Best Documentary

Braving enemy gunfire, the SEALs fast-rope from a crippled helicopter into a war zone to rescue the Governor-General of Grenada, who is being held hostage by rebel soldiers. Director: Joe Wiecha

At Kromdraai in South Africa, José Braga has unearthed the remains of two children. They date from 2.5 million years ago, and one is human, the other a Paranthropus, a member of the hominin genus most closely related to humans. These finds are the starting-point for ground-breaking research that may at last reveal the origins of our genus. Director : Cédric ROBION

On the legendary Congo River, Commander Aimé is at the helm of a gigantic wooden raft the size of a football field. With his men, he is trying to transport 220 tree trunks linked together by cables from Kisangani to Kinshasa. The raft is also the cheapest means of transport for the most deprived who wish to reach the capital. On board, danger is daily, injuries, sandbanks and storms do not spare the men. For those who take the trails along the river, the conditions are not better. Without public transportation, travelers have no choice but to board freight trucks for an epic journey. Directors: Antoine BODDAERT; Guillaume LHOTELLIER

Johnny Boston was 10 years old when he first met FM-2030, a futurist who intended to live forever. In 2000, after his body ceased to function, FM was cryonically preserved. 16 years later, an unexpected call places FM's fate in Johnny's hands. Director: Johnny Boston Script: Johnny Boston, Melissa Chesman, Paul Dolzall Cast: Fereidoun M. Esfandiary, Johnny Boston, Flora Schnall Year: 2018 Full documentary Subtitles available

As soon as a wild beast dies, lions will feed on its carcass for a week or more. Soon after, other scavengers will come for their share: vultures, marabou storks, and hyenas will all come to feed. Author: Bertrand Loyer

The crash of Roswell wasn't meant for New Mexico. In 1947, a neighboring state had 3 major sightings that were swept under the rug. With The Phoenix Light's and Travis Walton's "Fire in the Sky", there's a rich history of UFO involvement in Arizona. This film focuses on fresh UFO content from present day, containing interviews from residents and law enforcement officers statewide. Director: Clive Christopher Series: Aliens Uncovered

In the extreme north-west of Nepal, the Limi valley is hidden behind a series of peaks exceeding 6000 m altitude. During the winter, she finds herself cut off from the world. To deliver vaccines and medicines, a handful of men and women embark on an adventure lasting several days. The team alternates walking and traveling in 4/4. But, mule caravans prove to be a much more reliable means of transportation than all-terrain vehicles. The western regions are the most isolated in the country. Crossing the slopes is, each time, a dance with death. Nagendra launches his truck to the edge of the abyss, ready to take any risk to deliver on time and support his family. Directors: Philippe LAFAIX; Frédéric ELHORGA

Our plate is our most powerful weapon in fighting global warming and in protecting our planet. Today, our diets play a major role in the threats weighing on our planet. But, there is hope. Investigative journalist Benoît Bringer sets off on a global search for women and men who are inventing a new dietary model — one which respects both humankind and nature. This documentary gives us hope, showing us how we can each be a force for change and develop recipes for an economically viable dietary transition. Director: Benoît Bringer 00:00 Food for Change 03:19 Mouans Sartoux, the French Riviera 22:00 Malmo, Sweden 40:17 Brazil

Tokyo is the world’s largest and most densely populated megalopolis. It stands as a symbol of our Futuristic high-tech civilisation. Yet over 150 years ago, before it opened up and embraced Western culture without losing its own identity, Tokyo was still Edo, a traditional Asian city ruled by the feudal powers of the Samurai. Twice the city experienced total destruction. Yet each time, like the mythical phoenix, the city rose spectacularly from the ashes. Discover the story of this metarmophosis through never seen before restored and colorized archives filmed in Tokyo from 1905 onward. This film reveals the extraordinary resilience of the Japanese people.

In Guinea Conakry, at the wheel of their truck, Mamady and her sons face torrential downpours which make the track nightmarish. The abundant rains and the 1,300 streams and rivers that run through the country gave it its nickname: the water tower. However, running water is rare in the country and, to have access to it, it is sometimes necessary to install giant cisterns. Transporting these tanks by bush taxi over the rutted tracks is no easy task. After the palm oil harvest, which provides a minimum of income for residents, only motorcycles can transport the precious liquid. Loaded with dozens of cans, they set off on chaotic tracks on which anything can happen. Directors: Philippe LAFAIX, Frédéric ELHORGA

Throughout history Aston Martin has always been one of the most famous sports car names. Favoured by wealthy sports minded motoring enthusiasts Aston Martins epitomise exclusivity, style and power. The company may have had a chequered business past but Aston Martin have, over the years, consistently produced arguably the world s most classy sports cars as well as enjoying a long and successful history in motor-racing. Aston Martin only raced variations of the cars that they built for sale to the public so they were never really in a position to win Le Mans outright, that is until the maximum engine size limit matched the size of the engine s they were building. They used top line drivers and soon established a very competent team set-up that was able to compete for the prizes. From the acquisition of Aston Martin by its post war saviour sir David Brown and the beginning of the classic DB models; to the company establishing themselves a reputation of a great racing brand with models such as the famous DB5 in 1963, and market leader of desirable luxury sports cars, Racing through Time Aston Martin is a must have for all fans of British motor racing. Director: Jason Fenwick Series: Racing Through Time

