Professor Bettany Hughes investigates the story of Bacchus, god of wine, revelry, theatre and excess, travelling to Georgia, Jordan, Greece and Britain to discover his origins and his presence in the modern world, and explore how 'losing oneself' plays a vital role in the development of civilisation. Bettany begins in Georgia where she discovers evidence of the world's oldest wine production, and the role it may have played in building communities. In Athens she reveals Bacchus's pivotal role in a society where his ecstatic worship was embraced by all classes, and most importantly women. On Cyprus she uncovers startling parallels between Bacchus and Christ. Finally, Bettany follows the god's modern embrace in Nietzsche's philosophy, experimental theatre and the hedonistic hippie movement to conclude that, while this god of ecstasy is worthy of contemporary reconsideration, it is vital to heed the warning of the ancients - "MEDEN AGAN" - nothing in excess.
This award-winning, thrilling story is about a group of discarded kids who revolutionized skateboarding and shaped the attitude and culture of modern day extreme sports. Featuring old skool skating footage, exclusive interviews and a blistering rock soundtrack, DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS captures the rise of the Zephyr skateboarding team from Venice's Dogtown, a tough "locals only" beach with a legacy of outlaw surfing.
This shows physicist Stephen Hawking's life as he deals with the ALS that renders him immobile and unable to speak without the use of a computer. Hawking's friends, family, classmates, and peers are interviewed not only about his theories but the man himself.
A Bit of Scarlet excavates clips from Britain's cinema archives to create a moving and humorous testament to the closeted gay and lesbian images from filmmaking's earliest days.
Before the court of the Inquisition, the scientist Galileo defends his position in favor of Copernicus' thesis that the Earth revolves around the sun.
2500 years ago, in India, Siddhartha was born as a prince of the Shakya clan, but he gives up his position as a prince to see the world. He meets a strange boy named Assaji, who can predict the future, a monk with only one eye and Depa. Siddhartha continues traveling. Siddhartha is overwhelmed by the sufferings he witnesses around him. Meanwhile, Prince Ruri of Kosara begins his attack on the Shakya clan. Second Buddha movie from Tezuka Productions.
A reconstruction of the history of South Africa’s first opera company, Eoan, and an exercise in getting at the truth, not only showing what it meant to be "a colored" during the apartheid regime, but also evoking the painful memories of that time. Interviews with former members of Eoan, photos, newspaper clippings, sound recordings, archive footage of opera performances and street scenes featuring the residents of District 6 in Cape Town give an impression of the world in which these people lived. By paying attention to the way in which the documentary was made – to questions that were not asked and answers that were not officially given – the painful truth behind the images and faces is gradually revealed.
A biographical documentary following the life of a young Japanese priest and bar-owner.
Marcos, famous goalkeeper who made history in Palmeiras and in the Brazilian NT - with which he was world champion in 2002 -, has a reputation as a saint due to the beautiful defenses he makes in capo. Players, coaches, journalists and fans praise the skills of São Marcos and pay homage to the admirable man and tireless athlete who became an idol.
A new way of painting graffiti was born in Sao Paulo. Hip Hop was replaced by Brazilian regional culture and OsGemeos' crew works were spread to galleries around the world. However, a new visual pollution combat act made the City Hall cover their paintings in grey in their hometown.
For the Baby Boomers, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy took on the same sense of tragedy as the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks did for Generation Y - not only for the effect that it had on the nation's morale but for the conspiracy theories that would follow in its wake as well. In the aftermath of the assassination,
Charles Baudelaire was one of the giants of 19th-century French poetry, and he earned his position among that nation's luminaries through the poems in one slim volume, entitled Les Fleurs du Mal (Flowers of Evil). A perfectionist to the extreme, he struggled with every word of those few poems for many years before he consented to see them published. When he did, six of them were condemned by the state censors as obscene. It was surely a powerful blow to him to have such a significant part of his life's work so rudely suppressed. This courtroom drama follows him at the 1857 trial at which he defended his works. The filmmaker has chosen to symbolically re-enact certain poems about the love of a woman as they are being read for the court. It is easy to imagine that, as was certainly the case for the trial of Oscar Wilde in England, this courtroom trial was a form of punishment for his publicly dissolute lifestyle.
Pascual Iranzo is a famous and eccentric hairdresser from Barcelona with a unique idea of what it means to cut hair —and stylism— and an even more particular way of understanding the world. At 87 years of age, he maintains his supreme artistic skills and his incredible vitality. Between scissors, friends and cocktails, he is a man who never stops transforming and reinventing himself.
About Lenin's brother Alexander Ulyanov and his comrades' fight against the Russian autocracy.
Based in the backdrop of 19th century Bengal, Rosogolla is a story of a young man with a romantic heart and brilliant mind — Nabin Chandra Das, who had set his heart on making the most delicious sweet of all time for his wife, Khirodmoni. Rosogolla is a story of the many trial and tribulations in his journey of making something unique, of innocent love, struggle and human aspiration for novelty.
Following the deaths of his father and many others from his village, filmmaker Daniel Lambo sets off on a passionate quest to find the truth about the deadly asbestos industry. His search takes him to the largest asbestos waste dump in India and unveils a cold-blooded industry still endangering the lives of workers and consumers around the world. A gripping story on the fight of individuals against a booming asbestos industry.
Concert film dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the rock band Mashina Vremeni on May 27, 1989 at the Luzhniki Sports Palace.
The diaspora of Filipinos around the globe is driven mostly by the economics of supply and demand. The yearning for something better, stability, and self-validation leads a handful of sojourners from the provinces of the Philippines into the arms of one of its former colonial masters — the USA. But what happens when they finally get what they want? And how? Filmmaker Dennis Empalmado explores the musings of Filipino expatriates and hopeful immigrants in "Naglalakbay" (Travelers).
Gilda Love / Eduardo, the last transformist of the Chinese neighborhood of Barcelona, survives with a miserable pension while trying to continue acting on stage. His priorities are altered with the arrival to his life of Chloe and her mother, Hanna, with whom he will have the opportunity to form the family he has never had.
In 1976, Indonesian contemporary poet, Sutardji Calzoum Bachri, reads his poetry collection titled 'Amuk'. After 37 years, the sound record archive of that event is found in Jakarta Art Council. Using the archive, Rencong a.k.a DANGERDOPE, a hip-hop DJ from Aceh staged a music show.