The largest nuclear submarine ever built is Russian. Carrying 20 ballistic missiles inside its 179 meter long hull, the Typhoon-class ship has been designed as the weapon of last resort. It can lie in silence for months on the seabed, concealing its power to destroy any country in less than half an hour. Until now however, only glimpses of the largest and deadliest killing machine on Earth have been available. In a striking 52' film, Mission Invisible will take you onboard the pride of the Russian Northern Fleet : a Typhoon-class submarine. Together with Alexander Bogachev and his 130 man crew, we will dive into the abyss of the cold, lonely ocean for a full -scale top secret military mission. For the very first time, we will witness the crew as they practice for emergencies of all types as well as an authentic fire alarm during the mission.
"Becoming Woman in Zanskar" recounts the moving story of a friendship shattered by destiny when two best friends have to part and to leave their families forever... Tenzin will be married to a man she hasn't chosen while Palkit will become a nun. Two adolescents in the Himalayas : one kidnapped by her future husband, the other head shaved as she enter the covent forever.
During the 1960s, the United States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a feverish competition to be the first to set foot on the moon. We know who won this race, but less about a secret chapter. The Soviets may not have sent a man to the moon, but they successfully guided two small robots by remote control from the earth.
In "Black Samurai", we're thrust into the lives of the Surma people, one of the fiercest tribes of southwestern Ethiopia, where war ravages the land.
At the beginning of the 1980s, Vladimir Vetrov, code name Farewell, a KGB agent, delivers thousands of strategic documents on Soviet economy and its military industry, as well as the names of the main Soviet agents operating in the West. By revealing this information he contributed to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the breakup of the USSR, and he created a cataclysm that led President Reagan to call him "the spy of the century".
In May of 1927, a young aviator made the first non-stop, solo transatlantic flight from New York to Paris aboard his Spirit of St. Louis. Overnight, Charles A. Lindbergh became the world's best-known aviator and an American hero for generations to come. The film also retraces the sometimes tragic and dishonorable highlights of this courageous man's life: the kidnapping and murder of his first child, his fascination with Hitler and his secret life with three women.
In the South of Ethiopia, in one of the driest regions in the world, the Borana people have become the guardians of the most precious common good: water.
Canada is today the world’s third producer of diamonds both in value and quantity. These are not just any diamonds, they are ice diamonds or «clean» diamonds in opposition with Africa’s «blood» diamonds that finance war, weapons and use child labor. Clean diamonds are widely appreciated on the international market for their purity as well as their ethics. Extracting these rocks is no easy feat. By minus 50 degrees celsius and polar winds, thousands of men work in giant open-air mines of 1,5 km diameter. These holes the size of lunar craters are excavated by huge bulldozers that dig sometimes 300 meters deep into the permafrost and then into black lava rock of over 53 million years old. We are almost in a science fiction movie: the mine and machinery are ultra modern, the scenery is pristine white and the miners work in extremely secure conditions. We are very far from the 19th century coal mines. For nine months of the year, the miners are isolated from the rest of the world, as there is no other way to access the site than by the ice road. We have exclusive access to the mine, a first, where we will film the daily grind of its 700 workers and go behind the scenes of ice-diamond prospecting. Our main character, Paul Drybones, is an aborigine Indian whose life was completely transformed by the diamond rush of the 90’s. He is now a diamond prospector who works a good living for Rio Tinto in the most impressive and cinematographic mines of all, called Diavik. Paul is also a nature-lover and lives with his family in a small village about an hour away from the mine. His wife takes the ice road every day to bring their children to school. A story of life in nature, and yet in a modern world.
The concept of eugenics is often associated with Nazism and its horrifying quest for racial purification. However, the practice actually began in the U.S., at the beginning of the 20th century, with the first eugenics laws coming into effect there as early as 1907, and remaining on the books until the 1970s. This film travels from America to Europe to tell the harrowing and heartbreaking stories of tens of thousands of forced sterilizations behind the pursuit of the twisted notion of "good birth".
