Bismuna - Ein Abenteuerfilm(1999)

Harvest of Peace(en)

Portrait of a group of 150 U.S. citizens who spent two weeks participating in the cotton harvest in a remote village in Nicaragua, seeing for themselves the impact of the U.S.-backed Contra war.

Ein Traum von Revolution(de)

When the revolution in Nicaragua won its victory nearly 40 years ago, the world began to dream. A young generation was taking the reins in a country of grand utopias. From West Germany alone, 15,000 “brigadists” travelled to help rebuild the war-torn country: liberals, greens, unionists, social democrats, leftists and church representatives harvested coffee and cotton, built schools, kindergartens and hospital wards. No movement has mobilised so many people. What became of the hopes and dreams of the revolutionaries and their supporters?

Flyin' Cut Sleeves(en)

FLYIN' CUT SLEEVES, completed in 1993, portrays street gang presidents in the Bronx. Their world was the streets, set against a backdrop of uprooted families, cultural alienation, drugs and violence. Neighborhood teenagers responded by organizing into street groups known to the members as "families", but labeled in the most alarming terms as violent gangs by the press. The documentation of these lives over a twenty-year period offers a remarkable perspective on life in the ghetto (spanning four generations), and the means that people devise to cope from the time that they are children to when they serve as parents and role models for a new generation.

Hakim Chajar - Projet Nicaragua(fr)

The Houses Are Full of Smoke(en)

A powerful three-part documentary studying the US involvement in Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua. The differing factions - Sandinista leaders, Guatemalan campesinos, CIA operatives, Contras and US government apologists - are interviewed and, in the absence of a controlling narration, the audience is encouraged to draw its own conclusions.

My Real Life(fr)

Montréal-Nord is one of those areas we euphemistically call “disadvantaged.” A place where drugs, poverty, delinquency, suicide and all kinds of dysfunction are depressingly commonplace. This is where the late Magnus Isacsson decided to film 18 months in the lives of four young men aged 17 to 22: Danny, Alex, Mickerson and Michael. Music is central to all of their lives. More than just a pastime, hip-hop is their outlet for coping with their demons. With the help of their teacher, mentor and friend Don Karnage, and driven by a fierce desire to overcome hardship, they learn to be adults. Winner of the award for Best Canadian Feature Film at the most recent Montreal International Documentary Festival, Ma vie réelle is an exceptionally astute document in which listening and generosity gain the power to defeat misery.

Hotel Laide(pt)

Pactes de silenci(ca)

Due to the increasing privatization of basic public services in Spain, companies such as BB Serveis are accused of misappropriating several million euros of public money intended to finance care for the elderly and other dependent persons.

Forged from Fire(en)

The story of how an Australian and international community of blacksmiths, welders, artists and volunteers responded to the devastating Black Saturday bush-fires by creating perhaps the nation's most ambitious public artwork and memorial – The Blacksmith's Tree, a three tonne, 9.8-meter tall stainless steel and copper gum tree.

Nicaragua Part 1: Voyages(en)

Composed of stills by renowned Magnum photographer Susan Meiselas taken in 1978 and 1979 during the overthrow of the fifty-year dictatorship of the Somoza family. Written in the form of a letter from Meiselas to Karlin, it is a ruminative and often profound exploration of the ethics of witnessing, the responsibilities of war photography and the politics of the still image.

Nicaragua Part 2: The Making of a Nation(en)

Shot in 1983–84 and focusing on the work of the Historical Institute, this film witnesses how Nicaraguans are recovering their history, the memory of Sandino’s struggle, to transform their sense of identity.

Nicaragua Part 3: In Their Time(en)

Through the eyes of journalists and photographers working at Barricada, the official publication of the FSLN, the film observes the problems of putting socialism into practice, with reports on the war, the economy, the prison system and the political process leading up to the 1984 elections.

Nicaragua Part 4: Changes(en)

A portrait of a remote area in the rural north of Nicaragua facing difficulties with the revolutionary process. It follows Marlon Stuart, the regional FSLN political organiser, at the time of the 1984 elections.

Bananas!*(en)

Juan “Accidentes” Dominguez is on his biggest case ever. On behalf of twelve Nicaraguan banana workers he is tackling Dole Food in a ground-breaking legal battle for their use of a banned pesticide that was known by the company to cause sterility. Can he beat the giant, or will the corporation get away with it?

Land(en)

American resort developers bear down on the wild west coast of Nicaragua, hoping to build the next tourist paradise. With lax labour and environmental regulations, some of the developers take full advantage of the situation, and the local fishermen start accusing them of exploitation and land thievery. Unexpectedly, in the midst of this conflict, firebrand Daniel Ortega and the Sandinistas sweep back into government, boldly empowering the local fishermen. The tables turn viciously on the American developers, who get much more than they bargained for. But when the local fishermen, corrupted by new found power, begin acting in the same manner as the American developers, questions are posed about human nature, morality, and ethics on a much larger scale.

Where's Foster?(en)

Social workers dispel myths about why children are removed from their biological parents, breaking down their overwhelming workload. Lawyers uncover the harsh reality of young children navigating the legal system. Advocacy organizations try to keep children safe and away from predators. An eclectic array of interviews from foster care alumni explore their connections (or lack thereof) with social workers, the fragile bond with each foster home, how trust can fall apart, and how those unable to adapt spent time in group homes. The film concludes with alumni success stories, working to remove the stigma of foster care.

Visit Nicaragua(es)

Looking for a few reasons why you should visit Nicaragua? Considering the country's two incredible coastlines, almost 20 volcanoes, lively colonial cities, abundant wildlife, rich culture, and delicious food, it won't be hard to convince you to put “visiting Nicaragua” at the top of your travel bucket list! Nicaragua, set between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, is a Central American nation known for its dramatic terrain of lakes, volcanoes and beaches. Vast Lake Managua and the iconic stratovolcano Momotombo sit north of the capital Managua. To its south is Granada, noted for its Spanish colonial architecture and an archipelago of navigable islets rich in tropical bird life.

Sunflowers of Nicaragua(es)

Sixteen female sex workers have been named judicial aides by Nicaragua’s Supreme Court to facilitate the resolution of conflicts that come up in their work. It is the first time in the world that sex workers have had access to this function. The film accompanies some of these women in their mediation work and in the actions they promote through their association, Girasoles (Sunflowers) of Nicaragua, to gain recognition and regulations for autonomous sex work.

Scenes For A Revolution(en)

The film is about aftermaths and reckonings. Revisiting material for his earlier 4-part series, Karlin returns to Nicaragua to examine the history of the Sandinista government, consider its achievements, and assess the prospects for democracy following its defeat in the general election of 1990.

Nicaragua: A Nation's Right to Survive(en)

How can a country survive when its jungle borders hold 4000 hostile troops?