Babelgum - Journeyman Pictures

Agony of a Nation

2008-05-26T15:00:52Z

Its become a nightmarish vision of the ultimate failed state. In Iraq, death squads wage sectarian war protected by their police uniforms. Government ministries use private militias to abduct each others supporters. And while the State descends into anarchy, a terrorised population is left to fend for itself. To what extent was this chaos fomented by US military strategists? This powerful investigation reveals the real story behind the endless stream of bloody statistics.

China - Zhang Empresses

2008-05-30T17:00:45Z

Growing up surrounded by blond, blue-eyed children in Sweden, Chinese adoptees Alice, Mimmi, Nanna and Linnéa always felt different. The girls were adopted on the same day from the same orphanage but – having moved abroad as babies – they don’t speak Mandarin and have no concept of their native country. Now ten years old, they are returning to China for the first time. What will they make of their homeland? A moving look at identity.

Women on the Frontlines

2008-05-30T12:00:52Z

Women are more likely than professional soldiers to be the casualties of war. From genocide and rape to displacement and starvation, they bear more than their fair share of the suffering. But amongst all this hardship, women around the world are standing up for peace. By advocating justice and educating future generations that war is not the answer, they are at the forefront of reconciling their communities. This high-quality documentary made for PBS follows women peacemakers from four different conflict zones. Narrated by Academy-Award winning actress Jessica Lange, this film redefines the role of women in war.

Children of Blessing

2008-05-30T15:00:58Z

This weeks character-led documentary is a poignant look at modern China. Flower, Rascal and their friends come from a remote village in the Chinese mountains and speak only Lahu. Now, they must leave their beautiful home for boarding school in the city.

Memories of Rain

2008-05-27T17:01:01Z

Terrorism in the present is decried by all right thinking people. But all too often, the eye of hindsight turns ‘terrorists’ into heroes. In Apartheid South Africa, men once described as enemies of freedom were exactly the people who earned and protected it for their peers. Many now lead the country. This week’s sumptuous documentary is the tale of two South Africans, one white, one black, who fought the Apartheid Government with the ANC’s guerrilla army. Filmed over a decade, this personal story paints a picture of humanity and bravery, of dedication and sacrifice, of people who gave up everything for what they believed in.

Drowned Out

2008-05-28T15:00:50Z

Three choices. Move to the slums in the city, accept a place at a resettlement site or stay at home and drown. The people of Jalsindhi in central India must make a decision fast. In the next few weeks, their village will disappear underwater as the giant Narmada Dam fills.

Capturing Idi Amin

2008-05-30T15:00:55Z

In 2005, Idi Amin returned to Uganda in the form of actor Forest Whitaker, who is starring in the movie ‘The Last King of Scotland’. The film is a thriller set in Amins Uganda and tells the story of a fictional Scottish doctor who becomes the dictators closest advisor. But making a movie about such a controversial figure raises a number of questions. Is it possible to separate the real Idi Amin from the strange and bizarre stories that surround him? How will Ugandans react to this interpretation of their history and how does their view of Idi Amin differ from that of the West? This documentary follows the film-makers on location in Uganda. But it is far more than just a traditional "making of" and uses the movie as a starting point to explore the bizarre world of Idi Amin.

Buying the Spirit

2008-06-03T19:18:00Z

For many people, voodoo is synonymous with black magic and malevolence. Its regarded with suspicion, conjuring up images of animal sacrifices and mutilated dolls. This weeks powerful, character-led documentary takes us straight into this hidden, impenetrable world. Beautifully-made with unbelievable access to voodoo practitioners, this film offers an unrivalled insight into this frequently misunderstood religion.

War of the British Tree People

2008-06-03T19:19:06Z

A picturesque and daring tale of British anti-road protest, told from 50m up a majestic pine tree! We follow the tree-top struggle to stop the building of a new road around the English town of Newbury.

After the Revolution

2008-05-21T12:00:49Z

What will a post-Castro Cuba look like? Will his stubborn Marxist revolution survive? Dreams of founding a Socialist utopia have all but vanished. Even Raul Castro accepts the economy needs to be reformed. But decades of crippling sanctions have not had the desired effect. Cuba famously has one of the best healthcare and education systems in the world. And while critics lambaste Castros' regime as a Communist dictatorship, in the favelas of Havana, people have seen real benefits. ‘After the Revolution’ reassesses Castros legacy.

