Digital Dreams

Barbra Streisand grew up in working class Brooklyn, dreaming of escape from her tough childhood. A stellar student, she resisted the pressure to go to college as her sights were firmly set on Broadway. She was determined to become an actress and landed her first role aged 16, but it was two years later, when she started to sing, that her career took off. Subverting stereotypes and breaking glass ceilings, this programme looks at her rise to stardom and the remarkable achievements of her early career.

Released on DVD as part of The Criterion Collection's "Martha Graham: Dance on Film" collection.

From the mean streets of the Belleville district of Paris to the dazzling limelight of New York's most famous concert halls, Edith Piaf's life was a constant battle to sing and survive, to live and love. Raised in her grandmother's brothel, Piaf was discovered in 1935 by nightclub owner Louis Leplee, who persuaded her to sing despite her extreme nervousness. Piaf became one of France's immortal icons, her voice one of the indelible signatures of the 20th century.

Visionary musician Bruce Springsteen embarks on an emotional journey to record "Nebraska."

Arturo Urbiola, independent singer/songwriter, talks about the influence music has had on his life, it's impact, and what's in store for his artistic career after becoming a father.

Against a backdrop of political unrest in Turkey, this biopic charts the life of Anatolian rock singer Cem Karaca, focusing on his revolutionary ideals. Heightened emotions and moments of threat reflect the country's rising tensions.

A true-life tale of the Great American Dream, this movie showcases one man's rise from the streets of South Central L.A. to the hills of Hollywood. Features photos and videos of the man himself and his contemporaries.

Lea grew up in a crime family in Calabria. The father of her daughter Denise is also a member of the Mafia. Lea, however, wants a different life for her daughter, free of violence, fear and falsehood. She decides to cooperate with justice, to benefit of the witness protection scheme and attempts to run away... Inspired by the true story of Lea Garofalo, the struggle of a woman to escape the Mafia.

Six actors portray six personas of music legend Bob Dylan in scenes depicting various stages of his life, chronicling his rise from unknown folksinger to international icon and revealing how Dylan constantly reinvented himself.

An account of the life of the brilliant jazz musician John Coltrane (1926-67), a gifted saxophonist, an extraordinarily talented thinker whose original, avant-garde work has impacted and influenced people all over the world. A story about music's ability to entertain, inspire and transform.

Comedian Harmonists tells the story of a famous, German male sextet, five vocals and piano, the "Comedian Harmonists", from the day they meet first in 1927 to the day in 1934, when they become banned by the upcoming Nazis, because three of them are Jewish.

This fascinating Documentary gives you a real insight into the life and the career of one of the greatest figures in popular music. Madonna deservedly has won the accolade of Goddess of Pop.

Documentary about author Christopher Isherwood, in which he is interviewed about his life and work and which features extracts from films of his novels and stories.

Tomas Ledin: Just då!

William Shatner performs a concert of biographical songs that take the audience into the reality of his life and career: from STAR TREK to BOSTON LEGAL. Shatner sings in front of a live audience with Ben Folds, Brad Paisley and Joe Jackson. Leonard Nimoy, Patrick Stewart, Kate Mulgrew and Candice Bergen make cameos.

TV movie based on the singer's life, under his mother's thumb, competing with the ghost of one of the most famous singers in C&W music history, and aspiring to rise above it all.

A thinly-disguised version of the life of Marilyn Monroe, detailing her ups and downs in life and how her erratic behavior contributed to her deteriorating career.

This is the story of the Charles Heidsieck who opened the market for Champagne sales in America just prior to the American Civil War. He is a reluctant French spy and is captured and spends time in a Union prison. There are two parallel love stories (he is French) and some battles with his uncle for control of the family vineyard (because his father married his mother who the uncle also loved).

On April 8th 1994, Kurt Cobain - the lead singer of post-punk band Nirvana - was found dead in his Seattle home of an apparent shotgun wound to the head and three times the lethal dose of heroin in his system. Today, the cause of his death is still debated. This film charts the tragic downward spiral and increasing isolation of this hero of a generation, which even his marriage to Courtney Love and the birth of his daughter Frances Bean could not stop.

Legendary singer, actor, and jazz pianist Nat King Cole was prominent in the mid-1900s. Though he passed away in 1965 at only 45 years old, his songs have remained iconic in the years since, with some of his most famous songs including "Smile", "The Very Thought of You" and "Unforgettable".