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Downloads | Noisy Planet downloads are Windows Media files (WMV9) with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels and a bit rate of 769 kbps. Typical file size is 258 MB for a 50 minute film. Payment is by credit/ debit card at time of purchase. All downloads are priced at £19.99 + VAT. Films are supplied as a site licence to the downloading institution. Any copying or use outside the institutional environment is illegal. These downloads are available to schools and colleges in the UK and the Republic of Ireland only. | |
| |  | What will be the legacy of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon? Will he be remembered as a man of peace or a war criminal? In the refugee camps of Lebanon, the shadow of the Sabra and Shatila massacre darkens every day. Here, people regard Sharon as the man who authorised a genocide. Who ordered the Israeli army to surround the camps, let the Christian militias in and did nothing as they massacred thousands of innocent civilians in Sabra and Shatila. This documentary centres on four survivors who spearheaded the campaign to bring Sharon to trial. Includes shocking archive of the massacre.
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| |  | 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.
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| |  | In the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal, one of the most popular children's 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.
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| |  | Suicide is 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. This documentary investigates its illusory appeal. By looking at one case in detail, it examines the intellectual attraction of suicide to the vulnerable and its catastrophic impact on the living.
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| |  | 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.
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| |  | In a few days, charismatic teenager Rhaissa, a nomadic Tuareg from Niger, will marry a man she's never met. After the wedding, everything will change. This warm, intimate documentary follows Rhaissa as she enjoys her last few days of girlhood and navigates the long marriage ceremony. By engraining herself in the Tuareg community, filmmaker Bettina Hansen discretely captures their sense of values and perspective on love. The result is a unique and beautifully-crafted film.
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| |  | Nearly 50 years after the revolution, is Cuba on the brink of another major change? Dreams of founding a Socialist utopia have all but vanished. Few expect Fidel Castro to return to government. Even his brother, Raul, 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 Castro's regime as a Communist dictatorship, in the favelas of Havana, people have seen real benefits.
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| |  | It's 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 other's 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.
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| |  | Algeria's history is dotted with bloodshed. Hundreds of thousands of people have been massacred in the decade long civil war between Islamic militants and the Algerian Army. Even now unrest, militancy and kidnapping characterise the country. It's still more or less a no-go area for western journalists. But why is Algeria so troubled? This documentary is a beautifully filmed production getting to the root of Algeria's problems. We look back through forty years of violence to place modern day Algeria in its proper context. A high-quality look at one of the world's forgotten conflicts.
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| |  | In the 1920s PCBs were considered to be wonder-materials. Their fire resistance, electrical insulation and ability to make other materials more pliable led to use in countless applications. They were routinely used in hydraulic fluids, paint, ceiling tiles, Linoleum, electrical components, concrete, railway sleepers and domestic white goods. But in the 1970s PCBs were found to have leaked into the environment and entered the food chain, where they were wreaking a devastating effect on animal and human organisms around the world. They were banned, but it was too late. PCBs do not simply disappear and they continue to cause harm to this day.
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| |  | From attacking scientists and destroying labs to desecrating graves and intimidating staff, militant animal rights activists are prepared to do anything to further their cause. How do they justify their actions? Are they freedom fighters or terrorists? This slick investigation goes undercover with the ALF. We join them on raids to liberate animals and hear from the scientists they target. A probing report into extremist activism.
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| |  | This documentary turns to one of earth's greatest treasures, the coral reef off the Australian coast. Sitting on valuable oil reserves it's become the target of the oil industry which is desperate for new drilling sites. This is a beautifully produced investigative film highlighting the urgent need to guard The Great Barrier Reef from the corporate vultures.
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| |  | Once upon a time there was a quaint town in tropical north Queensland called Tully. Times were tough in the old town, and the villagers were feeling rather grim about it all. Ron Hunt, the quixotic and determined town elder was not going to see his town die, so he decided to build a tourist monument, proposing building The World's Biggest Gumboot in honour of Tully's Australian record rainfall of 7.98 metres in 1950.
