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Films Transit International
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Founded by Jan Rofekamp
Babelgum
Films Transit International
This is one of the longest-running, renowned and respected international sales agencies for quality documentaries. The company has represented scores of acclaimed films over the years, including Grey Gardens, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, The Celluloid Closet, and The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Elisberg and the Pentagon Papers.
Films Transit
| 10 videos
01:25:39
The Last Victory
Siena, Tuscany. Every year in June, 100.000 people gather on the Piazza del Campo to watch IL PALIO, the colorful, nerve-wracking and spectacular horse race.
The 11 town districts compete yearly to win the honour and respect for their district; each area held together by its residents' common emotions and devotions.
THE LAST VICTORY follows the passionate struggle of the small town district of Civetta as for months they prepare for the race. From Egidio, the 92-year old sage, to young Paolo who grooms the horse, to Il Capitano, responsible for the politics and financial strategy to win or otherwise to make the enemy lose. They have not won since 1979 so there is a lot at stake. The culminating tension to the grand day makes this verite film a natural, dramatic and moving story of the residents hopes, personal convictions and craving for good fortune. It reflects on the different layers of Italian society: its traditions, religion, politics, bribes and above all its high emotions!
Siena, Tuscany. Every year in June, 100.000 people gather on the Piazza del Campo to watch IL PALIO, the colorful, nerve-wracking and spectacular horse race.
The 11 town districts compete yearly to win the honour and respect for their district; each area held together by its residents' common emotions and devotions.
THE LAST VICTORY follows the passionate struggle of the small town district of Civetta as for months they prepare for the race. From Egidio, the 92-year old sage, to young Paolo who grooms the horse, to Il Capitano, responsible for the politics and financial strategy to win or otherwise to make the enemy lose. They have not won since 1979 so there is a lot at stake. The culminating tension to the grand day makes this verite film a natural, dramatic and moving story of the residents hopes, personal convictions and craving for good fortune. It reflects on the different layers of Italian society: its traditions, religion, politics, bribes and above all its high emotions!
58:11
An Ordinary Family
What would you do if you woke up one morning and all your savings had vanished? Argentina goes bankrupt and many of its inhabitants who once lived a comfortable life suddenly became poor. Swedish filmmaker Fredrik Gertten followed a nice middle class family during three years, 2002 2005. From the crisis that punished the middle class to the heartbreaking moment of emigration and a new beginning in Spain.
Before, The Borroni family's future was bright: Oscar had it all: he managed an oil company, had a great house, new car, American Express, Visa and Master Card. He travelled to the United States, Mexico and Europe. His wife Maria del los Angeles Kelez studied medicine and their three children attended private schools.
But one day it was all over. The national crisis switched over to a personal one. The family had a $100.000 mortage on the house but no income. Maria becomes an expert at the barter movement to survive without cash, swapping things and this way manages to keep the family alive without money. They struggle to prevent their house from being auctioned, and finally decide to sell everything and leave the country.
This is a film about losing faith in ones home country and starting from zero in another, leaving loved ones behind. AN ORDINARY FAMILY shows the struggle to recover dignity and identity. Yet it is not a dark film as the Borroni's teach us in a human, loving and modest way how you can overcome such a crisis as in fact they are an extra ordinary family.
What would you do if you woke up one morning and all your savings had vanished? Argentina goes bankrupt and many of its inhabitants who once lived a comfortable life suddenly became poor. Swedish filmmaker Fredrik Gertten followed a nice middle class family during three years, 2002 2005. From the crisis that punished the middle class to the heartbreaking moment of emigration and a new beginning in Spain.
Before, The Borroni family's future was bright: Oscar had it all: he managed an oil company, had a great house, new car, American Express, Visa and Master Card. He travelled to the United States, Mexico and Europe. His wife Maria del los Angeles Kelez studied medicine and their three children attended private schools.
But one day it was all over. The national crisis switched over to a personal one. The family had a $100.000 mortage on the house but no income. Maria becomes an expert at the barter movement to survive without cash, swapping things and this way manages to keep the family alive without money. They struggle to prevent their house from being auctioned, and finally decide to sell everything and leave the country.