Sweden - Voice of the River

2008-05-21T14:00:49Z

The Lule River is Sweden's largest and most majestic river. Its upper valley was the home of the Sami, the reindeer drivers. Its powerful waters, frozen in winter, protected this community from the outside world. But life has changed now. In the 1980s the river was dammed and mechanised deforestation began. In its own lyrical tones and using the photography of Stig T. Karlsson, the river charts its story. Harshly realistic, but incredibly poetic, this is a breath-taking film.

Argentina - We Are The Indians

2008-05-15T16:00:47Z

The aboriginal Mbya Guarani have lived deep in the Argentinean forest since the Spanish Conquest. For centuries, their ancient spirituality and timeless way of life has shielded them from Westernisation. But modernity is slowly encroaching on the Mbyas way of life. A beautiful portrait of a community's struggle for survival.

Embargo

2008-05-15T17:00:48Z

Decades of American sanctions have left Cuba weak and impoverished. But far from being crushed, Cubans have embraced the opportunities to improvise. No lack of American goods is going to stop them enjoying themselves. Community spirit and ingenuity are must haves in a destitute nation and Havana throws up numerous examples of both. A colourful and expertly crafted film, Embargo is a potent reminder of the indomitable nature of the human spirit.

Battle's Poison Cloud

2008-05-16T10:40:49Z

For the people of Vietnam, war is not over. Three generations on, babies are still being born with serious birth defects and genetic abnormalities – the legacy of Americas intensive use of chemical weapons. No one knows how many have been affected. On the eve of a historic lawsuit to determine the culpability of chemical manufacturers, we offer you a powerful film on the effects of Agent Orange.

Palestine Kids

2008-05-16T11:00:35Z

Whats it like growing up in a war zone? Five year old Diana lives in a cave in the West Bank. Mufida, 16, is struggling to complete her education with Israeli soldiers living on her roof. And Yassin, 7, just wants to move to Brazil. Dodging bullets, hiding from Israeli soldiers and losing their land to settlers is part of every day life for these children. Through their eyes, we gain a fresh perspective on everyday life for Palestinians.

The Movement

2008-05-14T11:00:51Z

Welcome to the favelas of Rio de Janeiro. A place where children traffic drugs and the police murder them. Where shootouts, stray bullets and death are all daily occurrences and everyone knows someone who has been killed. This beautiful character led film captures the spirit of what it means to be Brazilian. It offers unprecedented access to the cruel world hidden in Rio de Janeiro’s slums.

Girl Wrestler

2008-05-14T12:00:56Z

Tara is 13. She likes to go to the mall. And she likes to wrestle boys. We follow her on her journey to the national championships as she battles cultural expectations and struggles to cope with the pressure to succeed. From confronting institutionalised discrimination to grappling with eating disorders, Tara’s story takes a personal look at the clash of gender and sport in American culture. An intriguing look at modern girlhood. Made for PBS.

Seven Dumpsters and a Corpse

2008-05-14T13:00:59Z

Amidst the chaos of their dead mother’s apartment, two brothers irreverently piece together their family history. It’s a strange but unique saga involving baronesses and counts; stolen lovers and Nazi officers; lawsuits and counter lawsuits and lots and lots of cats. Compelling and darkly hilarious.

Memories of Paradise

2008-05-12T12:01:13Z

The legendary Peruvian town of Paradise was once a tropical utopia. Founded in the jungle by earthquake survivors, its residents dreamed of creating a new future for their families. But their dream rapidly soured when the town was taken over by drug lords and Maoist guerrillas. The ensuing battles attracted the wrath of the government, sparking two decades of political violence. All the inhabitants fled. But now, despite reports the guerrillas are regrouping in the area, the original residents are slowly returning. For the first time, they tell their harrowing story.

Singapore - Diminishing Memories

2008-05-12T12:01:08Z

In the past four decades, Singapore has undergone a radical transformation. It now has one of the strongest economies in Asia. But what price has it paid for such progress? Since the 1960s, villagers have been forcibly resettled to make way for industrialisation. Now, even the living memory of village life in Singapore is dying. In this personal documentary, film maker Eng Yee Peng recalls her childhood memories of growing up in a vanished world.

Australia - Ice Age

2008-05-12T12:00:53Z

Its cheap, highly addictive and ultra-powerful. "Ice", or crystal methamphetamine, is now more popular than heroin. It plays havoc with the minds and the bodies of addicts, filling emergency wards with dangerous, psychotic patients. But little is known about the long term effects of the drug or even how to treat the addiction. And health services are not prepared for the chaos ice has just started to unleash. This weeks documentary reports on the hidden epidemic. “These are the most out of control, most violent human beings I’ve seen in my whole life and Ive been around a long time”, despairs Dr Gordian Fulde, Head of the Emergency Unit at St Vincents hospital. “It makes heroin seem like the good old days.”

