This documentary probes the life of Syria's despot, Bashar al-Assad. The country has been in the grip of a bloody civil war for more than six years, and although he's faced challenges from ISIS, the refugee crisis, and foreign governments calling for his removal, Bashar has stayed true to his one goal: to perpetuate his relentless power over Syria.
Why are Europeans, children of immigrants like Coulibaly or the Kouachis brothers, attacking their countries of birth? What leads them to reject the values of the nation in which they grew up, to be reborn as extremists of Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. What role does religion play and which religion? What propaganda and mental mechanisms are being used to convince this generation of killers that they must turn vigilante on behalf of their victimised Muslim world?
Europe in crisis. A moment of glory for Europe’s social democracy parties? On the contrary: Social democrats suffer catastrophic election results and poll ratings. In a political road movie we follow six social democratic politicians in six countries in search for answers: Germany, France, Great Britain, Sweden, Italy and Slovakia. Despite all national differences, they all face questions of greater importance than national issues – questions important for the future of social democracy itself.
Is it the latest gene scandal or a blessing for medicine and agriculture? CRISPR allows scientists to change the genetic material of all living organisms. Researchers are developing therapies for incurable diseases; plants with new characteristics are being created. But the designer baby is also within reach. How far should medicine or agriculture be allowed to go? Researchers, ethicists and critics do agree: society urgently needs to debate the chances and boundaries of genetic engineering.
A survey of World War II and the pivotal role propaganda played in it.
A survey of World War II and the pivotal role propaganda played in it.
Five years ago, in 2012, Russia was a second-rate power surrounded by the expanding NATO alliance. Putin was destabilized since his controversial reelection triggered waves of protest. Yet he turned out to be a brilliant strategist, exploiting the weaknesses of the West and positioning himself as the main player in international affairs.
She is celebrated today as a unique icon across the globe. Elizabeth II, Queen of England, has sat firmly on the throne for over 63 years. Yet, at the start of the 1990s, Elizabeth almost lost control of her rule as monarch. The Queen experienced a decade of turmoil that she had not known before. The Royal Family's image deteriorated in the context of the the crisis between Charles and Diana.
A survey of World War II and the pivotal role propaganda played in it.
A survey of World War II and the pivotal role propaganda played in it.
Vaccines are widely regarded as one of the greatest achieves of modern medicine and save millions of lives every year. But there are an increasing number of families who decide, for one reason or another, not to vaccinate their children. As a result, diseases that were almost eradicated in the developed countries are returning. We hear from various families that are against vaccination. Some of them believe in natural and alternative medicines, others don’t believe that vaccines are safe.
The extreme right has won the European elections in France, Italy and Belgium and has gained about a quarter of MEPs in the new parliament. The xenophobia, patriarchy or authoritarianism that they preach are also present in the programs of parties that are not even considered ultra-right. Issues that were thought to be overcome, such as gender violence, the use of firearms or the death penalty, are being reintroduced into the debate.
A new industrial revolution is under way. Super-intelligent, docile and never tired, robot workers are carrying out ever more complex tasks. In Saudi Arabia, some have reached such a stage of evolution that they have even acquired the status of citizen! But workers are struggling to find their place in this new world and even the creators themselves suspect that robots are destroying more jobs than they create. Is society prepared for such upheavals?
After three wars in eight years and an ongoing eleven-year blockade, how are the people of Gaza coping? Many public employees, whether they are doctors in the large hospitals or waste management supervisors in the garbage dump, have been working without pay for over seven years. And yet despite this, the provision of basic public services continues through the tremendous efforts of people trying to keep the city functioning.
A fascinating story of conspiracy and revenge. On the 15th of March 1921, Armenian student Soghomon Tehlirian, walked up to Talat Pasha, the former ruler of the Ottoman Empire, and shot him in the head. There were numerous witnesses and everyone expected an easy trial, resulting in a death sentence for Tehlirian. But the trial turned into a judgement of his victim, one of the architects of the Armenian genocide.