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| |  | Whatever happened to the hunt for Bin Laden? In the wake of 9/11, President Bush vowed not to "rest until we find him". But five years into the most expensive manhunt the world has ever seen, "Public Enemy Number One" remains at large. How has he continually evaded capture? Did he escape from Tora Bora or did someone let him go? In this controversial documentary, key personnel involved in the search speak out.
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| |  | What's it like to be an American soldier in Iraq right now? To face constant attacks from the people you came to liberate; be away from your family for years on end and watch your friends die on a regular basis? This intimate, character-led documentary, takes you straight into the soldiers' lives. We follow one company as they conduct raids, go on patrol and relax at base. From the paternal sniper who watches protectively over "his boys" to the young recruits who just want to go home in one piece, it's a warm and unusual perspective of military life.
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| |  | The sleepy Bulgarian villages of Pokrovan and Bardarski Geran seem the perfect models of tranquillity. Bread is baked daily, farmers tend their land and age-old traditions are adhered to. But a few decades ago the situation was completely different. Catholics were harassed by their Orthodox neighbours and persecuted as enemies of the state. The region was marred by bloody conflict. This beautifully filmed documentary traces how friendship came to replace enmity. We follow the villagers over the course of a single day as they reveal how they came to reject violence. Winner of the Best European Film at the Leipzig Festival.
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| |  | For many people, voodoo is synonymous with black magic and malevolence. It's regarded with suspicion, conjuring up images of animal sacrifices and mutilated dolls. This 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.
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| |  | "One of the things that occurred to me is that up until Nelson Mandela, Idi Amin was the most famous African in history", states director Kevin Macdonald. "All the stories about his cannibalism, witchcraft and multiple partners. He represents all that's worst and savage about the Dark Continent."Few facts are known about Amin's early life. What is known is that he joined the British Army in 1946 and was Uganda's heavyweight boxing champion for nine years. "He was a born leader and a very successful soldier", recalls Amin's former colleague, Major Iain Grahame. "When he was in the British Army, he was a kind of licensed killer", claims director Kevin MacDonald. "There are all sorts of stories of the kind of things he did."
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| |  | Truck drivers in India are outcasts from society, inspiring fear and disgust among their compatriots. Viewed as the modern world highwaymen, these "lords of the underground" sit on its edge looking critically at an India unable to accept them. Expertly interweaving the colourful lives of five typical drivers, this intimate documentary paints a picture of social exclusion and desperation.
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| |  | Che Guevara's life is like a movie fantasy - only better. With compelling archive and moving memories of those dear to him we discover a leitmotif of the 60s who died young fighting for his beliefs. A sensitive, intelligent young man he set out to become a doctor. But for an idealist weaned on political debate fixing people was not enough. Bolting from med school he set out to discover Latin America. What he saw would change his destiny from medical doctor to revolutionary doctor. For Guevara, Latin America represented the worst excesses of capitalist exploitation. It was nothing but a continent locked in poverty under the thumb of the US, her corporations, and the CIA. So, high on idealism and Engels, he hooked-up with Fidel Castro and began to plot the overthrow of Batista. A whirlwind of machismo, medical know-how and political theory he made a strong impression on his new Cuban friends. They dubbed him "Che", meaning buddy, and the revolutionary fighter was born.
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| |  | The definitive account of Saddam's use of chemical weapons, and the atrocities his sidekick "Chemical Ali" performed in the name of the Ba'ath Party. Coupling eyewitness accounts with rare archive, we bring alive the horrific reality of campaigns made against his own people. Now they say they "want to be the proof of Saddam's crimes". Shocking and slick profile of what must be one of the cruellest men of the late 20th Century.
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| |  | 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.
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| |  | This DVD tells the stories of five girls and three boys, aged 8 to 16, who live in the coastal areas of India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand. Each was affected by the Asian Tsunami of December 2004, losing loved ones, their home or their belongings. Their stories of survival, courage and resilience give an insight into the long and arduous journey back to normalcy for millions of Asians affected by one of the worst natural disasters of all time. Along the way, we also probe what happened to the massive volume of donations the world pledged to help the survivors.