Pulp Friction

2008-05-08T16:58:33Z

We take a look at the devastating effects the commercial demands of the West can have on the environments of poorer countries. This week's documentary examines the problem from an Indonesian perspective, where our mass consumption of cheap white paper is creating environmental despair for the country.

Jihad TV

2008-05-14T17:00:49Z

Videos of smiling suicide bombers and insurgent attacks have become as important a weapon as explosives in Al Qaeda’s global jihad against the West. The jihadis have seized on the power of the internet and their message cannot be silenced. But who actually watches these videos and what effect are they having on young people in the Muslim world? And - for that matter - on their enemies in West?

The Global Addiction

2008-05-07T18:01:26Z

In some developing countries, drug production shapes politics and even funds civil war. Can addiction be tackled or should global strategies accept some drug use in our societies? Can the 'war on drugs' ever be won? Its Friday night, and the 'cool' thing to do is 'get high'. Drugs have caused 50% of Americas prison inmates and 20 million drug addicts, the highest addiction rate in the world. A Thai father holds his 2 year old daughter hostage after taking metamphetamine. This chemical, called 'yaa baa' or 'mad medicine', is just one of the new and more lethal drugs being developed every day. In Colombia, guerrillas protect the coca growers and drug cartels buy off politicians. How successful has the war on drugs been here? The worlds major opium producing area is emerging at the nexus of Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan, known as the ‘Golden Crescent’. 90% of the Afghan crop is controlled by the Islamic Taliban, who fund their regime by taking 10% of the profits. As crime and addiction soar, this panoramic film examines a business that's worth an eighth of world trade.

Ryan's Well

2008-05-02T12:01:12Z

This is the inspirational tale of a small boys mission to help those less fortunate than himself. Ryan was just six years old when he learnt that not everybody in the world has access to clean water. Desperate to help, he worked day and night to save enough money for a well to be dug in drought-stricken Uganda. His ambition soon grew and his altruistic nature dragged schoolmates and ultimately most of Canada with him. An uplifting and wonderfully touching story that reminds us all that we can change the world if we really believe.

Bride for Barter

2008-05-02T12:00:55Z

For hundreds of years, the Huli of Papua New Guinea lived by their ancient customs, relying on tradition to govern all aspects of life. Then the white man came, threatening their unique culture. Stuck between ancestral values and an ever changing modern world, they found themselves struggling to maintain their tribal identity. This access-all-areas documentary really brings home the daily struggles of the Huli.

Mozambique - The Mozambique Poo Tour

2008-04-28T18:01:45Z

Water and sanitation are some of the biggest challenges facing the developing world. Yet they continue to be low on the political agenda.

Zombie

2008-04-25T15:00:46Z

In the West, zombies may be considered the stuff of Hollywood B films but in Haiti they're part of everyday life. Zombies are taken so seriously here that turning someone into one carries the same penalty as murder. But, as our documentary this week shows, outlawing the practice is doing little to stop it. We look at how Haitis troubled political climate is encouraging child sacrifice and murder.

As long as the Wind Carries Us

2008-04-25T15:00:49Z

The nomads of Mongolia have become a symbol of their country's resilience. Glorified in poems and folk songs, romanticised by the West, the nomadic life has many admirers. But the reality of life in the saddle is very different. This weeks offering is a picturesque and beautifully filmed journey through the rugged steppes of Mongolia. Fifteen years on from the fall of Communism, how is the country making the transition to a Capitalist society? A wistful look at a society on the cusp of change.

When Food Kills

2008-05-15T17:00:44Z

Its every parents worst nightmare. One moment their child is perfectly healthy. The next, they’ve stopped breathing and are turning blue. For many children, the merest hint of nut is all it takes to send them into anaphylactic shock. Food allergies are on the increase and the number of children affected has more than doubled in the past ten years. Yet simple precautions could significantly cut the death rate. This weeks documentary, ‘When Food Kills’ is a wake up call to the rising danger of food allergies.

