Feminine Front / 2022
#Donbass #Ukraine

In 2014, when war broke out in Donbass, Alyona Carabet was just 16. Her mother, Olga code-named Korsa, was one of very few women commanders, and Alyona wanted to join her unit as soon as she turned 18. “I said to her, if not with you, then I'll join some other unit anyway’. So she said: ‘Okay then, can you pack your things in 2 hours?’. Then by evening, I was already in Gorlovka, in her division”, recalls Alyona.

How must it feel to spend your first four years as an adult on the front line?

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SOS: Sold Out Slaves / 2016
#Kenya

One Kenyan child in three is involved in underage prostitution. Extreme poverty forces kids as young as 8 to prostitute themselves. Despite risks of exposure to violence and life-threatening diseases, children can’t escape the vicious circle. In the documentary, young prostitutes share their heartbreaking stories.

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Sky Rescue / 2014
#Russia

The Nenets reindeer herders travel thousands of kilometres a year, and they don’t have an address in the tundra. So what do they do in the event of a medical emergency? The Nenets have maintained practically the same lifestyle their ancestors led thousands of years ago. But today’s Nenets use satellite phones to call air rescue helicopters in cases of illness, injury or labour.

The Nenets are nomadic people of Russia’s Arctic. Their lives and livelihoods revolve around reindeer, and they are constantly on the move in search of new pastures.

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Cold War Weapons | Spies: Episode 2 / 2022
#USSR #USA

A briefcase, a bottle or even a pen used as a gun may seem to be fiction taken from a James Bond movie, but surprisingly these are real gadgets created by intelligence service engineers. This ‘Cold War Weapons’ episode examines the tiniest guns and other firing devices of different shapes and sizes. Not so long ago their development was top secret. Moreover, some of the gadgets shown in the film are still in use in some countries. In this episode we have a unique opportunity to see how a spy gun can hit targets! You’ll also find out how the KGB unmasked spies and who is considered to be the most successful CIA agent in the USSR.

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In the 1930s, Nikolai Elizarov worked at a plant in the Urals and was a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. In 1978, he led the anti-communist Republic of China (Taiwan) and propelled it into the economic leadership of East Asia. Such an incredible career was made possible by Elizarov’s famous father…
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Cinderfella / 2021
#Russia

Russian street cleaner, Yura, is an orphan and disabled. His life has never been easy: he was tricked into taking out huge loans and spent a year in forced labour. But one day he woke up a local star.

His flat mate, a photographer, snapped a few pictures of Yura and shared his story on Instagram. People sympathised with the young man's naivety and raised money to pay off his debts. Yura has kept his job sweeping streets, but he’s now in high demand for photo shoots. His secret to being so photogenic? ‘Yura remains himself and stays natural’.

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Breaking Bad Wolf / 2018
#USA #Russia

A whistleblowing American cop donned a wig and sunglasses and fled all the way to Russia to avoid being put in prison or murdered for exposing corruption in the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office. It sounds like the plot of a spy novel, but it’s the real life story of John Mark Dougan.

The police officer from Florida exposed corruption in the sheriff’s office in his anonymous blog. For this, Dougan was hounded and placed under surveillance for several years until the FBI raided his home.

Watch the documentary to learn how he managed to avoid the FBI and escape to Russia.

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Following the Great Tea Road / 2021
#China

Do you like tea as much as we do? Tea isn’t just a beverage, it’s an emotion and a tradition with a long history. Originated in China, tea made its way across the globe and became a part of world culture. Two Chinese travelers follow in the footsteps of the ancient tea caravans from Shangri-La to Pu’er.

Brew yourself a nice cup of tea and enjoy their journey along the Tea Road.

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My Friend From War / 2022
#Syria

Can a volleyball become a friend? War in Syria took away almost all of Rami’s friends. Feeling powerless and broken as he could do nothing to save them, Rami gave up hope to ever have a real human connection. When he found a volleyball in the school playground he called the ball 'Willy' and made friends with it. Eventually, Willy became almost the only one who stayed with Rami during the war. "Willy is not just my friend, he’s also the ball that changed my life. And talking about Willy, I think each one of us have his own Willy. Maybe in a different way, maybe in a different position. But we all have the same Willy. The one that keep pushing you. The one that keep giving you hope. And the one that stick with you in your bad times and also in your good times." Follow Rami’s amazing story in our premiere.

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FavelaLive / 2017
#Brazil

Peek inside the life of one of Rio’s largest and most visible favelas - Complexo de Alemao. It’s a city within a city with its own rules and a main source of Brazil’s organised crime network. The ongoing war between government forces and gang members has kept residents in the crossfire. Since 2008, the city has established special Pacifying Police Units across Rio’s favelas in an effort to make the streets safer. However, the police have been accused of brutality and lack of accountability.

