Pacha's Notebook

Nothing to be Afraid of(en)

Ever since the war in Nagorno-Karabakh, the still disputed territory is contaminated by landmines. This documentary follows five female de-miners on their risky job.

Der lange Weg ans Licht(de)

Edeltraut Hertel - a midwife caught between two worlds. She has been working as a midwife in a small village near Chemnitz for almost 20 years, supporting expectant mothers before, during and after the birth of their offspring. However, working as a midwife brings with it social problems such as a decline in birth rates and migration from the provinces. Competition for babies between birthing centers has become fierce, particularly in financial terms. Obstetrics in Tanzania, Africa, Edeltraud's second place of work, is completely different. Here, the midwife not only delivers babies, she also trains successors, carries out educational and development work and struggles with the country's cultural and social problems.

The Distant Barking of Dogs(en)

Hnutove, Donbass, eastern Ukraine, 2015. Young Oleg lives in a war zone where anti-aircraft gunshots and missile attacks often resonate dangerously near. Although many inhabitants have already left this dangerous area, he remains with his grandmother, who has cared for him since his mother's death, because they have nowhere to go. They are just waiting for the war to end.

Myth(uk)

"Myth" was the callsign of Vasyl Slipak, the world-famous Ukrainian opera singer, a soloist of the Parisian National Opera, who left the big stage to become a volunteer, a warrior fighting in the East of Ukraine. The Hero of Ukraine, the Knight of the Order "Golden Star" and the Order "For Courage", Vasyl Slipak gave his life, defending Ukraine. This documentary is a real story of heroism and self-sacrifice, which makes us think over our own lives.

Operation: Jane Walk(en)

The war zone of a dystopian multiplayer shooting game is used to embark some urban explorers on a winter walk, avoiding the combats whenever possible, as peaceful observers, inhabitants of a digital world, which is a detailed replica of Midtown Manhattan.

Train “Kyiv-War”(uk)

The dramatic history of the Kyiv-Kostyantynivka train, with its passengers` unique fates, pain, memories, secrets, hopes, is a history of today Ukraine. Only 12.5 hours away from peaceful Kyiv is Kostyantynivka, a small industrial city in the eastern part of the country, immediately after which the front begins. This entire time people with different characters, social status, political views, and beliefs are traveling on the train side by side. They talk, debate, even quarrel, but speak to each other and go in a common direction. And what`s important, they all want to get to peace. This film is the voice of ordinary people, the search for dialogue and the path to a common future, where everyone’s voice will be heard.

Ola, a Film by Her Father(en)

An experimental documentation of Barbara Rosenthal's pregnancy and the birth of Ola Creston, as filmed by Ola's father.

Midwife Man(fr)

Louis Maltais loves challenges. At 27, this ex-circus artist begins his training to become the first male midwife in Quebec. During 4 years, the movie follows Louis on his initiatory journey. Beyond midwifery, it tells a universal tale. A tale of transformation, about a man who, despite ordeals, doubts, and misconceptions, is determined to live out his passion.

A.I. At War(fr)

In the war zones of Mosul and Raqqa, then in Paris during the Yellow Vests uprising, filmmaker Florent Marcie confronts Sota, an AI robot, with the tragedy of mankind. As the story unfolds, the relationship that develops between man and machine questions our human condition and our future.

Tales of a Toy Horse(uk)

In his own way, Anatoli Ljutuk is a legend of Tallinn's Old Town - a man from Western Ukraine who has built a unique world on Laboratory Street, the main core of which is the Ukrainian Cultural Center and Church. There, he engages in calligraphy, makes paper in a medieval way, carves traditional wooden toys in his workshop and makes books in the spirit of old monasteries. According to the oath taken a quarter of a century ago, he has promised to create something good every day. His daily commitment is challenged by the war that broke out in Ukraine, which Anatoly cannot passively ignore.

Stacey on the Front Line: Girls, Guns and Isis(en)

September 2016: Stacey Dooley embeds herself on the frontline with the extraordinary all-female Yazidi battalion, who are fuelled to take revenge against the so-called Islamic State. As the battle to take Mosul from ISIS advances in Northern Iraq, in this extraordinary film for BBC Three, Stacey finds these young women's lives have been transformed by a desire to avenge their loved ones who were murdered by Isis.

Danger Zone(en)

In the competitive world of tourism, there are very few experiences that are out of bounds. “Danger Zone” explores the world of war tourism, catering to a growing market for ever more rare and extreme experiences.

The Truth That Wasn't There(en)

The Truth That Wasn't There is an award-winning documentary about three student filmmakers who cross the front-lines in the wake of civil war in Sri Lanka. In doing so they became the first independent journalists to visit the final battlegrounds. This is the story of what they found.

Naître à Bethléem(fr)

Canine Soldiers: The Militarization of Love(en)

A documentary exploring the experience of going to war with a Military Working Dog, trained to find bombs before they can kill or maim soldiers, often at the expense of the dog's sanity.

Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and the Farm Midwives(en)

Birth Story: Ina May Gaskin and The Farm Midwives captures a spirited group of women who taught themselves how to deliver babies on a 1970s hippie commune. Today as nearly one third of all US babies are born via C-section, they fight to protect their knowledge and to promote respectful, safe maternity practices all over the globe. From the backs of their technicolor school buses, these pioneers rescued American midwifery from extinction, changed the way a generation approached pregnancy, and filmed nearly everything they did. With unprecedented access to the midwives' archival video collection, as well as modern day footage of life at the alternative intentional community where they live, this documentary shows childbirth the way most people have never seen it--unadorned, unabashed, and awe-inspiring.

Heval(en)

When a British-born actor abandons his Hollywood career to volunteer to Join the Kurdish YPG to fight ISIS in Syria, many see him as a selfless hero battling America's most insidious enemy. But others think he's a hot-tempered narcissist, staging a publicity stunt to further his career - and when his service ends, neither the UK nor the US welcome him back. Through incisive interviews with the actor, his supporters, his detractors, and top-tier experts - and featuring the actor's own jaw-dropping helmet-cam video of deadly battles with and interrogations of ISIS fighters - Heval gives viewers unprecedented access into a war against evil and one man's controversial role in it.

Beautiful Births(en)

An informational documentary that invites you to explore another side of pregnancy and childbirth which is not often shown in the mainstream media. In this documentary we take a look at the Midwifery Model of Care, show and tell what a birth center is and what one can expect with an out of hospital birth experience. We answer the most common questions and address the concerns most people have about out of hospital births. We also discuss C-section, VBAC, ICAN, Interventions, the importance of a proper diet during pregnancy and more. We hear three women share their personal birth stories; In and out of hospital experiences. This documentary is full of good information and is a must see for all women of childbearing age interested in pregnancy and childbirth, regardless of where they choose to give birth.

Empirical Midwife in Milpa Alta(es)

A midwife goes to medical school to learn modern techniques.

All My Babies... A Midwife's Own Story(en)

George Stoney investigates the living conditions, both good and bad, in the rural, segregated South.