In recent years, eating has become a health hazard. We love our potato chips, candy, and fast food…however bad they are for our health. And we still continue to consume these products in ever greater quantities. After the war on tobacco, a new battle is underway: the fight for healthier food. So, why do we consume so much processed food and why are we so hooked on it? How exactly does the relentless agribusiness keep us coming back for more? How does it mold our tastes, influence our cravings and feed our addictions? The few independent researchers who dare raise concerns about processed food are often ignored. Opposite them, the giant multinationals who fund the majority of research into nutrition are highly organized, and present at every level of decision-making. They are even involved in government campaigns on nutrition and health. Rémi, our French-American reporter, will investigate current eating habits in Europe and America, and meet those involved in this new global food war. We will hear from scientists tracking sugar addiction, the businessmen playing on our weaknesses, legal experts preparing to challenge the might of the industry, and simple lovers of good food. A compelling documentary that reveals the latest ways the agribusiness is trying to tempt us, and the ways we as consumers can try to resist.
Built in the 16th century by François the 1st, a king deeply in love with nature and culture, Chambord’s castle is one of the most singular treasures that the French Renaissance has left us. But Chambord is also the largest and the most ancient enclosed forest park in Europe. In the majestic gardens of the castle live an incredibly rich flora and fauna. With its 5440 acres of forest, animals now rule the Chambord Kingdom. Many rare species such as ospreys, salamanders, black storks, wildcats abound and live in a natural state. With its variety of trees and its many different types of mammals, amphibians and birds, the park is pioneer in wildlife conservation and houses a unique biodiversity. In a blue-chip wildlife documentary, renowned director Laurent Charbonnier takes us into a microcosm of the European forest, for a whole year, and captures the beauty of an untamed environment as the seasons come and go.
In the frozen steppes of the Altay, a Franco-Mongolian archeological expedition prepares to excavate the tomb of an Eastern Scythian warrior, 2 300 years old. Their ritual practice of deep burial of the dead, in combination with extreme climatic conditions, may mean that these scientists will discover the last frozen tombs on the planet, and will elucidate the mysteries surrounding this Scythian horseman. Who was he? How did he live? How did he die? This investigation will enable new light to be shed on this forgotten civilization. Alongside the excavations, a family of Kazakh nomads have set up their summer camp, attracted by the unusual activity. Striking similarities appear between the lifestyles and practices of these Kazakhs and the Eastern Scythians, two millennia apart in time. Intertwined with the archeological research is thus a fascinating ethno-archeological study, of one of the last peoples still isolated from modernity, and their possible very ancient ancestors. But for the Kazakhs too, the question arises - how long will they survive in their isolation?
In the northwest of Nepal, men scale the vertiginous rock faces of the Himalayas to gather the honey of wild bees. These expert climbers risk their lives every spring at an altitude of more than 3,000 metres where they face the giant Apis Laboriosa bees, the biggest species on the planet. This year, Moti, a young boy, will be part of the expedition and will climb the cliffs for the first time. He’d like to become a honey hunter like his father. Gathering the honey involves an extremely dangerous high-wire act. Hanging from a ladder made of woven bamboo and with nothing to steady him, Moti climbs up the cliff. Without any protection, he approaches the swarm which can be more than a meter high. Moti seems full of confidence, but he must exhibit both patience and endurance to become a true honey hunter. His enthusiasm is a good sign for the continuation of this disappearing activity. But will he be able to step into his father’s shoes?
March 9th, 1953, 5 million people attend Stalin’s funeral. A godly event for one of History’s biggest criminal. A revolutionary lacking in both charisma and stature, Stalin came to power almost by chance, and his 30-year reign saw him become the most Machiavellian and bloodthirsty of dictators. The man who insisted on being called “The Father of the People” massacred his own countrymen, and was responsible for the death of some 20 million people. Soon forgetting his former ideological stance, he mercilessly crushed anyone who opposed him, in both word and deed. His camps for reform through hard labor – known as “gulags” – turned 18 million Russians into slaves. He not only murdered his opponents but his best friends too, and even sometimes members of his own family. His cruelty knew know bounds. Through colorized archive material rich in previously unseen footage, and many accounts from the period including some from Stalin himself, this documentary tells the story of a man who turned a dream into a nightmare.
Everyone knows that eugenics was one of the ideological pillars of Nazism. However, it continued in Europe and in the United States until the 1970’s. In the United States, more than 60,000 people were denied children under widespread campaigns of forced sterilization. In Sweden, 63,000 people were sterilized, mostly after the Second World War. The film switches deftly between the explanation of historians and the testimony of victims who continue to struggle for recognition of the harm they have suffered, which has been erased from the collective memory.