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| |  | Following the consecration of gay cleric Gene Robinson, can anything be done to reconcile the Anglican church?
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| |  | What's it like being a gay teenager in high school? This intimate documentary provides a rare glimpse into the lives of three gay kids. We follow Adam, Richard and Adina as they weave their way in and out of school, braving harassment and rejection as they come to terms with their sexuality. Eventually, they find refuge in a special education programme for gays where they can continue their schooling without risk of abuse. Compelling and insightful, "Class Queers" is an empowering film about daring to be different.
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| |  | Mount Saint Valentin, the highest mountain in Patagonia, is difficult to access and swept by constant storms. This film records the efforts of scientists to drill and remove an ice core filled with valuable information about climate change. For two years French and Chilean glaciologists battled with the elements in this hostile environment in order to extract their precious ice samples. This DVD brings to life the excitement of practical science in the real world.
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| |  | After years of declining popularity, cocaine is once again the drug of choice. But what's the real cost of "Colombia's finest"? Every gram of cocaine produced has been watered with the blood of forty years of civil war. It's a war that kills hundreds of thousands every year, displaces countless more and causes untold misery. Offering exceptional access to the major players, this is a fresh and moving look at one of the world's forgotten conflicts.
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| |  | Having emptied the European seas of fish, industrial fishing trawlers are now targeting Africa. But in places like Senegal, where the sea is the nation's main resource, the EU's fishing policies are devastating the country. Unable to compete with this "European Invasion", Senegalese fishermen are being driven out of business. This expertly crafted film examines the scale of the problem.
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| |  | It's the literary phenomenon enraging religious groups and infuriating critics. As the film of Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" goes on general release, we bring you the definitive documentary on the theories behind the novel. From the real role of Mary Magdalene to the coded messages in Leonardo Da Vinci's paintings and the secrets of the Gnostic gospels, "Da Vinci Decoded" answers all the questions everyone is asking.
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| |  | Many of India’s lowest caste, the Untouchables, work as debt slaves for members of higher castes. These are people who have in the past borrowed a sum of money, for instance to pay for a wedding or a funeral, that they have no realistic hope of ever paying back - many find it impossible even to find out how much they owe. They are doomed to work unpaid for the lender in perpetuity. This film looks at the injustice of the system and the work of activists to liberate the victims from their slavery.
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| |  | This documentary is the empowering personal story of one Roma woman taking control of her own destiny. Maria Jose is a pretty, charismatic twenty eight year old. She graduated from one of Spain's top universities and has a prestigious career in social services. But she's also a gypsy and has had to overcome insurmountable obstacles to succeed. This uplifting film provides a new insight into the Roma community. Through the eyes of Maria Jose, we see how gypsies are facing up to the challenges of twenty-first century life. Made by the Emmy award winning producer of "Behind the Veil."'''
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| |  | 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, filmmaker Eng Yee Peng recalls her childhood memories of growing up in a vanished world.
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| |  | 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.
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| |  | 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. Tired of waiting for government action, states like California are taking the lead. In setting their own ambitious renewable energy targets, they're forcing industries to make the switch. But countries like Australia remain firmly wedded to coal. Is renewable energy capable of meeting the needs of a modern economy? We investigate.'''
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| |  | 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.
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| |  | No other totalitarian regime is as closely associated with an artistic movement as Hitler's Nazis. From the towering architecture of Albert Speer to the films of Leni Riefenstahl, art fed into and shaped Nazi ideals; reflecting back a world where good battled evil and the strong Aryan always triumphed. Through art the Nazis created a world as illusionary as it was enticing. A world of eternal beauty. This unique documentary looks at the history of the Third Reich through its own images.
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| |  | This is the funny and inspiring video diary of an overweight young man who sets himself the challenge of running the London Marathon. We live with him through the highs and lows of his preparation, unsure whether he will achieve the difficult goal he has set himself. As he crosses the finish line and the tears flow the viewer cannot help but reflect upon the value of setting challenging goals and the process for seeing them through.