Eat Sugar and Speak Sweetly

2008-04-25T18:00:46Z

This week’s shocking documentary uncovers the scale of forced marriages in Europe. Ayse was just 11 years old when she became engaged. Regularly beaten and raped, she was forced to work as a slave for her husbands family. Her story is not unusual. In the Turkish immigrant community, arranged marriages are routine. But now, women are starting to defy these traditions and tell their stories.

Red Without Blue

2008-04-25T12:01:20Z

A ground breaking portrayal of gender, identity and the unshakeable bonds of twinship. Identical twins Mark and Alex have always defined themselves in terms of each other. But when Alex decides to undergo a sex change operation, Mark starts to question his own sense of being. We follow the twins over three years as Alex slowly metamorphosis into a woman named Clair. Filmed in a fragmented, haunting style by a family friend, this is a wrenchingly candid, dreamy film.

Frank and Cindy

2008-04-25T12:01:14Z

When eccentric fashionista, Cindy, married a rock star 20 years her junior, she imagined a life of glamour and grammys. But life with Frank is not what she signed up for. His band turned out to be a one hit wonder. Cindy has spent the last 25 years supporting Frank while he lives in her basement and urinates in coffee cans. An ode to the dysfunctional family.

Rain in a Dry Land

2008-04-30T18:02:15Z

After more than a decade in an African refugee camp, two Somali Bantu families are relocated to urban America. We follow their first eighteen months, beginning with cultural orientation classes, where they are introduced to electricity and other novelties. But crash courses in English have ill prepared them for life in the USA and they struggle to adapt to America’s material culture. Two families are on their way to Atlanta. Aden toys playfully with the strange plastic meal he is presented with on the plane. His kids cram their noses against the window. “Are those rocks down there?”, asks Aden’s wife, Madina. “No, it is ice that falls from the sky.” It is snowing in their new home, their breath makes it look like they are “smoking without a cigarette.” Everything is very strange, but it is exciting.

Church Wars

2008-05-06T12:00:47Z

Following the consecration of gay cleric Gene Robinson, can anything be done to reconcile the Anglican church? “The Communion has fractured,” states Archbishop of Sydney, Peter Jensen. “A crack has emerged and that crack will continue unless something radical is done.” Like many traditionalists, he believes Robinsons ordination was “a very bad moment for our church.” Conservatives are angry that the Archbishop of Canterbury did not firmly oppose gay ordination. They are threatening to pull their Churches out of the Anglican community and have started to look elsewhere for religious guidance. But the man many see as responsible for the rift, Gene Robinson, remains unrepentant. “God is doing a new thing here and I believe time will show that it is a Godly thing.”

Beating the Black Dog

2008-04-24T18:00:41Z

One in five of us suffers from depression. For some, the ‘Black Dog’ takes on terrifying dimensions. For those with bi-polar disorder, or manic depression, the fug can descend into psychosis, alcoholism or even split personality disorders. This documentary highlights some of the more alarming sides of depression and how it affects the sufferers and their families. ‘Black Dog' is a moving, empathetic dissection of the mental illness that afflicts so many of those around us.

Gender Puzzle

2008-04-24T18:00:33Z

Are we on the cusp of discovering what determines gender? The old mantra - all girls have XX chromosomes and all boys have XY - is no longer reliable. Scientists are now looking beyond chromosomes to "brain sex" and the role of newly discovered genes. By studying transsexuals and people on the gender extremes, they believe they can unlock the gender puzzle. This high-quality documentary looks at the new and challenging science of gender.

South Africa - A Child is a Child

2008-04-24T18:00:30Z

In the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal, one of the most popular childrens games is ‘Funerals’. Here, one in five children is an AIDS orphan. They live alone or in orphanages, forced to grow up before their time. This unique and uplifting film follows a project aimed at giving these kids back their childhood. It chronicles their experiences as they come together to record a CD. The plan throws together boys and girls from different backgrounds, confronting stereotypes and allowing them to get to know each other. And what starts out as a community project soon becomes a voyage of self-discovery for all the children involved.

Mexico - City Of Dead Girls

2008-04-24T15:00:47Z

They call Ciudad Juarez “the serial killers playground”. In the past decade, over 500 women have been murdered. Most were abducted, raped and tortured before they were killed. So many women have died that a new word has been invented to describe what is happening here – ‘femicidios’, the murder of women. But despite the international outcry, the killings have continued. There are even claims the police are protecting the girls murderers. What has made Ciudad Juarez so dangerous for women? This documentary investigates.

Europe - Where have All the Children Gone?