On 21 August 2009, the Swiss government handed over the names of 4,500 American tax evaders to the US Congress, ending the legendary principle of secrecy on which the country’s banks had built their reputation for almost a century. How did the United States manage to force Switzerland to comply? One of the world’s biggest tax havens, the country had until now remained unreceptive to demands for greater transparency from around the globe. Why did UBS – the global leader in private fortune management – decide to waive its clients’ anonymity? The Birkenfeld scandal, named after the American banker who denounced UBS’s practices, led to an economic and political war between the mighty of America and Switzerland. UBS, exposed as inciting tax evasion on US territory, had been caught in a trap and dragged Switzerland down with it. Bankers, lawyers and politicians, all directly involved in this scandal of seismic proportions, recount the end of Swiss banking secrecy and the worries that now grip the country.
The mountains of the Caucasus form a magical border between Europe and Asia. Filmmaker Henry M. Mix and his crew spent over a year in Russia's highest mountains. The result is an impressive documentary about the natural wonders to be found between the Black and Caspian Seas. The wild mountain landscape with its extreme climate has created a unique world of flora and fauna and makes the Caucasus one of the world's 25 most significant centres of biodiversity. Mountain bison, Caucasus snowcock and tur are only found here. In the rain shadow of the snow-covered main ridge live Saiga antelopes, long-eared hedgehogs and short-toed snake eagles. Epic footage, breathtaking aerial photography and hitherto unseen behaviour of rare animals – Greater Caucasus has its viewers spellbound from the first minute on.
Each day, some 2.5 trillion bytes of data are exchanged, a deluge known as "big data." How can we classify, store, and give meaning to this mass of digital information? Will our digital society remain capable of producing a lasting memory? Learn the fate of memory storage in the future.
To immerse the viewer in this amazing adventure, this documentary blends drama with explanations by passionate historians and specialists, enriched by historical reconstructions. From 1027 to 1087, this film retraces 60 years in the life of a man who transformed the Middle Ages and laid the foundations of a new Europe.
Beyond the famous speeches and wealth of media material on the statesman, we span the century as seen from behind the scenes of an exceptional itinerary in order to capture the true dimension of one of the greatest European political figures. Like a thrilling biopic, by turn moving, funny and epic, our documentary is up to its hero. Carefully remastered and colorized, the film draws from a wealth of visual and sound archives, to give an all-encompassing view of both the private and public man. Through the contrasted chapters of his existence, it thus offers a new, unseen before perspective on Churchill’s character and how he related to power and his contemporaries in order to lift the veil on a colourful, puzzling, paradoxical and captivating personality.
Mexico, 20 August 1940. Trotsky was murdered, an icepick to the head. With his death came the end of a 20-year duel at the very heart of the Communist movement. Stalin, at the head of the Kremlin, had finally eliminated his long-standing rival. Both leading figures in the Revolution, Stalin and Trotsky stopped at nothing to get their hands on the levers of absolute power. Over three decades, Stalin had lifted Russia to the rank of the world's second-largest superpower. Trotsky, having formed the Red Army and led it to victory against the White Armies, was an equally strategic mind. Stalin versus Trotsky, a duel between two radically different men. One was the son of a Georgian cobbler, the other a Jewish intellectual. One a methodical, calculating man; the other, a brilliant, enthusiastic mind. One a cynical schemer; the other, an idealist. This was an ideological duel between two visions of Communism; a political duel, a duel for power, and above all, a duel to the death. By eliminating Trotsky, Stalin rose to supreme office and cemented his place in history.
We know less than 10% of the organisms that populate the underground world and that, each in their own way, take an active part in creating the soil. We are just beginning to discover that plants form partnerships and create complex unions. Welcome to this subtle, surprising and secret world.
Take a journey alongside scientists into an underground maze with huge surprises in store. They lead us into monumental cavities, shaped by water and by time. They reveal to us mineral jewels of staggering beauty, and shed light on certain species of fauna that defy the imagination.
Eternal life is humanity’s oldest dream. It may be finally coming true. Today, at least in the West, the quest for immortality has shifted from the metaphysical to the technical and the scientific. Are they selling a reality or utopia?
Brain Overload While the human brain can only process a limited number of tasks at the same time, our current information society is pushing its capacities to the extreme. Is there a point where our brain becomes incapable of processing the information it receives? Can we adapt?