This is a film about losing faith in ones home country and starting from zero in another, leaving loved ones behind. AN ORDINARY FAMILY shows the struggle to recover dignity and identity. Yet it is not a dark film as the Borroni's teach us in a human, loving and modest way how you can overcome such a crisis as in fact they are an extra ordinary family.
49:26
China’s Sexual Revolution
CHINA'S' SEXUAL REVOLUTION is the world's first glimpse into this forbidden new China, often using secret cameras. It's a surprising portrait of the Chinese today: the new free love generation that's left their parents in shock; the booming sex industry that's creating an HIV crisis; the new generation of career women and feminists that suddenly wants it all - while millions of men feel left out.
China's sexual libido was bottled up for 50 years, but now its bursting loose, with dramatic ramifications on marriage, personal freedom and the government itself.
Will the Sexual revolution succeed where the Tiananmen one failed?
CHINA'S' SEXUAL REVOLUTION is the world's first glimpse into this forbidden new China, often using secret cameras. It's a surprising portrait of the Chinese today: the new free love generation that's left their parents in shock; the booming sex industry that's creating an HIV crisis; the new generation of career women and feminists that suddenly wants it all - while millions of men feel left out.
China's sexual libido was bottled up for 50 years, but now its bursting loose, with dramatic ramifications on marriage, personal freedom and the government itself.
Will the Sexual revolution succeed where the Tiananmen one failed?
57:23
Crimes of Honor
Throughout the Islamic world, each year hundreds of women are shot, stabbed, strangled or burned to death by male relatives because they are thought to have "dishonored" their families. They may have lost their virginity, refused an arranged marriage or left an abusive husband. Even if a woman is raped or merely the victim of gossip, she must pay the price. CRIMES OF HONOUR documents the terrible reality of femicide- the belief that a girl's body is the property of the family, and any suggestion of sexual impropriety must be cleansed with her blood. This absorbing, heart-wrenching film introduces us to some of the women in hiding from their families, as well as a brother who describes his reasons for killing the sister he loved. Also profiled are a handful of women who have committed themselves to the protection of young women in danger of losing their lives. This film explains that honor killings have no basis in Islamic teachings yet are disturbingly on the rise, a tragic statement about the lack of basic human rights still endured by millions of women today.
Throughout the Islamic world, each year hundreds of women are shot, stabbed, strangled or burned to death by male relatives because they are thought to have "dishonored" their families. They may have lost their virginity, refused an arranged marriage or left an abusive husband. Even if a woman is raped or merely the victim of gossip, she must pay the price. CRIMES OF HONOUR documents the terrible reality of femicide- the belief that a girl's body is the property of the family, and any suggestion of sexual impropriety must be cleansed with her blood. This absorbing, heart-wrenching film introduces us to some of the women in hiding from their families, as well as a brother who describes his reasons for killing the sister he loved. Also profiled are a handful of women who have committed themselves to the protection of young women in danger of losing their lives. This film explains that honor killings have no basis in Islamic teachings yet are disturbingly on the rise, a tragic statement about the lack of basic human rights still endured by millions of women today.
59:33
Satellite Queens
"Focusing on the popular women talk show Kalam Nawaem ('Sweet talk' or 'Women's Talk'), this lively documentary explores how Arab satellite TV influences lifestyles and public opinion in the Middle East. Hosted by four charming women from four different Arab countries, this hugely successful prime time TV show brings the world seen from the vantage point of women to millions of Arab viewers worldwide.
Discussing hot issues like homosexuality, terrorism, and masturbation, Lebanese Rania, Egyptian Fawzia, Palestinian Farah, and Saudi Muna are the controversial stars of a record- breaking television format, bringing in millions of dollars in advertising revenue for its Saudi owners.
Who are these charming women breaking new ground? How do they use the power of media to change their world? And what happens when their conservations are heard in Arab living rooms? Satellite Queens is an intimate look at the making of Arab public opinion."
"Focusing on the popular women talk show Kalam Nawaem ('Sweet talk' or 'Women's Talk'), this lively documentary explores how Arab satellite TV influences lifestyles and public opinion in the Middle East. Hosted by four charming women from four different Arab countries, this hugely successful prime time TV show brings the world seen from the vantage point of women to millions of Arab viewers worldwide.