The Citarum river in Indonesia, is the world's most polluted river. A reporter teamed up with international scientists to investigate the causes and consequences of this pollution. One of the main polluters is actually the fashion industry : 500 textile factories throw away their wastewater directly into the Citarum river.
What, and who, powers the internet? If the internet were a country, it would be the fifth largest consumer of electricity in the world. A whopping 247 billion emails are sent through the web every day, and growing. Though it is thought of as a ’green’ method of communication, the virtual universe is just as damaging for the environment as it is heavy in its energy consumption.
In this episode, we look at the generational shift occurring in China. Older generations in today's China have grown up during the fastest economic boom in history. How will it be for their children?
In this episode, we examine China's tough environmental problems and the efforts being made to solve them. Stories and interviews about air pollution and increasing water shortages, about people fighting to improve the environment, and about the world's investments in solar energy.
The United Nations celebrates its 70th anniversary in the fall of 2015. Among other innovations, members of the UN devised the novel concept of “soldiers for peace.” But can peace be enforced militarily? The original mission of the United Nations was to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war by maintaining peace and security between states. Now that terrorists and internal conflicts strike far more frequently than traditional inter-state wars, what does international security mean?
In this episode, we look at literature and film in the cultural nation of China. Stories and interviews with authors who struggle with censorship and self-censorship, and about the thriving film industry, which seeks to top Hollywood.
Economic reforms have led to a divided China, which threatens not only individual survival, but even economic growth and the entire Chinese society. In this episode, we hear stories and interviews about the middle class, about poverty in rural areas and about the precarious existence of hundreds of millions of migrant workers on the fringes of the cities.
After the Revolution in 1949, legislation regarding equality was passed, a huge step forward for China at the time. The economic reforms of recent decades have also improved women's lives. Yet China is still the only country in the world where more women than men commit suicide (WHO).
How is China run, and how do the people get their say? Stories and interviews about China's ruling Communist Party, about being a representative of the people, about the potential political power of blogs, and about grassroots protests and mass incidents, which are only increasing in number.
"The idea that the poor are genetically different from the rich or that men are naturally more intelligent than women may seem laughable but it’s an argument regularly used as a social weapon to stall the advancement of equality and maintain the status quo. Since the discovery of DNA, the idea that genes are somehow responsible for everything has permeated society."
It could have been a bloodbath of historic proportions. But instead, one man made the end of apartheid possible. In February 1990, President F.W. de Klerk lifted the ban on the African National Congress and ordered the release of Nelson Mandela. As the world celebrated, Mandela would go on to become South Africa’s first democratically elected president - with de Klerk as his Vice President. But de Klerk’s history is complicated.
In this film, first-time father and prize-winning journalist Benoît Bringer investigates whether we should still eat meat. As the population grows and the pressure to provide cheap food increases, there has been a drive towards relentless productivity and industrialized farming. Animal cruelty, major health issues and environmental damage are inevitable consequences. We can all see the problem. But are there alternatives?
For generations, we have believed that man is driven by ruthless self-interest. But over the past decade, this idea has been increasingly challenged. New research from fields as diverse as political science, psychology, sociology and experimental economics is forcing us to rethink human actions and motivation.
An industrial revolution is under way. Super-intelligent robots are carrying out ever more complex tasks. In Saudi Arabia, some have evolved so much that they have acquired the status of citizen! But workers are struggling to find their place in this new world and even the creators suspect that robots are destroying more jobs than they create. Is society prepared for such upheavals?
From acclaimed director, Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story, My Kid Could Paint That), A&E IndieFilms, Asylum Entertainment and producer John Battsek comes the story of the paedophile scandal that rocked America. The town of State College, home of Penn State University, lies at the heart of an area long known as Happy Valley. Its iconic figure for more than 40 years was Joe Paterno, head coach of the school’s famous football team, known affectionately as “Saint Joe.”
The environmental problems caused by fracking in America have been well publicised but what’s less known are the gas industry’s plans for expansion in other countries. This investigation, filmed in Botswana, South Africa, Alaska and North America, reveals how fracking plants are quietly invading some of the most protected places on the planet - including Africa’s national parks.
