Swiss entrepreneur starts up beekeeping business in Russia | No Limits (E1) / 2023
#Russia

‘Well, there’s just a lot I don’t like about what’s happening in Switzerland. I haven’t ever thought about moving back to Switzerland’, says Benjamin Forster who moved to Russia from Switzerland in 2010. Since then he's been dispeling myths about the country and exploring its local culture. Benjamin lives with his family in Pereslavl and is involved in honey production business. He also made some friends in a Cossack community. They taught him their indigenous traditions and Benjamin has won several sword-dancing and sword-cutting championships. Why did he come to Russia and what made him want to stay forever?

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Italian scholar moves to Moscow to study World War II | No Limits (E2) / 2023
#Russia

Massimo Eccli, an Italian, came to Moscow in 1989 when Russia was still a part of the Soviet Union. His goal was to study Marina Tsvetaeva's poetry. Back then, a trip to the USSR was an extraordinary experience. ‘My mother used to say that, when I was in Russia, it felt to her like I was dead! Because you couldn’t make a phone call here’, Eccli recalls. However, Massimo liked his trip a lot and met some people who he still keeps in touch with. Finally, he decided to get married and stay in Moscow permanently. He has been living in Russia for more than 30 years now. After all these years, what has he been doing lately? What is he doing now?

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Blind Devotion / 2023
#Donbass

Nikolay Tarasenko has been building an Orthodox Church on a mountain in his hometown of Kamenka in the Lugansk People’s Republic since the 1990s. When the war broke out in the Donbass in 2014, the project continued regardless. The church’s domes were built under constant shelling. “Then they started to bomb the church and dropped 70 guided aerial bombs on it. The heaviest weighed in at about 250 kilogram,” Nikolay recalls. Fields around the church were scorched, houses were destroyed but “not a single fragment reached the church. Not a single one.” The documentary tells Nikolay’s story and why he decided to finish building his church against all odds.

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Drift It Like Putin’s Driver / 2019
#Russia

Buckle up for an intense driving challenge and adventure. In this documentary, you'll participate in various driving courses at the Federal Guard Service of the Russian Federation. Drivers are trained on regular cars as well as the presidential limousine. You will learn about special details of the president's drivers’ preparation and visit a unique track that provides the most dangerous and daring driving conditions. Learn to drift and control your car on slippery roads, and even perform astonishing tricks. Let’s take a ride! Are you up for the challenge?

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Heroes of Donbass. Battalion Commander / 2023
#Donbass

‘It's different here, plain and simple. Move the wrong way, you get killed, one wrong step, you get blown up. Use the toilet at the wrong time, killed! Bad foxhole, killed!’ recalls Alexander, or codename ‘Wingman’. In May 2022, Alexander gave up his flourishing business and joined the special operation as a regular soldier to fight the Ukrainian nationalists. In just a short period of time he became a Battalion Commander of Lugansk People’s Militia taking charge of 400 people. His battalion soldiers say that “Wingman” has earned their respect from day one. There aren't many commanders like him who would patrol the woods with their men and address each soldiers’ every need. The documentary tells about why Alexander made such a decision and what his everyday routine looks like.

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St. Basil’s: an Icon of Russia
#Russia

Take a fascinating walk inside one of Russia’s oldest and most famous churches. What are its legendary stories? The Cathedral was built in the 16th century, and many period of its existence are shrouded in mystery. St. Basil’s Cathedral was built on the orders of Ivan the Terrible, to mark the collapse of the Kazan Khanate — a victory equal to that of WWII in the 20th century. Some people say that because the cathedral was so beautiful, Tsar Ivan didn’t want a copy of it constructed anywhere else and poked out the architects’ eyes. What other legends does the walls of St Basil’s conceal?

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Love you to Death / 2020
#World

Have you ever wondered about what goes on behind closed doors in seemingly "perfect" families? In this gripping film, survivors of domestic violence courageously share their harrowing experiences. Heroes of the documentary dive into the heart of their pain and reveal the shocking reality of living with abusers. Irina Larionova, Tatiana Borkina and Anna Breslavtseva faced tremendous pressure. Some of them were even forced to kill their husbands to protect their own lives and the lives of their children. These powerful stories sheds a light on modern Russian family struggle regarding the issue of domestic violence. The film is an honest portrayal of the shortcomings and obstacles in addressing this dire issue.

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From Berlin to Maidan / 2023
#Ukraine

'We must also understand that there's a major sponsor of this Nazism spirit in Ukraine and it’s not the Ukrainians, it’s the CIA. They've done it for a long time,' says Christoph Hörstel, Politician and Head of the 'Deutsche Mitte' Party in Germany. Over eight decades after the end of World War II, Ukraine has morphed into a country in which Nazism rears its ugly head. The documentary takes a look at the genesis of this phenomenon and it’s likely outcome.

