Best Documentary

Half of Latin American countries number among the top economies in the world to do business in, and for many the continent is an investor’s paradise. Why should we keep an eye on Latin America, and which changes are taking place there right now? As the backbone of South America – some 7000 kilometers long and passing through seven countries – the Andes mountain range is a good place to ask that question. 00:00 The Man-eating Mountain Stef Biemans travels the ridge of the Andes and wonders how South Americans are doing in Potosí, the highest city in the world, and once one of its richest, but also one where life can be short. In the mining town of Potosí, capitalism was born, as it were. Here, the first coin was struck using silver from the mine of the ‘rich mountain’, which is still in use. So much silver has been extracted from this imposing mountain, you could use it to build a bridge to Spain. But you could also build a bridge out of the bones of dead miners and slaves. On average, miners only make it to the age of 45. 25:44 The Skyscraper of Santiago In the Chilean capital of Santiago, Stef visits South America’s highest skyscraper. It was once built as a symbol of progress, but now the tower represents the dark side to that success story: record depression and suicide rates. The highest tower in South America rises out of the Santiago smog, a symbol of the strong neoliberal economic system. But almost every month, someone jumps off of it. Nowhere else are depression rates as high as in this city of remarkable economic prosperity. In and around this skyscraper, Stef tries to find out where it all went wrong. What are the prerequisites for success and how do people survive in the smog of neoliberalism? 51:12 El Paraíso Technológico Stef travels to Argentina’s southernmost tip Ushuaia, and discovers an impressive electronics industry among the penguins. Since it’s become known that there are jobs to be had in Tierra del Fuego, the capital of Ushuaia draws countless South American fortune seekers. What is this growth doing to the mountains surrounding the town? Terra del Fuego is the new migrant’s paradise of South America. Since word’s gotten out that on the southern tip of the continent you can easily find work in an Argentinian electronics plant, the city has boomed. The Argentinian government has declared the area a tax free zone and companies have flooded in with smartphone and television factorys. Growth is so rapid here, that it feels like a threat to many people; what is the impact on the nature of the surrounding mountains and its biodiversity? In Tierra del Fuego, Charles Darwin studied man and animal, and discovered the principles of his theory of evolution. Can modern-day inhabitants adapt to these changes? 01:16:17 Eternal life In Ecuador, Stef Biemans visits the valley of eternal life – where the high life expectancy of its inhabitants has astonished observers – and investigates its finite nature. What do spry centenarians in Ecuador right below the equator do in order to stay healthy, what provisions are there for them should they fall ill, and how do South Americans deal with their elderly? The Vilcabamba valley in Ecuador is known for its healthy old people. The fit old man who interrupts his work in the field to firmly shake Stef Biemans’ hand shows an official proof of identity with a 1913 birthdate. A little bit later, he lets his hips do the talking when he’s dancing. Others in the valley also dance, but it doesn’t mean they’re all happy. An 89-year-old woman says she’d like for it to be over. ‘God is keeping me alive. I’m waiting for my time to come.’ A voluntary ending to this earthly life is so unthinkable, Biemans is afraid to even broach the subject. 01:41:28 My Mother-in-Law stayed at home In this episode, we look at the role of the mother-in-law, because Latino’s tend to talk about them rather a lot. In Latin America, folk tales, songs, novels and soap operas are not complete without a distrustful mother-in-law. Why is that, he wonders? And has the role of the mother-in-law changed, now the economy is booming and whole families don’t have to live under one roof anymore? Or are mothers-in-law still as picky and meddlesome as Latino men would have us believe? Maybe they have good reason to be so, because men aren’t always gentle with their women. 02:05:50 The Mother of Colombia In the final episode of the series, we journey down the Magdalena River, which originates in the Andes and ends in the Caribbean Sea. This is the most hopeful period in Colombia’s history: the peace treaty has been signed, and the country looks towards the future as new roads and bridges are being constructed. At the same time, the Magdalena River, also known as the mother of the country, still means a lot to inhabitants. What will progress destroy?