2008-04-21T15:00:31Z

Europe’s population is shrinking. Millions of apartments across Germany are being torn down because the next generation of tenants is missing. Small towns are disappearing as the few remaining residents move to the city. Can anything be done to reverse the trend? This thought provoking documentary contrasts the family policies of four countries. It examines the extent to which politics influences birth rates.

Journey through Hell

2008-04-17T15:00:53Z

For the first time ever, this journalist managed to get inside a boat trafficking Africans to Yemen, the first stage of their journey to the West.Over 100 people were crammed in with him on the 30 foot boat. Denied food or water for the three day journey and without even room to move, they became ill and dehydrated. The traffickers kept them under control by regularly beatings and throw anyone overboard who complains. When they approach the shore, the refugees are forced to jump into the sea and swim to shore. Many cant swim or are so exhausted they drown. Its estimated that 40% of those who attempt the journey never make it. This is their story.

Homeland

2008-04-17T15:00:57Z

For centuries, the sleepy village of Palagykomoroc was proudly Hungarian. Then the Soviets arrived and erected a border through the heart of town. Families were divided; the village was torn in two. Today, the Soviet Union may have crumbled but the partition still remains. Sixty years of division has permanently altered the landscape and with it the villagers mentalities. This weeks character-led film is a poignant snapshot of a community trapped between two eras.

The Con Kid

2008-04-17T15:01:27Z

Meet celebrity criminal and self-styled ‘con artist’, Richard Ringheim. A series of high profile stunts - like ordering the evacuation of an oil platform or calling the US embassy pretending to be Norwegian Prime Minister, Kjell Magne Bondevik – turned the 19 year old into a pin-up for anarchists worldwide. But his practical jokes and white-collar crime slide into something darker. He soon finds himself embroiled in a world of espionage and high-stakes where nothing is what it seems.

Secrets of the Father

2008-04-15T15:03:02Z

Anonymous sperm donation. The gift of life or a social experiment gone wrong? According to critics, children born from anonymous sperm donations are denied the right to their own identity. They grow up confused and alienated, with a key piece of their life is missing. Others cite cases of siblings meeting by chance, not realising they're related. But outlawing anonymous sperm donation, like some European countries have done, often leads to a fall in donors. How do you reconcile the rights of donors with the rights of their children? Sally McGreal packs a suitcase with her toddler’s toys and gives her daughter another hug. If all goes according to plan, soon she’ll be expecting another child. She’s about to cross the border to buy anonymous donor sperm. “I just couldn’t see myself without children”, Sally explains. Her daughter, Brigit, was conceived this way two years ago and Sally doesn’t want Brigit to be an only child. But this method of conception means Brigit has no way of tracing her biological father.“I dreamed and fantasised about what my biological father would be like”, states Helen Edel. “You look at people’s faces and always wonder”. Learning she was born through artificial donor insemination was; “the shock of my life”.

Norway - Heaven Inside Us

2008-04-15T15:03:04Z

What is madness? What is normal? Nineteen year old Ina lives with her manic depressive mother in Norway. When her mother decides to marry herself on Constitution Day, Ina starts documenting their daily life together. But the filming catalyses a remarkable transformation in which love and understanding replace fear and confusion. A unique portrayal of living with psychosis.

Ukraine - Children of Chernobyl

2008-04-15T15:03:15Z

The explosion at Chernobyl released a hundred times the radioactive fallout of a nuclear bomb. Even today, no one knows how many people have been affected. One of the few things scientists agree is that children were and continue to be its primary victims. But while thousands of children have become ill, older residents are defiantly returning to their homes in the exclusion zone. They eat home grown vegetables planted in radioactive soil and wander around a ghost town that died twenty years ago.

Peru - Tambogrande

2008-04-15T18:00:43Z

“I love my plants as though they were my children”, states Isabel proudly. “I’m not going to hand my land over to anyone”. The inhabitants of the now luscious Tambogrande Valley worked for fifty years to transform barren desert land into a productive paradise. “Land like this is a treasure because it produces a lot. You can grow everything”, boasts Don Berru. ”

UK - Isle of Man: Beyond the TT Race

2008-04-15T18:00:58Z

There’s a place in the middle of the Irish Sea where the cats have no tail, there are no speed limits and for two weeks every year, you get woken up by the screech of speeding motorbikes. But there's much more to the Isle of Man than the world's most famous motorbike race. This light hearted documentary profiles the Island during the TT race. There are bike freaks, loud concerts and huge crowds; old archaic laws, beautiful beaches and tasty local cuisine.

