical analysis of how the world's largest tropical rainforest is understood and appreciated.
Five-time Emmy award winner Dennis Miller takes on the current climate like no other can in Fake News, Real Jokes! From selfies and airline travel to Trump and journalists, he delivers his signature critical assessments in his low key style that has been deemed by The Hollywood Reporter as "the most cerebral, astute and clever standup ever".
Bees have existed in the world for 150 million years. They are essential helpers for the growth of plants and crops that serve as food for other animals. During their development, people realized the importance of bees and have been involved in beekeeping since ancient times. Recently, however, bees have begun to die excessively for no apparent reason. The film addresses the dramatically deteriorating health of bee colonies and the unforeseeable consequences that bee mortality can have for our very existence. It seeks answers to the questions of what bees actually want to tell us and what significance bees have in the broader context of sustainability of life on Earth. To prevent such a catastrophe, our approach to beekeeping must be fundamentally changed. In this regard, the film offers many stimuli and inspiring examples from around the world.
The Witches Of Gambaga is the extraordinary story of a community of women condemned to live as witches in Northern Ghana. Every year in this part of Ghana, hundreds of women endure communal and domestic violence as a result of traditional religious beliefs that demonize women. These beliefs, combined with decades of poor health and educational standards, mean women inhabit a world where it is believed that nothing – not even illness or death – happens by chance. For over a century, women from all over the northern region have found refuge in a camp in the town of Gambaga, where they live under the protection of the chief, Gambarrana, the custodian of one of four places of sanctuary for women condemned of witchcraft. Made over the course of 5 years, this disturbing expose is the product of a collaboration between members of the 100-strong community of 'witches' and women’s movement activists determined to end abusive practices and improve women’s lives in Africa.
Mystery of the Mountain: Hidden In Plain View chronicles a most intriguing and remarkable story, and explores the question: what if one of the world's largest pyramids is waiting to be unearthed in Mexico?