A 20 day, 240 mile solo thru-hike of the JMT in August 2014, over 11 passes, across Sequoia, Kings Canyon and Yosemite National Parks, the John Muir and Ansel Adams Wildernesses, parts of the PCT Pacific Crest Trail. An unforgettable high-Sierra adventure in the footsteps and spirit of John Muir.
Pete! (1980)
Narrated by Phil Harris, a longtime friend of Fountain's, "Pete!" uses performance film, interviews, behind-the-scenes footage and a home videos to offer an intimate portrait of Fountain, the walking, talking embodiment of his hometown. Produced and directed by by John Beyer, the film originally aired on PBS stations nationwide. When it aired locally as part of a PBS membership drive, "Pete!" was credited with raising "more than had ever been raised by a single program in the history of WYES," according to a story published in The Times-Picayune in August 1980.
RAF at 100 with Ewan and Colin McGregor (2018)
To celebrate the centenary of the Royal Air Force, Ewan and Colin McGregor take to the skies in some of the world's most iconic planes. These are the planes that were involved in aerial combat at every stage of the RAF's story, from the biplanes used in the early days of dogfighting in World War I to the beautiful Spitfire of the Battle of Britain, the plucky Lysander and on to mighty Vulcan nuclear bomber, as well as the Chinook helicopter and supersonic Typhoon that are still in service today. It is a story of amazing machines and epic battles, but above all it is the story of the men and women whose courage and ingenuity have been at the heart of the RAF for 100 years. On their journey Ewan and Colin meet an amazing cast of characters.
The Way (2018)
The Way is an inspirational story of the adversity and challenge professional surfers go through while trying to make it. The film starts with the discovery of an old surfboard washed ashore in Nelson, New Zealand. The board is refurbished and it turns out it was shaped by legendary charger Peter Way, New Zealand’s first ever national champion in 1963. Peter was known for his antics in and out of the water, but it was his mark on surfboard shaping, competitive surfing and surf lifestyle that has influenced the lives of generations of surfers who have come after him. Current pros Paige Hareb, Billy Stairmand and Ricardo Christie weigh in on what has driven them to success and also hard times. Maz Quinn takes us through becoming the first ever Kiwi to make the world tour of surfing and we’re taken on a journey through the north island of New Zealand to return the old board to the man who made it, Peter Way.
Back In My Body (2018)
BACK IN MY BODY is a short documentary about musician Maggie Rogers returning to Alaska, a place that has had a huge impact on her life.
Fatto a Mano [handmade] (2017)
FATTO A MANO is a documentary short film that shows how a lot of essential food, from the region in Puglia, Italy, is handmade with a lot of energy, passion and knowledge and the people who produce it.
Rise Up: The Movement that Changed America (2018)
When Martin Luther King Jr. was murdered in Memphis, TN on April 4, 1968, he left a legacy of profound change, yet there was still much unfinished work. This one-hour documentary explores the key battles in the Civil Rights Movement that transformed American society--from the Montgomery Bus Boycott of 1955 to the Chicago Campaign which led to the Fair Housing Act of 1968. The special will uncover what it took to translate protest into real legislative change.
Sherlock Holmes' London: The Investigation (2011)
Sherlock Holmes, the fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle featured in four novels and 56 short stories first published in 1887. Most of these adventures featured the city of London. In this brand new program, we visit the London locations of the Sherlock stories that helped to bring the "consulting detective" to life.
Pier Paolo Pasolini: An Italian Journey (2018)
In the summer of 1959, as a magazine correspondent, writer and filmmaker Pier Paolo Pasolini (1922-75) traveled along the Italian coast. In 1963, he documented the sexual behavior of the Italians. In the winter of 1970-71, he witnessed the hardships of the most impoverished Italian population suffering from the boot of state power. After these three trips, he came to the conclusion that Italian society had changed drastically for the worse over the years.
Online Traveller: AVATARA (2003)
AVATARA is not a cartoon. It's a documentary about an Internet subculture who spend their lives immersed in an online 3-D voice-chat program called "Digitalspace Traveler." Through a series of 14 interviews, we uncover the history, art, identities, struggles and emotions of this unique internet community who, since as far back as 1996 have mostly devoted their lives to this software.
The Musicians' Green Book: An Enduring Legacy (2022)
Stories and music of Black artists who relied on an underground travel guide to navigate the injustices of racial segregation while on the road. The Negro Travelers’ Green Book was a directory of lodgings, restaurants, and entertainment venues where African Americans were welcomed. Features performances and interviews with vocalists, musicians, activists, historians, and others.
Sedona (2011)
A soul-searching comedic adventure set among famous red rocks and vortexes of Sedona, Arizona, visitors to the mystical town encounter eccentric characters and a series of calamities that lead them to unexpected miracles.
Derren Brown: Pushed to the Edge (2016)
Derren Brown investigates the power of social compliance by persuading an unwitting member of the public into believing that they have pushed someone to their death.
Hitchhiking to the Edge of Sanity (2017)
A look at the turbulent social upheaval of the early 1970s which follows an idealistic writer and his soon-to-be-married photographer friend as they set out to find their purpose via a terrifying road trip across the Sahara Desert.
A to B Rollerski (2017)
A documentary film revealing the incredible and unique journey of the Latvia-born adventurer and Olympic biathlete Raimonds Dombrovskis back in 1988 as he roller-skis 4,200 miles (6,759 km) from Inuvik (The Arctic, Canada) to Baja (Mexico) in 90 days. He uses his rollerski trip as a way to protest against the Soviet regime and to explain to everyone he meets that somewhere on the map there is a small nation that has its own language and craves freedom.
Neon (2014)
In Neon, Bednarski recounts the history of Warsaw's neon signs from the pre-War period to modern times. He creates an overview of the neon signs which illuminated streets of Warsaw before the Second World War, depicts the use and role of neon signs in the times of social realism in the context of history and politics, and describes what has happened to them since 1989.
People of the Seal, Part 2: Eskimo Winter (1971)
The second of two coproductions by the British Broadcasting Corporation and the National Film Board of Canada, People of the Seal, Part 2: Eskimo Winter is compiled from some of the most vivid footage ever filmed of the life of the Netsilik Inuit in the Pelly Bay region of the Canadian Arctic. Together, the two films provide insight and understanding of a culture now almost vanished, as they show the incredible resourcefulness of the Netsilik (People of the Seal) who have adapted to one of the world's harshest environments. Part 2: Eskimo Winter shows how Inuit families gather in communities on the sea ice to harpoon seal as they come up through breating holes in the ice. Also seen is the mid-winter season, a time of intense socializing in the communal igloo, with games, contests and ceremonial activities.
Timeless: The Composer/Arranger Series (Arthur Verocai) (2010)
Folk-jazz composer/arranger Arthur Verocai was born in Rio de Janeiro. He has created challenging arragements and compositions for Brazilian artists Jorge Ben, Ivan Lins, Leny Andrade and Gal Costa. In 1972 Verocai recorded a self-titled solo LP. It is a stunningly innovative effort. It puts Verocai into a rarified field with the heavy string oriented music of Charles Stepney, David Axelrod and Frank Zappa. Released in a period marked by the Brazilian military government, the album fared poorly. Following its re-issue in 2003, the album has become a highly influential oft sampled classic (see Ludacris, MF Doom and Little Brother). The performance of this seminal 1972 record in its entirety brought the capacity Luckmann crowd to a stand still. According to Verocai, 'he had never played the record, alive or dead!' His delight can be seen on the DVD. The music has been mixed by Verocai himself in Rio. History turned on its head and musical justice served.
Eclat (1993)
Eclat is a fascinating documentary about the work. We witness rehearsals by the Netherlands' Nieuw Ensemble, hear comments about the piece from the composer, conductor Ed Spanjaard and some of the musicians, and we see a full performance of the work. Eclat ("To burst out") is a beautiful example of the strangely lyrical pointillist style that Boulez had inherited from Anton von Webern. Aural pinwheels and shifting musical kaleidoscopes with stunning instrumental color is the only way to verbally describe what must be heard to be understood. This is definitely not for those who hate "modern" music. For those who respond to contemporary music, this piece is masterful and this film is a must-see!
Los hijos de Mama Wata (2010)
Mama Wata is a goddess that provides Sierra Leone with riches. The waters of Goderich Bay, in Freetown, have been blessed with an abundance of fish. Idrissa, a local fisherman, and his neighbors know that the goddess looks over them; however, they must still battle against international commercial fishing boats, illegal fishing and drug traffickers. Sierra Leone, ranked as one of the world's poorest countries by the UN, lacks an education system, health facilities and suffers from staggering unemployment. The Children of Mama Wata portrays the dignity and faith and the day-to-day lives of the inhabitants of Goderich.