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World War Zero. Lost in Action / 2021
#Russia

There were 309,000 casualties in the Crimean War (1853-1856) around the city of Sevastopol. The scale of the battles during the Crimean War still boggles the mind and makes many consider this war a precursor to WWI. An international team of scientists gives fallen soldiers from the war a dignified burial, regardless of which side they fought on. Modern reconstruction methods help restore the appearances and ranks of the fallen soldiers.

The search for the fallen in battle continues to this day as the peninsula was not only the Crimean War battlefield. During World War II some of the bloodiest battles also took place in Crimea. 'Mius-Front' search movement is one of the organisations that performs archaeological investigations today. Its members recover the remains of the soldiers from WWII, to bring closure to their relatives and to honour their memory. To check out these stories, go to our recent premiere.

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Seeking Recognition: South Ossetia / 2019
#SouthOssetia

South Ossetia, a small mountainous republic, declared its independence from Georgia in 1992. In August 2008, a war broke out between South Ossetia and Georgia, putting the region on the map. It was only after these devastating hostilities that the world learned of South Ossetia, nevertheless, this small country was only recognised by few states. For years, it's been struggling to erase the scars left behind in the aftermath of the conflict.

Today, its citizens are working hard to revive their homeland and show that there's more to the country than just the memories of the war. They take pride in their country's majestic landscapes, remarkable architecture and incredible hospitality. In the meantime, young locals are turning the war-scarred streets into artistic spectacle. Meet a journalist and guide who will show you a different side of Ossetia, rich in nature, history, and warmth.

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Wildfire Warriors / 2021
#Russia

"It is hard, physically challenging, but exciting. I didn’t think I’d keep doing it", says professional firefighter, Igor Ogorodov, who has worked for more than a decade with the Russian Aerial Forest Protection Service.

The story of Igor and his colleagues is an example of courage, determination, and devotion to a noble profession. They must spend weeks and months away from home chasing wildfires once the Siberian taiga season begins.

Worldwide, more than 20,700 people have died, and over 70,000 injured by fire in 2020 alone. In the last six years, three of Europe’s worst ever fire seasons have occurred.

Our planet is now in dire need of advanced firefighting capabilities and experienced personnel to tackle disastrous wildfires in the most remote areas.

Wildfire Warriors is a tribute to the men and women who face death without a second thought, fighting the flames to save lives, and our planet.

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Once Upon a Crime: US Police Brutality / 2016
#USA

“As long as God gives me breath, I’m going to be fighting injustice... You cannot just murder someone,” says Betty Smith, whose son was murdered by Minneapolis police over a decade ago.

The unlawful use of arms and force by US police still results in thousands of people being deprived of their right to live. US law enforcement officers killed at least 100 people every month in 2022. Black people accounted for 27 percent of those fatally shot.

In Once Upon a Crime: US Police Brutality, we talk to victims’ families and search for the reasons behind police violence to see what might put an end to it.

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Abortion: America’s Divide / 2022
#USA

One in three American women lost access to abortion in their home states in 2022 after the Supreme Court decision to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling.

“I had an abortion at sixteen, so I know the pain and the heartache abortion brings to a woman later on in life,” Jerry Lynn Scott says, sharing her story of regret after taking the ‘My Body, My Choice' decision.

However, the majority of Americans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases. They defend it by reminding us of rape victims, life-threatening pregnancies, and other cases when access to safe and legal abortion is needed.

Now that the post-Roe era has begun, the fundamental divide over abortion rights seems to be getting starker. In Abortion: America’s Divide, you can hear from all sides and make up your own mind.

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EVALI. Vapes of Death / 2021
#USA

It may look cool, but it could kill you. It’s highly promoted and poorly regulated, and can be highly addictive... Can you guess what we’re talking about?

Yup, if you said vaping, you were right!

‘I don’t want my worst enemy to go through this, it was heartbreaking’, that’s how Alex Mitchell’s father describes the horrible experience when vaping almost killed his son.

Alex had a severe case of EVALI when he was 20, it was so bad, they had to put him on life support, but was the fad really worth it?

Almost 1 American in every 20 use e-cigarettes or vapes, despite the absence of studies on long term consequences. Our documentary, EVALI. Vapes of Death highlights the rise of vaping among teens, the worrying numbers involved and the need for worldwide regulation.

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French pastry chef opens croissant shop in Russian town | No Limits (E3) / 2023
#Russia

‘I was born in Carcassonne in France, the south of France. But I really love countries with cold climates, Russia, snow… and pastry!' says Frederic Andrieux, a Frenchman who moved to a small Russian town almost 20 years ago. Frederic used to work as a pastry chef for Michelin-starred restaurants, but meeting his future wife Viktoria changed everything. After the move, they opened a French pastry shop which soon became very popular. In his free time, Frederic likes to go to the local banya (like a sauna) and then jump into deep snow. Watch the new episode of No Limits to learn more about French Frederic's Russian lifestyle.

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