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History

The Real Joan of Arc

The Real Joan of Arc

January 1, 2007

The myth of Joan of Arc has fascinated people the world over. In the collective memory, she is the young shepherd girl who died at the stake having saved France. But 15th century chronicles report that following events in Rouen, certain people refused to believe she was dead and that another woman was burned instead.

52 Blocks: Show and Prove

January 1, 2007

As beautiful and sleek as it is deadly, 52 Blocks merits special conservation efforts as the United States' only existing native martial culture, as it is indeed, the jazz of the martial arts world. Across the African diaspora, there are manifestations of African-derived warrior-dances, capoeira in brazil, mani in Cuba, ladja in Martinique, pinge in Haiti- yet the US offshoot has remained esoteric, because it was suppressed throughout slavery, Reconstruction and Jim Crow and then obscured in the criminal justice system. The history, interviews and training of the martial arts style that created Breakdance and boxing greats like Mike Tyson.

Walking in Obedience: The Ole Madsen Story

Walking in Obedience: The Ole Madsen Story

January 1, 2007

Walking in Obedience contains dramatic scenes and incredible scenery depicting the journey of a Danish family traveling with the Willie Handcart Company. It is told through the words of those that lived through the experience with both the Willie and Martin Handcart Companies.

Diving Women of Jeju-do

Diving Women of Jeju-do

January 1, 2007

Jeju-do is the largest of Korean islands and lies between Korea and Japan. There, for hundreds of years, women dive without breathing apparatus, to the ocean floor and collect shellfish, octopus, and urchins that they sell. The divers are in their sixties and seventies and their daughters do not want to inherit their work, lifestyle, and health problems that go with diving. As a filmmaker I was privileged to meet many of these women and dive with them. Their stories of hardship and pride confirmed my desire to record this unique and ancient tradition.

Antonio Vivaldi: Ercole Su'l Termodonte

Antonio Vivaldi: Ercole Su'l Termodonte

January 1, 2007

Alan Curtis and his renowned Il Complesso Barocco ensemble present Vivaldi's groundbreaking opera about the mythical hero Hercules and his quest to retrieve the sword of Antiope, queen of the Amazons. Mary-Ellen Nesi stars as the ferocious warrior queen, and Zachary Stains is the beleaguered Hercules, trying to appease the gods for killing his own children in a fit of rage. Laura Cherici, Luca Dordolo and Randall Scotting co-star.

Secrets of China's First Emperor

Secrets of China's First Emperor

January 1, 2007

Documentary, Historical Documentaries, Biographical Documentaries - This thought-provoking biographical program illuminates the fascinating life of Qin Shi Huangdi, "The First Magnificent Emperor of Qin," a man considered both influential and controversial in Chinese history. The ancient emperor's long list of accomplishments includes planning the construction of China's first Great Wall, building the world's largest burial site guarded by the famous Terracotta Army and amassing the most expansive empire of his time.

Secrets of Egypt's Lost Queen

Secrets of Egypt's Lost Queen

January 1, 2007

Move over, King Tut: There's a new pharaoh on the scene. A team of top archaeologists and forensics experts revisits the story of Hatshepsut, the woman who snatched the throne dressed as a man and declared herself ruler. Despite her long and prosperous reign, her record was all but eradicated from Egyptian history in a mystery that has long puzzled scholars. But with the latest research effort captured in this program, history is about to change.

The Reckoning: Remembering the Dutch Resistance

January 1, 2007

Documentary - The Reckoning: Remembering the Dutch Resistance is the international award-winning documentary that captures the compelling story and eyewitness account of six survivors in war-torn Netherlands during World War II. - Diet Eman

Sovereignity Operation

Sovereignity Operation

January 1, 2007

When the fight against a supposed subversive threat seems not to be enough to ensure national unity, the Argentine military dictatorship rekindles the extinguished fire of an old border dispute with Chile in order to make the nation close ranks around the criminal regime: the chronicle of an internal political conflict that was about to turn into a bloody war.