Discussing hot issues like homosexuality, terrorism, and masturbation, Lebanese Rania, Egyptian Fawzia, Palestinian Farah, and Saudi Muna are the controversial stars of a record- breaking television format, bringing in millions of dollars in advertising revenue for its Saudi owners.
Who are these charming women breaking new ground? How do they use the power of media to change their world? And what happens when their conservations are heard in Arab living rooms? Satellite Queens is an intimate look at the making of Arab public opinion."
50:14
Bride Kidnapping in Kyrgistan
"The first film ever to document the ancient custom of bride kidnapping which is a common way of marrying in Kyrgyzstan, one of the former Soviet Republics in Central Asia. When a Kyrgyz man decides to marry, he often abducts the woman he has chosen. Typically, he takes several friends, hires a car, stakes out his bride-to-be's movements, and snatches her off the street. The woman is taken to the groom's family home.
A delegation is then sent to her family to inform them of the kidnapping. The abducted woman is kept until someone from her family arrives that will determine whether she will marry her kidnapper. The level of consent and the familiarity of the bride with the groom vary. Sometimes the kidnappings are consensual - the bride is engaged to the groom and agrees to the kidnapping. Here the kidnappings are merely playful rituals. In many other cases however, the bride does not want to marry her suitor, or has never even met him before she is kidnapped.
Recent studies estimate that about half of all marriages in Kyrgyzstan today are conducted through kidnapping, and that in half of these cases a woman is forced into a marriage against her will. This documentary follows the dramatic stories of four of non-consensual kidnappings."
"The first film ever to document the ancient custom of bride kidnapping which is a common way of marrying in Kyrgyzstan, one of the former Soviet Republics in Central Asia. When a Kyrgyz man decides to marry, he often abducts the woman he has chosen. Typically, he takes several friends, hires a car, stakes out his bride-to-be's movements, and snatches her off the street. The woman is taken to the groom's family home.
A delegation is then sent to her family to inform them of the kidnapping. The abducted woman is kept until someone from her family arrives that will determine whether she will marry her kidnapper. The level of consent and the familiarity of the bride with the groom vary. Sometimes the kidnappings are consensual - the bride is engaged to the groom and agrees to the kidnapping. Here the kidnappings are merely playful rituals. In many other cases however, the bride does not want to marry her suitor, or has never even met him before she is kidnapped.
Recent studies estimate that about half of all marriages in Kyrgyzstan today are conducted through kidnapping, and that in half of these cases a woman is forced into a marriage against her will. This documentary follows the dramatic stories of four of non-consensual kidnappings."
02:47:43
Manufacturing Consent
Funny, provocative and surprisingly accessible, Manufacturing Consent is an energetic fusion of images and ideas that explores the political life and ideas of the controversial American writer, linguist, and social philosopher Noam Chomsky. According to citation indexes, Chomsky is the most-cited living author and ranks in the top ten ever -just behind Shakespeare, Plato and Freud. Chomksy is the guy the N.Y. Times has called ""arguably the most important intellectual alive.""
A mammoth film, Manufacturing Consent is nevertheless light on its feet, favoring a style that encourages audiences, just as Chomsky himself encourages his listeners to pry themselves away from the media's ""web of deceit"" by undertaking a course of what he calls ""intellectual self-defense."" Ralph Nader said of Manufacturing Consent, ""WATCH OUT FOR THIS FILM... IT CAN MAKE YOU THINK!""
Funny, provocative and surprisingly accessible, Manufacturing Consent is an energetic fusion of images and ideas that explores the political life and ideas of the controversial American writer, linguist, and social philosopher Noam Chomsky. According to citation indexes, Chomsky is the most-cited living author and ranks in the top ten ever -just behind Shakespeare, Plato and Freud. Chomksy is the guy the N.Y. Times has called ""arguably the most important intellectual alive.""
A mammoth film, Manufacturing Consent is nevertheless light on its feet, favoring a style that encourages audiences, just as Chomsky himself encourages his listeners to pry themselves away from the media's ""web of deceit"" by undertaking a course of what he calls ""intellectual self-defense."" Ralph Nader said of Manufacturing Consent, ""WATCH OUT FOR THIS FILM... IT CAN MAKE YOU THINK!""