Nearly 100 years after its creation, the power of the U.S. Federal Reserve has never been greater. Markets and governments around the world hold their breath in anticipation of the Fed Chairman’s every word. Yet the average person knows very little about the most powerful - and least understood - financial institution on earth.
Children as young as three are becoming addicted to mobiles, harming their development and causing possible long-term damage. We follow some of the youngest cases and hear how our brains are affected by exposure to screens. We also learn how platforms like snapchat or facebook are engineered to make them hyper-addictive. Today, scientists are convinced that screens affect our brain development.
Global warming could drastically alter the world wine map. Temperatures are expected to rise from 3° to 5°C by 2050, accompanied by a decrease in summertime precipitation, much more frequent heat waves (over 35°C) that are fatal to grapevines, increased soil erosion and irrigation problems. This investigative documentary surveys the research carried out and the decisions made by both vineyard owners and scientists to tackle the question of global warming.
What if weed could be a cure to most severe diseases, such as cancer or AIDS? Not really, but cannabis can. As a matter of fact, molecules inside marijuana are now at the center of medical research around the world. There are more and more scientists, doctors, and psychologists encouraging the therapeutic and controlled use of cannabinoids for specific treatments.
Sadaf Rahimi is the best female boxer in Afghanistan, but she must deal with her country’s traditions, fear and her own fate in order to be a free woman. Sadaf and her sister Shabnam joined the newly created women’s boxing team at the age of 13, when they returned to their country after being refugees in Iran.
Mugu in Western Nepal is one of the least developed regions in Nepal. According to the 2011 Nepal Census, 90% of women in Mugu are illiterate. Sunakali Budha, a 13 year-old girl saw football for the first time in 2011 and in less than three years time she has become a star in her village.
Future Food is a highly topical new series of 6 x 27’ documentaries, asking how we are going to feed ourselves in the 21st Century. Tonight there will be 219,000 new mouths to feed at the world’s dinner table – that’s 80 million more people over the next year. By 2050, the world’s population will have risen to around 9.5 billion and require 70% more food than we grow today. How will we feed them? Future Food visits USA and exploring six questions at the heart of the debate.
From brains to eyes, hands to legs, and deep down to the internal organs; implants, prosthesis and rehabilitation are entering a new era potentially creating a new type of human being - The Bionic Man- in reality, not on retro TV. But what ethical concerns arise as we mix technology with biology?
«The Last Nomads» features the greatest traditional journeys left on Earth as seen through the eyes of the people who still travel on them. From the Zagros Mountains of Iran to the frozen wastelands of northern Siberia, the Sahara to the Himalaya, these beautifully filmed documentaries give a unique insight into the very last human journeys still being travelled as they have been for thousands of years.
«The Last Nomads» features the greatest traditional journeys left on Earth as seen through the eyes of the people who still travel on them. From the Zagros Mountains of Iran to the frozen wastelands of northern Siberia, the Sahara to the Himalaya, these beautifully filmed documentaries give a unique insight into the very last human journeys still being travelled as they have been for thousands of years.
«The Last Nomads» features the greatest traditional journeys left on Earth as seen through the eyes of the people who still travel on them. From the Zagros Mountains of Iran to the frozen wastelands of northern Siberia, the Sahara to the Himalaya, these beautifully filmed documentaries give a unique insight into the very last human journeys still being travelled as they have been for thousands of years.
Our demand for raw materials is enormous and the mineral and ore mines can hardly keep up with the growing demand. Weirdly, we're surrounded by raw materials! They're in our cars, in the underground tunnels we use to travel to work, in the pavement that leads to our houses, in the bridges we cross, and they're in our homes. In European cities, there are approx. 4.500 kg of iron, 340 kg of aluminum, 200 kg of copper, 40 kg of zinc and 210 kg of lead attributed to each inhabitant.