Despised, feared, eradicated. Flies have always been a bugbear to mankind. No matter how hard we’ve tried to keep them at bay, they’ve survived and are still invading our everyday lives. But what most people don’t know is; we actually need them. Flies are not simply a nuisance. These insects have evolved across millennia to become incredibly successful. As pollinators and recyclers, they are a vital part of a functioning ecosystem. From medicinal maggots to forensic fly evidence, these often-loathed creatures can be as useful as they are annoying. Fly research is also inspiring high-resolution cameras, tiny flying robots, and even better understanding of the human brain. The Great Australian Fly provides a smart, lighthearted look at the cultural and natural history of Australia’s flies, and our very human battle to control them. Inventive and entertaining, the documentary combines quirky archive, “fly-cam” footage, animation, personal stories, and the latest macro-technology to create an unusual tale of the most irritating yet vital species, and to explore what can we learn from this tiny but fascinating creature.
Deep down at the bottom of the ocean lies the mysterious world of the abyss. Here, in the world’s greatest desert, plant and animal life are scarce. And yet, in the midst of boiling, toxic geysers, an environment thought hostile to all life forms, a rich ecosystem flourishes. This miracle is possible thanks to bacteria, micro-organisms crucial to all living beings. How can bacteria survive in such extreme conditions? What lessons can we learn from this incredible profusion of life? To answer these questions, a scientific expedition heads to the depths of the Atlantic to study these creatures of the extreme, including the horse mussel and the vent shrimp, which prosper against all odds thanks to amazing symbiotic relationships with these bacteria. The study of these deep-sea interactions will allow experts to draw parallels with our own relationship to bacteria, since our own bodies host billions of them.
Jacqueline Auriol, French aviatrix and Jacqueline Cochran, American aviatrix -- Their extraordinary supersonic duel lasted 15 years through the 1950's and 1960's, and saw both Jacquelines write their names in aviation history. Their passion: to become the world's fastest flyer.
May 8, 1945. While the Allied troops were parading through liberated towns to cheering crowds, the Second World War was in its final, apocalyptic hours. The weeks preceding the end of the conflict would usher in a new world. The Soviets, more powerful than ever, invaded conquered territories and terrorized survivors. The last Nazi soldiers attempted to escape their inevitable fates. Throughout a continent in ruins, the Allies, viewed as heroes, were preparing for the advent of a democratic Europe. Using colorized archive images, some of which have never before been seen, the film immerses viewers into the intensity of these final events: from combats, which finally offered peace and freedom to oppressed people, to the best-kept diplomatic secrets. A victory, which also marked the first day of an historic confrontation: the Cold War.
This program recounts and recreates the 1798 campaign of Napoleon Bonaparte to conquer Egypt
Naachtun is the last city of the Maya golden age. We know little about it and archaeologists have started excavation just a few years ago. Isolated in the middle of the tropical forest of Guatemala, the researchers are trying to understand how it can have survived for almost 200 years after the collapse of the Mayan civilization in surrounding cities, and in doing so, to shed new light on the history of this people. Using ambitious resources, including 4K HD cameras, drones, and cutting-edge graphics, the result is an exciting adventure combined with an in-depth scientific study. This documentary promises the account of an epic saga.
Hjalmar Schacht is a largely forgotten figure. And yet, Hitler’s rise to power depended on him. Adapted from the novel The Devil’s Banker by Jean-François Bouchard, this documentary paints the portrait of a fascinating character, at once intellectually brilliant and imbued with an icy cynicism, and who, paradoxically, was never a member of the Nazi party, despite being one of its pillars.
It is a word that sends a chill down the spine: “Ahnenerbe”. This was the name of the research institute set up to prove the scientific foundation of Nazi ideology. Driven by a scientific megalomania, the race for new discoveries led the institution to carry out countless acts of barbarism. Stored on hundreds of microfilms which are only now available, the reports from this institution reveal the gruesome secrets of science according to Hitler.
It took less than 10 years for Hitler to set up the concentration camps, many of which became centers for mass killing. As research and archaeological exploration continue, this documentary reveals the established historiographical elements to explain how a system of concentrating populations so quickly became the rationalized apparatus of genocide.