The idea of the primitive Gauls, living in the forest until they were civilized and assimilated into the Roman Empire, is now regarded as totally obsolete. In this film, archaeologists and historians uncover Gaulish settlements to reveal the true face of the Gauls. A civilisation with high level of craftsmanship, that prized trade, developed cities and developed their own culture and religion. A civilisation that left their own mark on Europe… Director: Philippe Tourancheau

With Donald Trump, an outmoded view of climate change has taken hold of the White House again. Great news for oil companies such as Exxon and Shell. They have been secretly financing scientific studies and campaigns, which are talking down climate change and have been influencing the public debate for 60 years. New documents prove that since 1957, these companies have known that burning fossil fuels changes the climate – their own, strictly secret research had revealed this. But the US oil companies did not only carry out research and then concealed their results. Since 1963, Exxon and Shell engineers have been using their knowledge about climate change to gear up for a warming planet: They built higher and sturdier oil rigs to compensate for rising sea levels and more severe storms. Pipelines in the Arctic were anchored more firmly because of the melting permafrost. “Climate change was a huge thing at the time,” says geophysicist Edward Garvey, who worked for Exxon from 1978-1983. “Exxon researched in all directions, CO2 emissions, storm forecasts, melting permafrost. And then, overnight, all research programmes were discontinued. That’s so frustrating.” Instead, the companies did exactly the opposite: they commissioned counter-studies, which were widely disseminated via lobby groups. They deliberately financed research to discredit their own results, tried to explain climate change through sunspots or deny it altogether. They stressed statistical errors and uncertainties. Climate change deniers still work like this today. “For me, this is the biggest scandal in human history,” says Carroll Muffett, Chairman of the Center for International Environmental Law in Washington, an NGO dealing with environmental law. Meanwhile, two public prosecutors and several counties in the United States have started investigations against Exxon and other oil companies for deliberately misleading the public on the subject of climate change. A story about the biggest cover-up in history, which lasted for 60 years and is only now being revealed. Director: Johan Von Mirbach

Plasma, a component of blood that is highly sought-after, now costs more liter per liter than petrol. Used by pharmaceutical companies to create expensive medications, this precious liquid has become a lucrative commodity. The film investigates one of the largest corporations in this flourishing market, with profits soaring over a billion euros. Their donation centres are mostly found in poor neighbourhoods in the U.S., and they pay donors for their blood, a practice forbidden in Europe. For impoverished Americans, blood donations have become a source of income- presenting a real risk to their health, as they lie about their health conditions and donate repeatedly to make ends meet. Other donors give their blood in the hope of helping others- but the reality of where their donations actually go can be somewhat different. We investigate the global trade in blood and plasma donations. Director: Marie Maurisse, François Pilet, Pierre Monnard

For thousands of years, they lay dormant in the soil until suddenly, they became the driving force behind a technical revolution. Smart phones, laptops, touch screens, wind turbines, hybrid vehicles: they all need rare earth materials. Among the first to recognize this were the Chinese. Today China mines an incredible 97% of all rare earth minerals extracted worldwide. The Chinese government makes good use of this monopoly: recently, it cut production by about two-thirds. Within days the prices of some rare earth metals shot up by 1000%. However, the Chinese also have to deal with the downside of rare earth mining: Environmental pollution, destroyed landscapes and radioactive residues, as rare earth metal deposits are usually laced with radioactive minerals and are extremely difficult to refine. Because of the scarcity of rare earth deposits, the sky-rocketing prices on the international commodity market and the environmental problems associated with mining and processing, scientists around the world are looking for new, better ways to source these minerals. We follow researchers as they drill for new deposits in Europe and Australia, we see how they try and find new, more environmentally friendly ways of processing the materials, we discover how they try and recycle them out of old mobile phones and computers – and we reveal how physicists and chemists are working on ground-breaking new materials that could soon replace rare earths completely – a fascinating glimpse at cutting-edge research that could make our green technologies of the future even greener. Director: Christian Schidlowski

Animals have unique behavior to seduce. Approaching and being accepted by the female is difficult, and each reaction is important. Here is the art of seduction in the savannah. Belle et Rebelle - Episode 3 Director: Laurent Frapat

“Racing Through Time – Ferrari” looks at the famous moments from Ferrari’s most illustrious racing history, from Enzo Ferrari’s early career and the origins of team Ferrari, all the way to their modern-day successes including the domination of Michael Schumacher in the 90s. Director: Jason Fenwick Series: Racing Through Time

Saddam Hussein's arsenal of "weapons of mass destruction" was George W. Bush's main justification for waging war against Iraq in 2003. After the invasion of the country, American leaders recognized that they had been mistaken, and that the Baghdad tyrant did not possess such a capability. Bush claimed it was an error and defended his good faith despite the fact the invasion was based on lies. Director: Jacques Charmelot