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| |  | With many questioning the influence oil companies wield over current US foreign policy, the role of petroleum corporations is once again in the spotlight. This is a documentary about a small community which took on Shell and won. Fighting against a global multi-national, they battled for their environment and health. It'''s a story about a town divided. The white Shell workers prize the refinery as a valuable local asset while the marginalized African American community believe it ruins their health and poisons their children.
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| | _.jpg) | Swaziland has the highest proportion of AIDS infection in the world. More than 40% of the population is HIV-positive and average life expectancy is just 32 years. SWAPOL (Swaziland Positive Living) is a women’s organisation that challenges the victimisation and discrimination of HIV-infected women in the country’s rural communities. This presents its own difficulties in an undemocratic country where the king is suspicious of any form of activism. The film follows the women who devote their lives to SWAPOL, working to help their community in its time of crisis.
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| |  | Ein el-Helweh is the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon. It is notorious as a violent and lawless place where there is daily conflict between Fatah and militant Islamic groups linked to Al-Qaeda. With unparalleled access, this film shows the daily life of the people who live there - their jobs, their pastimes, their children's education, the radicalisation of some of the number, the frustrations of ghetto life and their dream of one day returning to their homeland.
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| |  | Should we make it easier for the elderly to kill themselves when they feel their time has come? Lorna, Richard and Muriel all lead rich and full lives. They're not ill or handicapped but they are in a vocal minority of elderly people who plan to commit suicide before they're overtaken by frailty. Hundreds of pensioners have smuggled illegal poisons from Mexico. Others have turned their gardens into laboratories to make drugs or rehearsed different suicide methods. They regard suicide as a final act of self determination. But opponents claim they have been conditioned to think this way by a society which values youth.
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| |  | When was it decided that big breasts were best? What about little breasts and flat chests? Is there fulfillment in being flat-chested? Flatly Stacked is film maker Judy Holm's personal journey to discover the answers to these questions.
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| |  | 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, drug abuse and murder. Our documentary this week is an intimate and uncompromising insight into their lives. We follow Ruslan, Tanya, Vitalik and their friends as they battle against the odds and try to salvage a better future. Notable for its remarkable levels of access, "Flowers Don't Grow Here"' depicts the children paying the ultimate price for political reforms.
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| |  | Twenty years ago, Pakistan was a vibrant, secular society with a bustling nightlife. Women wore jeans and short blouses, left their hair loose and followed the latest fashions. Now their daughters are afraid to go out without the Hijaab. In this personal, intimate documentary, Pakistani woman Sabiha Sumar looks back through five decades of change. She speaks to Muslim scholars, feminists and family friends to explain why women''s rights in Pakistan have eroded to such a frightening extent.
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| |  | Can things get any worse for the Acehnese? For almost three decades, the people of Aceh have suffered a brutal civil war. Then came the tsunami. And now, as this high quality documentary discovers, the Indonesian military are using the disaster to make life worse still. This high budget film uncovers opportunism of the worst kind. The Indonesian military is accused of exploiting the disaster, both to secure more economic benefits and as a cover to crush Aceh's desperate and impotent population.
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| |  | The old mantra "all girls have XX chromosomes and all boys have XY" is no longer reliable. The proof lives in as many as 40,000 Australians whose chromosomes don't match the standard. Scientists are now looking beyond chromosomes to "brain sex" and the role of newly discovered genes in determining gender.
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| |  | We bring you the controversial story of the 20th Century's first genocide. In 1915, an estimated 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered at the hands of the Ottoman Turks. Tortured, murdered, denied, forgotten, the terrible plight of the Armenians has never been properly publicised. Now, for the first time, they have been given a voice.
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| |  | Large tranches of the Arctic ice cap are melting. For the first time it is possible to sail all the way around the islands of Svalbard – the world’s most northerly civilisation. These islands provide the best demonstration of how global warming is affecting Arctic wildlife. The film-maker’s journey around these harsh coasts brings him uncomfortably close to the polar bears that are starving as their hunting grounds melt away. We also meet walruses, polar foxes and many birds, all of which are feeling the climatic changes.