Russia - The Dark Side Of The White Nights

2008-04-15T18:02:30Z

White supremacists, determined to preserve the purity of the Slavic race, are turning St Petersburg into the Neo Nazis capital of he world. In the past two years, there have been over a thousand racially motivated attacks. Not even young children are safe. Our documentary this week focuses on the murder of one African student, whose death came to symbolise all racial killings in St Petersburg. It reveals how a post-Perestroika Russia, still searching for identity, is falling under the sway of the ultra-right. It started out just like any other night for foreign students Michel and Samba. But as they left their university party, someone was waiting for them. “I saw a man with a gun. We all started running, then realised someone was missing”, recalls Michel. “We looked back and saw a body lying flat. Samba”. Sambas death was just the latest in a long series of attacks targeting foreigners in Russia. In one of the most notorious cases, a nine year old Tajik girl was beaten to death by skinheads. Her killers only received a short sentence. “We knew there was a growing problem of racism in Russia but we didn’t know how serious it was”, laments Sambas father. “We only became fully aware when we got the news our son was murdered”. Reluctant to acknowledge the scale of the problem, police normally attribute racist murders to hooliganism.

Guatemala - Duel with the Devil

2008-04-15T18:03:58Z

Guatemala City is one of the most dangerous places in the world. Less than 15 out of 5,000 murders result in a conviction. A culture of political repression and intimidation has left people reluctant to trust the judiciary. But - with the help of C.S.I training - an elite group of officers hope to change things. We follow the special homicide task force as they process up to 30 killings a night. We also hear from the killers and victims, who risk all to seek justice.

UK - City Swimmers

2008-04-15T18:04:32Z

or hundreds of years, mad English men and women have braved Arctic temperatures to swim in Londons murky ponds. But when the Council threatened them with closure, a massive campaign was launched to defend them. Why did Britain care and how did these protesters manage to capture the imagination of a nation and dominate newspaper headlines? This enchanting documentary follows the swimmers protest and offers an unusual insight into English eccentricities.

Indonesia - Lost in Palm Oil

2008-04-15T18:04:38Z

Palm oil, used to produce biofuel, is being billed as a sustainable solution to the worlds energy problems. According to an EU directive, by 2030 all petrol must contain at least 20% biofuel. But does palm oil deserve its ‘green’ reputation? What are the human and environmental costs of the explosion in palm oil plantations? This weeks documentary investigates how palm oil cultivation is contributing to global warming. It reveals how indigenous tribes are being forced from their land, rivers and water supplies polluted and rainforests destroyed by a rapacious palm oil industry.

USA - Growing Old

2008-04-15T18:04:42Z

An ageing population is one the biggest problems facing the developed world. In a society that glamorises youth, age is regarded with fear; associated with weakness and poverty. But how do you define ageing? Is your age in your body or in your mind? And what will happen when the Baby Boomers retire? Through conversations with elders, professionals and doctors, ‘Growing Old’ explores how to embrace the challenges of ageing

World - You Only Live Twice

2008-04-15T18:04:44Z

A new craze has hit cyberspace. They’re called virtual worlds and are 3D computer generated universes where you sign up, choose a body, build a house and you’re ready to live out your Second Life. In online virtual worlds, like Second Life, everyone is beautiful or exotic. You can chat up strangers, slay mythical dragons or create your fantasy business and even make real money. Some claim Second Life will be more influential than eBay or MySpace. ‘You Only Live Twice’ takes a fascinating, sometimes humorous, look at the heavily marketed promises and potential pitfalls of virtual worlds.

Australia - Tracking the Intervention

2008-04-09T13:42:24Z

Sending in soldiers and the police to stabilise indigenous communities in Australia and check children for sexual abuse was always going to be controversial.

Turkey - Turkish Tea part 5

2008-04-09T12:08:08Z

In this beautifully made, whimsical series, we travel through Turkey - the land where East meets West. The more we learn, the less we understand. Veering off the tourist track and capturing the stories of passers by, ‘Turkish Tea’ deftly weaves a diverse tapestry

Turkey - Turkish Tea part 4

2008-04-09T13:41:31Z

Turkey - Turkish Tea part 3

2008-04-09T13:42:57Z

Turkey - Turkish Tea part 2

2008-04-09T13:43:09Z

Killing Dilemma

2008-04-09T13:43:40Z

A former Israeli Air Force pilot questions assigments he participated in which civilian lives were lost. He is battling with the psychological effects of taking innocent lives in the name duty.

