Scientists discover through DNA that giant flightless birds like Madagascar's Elephant Birds & New Zealand's Moas didn't reach islands via continental drift as thought, but have a surprising evolutionary story of how they got there.
From beautiful but dangerous waterfalls to canyons and underground rivers carved into stone millions of years ago, Wild Australia is a stunning look at our fragile world and how it relates to Earth of ninety million years ago
We call them o-rang-u-tans, which literally means "forest persons" in the Malay and Indonesian languages. They are the only great apes native to Asia. Of all the apes, they are the closest to man in genetic makeup. And they face extinction. Two years in the making, the film is an intimate portrayal of the world of orangutans, the threats to their survival and the people committed to help them thrive. The film focuses on a recent discovery that orangutans do not rely on animal instinct for survival, but instead have a culture that they have preserved from generation to generation.
Imagine walking some of the largest land animals in existence across one of the most densely populated regions on earth. Intelligent, majestic and awe-inspiring, Elephants have a long and fascinating history with man. On this epic journey we experience the modern day relationship between man and beast.
In DIARY OF A BEE we follow the adventurous journey of a single bee from its birth (or hatching) to the founding of a new colony. Three years of shooting with the latest macro camera technology and special post-processing enable a unique visual language that allows completely new insights into the world of bees - without becoming unscientific. This story is told by Anna Thalbach as the "winter bee" and her daughter Nellie Thalbach, who takes on the role of the "summer bee". Welcome to the big drama of the little pollen collectors!
The secret life of hippos is revealed in this award-winning documentary, which follows divers into the waters of Tanzania's National Reserve. For the first time, cameras capture on film the astonishing underwater habits of these surprising creatures. A rare look at an essential part of hippo life, filmmakers Craig Huxley and Jean-Christophe Jeauffre's captivating documentary earned the Jules Verne Adventure Film Festival Audience Award.
Surrounded by war-torn nations, the wilds of Gabon may be the last best hope for many of Africa's species.
Brown hyena expert Ingrid Wiesel wants to find her favourite study animal, named Tosca, who has disappeared from her home range on Namibia’s wild west coast. Ingrid's spent the last 17 years studying brown hyenas - now she must journey deep into Tosca's world to discover what exactly has forced her to leave her traditional hunting grounds.
Dmitry Kalinin creates something that provides a boost of creative energy to many; he brings to life the boldest ideas and dreams of young engineers, inventors, and craftsmen. This is a stirring film experience about perseverance, overcoming obstacles, success, and creating your own significant business.
An animal documentary by Emmy award winner Hugo van Lawick. The viewer experiences unforgettable and magnificent recordings from Africa, accompanied by a fantastic soundtrack!
Once found all over Africa, indiscriminate hunting and enthusiasm for decorative rhino-horn daggers has led to near extinction for the black rhino. Thanks to the passage of tight legislation and the rise of vigilant protection, black rhino numbers are finally rising. This film documents efforts at Tanzania's Mkomazi Game Reserve. It is narrated by legendary British actor Edward Fox with an original score by Nikolas Labrinakos
In Rod El Farag, one of the poorest residential areas in Cairo, obtaining meat, fruit and daily bread is a constant struggle. But the sense of community shared by the inhabitants there helps them to some extent overcome their hardships through a social practice known as ‘al Gami’ya’, or ‘the assembly’.
From the imposing mating call of the red deer and the flight of the buzzard to the hunt of the fox and the micro-ecosystem on a massive oak: nature documentarist Luc Enting recorded it all for his stunning feature film Wild Heart of Holland, produced by PVPictures. The result of his efforts is an exciting, moving and often humorous film, revealing the beauty and diversity of this wild park in every season. We also watch the main characters grow up to adulthood, a path inevitably dogged with challenges. Enting: “To me, this park, in any season, has an almost un-Dutch beauty. It is the largest continuous nature reserve in northwest Europe with an incredible variety of landscapes and life. It has forests, heath, sand drifts, brooks and pushed moraines. With my film, I would like to give a new insight into its incredibly diverse nature.”
This public television documentary examines the passionate life and career of Elbert Hubbard, a businessman who in 1895 established a socially progressive community of arts and crafts-style furniture-makers and other artisans in New York state. Narrated by actor Liev Schreiber, this film explores the scope of Hubbard's vision and his commune that became known for its controversial political activism as much as for its exquisite handmade goods.
In a deep fjord in Norway a small community is changed forever, as a new European road route threatens the local toads. ”A toad story” is a warm film about seeing greatness in the planets smallest creatures.
Island Heroes: The Whale Rescuers of Campobello Island
In this documentary, scientists reveal their findings on the influence of solar storms on animal behavior and human transport infrastructure. The documentary explains why solar storms pose a threat to humanity: In extreme cases, they can damage satellites, slow down air traffic and paralyze high-voltage and telecommunications networks.
The documentary explores the life of birds of prey and their struggle for survival in a changing world. From nesting to hunting, it reveals their importance in ecosystems and the threats from human activities. Through impressive images, it presents nature’s diversity and the need to preserve this preciousness.
Picturesque coves, freshly caught fish on the harbour, one of the many areas where history is still alive. Hundreds of islands are strewn across the royal blue water. Croatia is the Adriatic's jewel. "Wild Croatia" reveals a heartfelt, emotional portrait of one of Europe's smallest countries, influenced by some of the largest contrasts in landscapes and the special inhabitants who live there.
The beauty of the Arctic is breathtaking. For as long as we can remember, the Arctic has been associated with inhospitable cold. But the climate is changing, and with it the northern polar region, which begins beyond latitude 66.5 degrees north. Climate change is now happening four times faster north of the Arctic Circle than on the rest of the planet, making the future outlook dire. At the moment it is still possible for polar bears to raise their cubs, but hunting is becoming increasingly difficult on the drastically shrinking pack ice. The disappearance of the ice also affects the marine fauna. The wintry ice bridge between Canada and Greenland is threatened with collapse. The unstoppable melting of the permafrost, which has held the tundra together for thousands of years, is worrying. But the Arctic is still one of the wildest and loveliest regions on earth. A documentary visit to the Arctic - as long as it still exists.