In 2020 an enormous government project started in Mexico. Some 1525 kilometres of railway tracks are being built, more or less along the coast, on the peninsula of Yucatán, the cradle of Mayan culture. The filmmakers follow the route, where some of the tracks are already in place, and where a train once ran. With archival footage and serene views of the splendid landscape, they calmly investigate what the colourful people who live along the route think of Tren Maya. Much is already being lost as a result of tourism, especially in the coastal resorts of Cancun and Tulum, since Mayan culture is so closely intertwined with nature. The broad variety of backgrounds and ages of the inhabitants of Yucatán yields a nuanced and colourful story.
What is real and what isn’t in a replicated city? Ella Raidel made this penetrating ghost-town film in contemporary China, interweaving actors and ordinary people, sets and footage of the city. Aren’t the real estate agents, construction workers and investors simply playing a game? What remains of reality in a world dominated by the vagaries of capitalism? A Pile of Ghosts is a mysterious puzzle where the dividing line between fact and fiction becomes increasingly blurred. In this strange world, subjected to speculation, it actually doesn’t seem to matter anymore.
Chronicling the search for truth and peace in post-genocide Rwanda. Director Deborah Scranton explores issues of peace, retribution, accountability and justice, ultimately discovering a blueprint for ending the cycle of violence. Examining the personal and political repercussions of the deadly conflict in this east African country.
'The Girl Who Cannot Speak' follows five women's true stories of sexual abuse. We began this project by meeting with women from all different backgrounds, ages, and walks of life. The level of sincerity, depth, and trust that is cultivated in this documentary is nothing short of impressive. Each woman has been involved with the Lenox Hill Women's Shelter in New York city. As the project moves forward we meet Charlotte a 13 year old girl who's story is depicted through visual images. She never speaks. Charlotte's image is a metaphor of innocence that ties all the women's unique stories together.
Secret Mysteries Vol. III focuses on the development of the new world as "The United States of America". This video will demonstrate that the history of America's government, and of its official symbols, is a history of secret societies. Examine America's much-talked-about dollar bill and the symbols it bears. Modern masonry claims that the all-seeing eye floating above the pyramid is not a Masonic symbol. But what did Freemason's President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and his Masonic Vice President, Henry Wallace, believe when they attached this symbol to our currency in 1935? How were these American leaders influenced by the Russian mystic, Nicholas Roerich? Does the all-seeing eye represent the Masonic Christ? Was the eagle originally a phoenix bird? And what do all these occult symbols mean?
A campaign team travels to Minnesota to lend support and hold elected officials accountable. They never quit asking people to be better and for the system to change, and change it does.
The Barcelona Pavilion, the masterpiece with which Mies van der Rohe and Lilly Reich staged their revolutionary ideas in 1929, changed the History of architecture forever. It only existed for eight months but paradoxically its image was always alive in the minds of generations of architects around the world, becoming one of his greatest influences. The Pavilion is still surrounded by myths and mysteries that this documentary addresses, framing the building into a portrait in two acts of the Barcelona that made possible its cons-truction in 1929 and its reconstruction in 1986. We immerse ourselves in a reflection on the transformative capacity of art, the emotional perception of space and the concept of master-piece.
The Invisible Vegan is a 90-minute independent documentary that explores the problem of unhealthy dietary patterns in the African-American community, foregrounding the health and wellness possibilities enabled by plant-based vegan diets and lifestyle choices.
The documentary follows the life of former Femen member Amina Sboui and the community of LGBTQ+ friends she houses in her Tunisian home. Offering unparalleled insight into life following the Arab Spring, social persecution, and political struggle, from a queer perspective. Dive into the stories of Amina's strong and enchanting group of LGBTQ+ loves and comrades: Sandra, Ramy, Ayoub, and Atef, as they bond and build a queer community against a backdrop of global trauma and struggle.
A hilarious and at times provocative film about a middle-aged American single-mother living in Switzerland and her quest to find out if she'll be invisible when she's no longer the woman with the biggest breasts in the room.
Historian Steve Humphries examines failures in policies and legislation put in place to protect youngsters from sexual abuse, and discovers radical new solutions proposed by an increasing number of child-protection experts, which challenge deep-rooted attitudes and emotional reactions to paedophiles. Senior lecturer Sarah Goode believes the most promising way to reduce the number of child-abuse cases is to encourage people to seek treatment before they target victims. Her theory is supported by an interview in this programme in which Humphries meets a man who makes an extraordinary confession on camera.
This ambitious documentary turns up the volume on long-silent voices lurking beneath the surface of the Latin hip-hop underground, revealing the origins of a genre that still has to fight to be heard. Highlights include a behind-the-scenes look at the artists' creative process, plus candid interviews with stars who share stories about making it in the business -- from Mellow Man Ace and Capone to Delinquent Habits and Psycho Realm.
The relationship between Greenland and Denmark is full of fantasy and myths. And these are exactly what Danish artist Lasse Lau reflects upon – and in turn documents – in his first feature-length film. But how do you give a form to the Greenlandic experience when you are an outsider yourself? Lau has created a sensitive film about authenticity and recreation by letting both elements become a part of the work, together with his performers. But also by watching and listening intently. The colonial history is entrenched in both Greenland's infinitely beautiful landscapes and in the collective consciousness. But so is the willingness to break with it and look ahead with a new political self-awareness. 'Lykkelænder' is the result of a long-term research project, but talks about its extremely complex topics in a way that grounds the postcolonial perspective in a recognisable life experience. It does so with both a sense of humour and with emphasis.
Cars affect our primary senses on all levels, they define our world and change our contemporary society. Our tastes have changed: drive-in food, that was once at most a monthly family treat has now become an essential daily ritual in our fast-paced, consumer society. We barely notice the smell of exhaust fumes but more and more people are getting sick from atmospheric pollution. Our cities are now designed in function of cars, changing what we see and our perception of the world we live in. The film seeks to question the car myth, something that is deeply rooted in our consumer society. A group of primary school's kids guide the spectators in a journey into our imaginary. Using automotive archives and through the involvement in a dynamic way of scientists, engineers, anthropologist and racing drivers, the film explores how the car has changed not only the cities we live in but also our lives.
Gold, the enduring safe investment and symbol of wealth, comes at a high price. Mined in slave-like conditions, it has been linked to everything from funding civil wars in Africa to causing environmental disasters in Latin America. The market for gold is enormous with 70% of global production handled by just one country: Switzerland. The industry has been protected by the Swiss state for more than a century, and turning a blind eye here is standard practice. Despite attempts at reforms, a lack of transparency still remains. We travel to Peru, Congo, Dubai and Switzerland to investigate.
Andris and Gabriel are two young people from San Basilio de Palenque who travel to Senegal to fulfill their dream of stepping into the land of their ancestors and finding themselves face to face with the historical and cultural origins of their African religion.