In late 1934, a bright green locomotive, the Flying Scotsman, made history and became the most famous steam train in the world. In this richly illustrated documentary, we find out how it came to be, and what happened to it once it passed into private ownership. Featuring interviews from Alan Pelger, Sir William McAlpine and the engineers who help keep the magnificent machine running today. Directed by Bruce Vigar

It is one of the greenest countries in the world, in the heart of Latin America. Suriname in the Amazon is the land of illegal gold prospectors, but also a gold mine of biodiversity. Director: Laurent Cadoret Original Title: Somewhere on Earth: Suriname

Between ancestral heroes and legendary monsters, Scottish myths are numerous and mysterious. How to know which ones are real? Directed and narrated by Liam Dale Follow us on social media : Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/BestDocumentaryTV

The daily life of these soldiers, from the training center in Castelnaudry to training courses in Africa and Latin America... Director: Jean-Baptiste Gallot

After the rise of China’s power in Africa, are we on the verge of seeing a Chinese Arctic? With global warming affecting the poles more rapidly than the rest of the planet, ice is melting at an accelerated rate. Over the past decade, Shanghai has invested more than five billion euros to protect itself from rising waters. But with the melting ice comes new opportunities. New shipping routes, mining provinces and fishing grounds are opening up. Director: Olivier Truc

Peru, a country that remains surrounded by mysteries, despite all the discoveries made by adventurers and explorers over the centuries. Disappeared civilizations took many secrets with them. Head to the Andes and volcanoes to discover the mysteries of this Latin American country. Director: Anne Viry-Babel Original Title: Somewhere on Earth: Peru

Marvin Musquin is a modern-day gladiator. This young Frenchman, double world motocross champion, tames his machine to the cheers of the crowd and constantly risks his life. Very quickly, this prodigy won the hearts and respect of Americans. But he didn't want to stop there. Like a true gladiator, Marvin likes to scare himself and face difficult monsters. After being on the podium several dozen times in the 250 cubic centimeter category, the Frenchy decided to take a decisive step: competing in the higher category, in 450 cubic centimeters. An incredible challenge to take on! Nan Feix, a talented director and himself a motorcycle enthusiast, wanted to film this passage in the premier category of motocross. Usually, it is impossible to follow a champion behind the scenes like this. Nah, he succeeded. His camera, sensitive, precise, his piercing but never intrusive gaze slips into the intimacy of this high-level athlete. For several days, he follows him, from training to the Anaheim Supercross in California, also telling the story of the life that Marvin leads at 100 miles per hour with his partner, who allows him to transcend the challenges. For 52 minutes, he shares with the public the doubts, the apprehensions of the young champion and his rage to climb once again, despite the difficulties, to the highest step of the podium. A documentary that will appeal to motocross fans and those who have never heard of it. Enter the arena! Directors: Nan Feix

Documentary filmmaker Rupert Murray examines the devastating effect that overfishing has had on the world's fish populations and argues that drastic action must be taken to reverse these trends. ​The End of the Line, the first major feature documentary film revealing the impact of overfishing on our oceans. Filmed over two years, we see firsthand the effects of our global love affair with fish as food. The film examines the imminent extinction of blue fin tuna, brought on by increasing western demand for sushi; the impact on marine life resulting in huge overpopulation of jellyfish; and the profound implications of a future world with no fish, that would bring certain mass starvation. Director: Rupert Murray Original Title: The End of the Line: The Destruction of our Seas

From Catherine the Great (1729 – 1796) up until the last Russian Empress all the ‘Russian’ Tsarinas were, in fact, German. This was not because the path of true love led them straight to Petrograd, but the result of European power play at the highest level. Splendour and Misery of the Last Tsarinas, starting with Princess Charlotte (1798 – 1860), tells the dramatic stories of these young women – torn between strategic marriages, the longing for true love and the shackles of European power politics. Director: Hannes Schuler

Japan operates on strict principles of balance and order, but it also has a repressive prison system, where inmates march to worksites attached by a cord, are not allowed to look at the guards in the eye, and must maintain absolute silence outside of scheduled leisure hours. Does this explain why the country has one of the lowest crime rates in the world? Director: Marie Linton

