Palmyra: Rising from the Ashes

To the east of the Arabian desert, an ancient culture developed; and it attainted the sophistication of its civilized neighbours in Mesopotamia & Iran. The extreme aridity of the spot, combined with the strictness of religious prohibitions, discouraged archaeologists for a long period of time. Only recently, a group of French scientists initiated a large-span excavation. Their aim is to comprehend how this society succeeded to prosper, despite a natural environment so hostile to any conditions of life. The answer seems to be the refinement of a revolutionary, water management technique. Yet beyond such technical prowess, this documentary provides a unique look to discover a unique way of life; but also the pre-Islamic religious beliefs of this milieu.

Like a visual elegy, My Memory Is Full of Ghosts explores a reality caught between past, present and future in Homs, Syria. Behind the self-portrait of an exsanguinated population in search of normality emerge memories of the city, haunted by destruction, disfigurement and loss. A deeply moving film, a painful echo of the absurdity of war and the strength of human beings.

In the privacy of her own home, a Syrian woman shares her thoughts and feelings, talking about her existence, and her desire to be open about her sexuality in a conservative society.

The eight-year Iran-Iraq War was one of the most brutal conflicts to devastate the region in the 20th century. Zahed was 13 years old when he enrolled in the Iranian army. Najah was 18 when he was conscripted into the Iraqi army, and he fought against Zahed in the Battle of Khorramshahr. Fast forward 25 years, a chance encounter in Vancouver between these two former enemies turns into a deep and mutually supportive friendship. Expanded from the 2015 short film by the same name.

The Kurdish Iraqi poet and actor Zeravan Khalil travels with his dog through an Alpine gorge after fleeing from IS war and genocide. As he remembers the abomination, he writes a poem with the title “You drive me mad” in Kurmanji Kurdish. In his home country, Yazidic Kurds are forbidden to work in his profession. Then he eats his apple and wanders through Europe’s middle with more hope.

Fifty years after the coup and the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, Cypriot and foreign archaeologists, along with members of the Department of Antiquities' staff from that time, delve into personal memory, examine the collective trauma of war, and outline its impact on Cypriot archaeology. Weaving archival material from excavations with gripping personal testimonies, the documentary *"Skammata"* highlights significant moments in Cypriot archaeology, both before and after the tragic events of 1974.

An international team of art restorers and archaeologists begin work on the restoration of medieval frescoes inside a network of ancient caves. Faced with local bureaucratic challenges and systemic neglect of archaeological sites, the team encounters a community of shepherds and migrants that have used the caves for centuries and discover a living culture worth preserving most of all.

This short documentary depicts the search, discovery and authentication of the only known Norse settlement in North America - Vinland the Good. Mentioned in Icelandic manuscripts and speculated about for over two centuries, Vinland is known as "the place where the wild grapes grow" and was thought to be on the eastern coast between Virginia and Newfoundland. In 1960 a curious group of house mounds was uncovered at l'Anse aux Meadows in northern Newfoundland by Drs. Helge Ingstad and Anne Stine Ingstad of Norway. Added to the United Nations World Heritage List, l'Anse aux Meadows is considered one of the most important archaeological sites in the world.

Iznik, les mystères de la basilique engloutie

5000 years ago the ancient Elamites established a glorious civilization that lasted about three millennia. They created marvelous works in architecture and craftsmanship. These works of art depict the lifestyle, thoughts, and beliefs of the Elamites.

A slide about the importance of accidental archaeological finds for the development of archaeological science and the study of history. The film appeals to farmers and construction workers in particular, urging them to report similar findings immediately.

A documentary about archaeology, which, based on traces and finds hidden underground, creates a picture of the beginnings of the history of the Czech lands, which goes back to the Ice Age 30,000 years ago.

Rascar Capac, the sinister creature featured on Hergé's album The Seven Crystal Balls (1948), has left its mark on many generations of readers. To draw it, the Belgian cartoonist was probably inspired by a mummy exhibited in the first pre-Columbian exhibition organized by the Brussels Cinquantenaire Museum in 1923. Two intrepid archaeologists embark on a fascinating journey to reconstruct the story of the mysterious mummy.

Dans la peau des premiers paysans français

Documentary following the 1955–1956 Norwegian Archaeological Expedition's investigations of Polynesian history and culture at Easter Island.

Caminos

This film is a documentary on the archaeological excavation of the Snaketown Dig just out of Phoenix Arizona. Snaketown in Arizona is dated by some scholars to around 300 BCE., The site of Snaketown is positioned on the Gila River Basin near Phoenix AZ at the Gila River Indian Community. Both the Hohokam and the Ootam peoples have occupied the land and from what I gather there is some contention on who did what when. Isn't their always. This is a really great film on the excavation of Snaketown and is a valuable educational resource I am fortunate to have. The Pima Indian father of Ira Hayes makes an appearance.

A Casa de Lucia

In 2012 Dalya and her mother Rudayna fled Aleppo for Los Angeles as war took over. Months before, Rudayna learns a secret that destroys her marriage, leaving her single at midlife. Arriving in LA, Dalya enrolls as the only Muslim at Holy Family Catholic High School. Can mother and daughter remake themselves while holding on to their Islamic traditions?

Archeologists discover a pit filled with terracotta warriors buried to protect the grave of the First Emperor of China.