Life in the Fast Lane

Le Mans 55, une tragédie française(fr)

The Le Mans race in 1955 made history through tragedy when more than 80 spectators were killed. Uncover the story of the crash that took the lives of so many and, to this day, looms over the world of motorsports.

Teenicide(en)

One in a series of traffic safety films made in 1950 by James S. Kemper for the Lumbermans Mutual Casualty Company, with the technical assistance of the LAPD, "Teenicide" addresses the alarming issue of teenage driving-related deaths. The film referrs to "teenocide" because as the police officer narrator states, there has been an 86% increase in the 15-24 age group over the past 25 years.

Faces of Death II(en)

Brief scenes of death related material: mortuaries, accidents and police work are filmed by TV crews and home video cameras. Some of it is most likely fake, some not as much.

Okamih rozhoduje(sk)

Collision Rescue(en)

When two parties get in a head-on collision, it's up to emergency services to free them from the wreckage. What follows is a demonstration of what their job and duties entail.

Mr. Death(no)

An exclusive interview with Death as he goes about his everyday business.

Boobytrap!(en)

In the new world of high-speed highway driving, there are a host of new dangers to take into account.

Your Inbox Is Full(en)

The 3rd installment in James A. Burkhalter's QUEER ROOTS trilogy: After years of his mother begging him to do it, James decides to finally review and erase 10 years' worth of phone messages. It tells the story of James' "roaring twenties," constructed solely through the voices of friends, family, and lovers.

Humboldt: The New Season(en)

A devastating highway accident in April 2018 thrust Humboldt, Saskatchewan into an international spotlight and voices from across the globe responded with sorrowful condolences, vigils and tributes. As the shock subsided and the world stepped back allowing the community to grieve, the directors of Humboldt: The New Season remained near the families. This is a story of healing without ever forgetting or letting go.

The High Way to Die(en)

Produced by Jack McGaw and co-produced by The National Research Council, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation of Communications, and Toronto/Ontario Provincial Police, they demonstrate dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs with participating young drivers alongside field experts and researchers to aid in their experiments.

Dad... Can I Borrow the Car?(en)

A live-action short, using many avant-garde film techniques, that looks at American car culture in the late 1960s. The main section deals with the many trials and obstacles a teenager must face on the path to being able to drive. Surviving the driver's education class is only the first step, as the teenager must then pass his driving test, and then finally get permission to borrow the family car.

Yarik vive(es)

Hell's Highway: The True Story of Highway Safety Films(en)

This film covers the early history of post World War II educational films, especially those involving traffic safety by the Highway Safety Foundation under direction of Richard Wayman. In the name of promoting safe driving in teenagers, these films became notorious for their gory depiction of accidents to shock their audiences to make their point. The film also covers the role of safety films of this era, their effect on North American teenage culture, the struggle between idealism and lurid exploitation and how they reflected the larger society concerns of the time that adults projected onto their youth.

Safety on the City Streets(en)

Made for hearing impaired children to help teach them lip-reading, the content discusses the importance of safety rules for children and vehicles on city streets. It emphasizes various safety measures, including obeying traffic signals, being alert, and thinking before acting. The characters in the story remind each other of these rules while navigating their environment, highlighting the dangers of neglecting safety practices. The narrative illustrates the consequences of forgetting safety rules through examples of characters almost getting hurt and the need for constant vigilance.

Behind the Life of Chris Gaines(en)

To promote the release of his album Garth Brooks in... The Life of Chris Gaines, Garth Brooks appeared as Chris Gaines in a television "mockumentary," a version of VH1's seminal cable classic Behind the Music, featuring a totally made-up tale that just may be the greatest rock n' roll documentary ever made. This piece of art has everything that makes the story of being a rockstar fucking cool. It has childhood trauma, record label trauma, death, disfigurement, a plane crash, a car crash, sex addiction, redemption, a house fire, random unexplained commentary from Billy Joel, and more sex addiction.

The Attitude Factor(en)

A 1981 educational film about the perils of school bus drivers having a bad attitude while on the job. Follow Barbara, a model employee... until she developed a bad attitude and let it effect her job performance.

Manufacturing Ignorance(fr)

Tobacco, climate change, pesticides,... Never has scientific knowledge seemed so vast, detailed and shared. And yet it appears to be increasingly challenged. It is no longer surprising to see private corporations put strategies in place to confuse the public debate and paralyze political decision-making. Overwhelmed by excess of information, how can we, as citizens, sort out fact from fiction? One by one, this film dismantles the workings of this clever manoeuvre that aims to turn science against itself. Thanks to declassified archives, graphic animations and testimonies from experts, lobbyists and politicians, this investigation plunges us into the science of doubt. Along with a team of experts (philosophers, economists, cognitive scientists, political men, or even agnotologists), we explore concrete examples of doubt making and try to understand the whole process and the issues behind it.

Dear Brother(de)

Markus Becker is hit by a car, dragged along, his head bashed on a curb and he falls into a coma. The doctors don’t believe that the 45-year-old will survive the next five to ten days. His father makes preparations for the funeral. Markus’ brother Michael refuses to accept this fate and begins an extraordinary battle. In his brother’s apartment he seals Markus’ clothes to preserve the smell. He records the neighbors’ voices. Every day, Michael exposes his brother to things that are familiar and films everything that is part of Markus’ life with a DV camera. He wants to keep him in his world and to bring this world to his bedside. He documents every step of Markus’ development, risking his own life in the process, wishing that his brother will one day regain the ability to lead a normal life. This full-length documentary accompanies Michael Becker for 10 years on his unwavering and creative mission to bring his brother Markus back to life.

Fallout: When and How to Protect Yourself Against It(en)

Informational short about the aftermath and avoidance of nuclear fallout.

Memento(en)

Experimental short film about car wreckage and automobile safety.