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| |  | An aging 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 aging? 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 aging.
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| |  | Outer space is open for business. From orbits 36,000 km away, satellites run our daily lives and put missiles in contact with their targets. They see and hear everything. But this booming $50 billion dollar a year industry is virtually unregulated. Space has become the exclusive domain of the biggest and strongest. As space becomes increasingly commercialised and militarised, are we allowing the dangers to outweigh the potential benefits? This high-quality report investigates.
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| |  | This absorbing four-DVD series examines the relationship through history between mankind and fresh water. Each programme considers a different aspect of the relationship. The viewer comes away having learned an awful lot about how our development was influenced by water-related factors and conscious that no society can survive for as much as day without access to fresh water.
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| |  | This absorbing four-DVD series examines the relationship through history between mankind and fresh water. Each programme considers a different aspect of the relationship. The viewer comes away having learned an awful lot about how our development was influenced by water-related factors and conscious that no society can survive for as much as day without access to fresh water.
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| |  | This absorbing four-DVD series examines the relationship through history between mankind and fresh water. Each programme considers a different aspect of the relationship. The viewer comes away having learned an awful lot about how our development was influenced by water-related factors and conscious that no society can survive for as much as day without access to fresh water.
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| |  | This absorbing four-DVD series examines the relationship through history between mankind and fresh water. Each programme considers a different aspect of the relationship. The viewer comes away having learned an awful lot about how our development was influenced by water-related factors and conscious that no society can survive for as much as day without access to fresh water.
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| |  | 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 Bethlehem's residents, has become a mass of contradictions. They live in one of the best funded Palestinian cities but lack basic facilities. This documentary looks at the history of Bethlehem through the lives of four residents. Filmed over the last seven years, this high-quality film reveals how their hopes at the dawn of the millennium have soured.
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| |  | `How Arnold won the West' is a hilarious political satire on the most bizarre American election to date. In true Hollywood-style and after much media speculation, Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his candidacy for Governor of California on The Jay Leno Show in August 2003. The world was watching. But as Schwarzenegger hit the campaign trail, were we just witnessing the cult of celebrity?
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| |  | Whatever happened to the human shields in Iraq? This documentary charts how the trip which began as a mercy mission to stop a war soon descended into farce. Compelling viewing.
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| |  | It's cheap, highly addictive and ultra-powerful. "Ice", or crystal methamphetamine, is now more popular in Australia than heroin, playing havoc with the minds and the bodies of nearly 50,000 Australians.
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| |  | Millions of people live illegally in Europe. Forced by circumstances beyond their control, they lead a virtually invisible life in the shadows, always hopeful things will improve. This thought-provoking film spends a year following five illegal immigrants from different parts of the world. They're prepared to overcome all challenges for one thing: the European dream.
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| |  | What happened to the billions of dollars of Iraqi reconstruction money entrusted to the American Coalition? In just fourteen months, the CPA burned its way through nearly $20 billion. But no-one can account for where it all went. Iraq's infrastructure is worse than ever before. Operating theatres are flooded with sewage. New-born babies are dying for lack of basic equipment. In this shocking `Dispatches' investigation, Iraqi doctor Ali Fadhil goes in search of the missing money. He uncovers a horrific story of fraud, incompetence and corruption.
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| |  | Did America knowingly allow Pakistan to become the first Islamic nuclear state? Did they look the other way as Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and others connived to create the ultimate weapon in defence of Islam? Was America so desperate to defeat the Soviets that they quietly sanctioned a trade off, permitting the Muslim world to create a nuclear bomb in exchange for help driving the Russians from Afghanistan? A powerful and compelling indictment of US nuclear policy over the decades.
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| |  | Shrouded in myth and protected by the ancient secrets of their ancestors, the African Traditional Healer (Sangoma) has always been a controversial subject in South African society, where the modern meets the ancient and where AIDS is feared by all. Little is known about the healing powers they possess, their cunning knowledge of illness and disease and the rituals an initiate has to undergo. We go to the Northern Province of South Africa to follow an Ithwasane (initiate) as she undergoes the process of becoming a fully fledged African Traditional Healer.