Che: The Last Days

Che: The Last Days

January 1, 2007

The chronicle of the revolutionary campaign of Che Guevara in Bolivia (1966-67), which has remained placed in his famous diary.

Defenders of Riga

Defenders of Riga

January 1, 2007

The film dramatizes November 11, 1919- a crucial date in the battle for Latvian independence. A year after the end of the official hostilities of WWI, a renegade German general and troops remain outside the Latvian capital. Latvian riflemen, most of them inexperienced volunteers, somehow managed to defeat a larger, better-armed force of German and Russian mercenaries.

Chiara e Francesco

Chiara e Francesco

January 1, 2007

Italy, XIII century. The story of friendship between two young people who dedicated their lives to God and others: St. Francis and St. Clare of Assisi. Children of the bourgeoisie and the nobility, respectively, gave up their lives accommodated by a life of sacrifice, humility and proselytizing ...

Partition: The Day India Burned

Partition: The Day India Burned

January 1, 2007

Documentary about the effects of Britain's withdrawal from India in 1947 which triggered one of the biggest migrations in history. 15 million were displaced and more than a million lost their lives. The story is told through the testimony of people who lived together for centuries, but were forced out of their homes as one of the largest and most ethnically diverse nations in the world was divided. Dramatised reconstructions evoke some of the mistrust, violence and upheaval that ensued

Conspiracy

Conspiracy

January 1, 2007

Les larmes d'argent

January 1, 2007

The Elf Case

The Elf Case

January 1, 2007

In 1988, after much cunning political maneuvering, Loïk Le Floch-Prigent and Alfred Sirven become the chief executives at Elf. They discover a company that runs on kickbacks: in exchange for the oil rights, Elf makes handsome but discreet payoffs to the leaders of African nations. With the tacit complicity of President Mitterrand, and with eventual political and personal interests in mind, the new management takes charge of the slush fund. Within months, Sirven, Le Floch-Prigent and his wife Fatima Belaïd fill their pockets with more than they could ever have imagined.

The Collaborator

The Collaborator

January 1, 2007

During the conflict in the former Yugoslavia many soldiers were convinced to kill fellow citizens including friends and relatives in the name of patriotism. The Kolaborator follows the story of Goran, 24, a promising young soccer player who is forced to become a soldier. Goran goes from being a talented athlete to an executioner virtually overnight. Following orders, Goran lines up civilians, shoots them and drags them into mass graves. Justifying his role as a protector of his people, Goran becomes increasingly detached from the task until his soccer coach and life-long friend, Asim, is led in front of him. As a familiar face stands defeated before him, Goran must reconsider his actions and choose between his own life and that of his dear friend.

The Lark Farm

The Lark Farm

January 1, 2007

The Lark Farm is set in a small Turkish town in 1915. It deals with the genocide of Armenians, looking closely at the fortunes, or rather, misfortunes of one wealthy Armenian family.

The Plot to Kill Jesse James

December 29, 2006

Jesse James, one of the most infamous outlaws in American history, known for his gunslinging skills, ruthless bank robberies, and frequent train hijackings. He represents a volatile mixture of charisma and cruelty, and ruled his gang with an iron fist. Jesse's demise is set in motion when he meets Robert Ford, who had been obsessed with the bandit since childhood. Ford joins the Gang, but the reality did not live up to the fantasy. Ultimately, a government conspiracy and a hefty reward push Ford to commit one of the most treacherous acts in history.

Factory Girl

Factory Girl

December 29, 2006

In the mid-1960s, wealthy debutant Edie Sedgwick meets artist Andy Warhol. She joins Warhol's famous Factory and becomes his muse. Although she seems to have it all, Edie cannot have the love she craves from Andy, and she has an affair with a charismatic musician, who pushes her to seek independence from the artist and the milieu.