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Game Over the Border / 2019
#BosniaHerzegovina

The small town of Bihac on the Bosnian-Croatian border became a transit point for migrants trying to reach the EU. When more popular migration routes through the Balkans were shut down, flows of people from Iran, Afghanistan, Syria poured to Bihac, home to some 60,000 people. Many of them are former war refugees themselves.

In a refugee camp, migrants get ready for a trek through forests and mountains. Getting to Europe is fraught with dangers - freezing temperatures in winter and land mines left from the Balkan wars. However, migrants keep pushing their luck. December 18 marks International Migrants Day, check out this documentary to learn more about migrants and what they endure.

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Jail Babies / 2013
#Russia

These babies aren't criminals, but they still live behind bars. Their mothers have been convicted of fraud, drug offences or theft and gave birth in prison. Mothers are only able to spend the first three years with their children. After that, the toddlers and mothers are separated.

While Russia's penal system allows mothers to be in special cells with their children all the time, not everyone wants the opportunity. A mother who is taking care of her child is not allowed to smoke. Some mothers choose a cigarette over being with their baby all the time.

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Fisher of Men / 2019
#Tunisia

Hundreds of migrants had gone missing at sea in 2021. Every year, migrants risk their lives crossing the Mediterranean Sea to Europe on flimsy boats. Tunisian fishermen have got used to spotting dead bodies. One former fisherman, Chamseddine Marzoug, has decided to give drowned migrants a decent burial in his makeshift ‘cemetery of the unknown’. The documentary tells the story of Chamseddine, migrants attempting the dangerous voyage and young Tunisians getting ready for it.

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Winter in Yakutia, Russia’s coldest region / 2022
#Russia

Journalist Erick Zarate explores Yakutia, Russia’s coldest region, where temperatures often hit -70C. Officially called the Republic of Sakha, it’s the largest Russian region. It lies off the beaten path and can be slightly intimidating for tourists. However, Yakutia is a hub of the Russian North’s ancient traditions, beliefs and crafts, as it is home to several indigenous peoples - Yukaghirs, Evenks, Dolgans, Chukchi and Sakha. Erick enjoys a warm welcome, tries on traditional deerskin boots, receives a shaman’s blessing and hits the road. Check out his incredible journey across Yakutia.

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Art at the Stake / 2018
#Afghanistan

During the Taliban's reign in the late 1990s, fashion, music, and cinema were banned. After the Islamists were ousted by a US invasion in 2001, it took years for the Afghan art scene to revive. A group of Afghan designers and models was brave enough to shoot in the streets, displaying traditional garments and talking about their mission.

When they were being filmed for the Art at the Stake documentary in 2018, the artists received threats and insults from people who considered their work ‘un-Islamic’. With the Taliban silencing cultural expression once again, will the country’s artistic scene survive?

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War Correspondents / 2022
#Donbass

“Every time you pack up before a trip, you think… 'Maybe this will be the last time? How many times can I get lucky?’ How many times do you get to slip by, just a minute or 30 seconds before it happens?” says Murad Gazdiev, a war correspondent, famous for his reports from the most dangerous hot zones in Syria and Donbass. Filming under fire offers no second chances to remake footage, this is why only the most experienced journalists become war correspondents. The documentary captures their everyday life in Donbass. What makes the reporters stay and keep working despite the suffering and danger they have to face every day?

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My Homeless Christmas / 2016
#UK

Some 227,000 people in the UK are homeless. Many of them sleep rough. Journalist James Brown conducts an experiment to discover what it’s like to be homeless, especially during holidays. Christmas is about home, family and warmth, but the festive time is just another reminder of loneliness for thousands of Britons stuck in the streets. Brown spends a day as a homeless person in London, one of the world’s wealthiest cities. He attempts panhandling and sleeps on cardboard. He also meets homeless Londoners and those who managed to get off the streets. Check out the video for more about the physical and mental consequences of homelessness, as well as ways to help the homeless this Christmas.

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EVALI: Vapes of Death / 2021
#USA

Can vaping kill you? In 2020, 68 people died from a vaping-related lung disease called EVALI in the US alone. Nearly 3,000 cases have been reported since 2019. Alex from Provo, Utah, was lucky not to die. He spent three terrifying weeks on life support. His lungs failed after he tried a new vape juice. Alex’s parents thought he was on his deathbed.

Now Alex and his family want his case to become a cautionary tale, as 1 in 5 Americans ages 18 to 29 use vape products. While health experts are trying to determine what exactly causes the illness, vape proponents still claim it’s less harmful than smoking tobacco and helps smokers quit.

What’s true and what’s myth about vaping? Alex, health officials and vape proponents share their views in this documentary.

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