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| |  | 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?
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| |  | 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. One of its most upsetting repercussions is on family relationships. This moving documentary looks at the impact of dementia on sufferers and their families. It follows three people with dementia over a period of 12 months.
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| |  | Under the Taliban, Kabul's 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. Now, in a symbol of the country's rebirth, Afghanistan is rebuilding its national team. We follow football legend Ali Askar Lali as he returns from exile in Germany to select and train the new players. Working in farcical conditions, he tries to prepare the men for their first symbolic international match. Will the team be ready? And do they stand any chance of success?
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| |  | How do Israeli pilots tasked with bombing targets in civilian areas feel about their missions? We profile the elite Cobra unit and hear from those who have defied orders to kill.
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| |  | He's the man dubbed the "20th hijacker." A self-proclaimed member of Al Qaeda now serving a life sentence for his involvement in 9/11. But how did the polite, quiet boy from Narbonne grow up to be a terrorist? What radicalised and motivated Zacarias Moussaoui? This though-provoking documentary explores the religious-ideological roots of Islamic terror. Interviews with Moussaoui's family help explain his conversion while powerful Muslim voices, like the Secretary-General of Hezbollah, comment on the links between Islam and violence.
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| |  | Baby Kristen was born with giant tumours engulfing her face. She seemed doomed to a life full of shame, misery, pain and suffering. Then she met Dr Milton Waner, a medical pioneer who specialises in the "desperate cases" other doctors refuse to treat. We follow Kristen's brave eight year battle for a normal life.
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| |  | This is the shocking story of how the big oil companies sought huge profits by adding lead to petrol from the 1920s onwards in full knowledge of its negative effect on health and despite the existence of healthier alternatives such as bio-fuel. Although lead made petrol more efficient, it had been known to be poisonous since Roman times. The hundreds of thousands of tons of lead that have been spread around the world can be proven to have impaired the brain function of millions around the world.
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| |  | This documentary is a unique and personal account of the invasion and occupation of Iraq. Months before war broke out, renowned human rights activist Jo Wilding left for Baghdad to record violations of the Geneva convention. Filmed over the past few years and narrated as a letter to Tony Blair using original diary extracts, A Letter to the Prime Minister traces the non-violent resistance to the occupation. Includes exclusive and harrowing footage of the siege of Fallujah.
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| |  | Single mother Gemma Peppe has had Hepatitis C for 17 years. She is one of half a million in the UK alone - although many are unaware that they have it. She has finally decided to seek treatment. This film follows her during her year of treatment and shows the impact it has on her relationship with her teenage son Louie.
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| |  | This is the untold story of how the global racket in fake drugs turned an easily curable disease into Africa's biggest child killer. According to leading scientists, millions of children could have been saved if the pharmaceutical industry and World Health Organisation had collaborated to address the problem. Now, signs are emerging that malaria is developing resistance to the one effective drug which can still treat it. It's a development which threatens patients all over the world. But - after decades of silence - has the WHO left it too late to act?
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| |  | 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.
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| |  | 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 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.
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| |  | Think smoking pot is a harmless pastime? Think again. According to the latest scientific research, it can cause psychosis, schizophrenia, depression and anxiety disorders. And worryingly, teenagers - the people who indulge most - are those most at risk. In this eye opening documentary, young users now being treated for psychosis speak candidly about their experiences.
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| |  | The haunting tale of families torn apart by a brutal dictatorship. During the reign of Argentina's harsh military junta, thousands of men, women and children simply disappeared. Parents lost their children, orphans were forced into unknown and uncaring families. Twenty five years on, the scars still refuse to heal. This is the deeply moving story of a never ending nightmare, told through the eyes and memories of four extraordinary individuals.
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| |  | 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 the unprecedented step of allowing two lucky men to marry foreigners. We follow them as they set off to faraway lands in search of brides. How will their new wives adapt to life in the Samaritan community?