Daughters of the Canopy

2008-04-09T13:49:38Z

The Amazon rain forest has never been more at risk. Every year, another 17,000 km disappears to make way for cattle ranches or falls prey to loggers saws. But its not just the environment that suffers when the forests are cleared.

My Vatican

2008-04-09T13:51:51Z

As Jean-Paul IIs right hand man and most influential theological advisor, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger became known as ‘God’s Rottweiler’. Now, the world will know him as Pope Benedict XVI. But what will his pontificate be like?

Greasy Loot

2008-04-09T15:02:09Z

Exploring the palm oil industry in Indonesia, the second largest producer in the world. The rainforrest is being destroyed to make way for plantations, taking the indigenous people of Sumatras food supply wit hit.

John of God

2008-04-09T15:02:14Z

A Brazillian faith healer who claims to perform 'invisible' operations without anaesthetic or pain to heal. Joan McEntee, a progressive MS sufferer, journeys to Brazil for alternative treatment.

Alone Across Australia

2008-04-09T15:02:23Z

Adventurer Jon Muir attempts to walk 2500 kilometres alone across his native Australia.

Occupied Minds

2008-04-09T15:02:27Z

Two men from Jerusalem, one from East and the other from West both living in USA. They decide to visit each others 'side' of Jerusalem to try and understand why Jews ad Arabs cannot live side by side in peace.

Rash

2008-04-21T10:57:02Z

This weeks documentary explores the vivid world of ‘street art’. Delving into the shadowy back streets of the city we meet graffiti artists, watch them at work and join them in the adrenaline filled cat and mouse games they play with the police.

Holy Dust

2008-04-09T18:01:39Z

Since the dawn of Christianity, Bethlehem has been one of the holiest places of pilgrimage. But after years of intifada, the pilgrims no longer come. Life, for Bethlehems residents, has become a mass of contradictions.

Blood Ties

2008-04-19T06:01:26Z

First the junta murdered their sons and daughters. Then, it stole their grandchildren. Under Argentinas harsh military dictatorship, an entire generation vanished. Amongst the tens of thousands of disappeared were hundreds of pregnant women.

Supermax

2008-04-09T18:01:53Z

How do you deal with the most dangerous criminals? Should they be rehabilitated or should the emphasis be on punishment? Supermax is Australias most feared and toughest prison. It holds just 34 prisoners: the so-called worst of the worst.

Private Armies

2008-04-09T18:01:55Z

As the Iraqi government threatens to expel all foreign mercenaries following the Blackwater shootout, the role of private military contractors is once again in the spotlight.

Chichester's Choice

2008-04-09T18:02:02Z

A woman travels to Brazil to try and find her estranged father who is dying of alcoholism and TB and currently living on the streets.

The Behaviour Business

2008-04-09T18:02:10Z

The business of behaviour. Harry suffers from Attention Defecit Hyperative Disorder but he and his family have found an exercise programme that turned him from an angry recluse into a happy, level headed boy.

Mortgage Meltdown

2008-04-09T18:02:11Z

What will be the global fallout of the US subprime mortgage crisis? How can unscrupulous mortgage brokers in America send world stock markets into a spin? 'Mortgage Meltdown' examines how our interconnected finance systems left the world vulnerable.

Who's Afraid of Nuclear Power

2008-04-09T18:02:13Z

Almost every day seems to bring more horror stories on fossil fuels. Were bombarded with reports about global warming. The price of oil keeps increasing. But with each gloomy media prediction, the nuclear industry can boast: weve got the clean answer.

Japan - Whale Wars

2008-04-19T06:01:09Z

Japan has long been accused of vote-buying and bribery at the International Whaling Commission. Already, through exploiting the loophole of ‘scientific research’, it has dramatically increased the number and species of whales it kills.

Ukraine - Flowers Don't Grow Here

2008-04-21T10:28:57Z

Much of Eastern Europe has been devastated by the rapid transition from Communism to Capitalism. In Ukraine, an estimated 1,000,000 children are homeless. They form a troubling underworld, governed by their own rules and haunted by crime, prostitution, drink and drugs.

France - Tale of an Occupied Town

2008-04-10T12:22:01Z

The Vichy government and years of Nazi occupation are one of the most inglorious periods of French history. But what was life like for ordinary citizens during those years? What tactics did they adopt to survive?