Learn how, after being brothers in arms during World War II, the Allies would soon become divided in peace. How did a post-war conference in Crimea lead to the Cold War? This is the story of a face-off that pitted the two most powerful men on the planet for eight years: Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, and Truman, the president of the United States. This confrontation held the world in suspense and led them to the cold war. When Truman came to power in the spring of 1945, with World War II still not over, the United States and the Soviet Union were allies and fought together against Nazi Germany. But, once Hitler was defeated, the antagonisms and ambitions put to sleep during the conflict resurfaced. In a few months, the positions froze and the two blocs stood against each other, irreconcilable... It was the beginning of the cold war. This film recounts this pivotal period in our history. A period of high tension, while the United States and the USSR acquired atomic weapons. Kennan "Long Telegram", Berlin blockade, Korean War... Until the death of Stalin in 1953, crises followed one another. Thanks to declassified archives, the exceptional testimonies of former spies and President Truman's grandson, we relive the story from the inside and understand how the terrible spiral of the Cold War was put in place. Episode 1: Yalta, the twilight of the big three https://youtu.be/eHRMm-8G5AQ Episode 2: The dawn of the cold war https://youtu.be/eHRMm-8G5AQ Direction: Emilie Lançon

Madonna is one of the biggest pop icons and the highest paid singer of all time. Discover the secrets of the inimitable singer in this documentary.

The big budget docudrama ‘Charlemagne’ recounts the dramatic, violent and bawdy life of the Middle Ages’ most important Emperor Charlemagne, aka Charles the Great, featuring elaborate battle scenes with hundreds of extras and excursions into the emperor’s most private life. The most powerful man in Europe at the time carved out an empire which comprised almost all of modern Europe and whose legacy reaches into our very day. Using the very latest in modern research, the film combines vivid live action with cutting-edge CGI and interviews with world-leading Charlemagne experts to bring this scintillating warrior-king to life. Charlemagne, who died 1200 years ago, is shown as a man of flesh and blood for the first time. 00:00 Battle for the Throne 50:52 War Against Saxons 01:38:07 Emperor of Europe Director: Gabriele Wengler

One of America’s largest cancer centers tested a non-patentable cancer therapy and found that it stopped the spread of cancer 80% of the time, and they were forced by the US Government and other cancer agencies to cover up their own positive results. This is that story, with a frontline whistleblower, documents, and never-before-seen footage showing this profound cover-up. Director: Eric Merola Original Title: Second Opinion: The Lie of America's War on Cancer

A hidden grave, in a corner of a cemetery in Kent, could hold the key to one of the biggest mysteries of the 20th Century. Questioning the 'official' story, of what happened to the ill-fated last Tsar of Russia and his immediate family. Director: Christopher Manoe Original Title: Larissa - The Lost Romanov?

In May 2016, the renowned elephant researcher Ian Redmond is unexpectedly attacked by an angry elephant in the middle of a Kenyan mountain forest. He survives and his injuries mostly heal. But what remains is the question: Why did the matriarch he calls Kali attack him? Since the 1980s, Ian Redmond has been researching an unusual and endangered elephant population in the Mount Elgon area. This population, of which the matriarch Kali is a member, consists of savannah elephants that have adapted to living in the mountain forests, where they are now isolated after humans took their surrounding habitat away from them. The animals seek out hidden caves at night to chisel mineral-rich volcanic rock off the walls with their tusks, thereby expanding these subterranean salt-mines into enormous chambers. This underground behaviour is unique among elephants. What is behind this mysterious mining activity of the animals? Ian Redmond desires nothing more than to meet Kali again. In his search of her, he comes closer to answering the question of why she attacked him and to uncovering the secrets of the cave elephants. Original Title: Ian Redmond - The Ally of the Cave Elephants Director: Brigitte Kornberger Cast: Ian Redmond

During her reign, the Queen has made some hard decisions, affecting relationships with those closest to her. Nevertheless, every decision she has made has always been guided by one principle: The Crown must come first. The film examines her role in the monarchy and her promotion of the UK abroad. Director: Robin Bextor Script: Robin Bextor Full documentary

00:00 7 wonders of the modern world 00:37 The Coliseum, Rome, Italy 08:41 San Cristobal of Las Casas, Colonial City, Chiapas, Mexico 15:58 The Historical Center of Lima, Peru 22:20 The Château of Villandry, France 29:38 The Temple of Kom Ombo, Luxor, Egypt 37:00 The Bund, Shanghai, China 44:23 The Temple of Ta Phrom, Angkor, Cambodia Director: Jacques Vichet