In the eyes of many Russians, Vladimir Putin has restored Russia’s pride and made it a great superpower again. His program is based on a return to traditional values of the “Great Russia” of the Tsars: strong nationalism and orthodoxy. In Moscow alone, 60 churches have been built in recent years. To oppose the power of the church is to be considered an enemy of the nation. Directors: Sébastien Bardos, Guillaume Dumant

Fraud Squad TV is a Canadian half-hour documentary television series aimed at bringing awareness to the public about the global problem of fraud. The show interviews real people who have been the victims of a fraud as well as experts in the field who offer tips on how to avoid becoming a victim. The series educates and thereby protects unsuspecting victims from all sorts of scams. 00:00 The 419 Scam / Moving Fraud 22:27 Counterfeit Money / Mortgage Fraud 44:34 Charity Fraud / Investment Fraud 01:07:03 Travel Fraud / Advance Fee Loan Scam 01:29:25 Home Renovation Fraud / Debit Skimming 01:51:41 Identity Fraud / Lottery/Prize Fraud 02:13:58 Employment Scam / Adoption Fraud 02:36:20 Pump and Dump / Used Car Fraud 02:58:45 Home Improvement Fraud / Pyramid Scheme 03:21:10 Counterfeit Products / Identity Fraud 03:43:10 Art Auction Fraud / Marriage Fraud 04:05:18 Fake Diplomas / Certificate of Deposit Fraud 04:28:13 Car Insurance Fraud / Real Estate Fraud Directors: Paul Hollidge, James Woollatt

Investigation into the last moments of the life of Romy Schneider, a famous actress who left her mark on the history of cinema. Follow us on social media : Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/BestDocumentaryTV

Juan Manuel Fangio was, by any measure one of the most successful racing drivers of all time, winning an astonishing five Formula One World Championships and an incredible twenty-four of the fifty-one races that he contested. Perhaps more importantly however, it was the standards that Fangio set on and off the track that gained him the worldwide respect of both his rivals and spectators. This charismatic Argentinean so captured the public's attention during his career that he became the sport's biggest and most revered name. From his humble beginnings back in Balcarce, Argentina, and his big break into motor-racing all the way to Fangio's final Grand Prix at Reims in 1958, Racing through Time Juan Manuel Fangio has all the action from all of the key races of one of Formula One's most highly acclaimed champions; and also includes interviews with race legends Emerson Fittipaldi and Sir Stirling Moss who give their own personal accounts of the Maestro himself, making this a must have for all fans of motor-racing. Director: Jason Fenwick Series: Racing Through Time

What now for the Wagner Group and leader Yevgeny Prigozhin? For the past 14 months, Russia’s rare military successes were not achieved by the regular army, but by the militiamen of the Wagner commando. They accounted for a quarter of all Russian combatants on the frontline and took part in the toughest fighting. To understand this essential link in the Russian military system, we obtained the testimony of three mercenaries who fought in Wagner’s ranks. They give an insider’s account of how the intelligence services trained and equipped the first fighters. They also provide valuable information about the feared founder of the militia, Dimitri Outkine, an admirer of the Third Reich and Nazi ideology. The testimony of these three fighters sheds light on the troubled personality of Wagner’s current boss, Yevgeny Prigozhin. A former criminal and a wealthy oligarch, this close associate of Vladimir Putin has no qualms about appearing in fatigues near the front line, but also in Russian prisons to recruit new fighters in exchange for having their sentences overturned. He uses macabre humour and the most odious provocation, and is now overshadowing the Russian Defence Minister, whom he openly criticises. We also investigated in Africa, which has become the terrain of conquest for Wagner’s mercenaries. In Sudan, Mali, Mozambique and the Central African Republic, they are everywhere, putting their weapons at the service of authoritarian regimes to crush any opposition or rebellion. In exchange, they seize the natural wealth of these countries. Wherever they go, Wagner commando sows death and desolation. Some of the victims tell of massacres, torture and rape. But Wagner is not just a military force. His men have become specialists in disinformation, not hesitating to stage fake mass graves or produce big-budget action films and propaganda cartoons. The aim: to convince local populations that Russia is their best ally. From the Ukrainian front to the mines of the Central African Republic, we lift the veil on Putin’s private army. Director: Raphaël Pellegrino Year: 2023

After months of fierce fighting and heavy casualties, German forces (numbering now only about 91,000 surviving soldiers) surrender at Stalingrad on the Volga. Soviet forces launched a counteroffensive against the Germans arrayed at Stalingrad in mid-November 1942. They quickly encircled an entire German army, more than 220,000 soldiers. In February 1943, after months of fierce fighting and heavy casualties, the surviving German forces—only about 91,000 soldiers—surrendered. After the victory at Stalingrad, the Soviet army remained on the offensive, liberating most of Ukraine, and virtually all of Russia and eastern Belorussia during 1943. The battle for the city of Stalingrad proved a decisive psychological turning point, ending a string of German victories in the summer of 1942 and beginning the long retreat westward. Germany proved unable to defeat the Soviet Union, which together with Great Britain and the United States, seized the initiative from Germany. Germany became embroiled in a long war, leading ultimately to its defeat in May 1945. Narrated by Liam Dale