58:38
The Battle For Our Minds
Computer and Videogames have become dominant forces in today's popular culture. Sales figures outperform the movie box office worldwide. But what is the social and cultural impact of these games on the players and our society? Using the microcosm of game fans in the USA and Korea and game developers working for Microsoft as a magnifying glass to reflect upon the broad social, moral and political impact of this new medium the film explores to what extent these games have impacted individuals identities and lives today.
This documentary sheds new light on the unknown territories of digital toy-land by telling the stories of people whose lives have been deeply influenced by computer games. Although from very different backgrounds, they have one thing in common: they are deeply involved in struggles with particular game worlds and have dedicated their entire lives to them. For them the new virtual worlds and the real world increasingly interact and shape each other, and millions of peoples lives around the world revolve around them, sometimes with tragic consequences.
Computer and Videogames have become dominant forces in today's popular culture. Sales figures outperform the movie box office worldwide. But what is the social and cultural impact of these games on the players and our society? Using the microcosm of game fans in the USA and Korea and game developers working for Microsoft as a magnifying glass to reflect upon the broad social, moral and political impact of this new medium the film explores to what extent these games have impacted individuals identities and lives today.
This documentary sheds new light on the unknown territories of digital toy-land by telling the stories of people whose lives have been deeply influenced by computer games. Although from very different backgrounds, they have one thing in common: they are deeply involved in struggles with particular game worlds and have dedicated their entire lives to them. For them the new virtual worlds and the real world increasingly interact and shape each other, and millions of peoples lives around the world revolve around them, sometimes with tragic consequences.
01:18:40
Grass
The world of marijuana, now variously reported to be a $10 Billion to $30 billion industry in North America with more than 200,000 growers, comes vibrantly alive in this fact-filled, fascinating story of our love-hate relationship with that resilient weed variously known as grass, pot, or dope.
It is about the people who discovered and spread the use of marijuana as a recreational drug, the sailors, jazzmen, entertainers, blacks and Mexicans, poets and beatniks, as well as their antagonists in the Bureau of Narcotics, headed by Harry Anslinger, (author of Marijuana: Assasin of Youth), who sought to drive grass underground. Edited out of 500 hours of archival footage on the history of marijuana in North America, the film focuses on a long lasting and fierce prohibition that has seen the number of North American pot smokers rise from 60,000 (at the time it was outlawed) to 30 million. GRASS is an informative and entertaining kaleidoscope of the longest-running and most disobeyed prohibition in the history of the USA, an epic tale of how Government bureaucrats created a climate which turned literrally millions of users, at least technically, into criminals.
The world of marijuana, now variously reported to be a $10 Billion to $30 billion industry in North America with more than 200,000 growers, comes vibrantly alive in this fact-filled, fascinating story of our love-hate relationship with that resilient weed variously known as grass, pot, or dope.
It is about the people who discovered and spread the use of marijuana as a recreational drug, the sailors, jazzmen, entertainers, blacks and Mexicans, poets and beatniks, as well as their antagonists in the Bureau of Narcotics, headed by Harry Anslinger, (author of Marijuana: Assasin of Youth), who sought to drive grass underground. Edited out of 500 hours of archival footage on the history of marijuana in North America, the film focuses on a long lasting and fierce prohibition that has seen the number of North American pot smokers rise from 60,000 (at the time it was outlawed) to 30 million. GRASS is an informative and entertaining kaleidoscope of the longest-running and most disobeyed prohibition in the history of the USA, an epic tale of how Government bureaucrats created a climate which turned literrally millions of users, at least technically, into criminals.
01:11:01
The American Nightmare
In the 1970's a new wave of Horror filmmakers changed the genre completely and introduced new visions and styles that influenced the Horror genre until today.
With extraordinary clips and archive, this story is told by the giants of the genre, who started out in those days: Romero, Craven, Cronenberg, Carpenter and Hooper talk about terror, their work and the world that inspired it: America in the 70s.
In the 1970's a new wave of Horror filmmakers changed the genre completely and introduced new visions and styles that influenced the Horror genre until today.
With extraordinary clips and archive, this story is told by the giants of the genre, who started out in those days: Romero, Craven, Cronenberg, Carpenter and Hooper talk about terror, their work and the world that inspired it: America in the 70s.
