Gandhi’s Footsteps / 2019
#India

On August 15, 1947, India won its independence from British rule, otherwise known as the Raj. Mahatma Gandhi was the most prominent figure in India’s struggle for freedom. His philosophy of non-violence was so powerful it brought down the empire. Now Gandhi's face adorns Indian banknotes and his birthday is celebrated as a national holiday.

75 years after independence, Gandhi’s ideas still inspire many of his countrymen. Modern-day disciples, known as Gandhians, share how they put Gandhi’s teachings into practice.

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The Invisible Women / 2015
#India

In some parts of India, becoming a widow means social death. Widows can’t remarry and are abandoned by their families. They're expected to mourn and pray for the rest of their lives. In the holy city of Vrindavan, thousands of widows live in ashrams and beg in the streets to survive.

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Maasai: From Sand to Snow / 2015
#Kenya #Russia

“It’s the experience of a lifetime!” Wilson said, when a Russian friend invited him and his friends to see snowy Moscow. The Kenyan is from the village of Maasai and had never seen snow or experienced sub-zero temperatures before. Wilson and his friends had never even been outside Kenya. The documentary shows the adventure they’ll never forget.

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Coups R US / 2018
#USA

American journalist Stephen Kinzer explores America's interventions in Guatemala, Libya and Hawaii. These are just a few examples of America’s imperialist interventions. The documentary sheds light on the formula, rationale and real motives Washington uses to overthrow foreign governments it doesn't like.

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Joyability / 2020
#Russia

The Simple Things workshops in St. Petersburg, Russia, are special places for special people. Adults with learning disabilities are able to learn a craft, like pottery, woodwork or drawing. They learn to communicate and become independent by creating things in an inclusive atmosphere.

August 19 is World Humanitarian Day that celebrates people helping people. Check out this documentary to hear from volunteers and trainers at The Simple Things about their mission.

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Tokal / 2014
#Kazakhstan

In Kazakhstan, some men take more than one wife. The second and subsequent wife is called ‘tokal’. They are usually younger than the first wife, known as ‘baibishe’. Even though polygamy is technically illegal in the country, it’s a widespread practice, and it’s gaining in popularity again.

‘It’s up to you whether to introduce your tokal to baibishe. But bring both on vacation’, says a commercial for a popular aviation company. For many men, polygamy is about status. Kanishbek is one of them. He’s 57 years old and has two wives - one lives in Almaty and the other in Nur-Sultan. Kanishbek is actively searching for more younger women who could give birth to more children.

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Rwanda Pirouette / 2017
#Rwanda

In 1994, over a million people were killed in Rwanda when members of the Hutu tribe began to slaughter their Tutsi neighbours. Nearly 30 years on, citizens work every day to prevent the deadly schism from reopening in their society and everyone simply calls themselves 'Rwandan.'

The documentary shows the first-ever ballet school in Rwanda, where the young dancers strive to realise their dreams, while giving their country something better to be famous for than genocide.

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Kalashikov TM / 2012
#Russia

Kalashnikov assault rifles are the most popular and time-tested firearms in the world. One rifle from every new batch of new AK47s is put through rigorous testing - freezing temperatures, water, poundings and sand blasting.

The iconic and hugely successful weapon is the brainchild of Mikhail Kalashnikov. It made him a household name, but he received no compensation. The documentary reveals the origins of the legendary AK-47.

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Mine Country/ 2018
#Libya

The civil war in Libya has left the country littered with unexploded mines, bombs and other explosive devices. Clearing the dangerous remains of war rests on the shoulders of ordinary people like school teacher Mahmoud.

Find out more about the grim legacy of Libya’s civil war in Mine Country.

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Alienated Love / 2022
#Russia

Lyosha’s family left him when he was born. He was doomed to spend the rest of his life in a children’s home, but was lucky to meet a loving mother and become part of a big family. People were surprised by his extraordinary appearance, and many had mixed reactions.

Lyosha has a rare genetic disorder called Ablepharon macrostomia syndrome. There are only 16 people in the world with this disease. But Lyosha’s uniqueness is about so much more.

Despite his condition, Lyosha lives an everyday life of a regular teenager. He makes TikTok videos, plays video games, and dreams about the future.

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The Afghan Lady Cab / 2015
#Afghanistan

Sara Bohayi from Afghanistan had chosen an unusual career for a woman living in a patriarchal society. She’s the first and only woman taxi driver in the country. Defying gender norms, Sara became a local feminist hero. However, Sara can only give rides to women and she's not allowed to work after dark. But her clients appreciate the chance to be driven by a woman.

One year ago, the Taliban seized power and banned women from working outside of the hom

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Kilimanjaro Challenge / 2014
#Tanzania

Aleksandr was born with no legs and deformed fingers, and his mother abandoned him. He grew up in an orphanage for kids with disabilities in a remote Russian town. One day, Aleksandr got lucky and was selected to take part in a US humanitarian project. At the age of 15, he walked on his new prostheses for the first time in his life. His temporary foster parents couldn’t let him go and adopted Aleksandr.

To inspire kids with disabilities, Aleksandr and his friends from the orphanage took on the challenge to climb Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, which rises 5,895 metres.

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Poets on the Frontline / 2022
#Urkaine #Donbass

Ukrainian neo-Nazi rising to power and eight years of confrontation between two ideologies shaped a different, yet important front in Donbass — the members of the Dombass literary scene.

They came from many different backgrounds and have different stories to tell about how they ended up in Donbass. Yet they are all united by a determination to support the right cause the best way they can — through verse.

See Donbass’ struggle for independence through the eyes of its poets and musicians and learn their bittersweet, tragic, and deeply inspirational stories in the documentary. 

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Grisi Siknis / 2019
#Nicaragua

Locals call it Grisi siknis. Nicaragua’s indigenous Miskito community is gripped by a mystery ailment that strikes suddenly, causing convulsions, shaking, and breathing difficulties. Victims can become extremely strong during Grisi siknis seizures.

The mysterious phenomenon affects mostly young girls. According to locals, the fits of hysteria can be contagious. It is said that if a victim merely mentions someone’s name, that person may also suffer a Grisi siknis attack.

The affliction can’t be cured by conventional drugs, so the Miskito people turn to traditional healers, who usually concoct a remedy consisting of medicinal herbs and plants. Locals believe Grisi sikinis may stem from demonic influences, and scientists can’t find a physiological explanation.

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Last Wishes / 2016
#Netherlands

In the Netherlands, there’s a special service that fulfils dying people’s last wishes. Volunteers make 1,700 dreams come true every year with the Dutch Ambulance Wish Foundations. And they do it all for free!

Want to admire a painting by Rembrandt one last time? Go to a concert by your favourite band? Or see a beautiful lighthouse? Done!

The documentary shows several terminal patients who were allowed to take a break from being sick.

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Isaac. The Story of a Little Giant / 2017
#Tanzania

Isaac is a rat that looks like a hamster, whose nose is his secret weapon. Isaac is a landmine-detecting hero. His remarkable sense of smell can detect the tiniest traces of TNT. He can sense explosives up to 20 centimetres underground!

Isaac was born in Tanzania, where a Belgian NGO, APOPO, trains giant pouched rats to sniff out explosives. After nine months of training and passing an exam with flying colours, Isaac was sent to Cambodia, one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. The civil war left up to five million pieces of unexploded ordnance.

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