October 1st, 1957. Dusk descends on Tiananmen Square, Peking. Fireworks crackle light across the night sky, above a city alive with National Day festivities and celebrations. Two intrepid New Zealand film-makers - Rudall and Ramai Te Miha Hayward - are there, documenting the life and times of communist China. The distinction of being the first English speaking foreigners to film unfettered in communist China was significant. The invitation to visit China was facilitated through the New Zealand China Friendship Society. They filmed in Canton, Shanghai, Peking (Beijing) and Wuhan. It was a small window of opportunity for Westerners to gaze on a country that was largely a mystery to the outside world since 1949. The unfortunate irony was that two of the documentaries; “Wonders of China”, and “Inside Red China”, were considered to be communist propaganda, and were not distributed outside of New Zealand.
At a similar pace to that at which German football coach Jürgen Klopp won over the whole of Germany with his charisma and conviction for the then still unknown style of full-throttle football, he is now conquering England's traditional heart of football with Liverpool FC. In parallel with the Reds' rise as a top European team, Klopp's authentic and emotional approach to the national footballing shrine of Anfield has won him all-round respect and enormous popularity on the Mersey and among Liverpool's nationwide fanbase.
Caos do Sodré
A Calling to Care is the inspiring story of 55 year-old Grace Stanley, a Canadian nurse who left her home and prestigious career behind to answer a calling halfway around the world in Karachi, Pakistan. Teaching nursing to local women in a strict Muslim culture that forbids them to even to touch men is a formidable task. However, Grace challenges her own values and belief systems to find common ground with her students, helping them to excel and feel respect for themselves in a culture that doesn't respect them. Whether it is getting her hands painted with henna, swimming fully-clothed in the ocean, or marching bravely with them on International Women's Day, Grace bonds with her students in a very special way, and ultimately discovers how the West can learn a lot more from the Third World than she ever thought.
A poignant insight into the world of sport, where talent, passion and endurance mean everything, but give no guarantee of success.
Bojan Krkic has had success in the palm of his hand, but the difficulties encountered by a precocious and sensitive talent like him have marked his career since he made his debut with FC Barcelona at the age of 16. Bojan is a clear example of the pressure to which young talents in sport are subjected.
A group of elders spends their weekdays in a retirement home in Sandim, in the north of Portugal, where they talk, do arts and crafts, practice yoga and pray. We follow them between October 2012 and March 2013, when an economic crisis overshadowed Portuguese society and unemployment rates reached record levels. Meanwhile, arrangements are made for the Carnival ball. Will they bring the first place home this time?
38 games, 30 wins. Record-breaking Chelsea are the kings of English football once again, Premier League champions for a fifth time. Masterminded by Italian genius Antonio Conte, who wore his heart on his sleeve, kicking every ball, making every tackle and celebrating every goal, the Blues have been reshaped into a formidable force. And the Bridge waved goodbye to a legend. John Terry's emotional farewell brought the curtain down on a fantastic career and a sensational season.
"Forza Bastia" is a 26-minute film documenting a UEFA Cup match between PSV Eindhoven and French club SC Bastia at the Furiani Stadium in 1978. Jacques Tati directed the piece at the request of friend Gilberto Trigano – the President of the Bastia club at that time. It was subsequently shelved and kept in storage until Tati's daughter Sophie Tatischeff eventually assembled the footage for release in 2002.
The black power salute by Tommie Smith and John Carlos at the 1968 Mexico Olympics was an iconic moment in the US civil rights struggle. Far less known is the part in that episode in history played by Peter Norman, the white Australian on the podium who had run second — and the price paid afterward by all three athletes.
Big UP's Dosage Series is the definitive annual portrait of climbing's state-of-the-art. Volume V features many of the world's best climbers, including: Chris Sharma, Dave Graham, Beth Rodden, Tommy Caldwell, Dani Andrada, Patxi Usobiaga, Daniel Woods, Paul Robinson, Michael Fuselier, Ty Landman, Daila Ojeda, Randy Puro, Jason Kehl, Chris Lindner, Matt Bosley, and more.
Newly restored and assembled by the International Olympic Committee - the earliest comprehensive moving-image record of the modern Olympic Games that survives today.
A documentary exploring the "respectable" and "immoral" stereotypes of women in Indian society told from the point of view of 2 strip-tease dancers in a cabaret house in Bombay.
'Race Across The Sky' - the story of the 2009 Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race will inspire you to 'Dig Deep'. At 10,000+ feet, against the misty backdrop of a former mining town, Leadville, Colorado, 1228 cyclists start the grueling 100 mile race. This epic mountain bike race was captured with 10 HD cameras throughout the course including a helicopter and an off-road motocam. Racers include seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, six-time defending champion Dave Wiens and three-time World 24 hr Champion Rebecca Rusch. It's not only about getting up close and personal with the top racers but about all the racers and their inspirational stories. You'll laugh, you'll cry and if you don't get on a bike you'll do something amazing after watching this film!
Debra Hill's documentary tells the story of her multifaceted life and of inspiring filmmakers around the world, and her legacy as a creative producer, mentor, film pioneer and activist is an enduring one.
With this two-part feature documentary, Shlomi Elkabetz shares a poignant love letter to his sister, the late actress and director Ronit Elkabetz, and delivers a rare cinematic experience.
Dick Perez, official Baseball Hall of Fame artist for over 20 years, painted the game's history and every inductee - a project he continues in his 80s. This childhood immigrant's portraits changed commemoration of America's iconic pastime.
A documentary covering the Olympic Games at Chamonix in 1924.
A documentary on the Olympic games of ancient Greece, made during the 1924 games.
A documentary on the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam.