Behind the gas masks of Hong Kong’s democracy movement, the often very young activists are just as diverse as the youths of the rest of the world. But they share a demand for democracy and freedom. They have the will and the courage to fight – and they can see that things are going in the wrong direction in the small island city, which officially has autonomy under China but is now tightening its grip and demanding that ‘troublemakers’ be put away or silenced. Amid the violent protests, we meet a 21-year-old student, a teenage couple and a new father.
Breakpoint: A Counter History of Progress (2019)
An account of the last two centuries of the Anthropocene, the Age of Man. How human beings have progressed so much in such a short time through war and the selfish interests of a few, belligerent politicians and captains of industry, damaging the welfare of the majority of mankind, impoverishing the weakest, greedily devouring the limited resources of the Earth.
Inland (2019)
"Politics for Austria," "Fairness," "We provide security"-election slogans that promise a return to bygone morals, adorn the city of Vienna before the Austrian national parliamentary elections in 2017. The mistrust with regard to supposed political elites, coupled with promises made by the right wing populist parties, polarize Austrian society. INLAND offers intimate insight into the lives of its protagonists and thereby draws a genre picture of their fears and hopes in complex times.
Which Side Are You On? (1985)
The documentary features the British miners and their family experiences told through songs, poems, pictures and words.
14 Women (2007)
Documentary that explores the lives of 14 female U.S. senators and the uniquely feminine challenges they face, including the sometimes difficult balance between their roles as public servants and wives and mothers.
Land of Madness (2009)
Moullet explores the causes and consequences of cases of mental disorders that were especially numerous in the Southern Alps.
Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton's Cafeteria (2005)
The first major uprising against police brutality, harassment, and societal oppression was not at Stonewall in 1969, but at Compton's Cafeteria in San Francisco three years earlier. Those who stood up were trans women and gay men. Now, nearly 40 years on, Susan Stryker and Victor Silverman tell the story of this oft-overlooked event in the history of American civil rights.
Shooting Bigfoot (2013)
A fascinating and touching portrait of men who are obsessed with monsters and their adventures to find them.
Red Army/PFLP: Declaration of World War (1971)
On their way back from the Cannes Film Festival in 1971, filmmakers Wakamatsu Koji and Adachi Masao visited Lebanon to meet Japan's Red Army faction and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine to shoot a newsreel film promoting the Palestinian resistance. Conceived as a ‘declaration of world war’ that implicates us all, the directors capture the everyday banality of military training and preparation exercises for imminent battle.
El grito (1968)
In the summer of revolt 1968, student Leobardo López Aretche captured the protests in Mexico City, and the state’s brutal response, up close – and like many of his subjects and fellow comrades, would pay a high price for his audacity. Fifty years later, his movie is no longer a secret.
Shooting the Mafia (2019)
Sicilian photojournalist Letizia Battaglia began a long battle against the ruthless Cosa Nostra when she first photographed the sinister scene of a brutal murder. Documenting the barbaric rule of the Italian Mafia, she was an unwavering witness to its crimes. Her art and courage helped end the horrific and bloody reign of the Corleonesi clan.
The Edge of Democracy (2019)
A cautionary tale for these times of democracy in crisis—the personal and political fuse to explore one of the most dramatic periods in Brazilian history. With unprecedented access to Presidents Dilma Rousseff and Lula da Silva, we witness their rise and fall and the tragically polarized nation that remains.
The Great Hack (2019)
Data—arguably the world’s most valuable asset—is being weaponized to wage cultural and political wars. The dark world of data exploitation is uncovered through the unpredictable, personal journeys of players on different sides of the explosive Cambridge Analytica/Facebook data story.
Hard to Believe (2016)
A documentary that examines the issue of forced live organ harvesting from Chinese prisoners of conscience, and the response - or lack of it - around the world. It's happened before: governments killing their own citizens for their political or spiritual beliefs. But it’s never happened like this. It’s happened so often that the world doesn’t always pay attention.
Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy? (2013)
A series of interviews featuring linguist, philosopher and activist Noam Chomsky done in hand-drawn animation.
Freedom's Fury (2006)
A documentary on the 1956 Olympic semifinal water polo match between Hungary and Russia. Held in Australia, the match occurred as Russian forces were in Budapest, stomping out a popular revolt.
Forza Italia! (1977)
Much-censored documentary encompassing thirty years of Italian politics under the governance of the Christian Democracy (DC), entirely composed of — occasionally dubbed — archival footage.
The Spirit of '45 (2013)
How the spirit of unity, which buoyed Britain during the war years, carried through to create a vision of a fairer, united society.
Beyond Citizen Kane (1993)
Beyond Citizen Kane (1993) is a British documentary film directed by Simon Hartog, produced by John Ellis, and broadcast on Channel 4. It details the dominant position of the Rede Globo media group in the Brazilian society, discussing the group's influence, power, and political connections. Globo's president and founder Roberto Marinho came in for particular criticism, being compared with fictional newspaper tycoon Charles Foster Kane, created by Orson Welles for the 1941 film Citizen Kane. According to the documentary, Marinho's media group engages in the same Kane wholesale manipulation of news to influence the public opinion.
In Praise of Action (2018)
Documentary about stunts and their recognition in the film industry. Without their selfless contribution to film, the movies we know and love, would not be nearly the same. It is the art of ACTION that allows us to experience those thrilling moments Just as that famous Director's saying goes, "Lights, Camera. - ACTION!" There is an understood, yet UNSUNG value to the last of those three necessary components in film-making. Directors, Producers, and Studio Execs all know that the work of Stunt Professionals is an effective way to motivate people into the box offices and to help captivate an audience during Award Shows. Many people do not know that Stunt Professionals do not get an Academy Award, even though they are the ones who literally risk life for their life's passion. In Praise of ACTION makes a statement why Stunt Professionals are being forgotten in the biggest film awards ceremonies? This is the right time to talk about it.