Program Category: People & Places

This documentary follows three Miao men, living in the northern part of Guangxi province, Southern China, who participate in horse fighting – a custom which started about 600 years ago. We see the repression of the minority Miao people against the majority Han people juxtaposed against one of the men’s inner conflicts that he undergoes when he lets his horse fight. What’s the meaning of living a repressed life as a minority race in a huge continent of China? And the irony of making another repressed – the horse.

A trip around the world to discover the most original and eccentric people on the planet and learn more about their exceptional life.

Marking the 50th anniversary of his death, family and friends shed light on James Dean’s controversial racing career and love of speed. Cutting edge science re-investigates the tragic accident that killed a star but spawned a legend.

In this globalizing world, international conglomerates are seeking more and cheaper labour every day, Bangladesh became the 2nd largest provider of world clothing, which is led by China. In only 4 decades, it has become a 25 Billion US$ export industry, directly engaging 4 million workers, mostly women. Now, these corporations are targeting to hit 50 Billion US$ by 2021. That will mean that they need more laborers at a cheaper price! ‘Testimony of a Thread’ explores the connecting worlds of hope and despair around this industry lately marked for man-made catastrophes like Savar Building Tragedy (2013), considered as the deadliest garment-factory accident in history and deadliest accidental structural failure in modern human history’.

The children can’t afford to buy shoes or lunch. Teachers are forced to teach without textbooks. The school has no money for buses. The children must walk to school through one of the most gang- infested areas of Los Angeles County. Sound like a nightmare scenario from the early 1980’s? This is 2005 and this is Compton.

Teaching and Learning in Compton is an all-access pass to the inner-city high school experience in Los Angeles. From riots and gangs to laughter and hope, this film presents the uncut story of the losers and winners in the battle to educate America’s youth in one of its most crime-ridden and poverty-stricken cities.

Supermen of Malegaon follows a small group of people, deep in India’s hinterland, for whom the fantasy associated with film has become the currency with which they buy their sanity, the irrepressible nature of their spirit. Malegaon, tucked away near the heart of India geographically, is fraught with communal tension, under severe economic depression. Yet it houses a tiny film industry. Having begun with tributes, the industry now churns out quirky, low-budget, socially aware, notoriously funny spoofs. Their ambition has grown; they are ready to take on Superman.

We follow them on this journey. At times funny, tragic, contemplative. Always warm and engaging. And as the film begins to take shape, through schemes and approaches that are sublimely ingenious, simply bizzarre and purely hysterical, we also slowly discover Malegaon itself. The film is a tribute to that spirit, the spirit that enables The Supermen of Malegaon to make Malegaon’s Superman.

Available in English and French

Bali has ancient water irrigation system, “Subak” which has proven to be near perfect. The philosophy guiding it is harmony. Mutual agreements govern planting cycles, the division of water and the responsibilities of members. It’s defined by the Hindu concept of “tri hita karana”, or “the three causes of happiness”. It states that people must be in harmony with their fellow human beings, with the environment and with God. Through the eyes of Pak Puja, the Subak leader, the documentary narrates the story of how it is possible for humans to live in harmony with their environment through traditional methods and mutual cooperation.

In Thailand, there are 30,000 homeless children who are trapped in a daily struggle to survive. Many have no family support and have been left behind by a society, which would rather pretend that they do not exist. The dark world of these kids is plagued by drug abuse and despair, with little opportunity to find a way out. But there is a faint glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel, a few people who are not quite ready to give up… We call these Street Teachers, and this is the story of a brave woman named Nang.

This documentary follows Nang as she guides three young boys through the dangerous pitfalls of the life of a runaway in Bangkok. We watch as she encounters their families and at times must become a surrogate parent, trying to keep their fragile world afloat. She uses any means possible to help them succeed, and as her patience gets tested time and again it becomes clear that it will take more than will to not quit. It will take love.

The world of horse racing heats up in the beautiful beach town of Del Mar, CA where rival syndicates battle for supremacy. The women have invaded and they’re competing, they’re winning, and they’re conquering this “Sport of Kings”. It’s man against woman, brother against sister, and husband against wife.

Watch summer days turn to summer nights, and playful wagers turn to heated fights, after the money pours and champagne flows, family ties will be tested, allegiances will be divided, and a winner will be crowned.

Each week we follow the horse racing industry’s largest characters as they train champion thoroughbreds, acquire investors, and embody the overall extravagance of the Del Mar lifestyle. This docu-series showcases the unique competition of horse racing syndicates and the lives they lead on and off the track. A group of beautiful people, marred by massive egos, and family rivalries, packaged into three dynamic syndicates— it’s winner take all.