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| |  | A picturesque and daring tale of British anti-road protest, told from 50m up a majestic pine tree!
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| |  | This documentary is the inspiring tale of how a group of students took on and defeated one of the most powerful corporations in the world. Horrified that employees at Harvard were being paid starvation wages, the students decided to act on their behalf. When years of peaceful negotiations failed, they occupied the main offices, refusing to leave until they had secured a living wage for all employees. Narrated by Ben Affleck, this powerful film captures the students' struggle from start to finish.
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| |  | The Arctic sea ice is melting. The global climate is growing steadily warmer and in the Arctic this process is proceeding twice as fast as in the rest of the world. At the current rate climatologists expect the Arctic to be completely ice-free as early as 2050. This DVD shows the importance of the ice to the animals who live there especially the seal, which relies on it to give birth and to rest, and the polar bear which roams the ice searching for seals.
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| |  | This documentary is a fly on the wall account of life in an African orphanage. The Good Samaritan Childrens Home in the slums of Nairobi is little more than a shack. The walls are made of corrugated iron, there's no water or sanitation and it's staffed entirely by local volunteers. But for the children of the slums, it's their only refuge. We follow the children over a period of a week as they go to school, play in the street and reflect on their lives. This character-led, classic documentary provides an intimate portrait of life in the orphanage.
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| |  | Barely out of her teens, Magali joined a women's battalion of the Sandinista rebels and fought the US-funded Contras. Footage of Magali with her comrades became one of the defining images of a revolution driven by young idealists. Twenty five years on, the journalist who filmed Magali returns to Nicaragua to track her down. She finds a country changed beyond recognition, where the proud young rebels of yesterday are haunted by regrets. What happened to their dreams of independence and justice?
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| |  | Are prisoners at Guantanamo Bay being severely tortured? As more and more former inmates speak out, evidence of this is stacking up. Whilst America may have signed the Convention against Torture, many of its allies in the War on Terror haven't. And by sending detainees to these countries for interrogation, the US is able to gain intelligence obtained through torture whilst at the same time keeping its hands clean. This documentary is the shocking story of one such case. It's the tale of Mamdouh Habib, arrested in a general round up and sent to Egypt for six months to be tortured.
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| |  | What's 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.
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| |  | If in doubt - attack! The American neo-conservative policy of attacking rivals before they're a real danger represents a dangerous political shift within the most powerful nation on earth. But what will be the long term consequences of pre-emptive war? This documentary is a polished and critical investigation into the foreign affairs sledgehammer now being wielded out of Washington. Featuring interviews with leading intellectuals this documentary offers a frightening insight into what could become a harsh new world order.
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| |  | Does the presence of news cameras in war zones such as Palestine actually prompt the violence? This film follows two cameramen whose pictures bring the horror of the Arab-Israeli conflict into our homes. Alon Bernstein is an Israeli who works as a freelance news cameraman for broadcasters including the Associated Press. His close friend is Jimmy Michael, a Palestinian who works principally for the BBC. Their job is to film the pictures that we see on our evening news.
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| |  | Five years after filming Primetime War 1, we return to the Palestinian and Israeli cameramen filming the conflict for the daily TV around the world. In the interim, the situation has degenerated into a real war - a war in which cameramen are injured and killed. Primetime War II focussed more closely on the day-to-day newsgathering process.
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| |  | After the Iraqi government threatened to expel all foreign mercenaries following the Blackwater shootout, the role of private military contractors was once again in the spotlight. There's no denying that the rise of the private military contractor is transforming the way we wage war. They earn four times more than regular soldiers, act with impunity and - in Iraq - outnumber all non-US soldiers combined. Private Armies follows the training and deployment of these men. From skidding around a racing track, practising escaping from kidnappers, to dodging bullets in Baghdad, it's an eye-opening look at life as a private soldier.
