Planetary Catastrophe

Pyramid(en)

Of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Pyramid is the only one to survive. Many believe that even with our 21st-century technology, we could not build anything like it today. Based on the most up-to-date research and the latest archaeological discoveries, here is how the Pyramid came to be.

Black Pharaohs: Empire of Gold(en)

It's a land of pyramids, gold, and ancient treasure, but it's not Egypt. It's present-day Sudan, once home to the glorious kingdom of Kush. Now, archaeologists are using every means possible - from robots to rock climbers - in their search for clues about this long-neglected culture. Once the Kushites filled the pharaohs' coffers with gold and, for a time, they even ruled over all of Egypt, but only now is their real story beginning to emerge.

David Macaulay: Pyramid(en)

How did ancient Egyptians build the Great Pyramid at Giza, joining two million blocks of heavy stone with amazing precision? Who were the leaders who built these enormous structures, and what did these tombs signify? Host David Macaulay explores the history, mythology, and religions of Egypt's people, combining live footage and animation. Take a rare look at the mummy of Ramses II and buried treasure in the sacred Valley of the Kings.

Lost Pyramids of the Aztecs(en)

For centuries, archaeologists have been trying to understand the Aztec empire and reveal the truth about their origins. Now, new excavations could reveal astonishing secrets about how they lived and what life was like inside one of the greatest empires in history. Where did this group of nomadic people originate from? How did they undertake building their towering pyramids and other ambitious engineering feats using manpower alone? And how was such a powerful empire wiped out after just 200 years of power?

Egypt's Lost Cities(en)

It is possible that only one per cent of the wonders of ancient Egypt have been discovered, but now, thanks to a pioneering approach to archaeology, that is about to change. Dr. Sarah Parcak uses satellites to probe beneath the sands, where she has found cities, temples and pyramids. Now, with Dallas Campbell and Liz Bonnin, she heads to Egypt to discover if these magnificent buildings are really there.

The Hidden History of Rome(en)

Rome was famed for the decadence of its ruling class, however, what about the ordinary citizens of these ancient cultures? How did they lead their day to day lives in an age when the average life expectancy was little more than forty? Did they believe in the Pagan Gods? What were their sex lives like? What did they do for entertainment? How ordinary Romans lived is, for the most part ...

We Are Egypt(en)

In the 14 months prior to the revolution, filmmaker Lillie Paquette follows key opposition figures and young activists as they struggle against the odds and at great personal risk to remove an uncompromising US-backed regime.

The Hidden History of Egypt(en)

Egyptians were famed for their extravagant building techniques and extraordinary gods, but what about the ordinary citizens? How did they lead their day to day lives? What did they do for entertainment? Did they believe in their gods? Discover astonishing facts that throw new light on our understanding of the Ancient Egyptians.

Civilisations: The Gardens of Babel(en)

Mesopotamia was the site of the Sumerian civilisation, which flourished at the confluence of the rivers Tigris and Euphrates. From 5000 to 2000 BC, the Sumerians flourished in a hostile environment by developing agriculture and irrigation and they opened up the trade routes of the ancient world. It was the Sumerians who invented writing and the wheel, and they first divided time into minutes and seconds. In the end however the Babylonian civilisation took the place of the Sumerians. However their heritage and myths live on in the Mediterranean and Western worlds to this day.

Joanna Lumley: The Search for Noah's Ark(en)

In search of the truth behind the story of Noah's Flood, Joanna Lumley and her team examine the theory that Noah's Ark was preserved on Mount Ararat, in Turkish Armenia.

Cairo 'City of Contrast'(en)

This Traveltalk series short takes a look at Cairo's landmarks, people, and culture.

Im Reich Des Squatters(de)

Descent of the Great Pyramid(fr)

Descent of the Great Pyramid.

The Latest Secrets of Hieroglyphs(en)

The great history of Egypt is inscribed on its monuments, temples and tombs, but hieroglyphs – the written language of the ancient Egyptians – fell silent until 1822 when a young French scholar, Jean-François Champollion, became the first person to decipher their texts for over a thousand years. Champollion’s insights and the work of other scholars helped bring an entire civilisation back to life. Today, researchers are increasingly interested in the authors who created these hieroglyphic works. Near Luxor, The Latest Secrets of Hieroglyphs follows a new generation of Egyptologists as they unlock the texts inscribed inside a richly adorned tomb, revealing the beliefs and lives of the priests, scribes, painters, engravers and builders who created this grand funerary monument.

The Tentmakers of Cairo(ar)

Amid the tumult of the Arab Spring in Cairo, vendors in a small souk observe the political upheaval while seeking to preserve an ancient tradition of fabric making.

Land Of The Pyramids: Discover The Secrets Of Ancient Egypt(en)

Cairo Drive(ar)

A documentary that explores the life of one of the world's most populated cities from its streets. Shot in 2009-2012 (before and during the Egyptian revolution, and ending with the most recent presidential elections), the film explores the country's collective identity, inherent struggles, and the sentiments that lead through the historic changes taking place in Egypt today. For his third documentary, Egyptian/ American filmmaker Sherief Elkatsha rides through the congested streets alongside a diverse cast of characters-from taxi drivers to ambulances, from traffic cops to private citizens-capturing the unspoken codes of conduct, frustrations, humor, fatalism, and life-or-death decisions of driving in a city where the only rule is: there are no rules.