Slovakia - Adriana

2008-04-10T12:23:41Z

Shes one of the most photographed women in the world. The glamorous wonderbra girl with the famous husband and enviable lifestyle. But strip away the glitz and the real story of Slovakian supermodel Adriana Sklenarikova emerges.

Afghanistan - Kabul Football Club

2008-04-10T12:24:16Z

Under the Taliban, Kabuls football stadium was a place of fear and execution. Football was discouraged and spectators banned from cheering. But through all the years of oppression, love of the beautiful game remained.

Australia - A Deathly Silence

2008-04-21T10:56:46Z

Suicide. Its the third leading cause of death among young people but few have any idea of its real impact. From Romeo and Juliet to Hunter S. Thompson, those who take their lives are glamorised in the media while those left behind forced to pick up the pieces

World - Peak Oil

2008-04-10T12:24:44Z

World Oil industry. Are we approaching the beginning of the end of the age of oil. Oil demand is outstripping the supply and experts warn by 2030 the shortage will be a worldwide crisis.

Papua New Guinea - Sick No Good

2008-04-10T12:26:38Z

Health care in Papua New Guinea. It is one of the most dangerous cities in the world and it is bordering on an AIDS epidemic fuelled by unsafe sex, prostitution and drugs.

Turkey - Turkish Tea

2008-04-10T12:27:22Z

Canada - Last Stand

2008-04-10T15:02:04Z

Canadas last stand. in the late 1960's Montreal decided to construct a second airport, which prompted Toronto to do the same. They decided on th site of Pickering, a farming region and went about buying up land and tried to forcably eject residents. Local resident protested for three long years against the government.

Africa - The Malaria Parasites

2008-04-21T10:56:49Z

Malaria is Africas largest child killer, it kills more than a million people per year and ninety percent are children. This documentary asks if the rise in fake drugs are to blame.

Australia - Journey of No Return

2008-04-10T15:02:21Z

Every week, thousands of patients are diagnosed with dementia. Sufferers are left confused and helpless as the disease gnaws away at brain functions; robbing them of personality, memory and living skills.

Australia - Separate Lives

2008-04-10T15:02:37Z

Families torn apart. Wives ordered to leave their husbands. Children separated from their parents. And all in the name of God. The Exclusive Brethren have long been revered as a Christian congregation of simple, God-fearing folk.

World - Billionaires' Dreams

2008-04-21T10:56:52Z

They live in opulent palaces, journey everywhere by private jet and own more money than the GDP of some developing nations. What drives these men? What could the billionaires who have everything possibly need?

World - Sweet Misery

2008-04-10T15:03:32Z

One MS sufferer embarks on a journey across America to investigate why there is such a big rise in neurological disorders

Pakistan - Punjabi Love Story

2008-04-10T15:03:54Z

Love stories in Pakistan. A 40 year marriage between an Australian woman and a Pakistani man, the newly wed cook, married to his cousin who works for them and a free spirited young woman who is determined not to be married.

Israel/Palestine - New Samaritans

2008-04-10T15:04:13Z

For over 3,600 years, the ancient community of Samaritans have only intermarried. Today they number only a few hundred and inbreeding has caused serious problems. On the brink of extinction, their leaders take an unprecedented step.

Australia - Final Call

2008-04-14T12:01:22Z

Should the old be allowed to kill themselves when they feel their time has come? Meet the pensioners who have smuggled illegal poisons from Mexico or turned their gardens into laboratories to make drugs

India - The Untouchables

2008-04-10T18:04:32Z

The dalits are Indias outcasts, condemned from birth by a rigid caste system. They live in constant fear of arson, beatings and worse inflicted on them by social superiors desperate to protect their caste privileges. These are the poorest of Indias poor

World - Earth, Wind and Fire

2008-04-10T18:04:34Z

With global warming dominating the political agenda, ‘carbon footprint’ and ‘renewable energy’ have become the latest buzzwords. Only renewable power, claim environmentalists, can enable us to maintain our current lifestyles without destroying the world.

Niger - Slaves

2008-04-10T18:04:48Z

Think slavery is a thing of the past? Think again. In the African state of Niger, an estimated 870,000 people are born into slavery. They spend their entire lives belonging to a master, who can beat, rape or sell them at will.

Niger - A Love Apart

2008-04-10T18:04:52Z

In a few days, charismatic teenager Rhaissa, a nomadic Tuareg from Niger, will marry a man shes never met. After the wedding, everything will change. This warm, intimate documentary follows Rhaissa as she enjoys her last few days of girlhood