Leonardo da Vinci is not just the most famous and most admired of all painters - he is an icon, a superstar. Yet, the man himself remains elusive. Accounts during his lifetime describe a man too handsome, too strong, too perfect to be accurate. But in 2009, the chance discovery in the South of Italy of an ancient portrait with strangely familiar features takes the art world by storm. Could this be an unknown self-portrait by Leonardo da Vinci? Controversy erupts among the experts. The implications of such a discovery have far-reaching consequences for our understanding of the work of this great Renaissance master. Like a CSI of art, Leonardo, The Man Behind the Portrait brings us to the heart of an extensive investigation involving world-renowned experts, art historians, scientists and even police detectives. The newest, most innovative scientific techniques plunge us back 600 years into the life of the greatest master of Italian Renaissance. Like a passing through the mirror, we will recreate the probable events surrounding the creation of his portrait, in the brilliant and decadent Florence of the Quattrocento, living its last moments of artistic glory.
The Queen’s Hamlet is a palace disguised as a peasant’s cottage hidden in the Versailles gardens. A romantic hideaway, Marie-Antoinette conceived it as a reminder of her carefree youth in Vienna. The Revolution left it for a ruin. Now, two centuries later its renovation finally begins.
Humanity’s history has been full of great architects. However, what is less well known is that animals are also very talented. Embark on a surprising journey along with bowerbirds, ants, beavers, and chimpanzees to discover their secret skills.
In the 12th century, relations between the English monarchy and the kings of France were hostile. Although both forces fought together in the Holy Land on the Third Crusade, the alliance fell apart upon their return when Philip II, King of France, betrayed Richard the Lionheart by taking back part of Normandy. To protect his rich and strategic lands, the English king decided to build an impregnable castle to bar the route along the Seine, thus asserting his supremacy in Normandy. The kingdom had to be protected at all costs, and there was no time to lose. Construction began in October 1197, and in less than two years, his men had completed a huge fort on the banks of the Seine using innovative architecture. This colossal project took up a quarter of the annual budget of the English crown. Looking at the finished structure, King Richard used the French word “Gaillard” to describe the castle’s strength. With its monumental dimensions, the building acquired the name which would send a shiver down the spine of more than one enemy. Yet only four years later, France’s King Philip besieged the site at the head of an army of 6,000 men, determined to take control of this stone monolith, despite its incredible defenses. But how would they manage to topple the impregnable fortress? A great architectural adventure and gripping account of war, The Daunting Fortress of Richard the Lionheart is the story of an amazing feat of medieval military construction.
Five times, the Earth has faced apocalyptic events. Cataclysms that have swept away all life forms, or almost. Each time, a handful of species has survived, establishing a new world. What did these prehistoric worlds look like? What catastrophes led to their disappearance? How did our distant ancestors manage to survive the five mass extinctions that the Earth has suffered, finally giving rise to the world we know today? Combining CGI of ancient animal and plant life, VFX, and filming, Prehistoric Worlds looks back at the five mass extinctions of life on Earth that allowed the advent of the human race. On the brink of a sixth mass extinction that the scientific community considers imminent – this time caused by mankind – this film gives us an interesting and powerful look at Man's existence on the scale of the history of our planet.
A worldwide scientific investigation on tsunamis. Thanks to exclusive access in Palu, Indonesia, follow the UN’s hand-picked scientific team of "tsunamis hunters". Where do they strike? How do they submerge us? What can we do to survive them?
Summer 1789: Louis XVI knows that civil war is close and assembles a force of 25,000 soldiers to establish his authority. One of France’s most famous battles is about to begin. On July 14 at 9am, the French people establish their plan of attack and head for the Bastille, a symbol of royal absolutism. At 5pm, the Bastille falls to the people, and with it, brings down the foundations of the French monarchy. With the help of experts, 3D modeling, and reconstructions, this documentary revisits the key events of the storming of the Bastille, a turning point of the French Revolution, and invites us to rediscover the history of this legendary monument. Through the streets of Paris with the revolutionaries, and inside the Bastille with the king’s army, we will relive, hour by hour, the armed battles and military strategies of this legendary day that sent a shockwave around the world.
Bacteria, viruses, but also fungus spores, algae, pollen, and even insects: microorganisms are constantly drifting through the sky. How can so many living beings find their way into the air and be circulating in our atmosphere? How do they survive? What is their influence on our lives and our entire living world? Biodiversity, health, climate – scientists are only now discovering just how much this discreet airborne "plankton" affects our lives and the entire ecosystem on Earth. But despite its many virtues, this magic matter is now under threat from human activity. With help from experts and using 3D visual effects, this scientific investigation will take us to the heart of a world that is still very little understood, and will reveal the diversity and fragility of the air we breathe.
