In the cobalt mining areas of Katanga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), babies are being born with horrific birth defects. Scientists and doctors are finding increasing evidence of environmental pollution from industrial mining which, they believe, may be the cause of a range of malformations from cleft palate to some so serious the baby is stillborn. More than 60% of the world’s reserves of cobalt are in the DRC and this mineral is essential for the production of electric car batteries, which may be the key to reducing carbon emissions and to slowing climate change. In The Cost of Cobalt we meet the doctors treating the children affected and the scientists who are measuring the pollution. Cobalt may be part of the global solution to climate change, but is it right that Congo’s next generation pay the price with their health? Many are hoping that the more the world understands their plight, the more pressure will be put on the industry here to clean up its act.
The Mysterious Mr. Lagerfeld (2023)
A look at the fashion icon that was Karl Lagerfeld, one of the most flamboyant and recognisable figures in fashion - and one of the most mysterious. His influence was immeasurable, from the Chanel catwalk to the high street - but how many people ever really knew the real Karl Lagerfeld? Weaving investigations in the present with Lagerfeld’s biography – illustrated by illuminating and much unseen archive footage – this film shows his profound and lasting effect on those around him, including his beloved cat Choupette.
Heal for Free (2014)
Stay inside all the time? Never take your shoes off? Feel fatigued? You could have Natural Deficit Disorder. Learn how the earth can help neutralize the disease-causing radicals in the body, by doing something as simple as swimming or walking barefoot.
We the Guinea Pigs (2021)
As the use of plastic has gained ground in our lives over the years, there has been an inexplicable increase in a number of diseases and disorders amongst the population. In this film as part of the Why Plastic? series, we meet leading researchers looking into the reasons for these disorders. We also follow case studies of people suffering from various health conditions thought to be caused by exposure to certain every day materials including plastic. Are these people the victims of unfortunate coincidences - or is there an explanation?
Frogs: The Thin Green Line (2009)
An examination of the extinction threat faced by frogs, which have hopped on Earth for some 250 million years and are a crucial cog in the ecosystem. Scientists believe they've pinpointed a cause for the loss of many of the amphibians: the chytrid fungus, which flourishes in high altitudes. Unfortunately, they don't know how to combat it. Included: an isolated forest in Panama that has yet to be touched by the fungus, thus enabling frogs to live and thrive as they have for eons.
Living Art (2024)
The thousand-year-old tradition of pottery in the Indian subcontinent is now under threat. With the market being flooded with plastic in the evolution of civilization, today this Pal community is becoming displaced.
Earthbound: Nzambi Matee (2023)
Amidst a catastrophic plastic waste crisis in her hometown of Nairobi, Nzambi Matee risks everything to pioneer revolutionary technology that transforms plastic waste into sustainable paving bricks.
ABBA: In Their Own Words (2020)
Original interviews, rare archive footage and a lot of music, retelling the story of one of the most successful pop groups of all time.
Ignore Heroes - The True Sounds of Liberty (2023)
A film about the inception, the 1983 destruction, and the reformation of the American punk band T.S.O.L.
SEED: The Untold Story (2016)
A film about the importance of heirloom seeds to the agriculture of the world, focusing on seed keepers and activists from around the world.
Superpower (2023)
Sean Penn and Aaron Kaufman’s documentary, shot just before and after Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022, and featuring several interviews with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.
The Tobacco Conspiracy: The Backroom Deals of a Deadly Industry (2011)
This French-Canadian co-production goes behind the scenes of the huge tobacco industry, whose economic power has been expanding for five decades at the expense of public health. A gripping investigation covering three continents, Nadia Collot's film exposes the vast conspiracy of a criminally negligent industry that conquers new markets through corruption and manipulation. To confront the tobacco cartel, anti-smoking groups are organizing and scoring points, but the fight remains fierce. With ist diverse viewpoints, shocking interviews and riveting images, The Tobacco Conspiracy deftly defines the issues in a complex situation where private interests and the public good collide. Enlightening and engrossing, this documentary is a hard-hitting critique of an industry gone mad.
Deep Blue (2003)
Deep Blue is a major documentary feature film shot by the BBC Natural History Unit. An epic cinematic rollercoaster ride for all ages, Deep Blue uses amazing footage to tell us the story of our oceans and the life they support.
Real Haunts 3 (2023)
An Original Documentary Film that reveals the secrets at 4 Paranormal Hot Spots including an abandoned Sanitarium in Minnesota, Goldfield, Nevada Ghost Town, an ancient Curiosity Shop in St. Augustine, Florida, The Sea Lab Museum and more with host Mark Hall Patton.
Dueling Dragons (2017)
Orlando Cops and inner-city kids form a dragon boat racing team and reveal their emotional journey. Told from their straightforward perspectives, these cops and kids are transformed from wary participants to steadfast teammates.
Grand Central Market (1963)
This film portrays activity in Grand Central Market in Los Angeles, California. Highlighted are vendors that represent the melting pot that is America, selling their wares to people of all ages and all walks of life. The film was directed by William Hale.
Ernest Cole: Lost and Found (2024)
More than 60,000 of Ernest Cole’s 35mm film negatives were inexplicably discovered in a bank vault in Stockholm, Sweden. Most considered these forever lost, especially the thousands of pictures he shot in the U.S. Told through Cole’s own writings, the stories of those closest to him, and the lens of his uncompromising work, the film is a reintroduction of a pivotal Black artist to a new generation and will unravel the mystery of his missing negatives.