In Iasi, Romania, from June 28 to July 6, 1941, nearly 15 000 Jews were murdered in the course of a horrifying pogrom. At the time, the programmed extermination of European Jews had not yet began. After the war, the successive communist governments did all they could to ensure the Iasi pogrom would be forgotten. It was not until November of 2004 that Romania recognized for the first time its direct responsibility in the pogrom. All that remains of this massacre are about a hundred photographs taken as souvenirs by german and romanian soldiers, and a few remaining survivors.
We all know that throwing rubbish on the ground is littering, so why is letting a balloon float away seen as something different? Rubber Jellyfish is a feature-length documentary that explores the effects of helium balloons on the environment, wildlife and human beings. Mum-to-be Carly Wilson sets out on a personal journey to meet key players on all sides in the fight to ban balloons, and exposes the confronting truth behind our favourite party product. As she travels around Australia seeking to understand the science and various points of view, Carly discovers a range of issues, from the heartbreaking impact on sea turtles to the potentially deadly effect of helium on children. Her journey takes her from littered beaches to the capital, as she speaks to activists, businesses, and politicians to find out why the balloon problem is being ignored and if something can be done.
A film crew crisscrosses England trying to unravel the mystery surrounding a record released 30 years earlier, 'Spirit of Eden', that defined the passage from light to shadow of its makers, the band Talk Talk and its lead singer Mark Hollis. From overwhelming obstacles to unpredictable encounters, their journey soon turns into an organic quest. With silence as a horizon line. And punk as a philosophy, thinking that music is accessible to all and that the human spirit is above the technique.
A Matter of Land recounts the first year of application of Colombian's Land Restitution Act from the perspective of a community who decide to engage with the process. The film explores the tensions that arise when such communities come face to face with the complex institutions responsible for enforcing the law. The result of these tensions is a narrative worthy of Kafka, in which a doorway to justice is opened for the sole purpose of demonstrating that no one can pass through it.
On a bicycle trip across the country, a young Neill Kirby McMillan Jr. experiences The Mojo Revelation and becomes Mojo Nixon. After teaming up with the enigmatic Skid Roper, he unexpectedly finds mainstream success during the Golden Age of MTV.
The first of two Latinas to represent Texas in Congress, Veronica Escobar, and the only African-American woman to run for city council in Austin in 2018, Natasha Harper-Madison, lead a diverse group of progressive voices across Texas as they fight decades of institutional racism and policies of discrimination along the border. The battle over immigrant rights, land seizures to build the border wall, and the troubled racial history of the state form the backdrop to a film that explores how a place once known for its reactionary politics is becoming more liberal, more diverse—and more at risk for violent conflict.
Five times, Earth has faced apocalyptic events that swept nearly all life from the face of the planet. What did these prehistoric creatures look like? What catastrophes caused their disappearance? And how did our distant ancestors survive and give rise to the world we know today?
Taking its title from Tod Browning’s classic film, this radical reframing of how characters with disabilities are represented looks at a century of Hollywood favorites with a fresh perspective. Disability activists imagine a cinematic landscape that takes people with disabilities seriously.
Jimi Hendrix became an over night sensation during the late 60s, however his fame didn’t last long after he tragically passed aged just 27, this tragedy became subject to a lot of controversy and there were lots of theories and rumours surrounding his death. This documentary offers an in-depth look at the artist's last 24 hours and attempts to clear the air surrounding his tragic passing, including appearances and testimonials from some of the people that knew him best.
Follows three young Texas cowgirls tasked with carrying on their families' legacies amidst a volatile landscape and industry. The film explores the modern West: a place where the male cowboy mythology must answer to a new, honest, and some would say subversive, female story. The jarring transition between generations illuminates the weight of heritage and tradition. As the old guard wanes, these three women stand amidst the vast ranchlands of Texas. Who has the authority to claim our traditions when only those who have been overlooked are left to carry them on?
A devastating highway accident in April 2018 thrust Humboldt, Saskatchewan into an international spotlight and voices from across the globe responded with sorrowful condolences, vigils and tributes. As the shock subsided and the world stepped back allowing the community to grieve, the directors of Humboldt: The New Season remained near the families. This is a story of healing without ever forgetting or letting go.
Six people live for a year on “Mars” in a NASA experiment studying what happens to humans when they are isolated from Earth. Shot by the subjects themselves over the course of the mission, Red Heaven vividly captures six people pushed to their limits in an exploration of our most fundamental needs as human beings.
When Kenny Scharf arrived in NYC in the early 1980’s, he quickly met and befriended Keith Haring and Jean Michel Basquiat; There, amongst the fervent creative bustle of a depressed downtown scene the trio would soon change the way we think about art, the world, and ourselves. But unlike Haring and Basquiat, who both died tragically young, Kenny lived through cataclysmic shifts in the East Village as well as the ravages of AIDS and economic depression. 'When Worlds Collide' is about the art of fun, about living life out loud, despite setbacks, and about Kenny Scharf’s particular do-it- yourself, high-tone, technicolor artistic vision.
Eddy Haymour is a barber, an eccentric entrepreneur, a psychiatric patient, a kidnapper, and a hostage taker. A controversial character, he has been called both madman and visionary. Our 90 minute documentary, Eddy's Kingdom, chronicles the saga of Haymour's obsession with creating an island theme park in Kelowna BC, which culminated in a hostage taking in Lebanon. His present day quest is to confront the current BC government and get the island back in his possession. At his side is his daughter Fadwa, the only family member who still talks to him.
An excellent display of how humans can rehabilitate and restore an area where a heavy industry polluted the water so severely that it was unsuitable to sustain any kind of life. A a film showing how birds returned to an environment once devastated by industry. The lakes around the northern Slovenian town of Velenje, placed in the Central Europe, are geographic center of the film. They emerged as the land above the lignite mines subsided and the depressions were filled with water. The mines started operating at the end of the 19th century. In the mid 20th century a power plant was built that caused a severe pollution of the lake waters to the extent of the lakes not being fit for any kind of life. As a consequence many birds moved from these parts. After a long ecological restoration that started in the mid 1980s, life returned to the water. Gradually the birds returned as well, including some there were previously never observed in this area.
A uniquely Kiwi story capturing the incredible highs and heartbreaking lows of making world-class wine in New Zealand. Stu, Nick, Ollie and Jess take you on a journey of the all-consuming harvest period known as vintage and the passion and hard-graft that goes into every bottle.
Fifty million people died in the Second World War, the biggest massacre in the history of humanity. But the animal kingdom also paid a heavy toll, despite no official numbers being compiled for the victims. This included combat animals, animals that backed up humans, those that entertained or consoled them, some that fed people, and other animals that were symbols. On all fronts and on all continents, at all points of the compass, beasts accompanied mankind in this global conflict. This full archive documentary - partly colorized - shows how dogs, horses, elephants and pigeons became WW2 soldiers’ best friends in battle.