In Syria, the new government that overthrew Bashar al-Assad's regime on 8 December 2024 has just signed a historic agreement with the Kurds in the north-east of the country. In the heart of a country ravaged by more than 13 years of civil war, this autonomous administration of Syrian Kurdistan could well be integrated into a country that is in need of reconstruction and whose unity remains fragile. But in the north, the war has not stopped. A few kilometres away, neighbouring Turkey has been stepping up its attacks on Rojava for years, while militia abuses persist and the threat of Islamic State continues to loom. From Kobane to Raqqa via the Al-Hol prison camp... For this new long-form feature, Blast took to the roads of northern Syria in January 2025.
7.7Britney Spears has said that her conservatorship had become “an oppressive and controlling tool against her”. This New York Times investigation reveals much of how it worked, including an intense surveillance apparatus that monitored every move she made.
0.0At once a vast expanse of mesmerizing desolation and the crucible of human history, the Sahara Desert has been both the battlefield of empires and the haunted wilderness at the margins of the known world for thousands of years. Shot on location, this exhilarating documentary brings to life the Sahara’s cruel history and the conflicts that still plague its people. THE SAHARA recounts the story of kings who once led caravans of 30,000 people across the desert, bearing riches beyond imagination. It tells of Roman death squads that exterminated the citizens of the Empire’s most bitter rival and how the Foreign Legion crafted a legend out of last stands and lost causes. From the fabled metropolis of Timbuktu to the shores of Tripoli, THE SAHARA is an illuminating exploration of this unforgiving and remote land of myth and mirage.
0.0This documentary recounts the history of modern aviation (primarily in Britain) from roughly 1900 until the inter-war period, using old monochrome footage of original aircraft, contemporary color footage of replica planes in flight as well as a number of photographs of famous aviators.
7.3Girl next door, activist, so-called traitor, fitness tycoon, Oscar winner: Jane Fonda has lived a life of controversy, tragedy and transformation – and she’s done it all in the public eye. An intimate look at one woman’s singular journey.
0.0“Negotiators, how to make peace” is a documentary that takes a penetrating look at the identity and evolution of people who seek solutions to armed conflicts in places such as Colombia, Mexico, South Sudan and the Balkans.
0.0A documentary about the career of legendary production designer Joe Alves and his four decades in Hollywood.
7.7Our planet is running out of drinking water. Only a vanishingly small proportion of the world's water is available as usable fresh water. This precious resource is beginning to shrink at an alarming rate, as natural water reservoirs are out of balance due to climate change. The documentary accompanies research projects that offer hope.
0.0Kaniela: The Danny Kaleikini Story, is a biographical documentary based on the life of the man known as Hawaii’s Ambassador of Aloha, as told in his own words. Born into a large family with limited resources, Kaleikini learned the value of hard work by selling newspapers, shining shoes and singing on street corners at a young age to help support his family. He developed his singing and entertaining skills during his family’s weekend backyard parties. Kaleikini began working in Hawaii’s tourism industry in the 1950’s and after learning lessons from other local entertainers, blossomed into a beloved and globally known entertainer with over 30 years of performing in Hawaii, Las Vegas and Japan.
4.2The documentary project The Term was conceived in May 2012. When the directing trio commenced mapping the Russian sociopolitical landscape, Vladimir Putin had just settled into the Kremlin for his third term. The original experimental format of “documentary bulletins,” which were published daily online, allowed for wide-ranging content; in the feature film version, however, the filmmakers focused solely on the members of various opposition groups. Nevertheless, the work’s neutral position remains and viewers have to interpret the objectively presented situations for themselves. The main characteristics of this strongly authentic movie include close contact with the protagonists, precise editing, and an effectively controlled release of information.
0.0One of the most unique performance events in Australia, Trans Glamoré is the premiere community event for transgender people in Sydney to come and express their true identities on stage in a safe and supportive environment. Local DJ celebrity Victoria Anthony has poured her heart and soul into organising the event for transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming people everywhere to come to and enjoy since late 2017. While COVID has been a challenging time for Victoria, she perseveres in returning the show to stage.
10.0The story of how the original Godzilla went from idea to script to screen.
6.0A short documentary capturing the experiences and feelings of staff at a Family Video rental store in Kalamazoo, Michigan on their last day of operation following the steady rise of streaming services and the final blow dealt by the pandemic.
8.8A documentary of Turkish political history about multi-party period, Democrat Party government and the coup d'etat of 27th May. Including eye-witness interviews with journalists, officers, politicians and family members.
1.0In 1999, the largely conservative Wairarapa district in New Zealand elected a former cabaret performer/actress named Georgina Beyer to the country's House of Parliament -- a seemingly unremarkable event in that country's history except for the fact that Beyer is a transsexual and may very well be the first transsexual in the world to be elected to a national office. In their 2002 biographical documentary Georgie Girl, co-directors Peter Wells and Annie Goldson highlight the popular Member of Parliament's rapid rise through local government to prominence in the New Zealand national government.
6.8Commissioned by the journal Présence Africaine, this short documentary examines how African art is devalued and alienated through colonial and museum contexts. Beginning with the question of why African works are confined to ethnographic displays while Greek or Egyptian art is celebrated, the film became a landmark of anti-colonial cinema and was banned in France for eight years.
3.3Depicts what happens when students K-8 discuss LGBT-related topics in age-appropriate ways. Shot in six public and private schools (in San Francisco and New York City, as well as Madison, Wisconsin, and Cambridge, Massachusetts), It’s Elementary models excellent teaching about family diversity, name-calling, stereotypes, community building, and more.
8.2The documentary “The Leopard Rocks” accompanies Neelam, a female leopard, as she fights for the lives of her offspring, and provides a fascinating insight into the lives and adventures of one of the world's most interesting big cat species in a unique, unusual environment.
0.0In a decaying Soviet-era retirement home, a vibrant group of elders cling to life by staging Shakespeare. Yet loneliness lingers beyond the theater’s doors, until drama begins to blur with reality.
7.5The first of a documentary serie about rural France.
