We re-trace the steps of Holocaust survivor Israel Arbeiter as he returns to Poland and Germany for the final time to look for items buried in 1939 in the basement of his old home in Plock, Poland as the German army advanced. We also travel with "Izzy" to Treblinka death camp where his parents and younger brother were murdered and to other camps, most notably Auschwitz-Birkenau, where "Izzy" used the motivation of his father's final words to him to stay alive.
Evil entities reaching out from beyond the grave, murder victims reliving their grisly demise and lost souls searching for a way home - Canada has no shortage of paranormal tales. Could these events stem from the dying curse of an innocent woman burnt as a witch?
Biography - This programme takes an in-depth look at the boy and the man who was born to be a legend. Together with rare unseen footage we chart his progress from his poor beginnings, through his teenage years to the eventual meteoric rise of a star. -
Still I Strive is a story of transcendence through compassion, unity and hope. At one orphanage in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, the performing arts are the path to healing and transformation. Guided by their matriarch Peng Phan, a renowned actress in her own right, the children aspire to achieve one of the highest honors in Cambodian society, to perform in front of Princess Bopha Devi as a symbol of their culture and heritage. Interspersed throughout the documentary are narrative film sequences featuring the children as actors.
Carole Laganière dives deeply into personal territory in this beautifully crafted exploration of absence and loss and its painful effect on daily lives. Inspired by her mother’s steadily advancing Alzheimer’s and the inevitability of her estrangement, Laganière weaves their story with the stories of others wrestling with loss: Ines, an immigrant who returns to her birth country of Croatia to find the mother who abandoned her during the war; Deni, an American author who’s finally able to search for his Quebec roots; and Nathalie, who’s desperately looking for her missing sister. Through their experiences the film ponders how absence is often the catalyst for a quest—a quest for information, understanding and often acceptance. Through its many voices, Absences speaks to us of the immense fragility and resiliency of human emotions.
After their success climbing the world’s hardest offwidth, the Wide Boyz, Pete Whittaker and Tom Randall, embark on their next crack climbing mission. This time their sights are set on the thinner end of the crack climbing spectrum. Their goal is the mighty Cobra Crack in Squamish BC, considered to be the hardest finger crack in the world. First climbed by Canadian ‘rock star’ Sonnie Trotter after battling it out with Didier Berthod, the route hit the media spotlight in the film First Ascent. With no local hard cracks to train on, the Wide Boyz refit their underground training dungeon and commit to a year of torturous finger training. With only a short trip to Canada planned, the Boyz face their biggest challenge yet against the sharp granite bite of the mighty Cobra Crack!
When Ines died, she left a very particular legacy, 10 books that read 'For my children'; it was the story of her life. Marked by a youth idyllic love, Ines was forced to marry a violent and womanizer man with whom she had 20 children. In the 50s, she managed to get divorce and 20 years after her death, Luisa, great-granddaughter of INES, reads, rescues and makes visible her history.
This documentary from Brave New Foundation and director Robert Greenwald, investigates the impact of U.S. drone strikes at home and abroad through more than 70 separate interviews, including a former American drone operator who shares what he has witnessed in his own words, Pakistani families mourning loved ones and seeking legal redress, investigative journalists pursuing the truth, and top military officials warning against blowback from the loss of innocent life.
Ballet in Cuba is a national institution, revered by all. It is also a way to climb out of poverty and achieve a better life. Yet for one young ballerina, even that isn't enough.
During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, millions had their lives destroyed...their reputations ruined. Mulberry Child is the story of the persecution and survival of Jian Ping's family during this difficult period. After growing up in Socialist China, Jian must learn to assimilate to a Capitalist world when she migrates to the United States. In pursuit of the American dream, Jian develops an emotional disconnect between her and her privileged American-born daughter, Lisa. Will a trip to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and a journey into the past forge a healthier relationship between mother and daughter? The film teaches us the human capacity for courage and endurance, and shows how the events of the past will affect our future.
American Artifact chronicles the rise of American rock poster art since it's birth in the'60s. Award-winning director, Merle Becker crosses the country interviewing the rock poster artists from the different eras to discover that America is currently in the midst of a 21st century "rock poster art movement", where thousands of artists around the country are doing silk screened rock poster art inspired by their local scene, the music of our time, and the spirit of our era.
Flake & Flames is a feature length documentary film about the astonishing Kustom Kulture movement around the globe. Spending a year traveling U.S. and Europe in search of the coolest Kustom Kulture people and events on the planet. Picking the brains of living legends, up and coming artists and builders within the culture. Seeking out some of the hottest Kustom Kulture spots and get some of the worlds best car and motorcycle builders, tattoo artists, pinstripers, custom painters and pin-up models to share their tricks and experience.
You Weren't There: a History of Chicago Punk 1977-1984 is a documentary that looks back on the impact that the Punk movement had on the Windy City. Though overlooked in the annals of Rock history (compared to media centric LA, NYC and London), Chicago served as an important early supporter of the Punk movement in America. "You Weren't There" talks to the DJ's, musicians, promoters, artists and fans who were pivotal in creating the Chicago Punk scene. It also showcases classic archival footage of great Chicago bands such as, Effigies, Naked Raygun, Strike Under, Articles of Faith, as well as lesser known greats like Silver Abuse, DA, The Subverts, Savage Beliefs, Negative Element, Rights of the Accused and many, many more.
The documentary follows four unlikely teams on their epic journey to conquer the world's largest relay race. A 67-year-old heart attack survivor returns to conquer the race that nearly killed her, a family in mourning runs to honor the memory of their beloved, a group of film animators test the limits of their athleticism (or lack thereof), and a group of aging jocks show they still know how to have a good time. A celebration of personal determination and the power of family and friends, the film proves that you're never too old or too young to attempt the extraordinary.
The rise of terrorism and the persistence of social liberation movements highlight the question: what is the right way to respond to a corrupt government, oppression and injustice? The exploits of Ned Kelly, Australian icon and notorious outlaw, raise the same question. Thought a hero by some and a terrorist by others, this documentary sets out to examine the man and the issues and to tell the historically accurate story...Was Ned Kelly an outlaw, a freedom fighter or simply a murderer?
Loud, brash, and outspoken, Pink has been shaking things up on the music scene for ten years. Drawing on interviews and performance footage, and with contributions from leading music critics, A LIFE LESS ORDINARY delves behind the hype, revealing the story of a talented, ambitious girl from Pennsylvania who went on to become a global pop sensation, two-time Grammy winner, and style icon.
From the makers of WHY, TWITCH, OffRoad and 6IX comes a cinematic soaked HighDef journey into the world of riding Dirt Bikes. MOTO is the first film to truly showcase the complete spectrum of dirt bike riding and racing. No MX movie has ever captured so many of the world’s most progressive riders doing what they do best… from Big Mountain Freeriding, Supercross, OffRoad, Woods, Trials, European Ex
In 2009 Maureen & James Tusty, filmmakers for The Singing Revolution, produced a second film out of Estonia. Seen nationally on U.S. Public Broadcasting, this one hour documentary tells the history of Estonia’s massive Song Festival, and the role music plays in Estonian culture, even today.