We are in a crisis: While Canada consistently has one of the worst organ donor rates in the Western world, its hospitals are overcrowded with patients who desperately need an organ transplant. And within Canada, Alberta is the province with the lowest donor rates. 40 per cent of patients die while waiting for an organ. Strongly character driven, the one-hour documentary «The Ward» features the work of the nurses, surgeons and physicians at the University Hospital in Edmonton.
The distance between mankind and machines has never been so narrow. We and they are so close in fact that doubts are being cast as to what it is to be human. Mankind's future is being played out now. What if robots could make us immortal?
Amal Graafstra is an O.G. cyborg, known for his TED talks and interviews on international media outlets. But what some people might not know about Amal is that he's also the CEO of Dangerous Things, a company that creates and sells implantable consumer tech.
Grindhouse Wetware is a startup challenging the medical industry to be more radical when it comes to saving lives. Would you become a cyborg to escape an early death?
Adopted by Dolphins' follows a group of researchers who are accepted as companions by bottlenose dolphins in the Red Sea. A group of divers and marine biologists accompany up to 100 wild dolphins for days and for the very first time watch their behaviour from a dolphin’s perspective. Willingly, the animals expose their social behaviour and games, their exciting love life and even the use of medical substances provided by corals. This is a capturing story of love, war and drama.
These child prodigies of the animal kingdom have feathers and beaks – and very special skills! The Keas of New Zealand like testing their brains and challenging tourists: they unscrew bottle-tops and tear open rucksacks. In New Caledonia crows are able to produce a whole set of tools, each designed for a particular purpose – the most intricate tool culture in the animal kingdom! These high flyers compete against each other: Keas vs Crows - the ultimate avian I.Q. test, with surprising results.
The touching film shows the adolescence of two bear twins as they live with their new "mother" Vaclav in the Bohemian Forest. It documents the cubs' first steps and follows their development from defenseless babies to cheeky 60-kilo teenagers. The two cubs, abandoned by their mother, would have been destined to death – if Vaclav had not adopted them. It’s the story about two - or three! - extraordinary characters that manage, despite all the differences, to walk their way together.
About 6.5 million bats have died in the last six years in North America. A disease is driving the Little Brown Bats to extinction and causes mass mortalities among other bat species. The epidemic is still a riddle, but bat-experts piece together information like criminal investigators. The ingenuity of the scientists is captured through astonishing experiments and groundbreaking technology in an effort to understand this mysterious disease and learn more about this common yet unknown animal.
Protection measures and 20 years of prohibition of the ivory trade are making an impact: Almost all countries in Africa are reporting a rise in elephant numbers. In the past two decades, the population of these grey giants doubled to over 30.000, alone in the Safari-Paradise of Kenya. At the same time the population of humans is growing. Both require space. Conflicts between both are unavoidable and the survival of the biggest land mammal is again endangered.
In the Ruhr district of Germany, we witness the comeback of a small river and an entire landscape. For decades, the Emscher was the most polluted river in Europe. Now, it’s being returned from an industrial sewer to a natural river system. With the help of waste water treatment plants, liberated river beds, and returning animal species, this unique natural region is blossoming.
The Jordan River is the most important source of water for Jordanians, Israelis, and Palestinians. Intensive farming is robbing the sacred river of its water. Since Israel and Jordan signed a peace treaty in 1994, campaigners from an environmental organization have been working across all borders to rescue both the Jordan River and the Dead Sea for the protection of nature and for peace in the region.
In the 19th century, England was at the very heart of innovation and was about to become the world's largest industrial power. In order to run steam engines, coal became an essential resource for the development of the economy and entire regions were transformed in just a few decades. South Wales became one of the country's main coal basins. Villages developed around the mines from where coal was delivered to England and the rest of the world.
Seen from the sky, the rural landscape of the United Kingdom is a rich mosaic of fields, heathland, mountains and forests. Walk through the Scottish Highlands or in the Fens of the county of Norfolk and the land appears naturally wild and rugged. In fact, the landscape has been shaped by centuries of political decisions and economic choices that left their mark on the country’s history.
