It's one of the most corrupt countries in the world and widely criticised for its human rights record but this year Azerbaijan is hosting Eurovision - one of the most glitzy TV music competitions in the world.
Self - Host
Celebrating 50 years since ABBA won Eurovision in 1974 with Waterloo, through the extraordinary and entertaining story of how international stardom almost didn't happen for the group.
This definitive music documentary, featuring a greatest hits soundtrack and bounty of classic performance clips, provides an inside look into how Swedish pop group ABBA's music was made, as the former members and various colleagues tell their story from pre-ABBA days onward.
A documentary project that shows viewers behind the scenes of this cultural exchange and explores the current processes of integrating Ukrainian culture into the European context. The heroes of the project are the participants and visitors of the festival, who demonstrate with their own stories the unique connection and cultural integration of Ukraine into the plane of Liverpool, one of the cultural capitals of Europe. In particular, Sarah Fisher, director of Liverpool's Open eye gallery, Yuliia Kurinna, a volunteer and displaced person from Nova Kakhovka, and actor and director Yurii Radionov will share their thoughts.
Documentary about the Intervision Song Contest in general and the 1980 edition in particular. Focuses on Finland's participation and the shipyard strikes in Gdansk at the time.
Documentary about Spain's 1968 victory in the Eurovision Song Contest and the suspicions of foul play by the Franco regime.
"La Vira - the secret menu" documentary produced by the State Security Service in collaboration with Real TV
Stien den Hollander, stage name S10, a candid and vulnerable insight into her life. In the documentary, directors Linda Hakeboom and Rolf Hartogensis follow the life of the young singer for two years. S10 shares stories from her early childhood and about her psychological problems with unprecedented openness through her music. S10's career gains momentum due to her participation in the Eurovision Song Contest, but her past continues to haunt her. Doubt, fear and uncertainty arise in the whirlwind of her artist life.
Nemo looks back at his career and journey so far and then takes us along for the ride all the way to the Eurovision Song Contest.
For many, the Eurovision Song Contest is the chance for a Pan-European party. But it is also highly political, especially for countries in Eastern Europe. When Ukrainian group Kalush Orchestra won in 2022, it was a message of European solidarity against Russian aggression.
The pro-Palestinian, anti-capitalist, BDSM-provocative, techno-punk performance art ensemble Hatari unsurprisingly drew attention to themselves with their performance at the Icelandic qualifiers for the Eurovision Song Contest. So much so that they won and therefore were allowed to perform at the main event in Tel Aviv. But what now? Should they boycott the event, swallow their idealism, or use their airtime to criticise the host country for their illegal occupation of Palestine? The Icelandic director Anna Hildur joins the boys in the band all the way to the fateful final.
After ABBA won Eurovision in 1974 Sweden was tasked with hosting it the next year. This documentary tells the story of that production and places it in the social and political context of Sweden in 1975 and a music scene that was anything but supportive of the endeavour.
Documentary following singer Olly Alexander as he prepares to represent the United Kingdom at the long-running celebration of music, the Eurovision Song Contest. Cameras follow the Years and Years singer on the promotional circuit as he releases his song Dizzy, juggles press attention, performs at European parties in Madrid and London and prepares for the event itself
A light-hearted but revealing profile of the 2006 British Eurovision representative.
Documentary following Germany's representatives Lord of the Lost on their journey to Eurovision.
The film "Eternal Mission" tells about the tumultuous fate of the delegation of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic sent to the Paris Peace Conference in January 1919 under the leadership of Alimardan Bey Topchubashov, the Speaker of the Parliament.
Peter Urban has commentated Eurovision for German audiences for 25 years and as he is stepping down he takes a look back at his memories and the evolution of the contest during that time.
Love it or hate it, the Eurovision Song Contest has not only redefined Europe, it has redefined music. Conceived in 1956 as a great televised musical event which would bring peace and harmony to Europe, it has since launched meteoric careers and made hits of songs such as Waterloo, Volare and Boom Bang a Bang. It has also bred an annual hotbed of political intrigue, racial rivalry, allegations of bribery and plain old sour grapes. In this programme Abba, Sandie Shaw, Cliff Richard and many others sing while Katie Boyle, Bucks Fizz, John Peel, Michael Ball and Johnny Logan try to explain that special Eurovision "ring-a-ding-ding".
New girl band Precious are representing the UK in next Saturday's Eurovision Song Contest. This programme follows the five girls' rise to fame, from their first appearance on Top of the Pops to the point where they learnt that they will represent the country with Say It Again.
Earlier this year Andrew Lloyd Webber was a man with a mission - to put the UK back on the Eurovision map. On the BBC's Your Country Needs You he set out to find this year's Eurovision act and wrote the song, It's My Time, with the award-winning Diane Warren. The public chose Jade Ewen, and Eurovision: Jade's Story follows her from the moment she won through to her final preparations and her first rehearsals in the vast Olympiyski Stadium in Moscow.