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| |  | In the remote village of Jarnawala, Pakistan, everything rotates around the love affairs of younger residents. Self-proclaimed `ladies man', Nawaz, has just married his sheltered cousin. While he struggles to adapt to married life, former girlfriend Mehnaz runs from one controversial suitor to the next. When she decides to marry a man outside her caste, the scene is set for a family showdown. Funny and shocking, Punjabi Love Story is a surprisingly frank look at love in a country ruled by caste and kinship.
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| |  | Arik Ascherman and Jeremy Milgrom are not your typical Israeli Rabbis. Every day, they leave their comfortable homes in Jerusalem to help Palestinians in the West Bank. As God's chosen people, they believe Jews have an obligation to challenge the injustices of occupation. But few other Israelis agree. And - as well as confronting angry settlers - the Rabbis also have to dismantle the prejudices of most Palestinians. Can clerics, of all people, really help to resolve a conflict that is seen for the most part as rooted in religion?
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| |  | 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.
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| |  | For the first time in 25 years, Karzan Sherabayani is going home. As a 14 year old, he was arrested and tortured by Saddam Hussein's secret police; targeted because he was a Kurd. He has spent the last decades in exile, struggling with his own demons. Now Karzan returns to confront his country's violent past and come to terms with its uncertain future. How do other Kurds feel about the West's policies in their country? Will Kurdistan be dragged into Iraq's bloody civil war or should it become an independent nation?
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| |  | The Blue Nile in Africa is one of the world's most feared and least travelled rivers. For decades, no one dared brave the crocodiles and malarial mosquitoes that live alongside its deadly rapids.
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| |  | What prompts a young, well-educated Westerner to become a suicide bomber? We trace how one "kind, really nice boy" from England became the first westerner to carry out a suicide bombing.
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| |  | This is the inspirational tale of a small boy's 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.
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| |  | 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. But ever since their leader, the Man of God, ordered them to withdraw from society and stop socialising with people outside the movement, concerns about the group have been growing. In this moving, personal documentary, ex-members tell their story.
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| |  | Twenty thousand private soldiers operate in Iraq. Who are these people? What do they do and why do they do it? "Shadow Company" is a groundbreaking investigation into the secretive world of modern mercenaries. It follows one British contractor on his tour of duty, contrasting his experiences in Iraq with previous operations in places like Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea. This is the definitive film on the changing face of modern war.
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| |  | Papua New Guinea is sliding towards disaster. A culture of gang violence, lawless suburbs and impoverished settlements has led to it having one of the fastest growing HIV infection rates in the world. Unless effective action is taken soon, 50% of the population could be wiped out. This documentary hears from the people caught up in the epidemic. From gang members bragging about unprotected sex to AIDS victims abandoned by their families, it's an intimate look at a society on the verge of breakdown.
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| |  | 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. Despite being technically illegal, slavery is so engrained in the national psyche that a government spokesman praises it as a "cultural tradition". But in the world's second poorest country, casting off the shackles of slavery and finding a job is unthinkable for many.
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| |  | In a world obsessed with big breasts, it's not always easy being the owner of them. The problems are myriad. Finding relief from back ailments, finding respect from peers and strangers, finding clothes that fit well, and finding bras that will do the job without too much pain - these are all challenges that are faced everyday by a girl or woman who is stacked.
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| |  | An unspoken civil war is being waged for control of Pakistan. The Taliban already rule the tribal belt. Now, they're bringing their fight straight to President Musharraf's doorstep. Pakistan's capital has been rocked by a wave of suicide bombings. Islamic militias usurp all the functions of state while streets throng with protests demanding the President's resignation. Can General Musharraf survive? And how did the Taliban bounce back so quickly after their supposed defeat in Afghanistan?
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| |  | Away from the glare of the media, in the most remote and dangerous parts of Afghanistan, US marines are on a mission to hunt down the Taliban. But in many places their security sweeps are proving counterproductive. More and more villagers are alleging they have been abused by marines. This documentary is a disturbing expose of American actions in Afghanistan. Journalist Carmela Baranowska spent three weeks embedded with the marines. She then returned in secret to document what was really happening. It's a story of prisoners abused and villagers humiliated. This report prompted a US inquiry.
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