The Pharaoh in the Suburb: Uncovered(en)

A chance find in a suburb of Cairo has shed new light on an all but forgotten Pharaoh, Psamtik I. Discovered in 2017, an eight-tonne fragment of a statue has led experts to believe that he was, in fact, one of Egypt’s greatest leaders, as this documentary reveals

Egypt: The Treasure Of The Sacred Bulls(en)

Through their fieldwork, scientists bring to life a lost and unknown chapter of ancient Egypt, and write the next of the greatest adventures in the history of archaeology.

Stars of the Pharaohs(en)

Travel to ancient Egypt to see how science was used to tell time, make a workable calendar, and align huge buildings. You'll learn about the connection the ancient Egyptians felt with the stars and various astronomical phenomena, and experience some of the most spectacular temples and tombs of the ancient world recreated in all of their original splendor. Telly Award winner. Narrated by John Rhys-Davies, of the Indiana Jones films and The Lord of the Rings films.

Anplagghed al cinema(it)

A queue at the ATM machine, a displaced family after a seismic shock that has half-washed their home, a tour within an art gallery, moments of everyday life that become the cues for the emergence of comic, farce, paradoxical situations – trademarks of one of the most successful Italian comic groups.

Star Trek: First Contact(en)

The Borg, a relentless race of cyborgs, are on a direct course for Earth. Violating orders to stay away from the battle, Captain Picard and the crew of the newly-commissioned USS Enterprise E pursue the Borg back in time to prevent the invaders from changing Federation history and assimilating the galaxy.

La banda dei Babbi Natale(it)

On Christmas Eve, three friends dressed as Santa Clauses are arrested in what seems to be a burglary and taken to the police, accused of being the infamous "Santa Claus Gang". While trying to prove their innocence, the trio explains why they found themselves in such a strange situation.

You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger(en)

Two married couples find only trouble and heartache as their complicated lives unfold. After 40 years of marriage, Alfie leaves his wife to pursue what he thinks is happiness with a call girl. His wife, Helena, reeling from abandonment, decides to follow the advice of a psychic. Sally, the daughter of Alfie and Helena, is unhappy in her marriage and develops a crush on her boss, while her husband, Roy, falls for a woman engaged to be married.

The Graduates(it)

Four thirtysomething university students share a flat in Florence: Leonardo pursues beautiful Letizia, her brother Rocco works night shifts to pay for his rent, Bruno has to graduate to inherit his father-in-law's business (while cheating on his wife with her sister), and Pino dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian.

People(en)

Six vignettes pit an assortment of characters against each other in everyday situations.

I corti(it)

I corti ("shorts") by Aldo, Giovanni & Giacomo was the first stage show of the comedy trio, with the participation of Marina Massironi. It was recorded live at the Teatro Nuovo in Ferrara on 28 and 29 March 1996. Produced by Agidi, with the theatre direction of Arturo Brachetti.

Test(en)

On his journey towards becoming a film director, Cole discovers an insight that flips his perspective on his way of living.

The Club(es)

In a secluded house in a small seaside town live four unrelated men and the woman who tends to the house and their needs. All former priests, they have been sent to this quiet exile to purge the sins of their pasts, the separation from their communities the worst form of punishment by the Church. They keep to a strict daily schedule devoid of all temptation and spontaneity, each moment a deliberate effort to atone for their wrongdoings.

Una famiglia perfetta(it)

Leone is a rich and powerful man whose loneliness drives him to hire a cast of actors to play the family he never had. On Christmas Eve, reality and make-believe start to get blurred.

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow(it)

Three tales of very different women using their sexuality as a means to getting what they want.

The Legend of Al, John and Jack(it)

Hapless Depression-era gangsters Al, John and Jack discover their boss wants to get rid of them and come up with a plan to sell him to the FBI, but Al's short-term memory loss could be a problem...

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof(en)

An alcoholic ex-football player drinks his days away, having failed to come to terms with his sexuality and his real feelings for his football buddy who died after an ambiguous accident. His wife is crucified by her desperation to make him desire her: but he resists the affections of his wife. His reunion with his father—who is dying of cancer—jogs a host of memories and revelations for both father and son.

Ammutta muddica al cinema(it)

Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell(en)

Burt Gummer and Travis Welker find themselves in a fight for survival after investigating deadly giant worm attacks in the Canadian arctic.

George Carlin: You Are All Diseased(en)

Legendary comic Carlin comes back to the Beacon theater to angrily rant about airport security, germs, cigars, angels, children and parents, men, names, religion, god, advertising, Bill Jeff and minorities.

Adult World(en)

Amy, a naive college graduate who believes she's destined to be a great poet, begrudgingly accepts a job at a sex shop while she pursues a mentorship with reclusive writer Rat Billings.

A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy(en)

A nutty inventor, his frustrated wife, a philosopher cousin, his much younger fiancée, a randy doctor, and a free-thinking nurse spend a summer weekend in and around a stunning - and possibly magical - country house.

A Boss in the Living Room(it)

Cristina lives a peaceful life until her older brother Ciro, who has to attend a trial, asks to spend house arrests at Cristina’s home.

Polytechnique(fr)

A dramatization of the Montreal Massacre of 1989 where several female engineering students were murdered by an unstable misogynist.