Five hardened criminals, One unique prison, in a ground-breaking observational documentary series, that will show you for the first time what prison is really like. Singapore’s Changi Prison is a concrete purgatory, spartan to the extreme. There are no beds, no pillows and no chairs in the cells. A shower is done stooping above a toilet hole. Humiliating strip searches are routine, as a matter of security. Yet, practiced in this prison are some of the most sophisticated methods to reform the hearts and minds of the most recalcitrant prisoners. So much so that Singapore’s reoffending rates are among the lowest globally. Yet even at those low rates, at least 1-in-5 inmates are back in jail within 2 years after their release. For the first time ever, six inmates, incarcerated multiple times and at least once at maximum security, agree to reveal their full identities, for our cameras to capture their lives behind bars, as they unfold. Will the regime in jail finally be enough for them to renounce a life of crime? Will this be their final stint in Changi Prison? 00:00 Episode 1 – Life in Lockdown How hard is life in prison? We explore the prison regime through the eyes of officers and inmates in Changi’s Maximum-security prison. How does an inmate live in a single-man cell? In this first episode, we enter a world behind bars to meet the inmates. We follow Graceson, a gangster who manages to get himself a new tattoo in prison and is duly caned for it; Khai, a professional skateboarder who is just coming to terms with the loss of his career; Rusdi who is counting down to his release in 50 days using packets of snacks; And Boon Keng gets into trouble for keeping origami in his cell during a cell search. 45:30 Episode 2 – Keeping Bonds Beyond Bars An inmate sentenced to maximum security prison has nothing more to lose. Or so some would think. But losing one’s freedom is nothing compared to losing one’s family. We follow the residents of maximum security as they try to hang on to their relationships while in lockdown. Boon Keng attempts to reconnect with a daughter that he has not seen in years. Graceson’s tough persona unravels when his wife stops coming to visit him. Iskandar comes to terms with saying goodbye to his family as a death sentence looms over his drug trafficking charge. 01:30:58 Episode 3 – Breaking Bad Habits Life in maximum security is predictable. It’s rules, routines and rigor. No questions asked. No choices given. But what happens when inmates step out into a world where they’re free to make decisions? Desperate to break his cycle of reoffending, Boon Keng takes matters into his own hands and seeks to confront his greatest obstacle. After being given a new lease of life, Iskandar grasps an opportunity he neglected in his childhood. Rusdi’s loved ones try to dissuade him from returning to a career that sent him on a downward spiral. Under the supervision of psychologists, Khai revisits his dark past. 02:16:52 Episode 4 – Road To Freedom In the finale, our inmates try to ready themselves for their eventual return to the real world beyond the gates of Changi Prison. Graceson seeks help from a psychologist to prepare him for a call with his daughter, whom he has not spoken to for a year. Khai takes another step in managing his emotions, by counselling other inmates in managing theirs. Boon Keng is granted an interview for a programme that would see him serving the last third of his sentence in the community, but will he be able to convince his interviewers that he will not return to drugs? After 20 years, Iskandar is taking his ‘O’ levels again, how will he fare this time? Rusdi’s will be released in a matter of days; will he be able to stay out of trouble, and get released as scheduled?

Throughout our history, humanity has demonstrated great imagination and creativity in its conception of a modern army. Technology has enabled the development of numerous army vehicles, deployed to attack, defend and support troops on the ground. Follow us on social media : Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/BestDocumentaryTV

Pioneers of a new kind of Polling that combine the breadth of data found on social media with the power of artificial intelligence, claim to be able to accurately predict voter behaviour, among other things. If this is true, does this give politicians the intel they need to respond to voters needs, or will this data be misused to mislead us – either by our own governments, or those of our adversaries? Director: Peter Gombos Original Title: Margin of Error: AI, Polling and Elections

In the heart of the two largest powder producing countries on the planet, the police are fighting against dangerous traffickers. From Peru to Afghanistan, special forces fight in extreme conditions. Directors: Pascal CARRON, Jean BOURBONNAIS

The Great Pyramids of Giza. Of all the monumental remains left to us by the ancient Egyptians, the three great pyramids of Giza are both the most impressive and the most emblematic of this civilization. Giza are both the most impressive and the most emblematic of this civilization. Director: Jacques Vichet