Discover Movies

Shane Richie hosts a special Christmas edition of this much-loved family show. Celebrity guests and experts join Shane to help make dreams come true for a whole new generation.

Simon Richardson and James Lowsley-Williams head to the Himalayas on a quest to discover Nepal’s mysterious ‘Forbidden Kingdom’, the remote mountaintop city of Lo Manthang. Breath-taking views, lung-busting climbs, and incredible encounters with locals; Si and James are in for an unmissable gravel bike adventure! Their once-in-a-lifetime expedition begins in the chaotic streets of Kathmandu before embarking on a gruelling five-day ride up the ancient trade route that forges a path between Nepal and Tibet. Their epic ride sees them dicing with kamikaze trucks, enduring freezing rainstorms, taking a 228m bungee jump, and even a heroic attempt to beat a Himalayan KOM.

This rare film of stage actor and later cinema star Tod Slaughter opens with a view of St Paul's over the river and the bright lights of Piccadilly at night. Then the film moves off to the old Elephant Theatre on the New Kent Road, where Slaughter stars in a military melodrama. After the show, the film ends with a look at the Rowton House in Southwark, a hostel for the poor much admired by George Orwell.

A short doc to explore what it's like to be a girl in Brunei.

A video diary of a month-long immersion in the life of the Barbican, from the top floors of the towers to the underground levels of the arts centre. An intimate and lively map of this brutalist masterpiece.

Using original ITN frontline footage, this documentary chronicles the 1991 Battle of Vukovar and its significance in the Croatian War of Independence.

A parish priest, a rookie police officer, a local farmer, a young reporter and a mother of three from Florida - five different lives impacted by the bombing of Pan Am 103.

The unlawful killing of a dog leads to conflict in a part of US society when a later investigation shows that while Americans view their pets as family members, the law sees things differently.

With Nigerian queer history erased from the national narrative of Nigeria, Queer Nigerians in the UK gather to tell their stories & document their experiences.

In celebration of the release of Sparks’ 28th album, ‘MAD!’, Ron and Russell Mael will join actor, presenter and comedian Rob Brydon for an in-person evening that promises to be insightful and illuminating, containing fresh perspectives on a career that has spanned in excess of five decades. “I still have the cassette of Propaganda, a present on my ninth birthday. Since then Sparks have held a very special place in my heart. They are the epitome of creativity and musicality. I am so looking forward to meeting them and having a MAD! discussion.” - Rob Brydon. “As we’ve never had the honor of meeting British Royalty, we are extremely excited to be in discussion with Rob Brydon, MBE and, incidentally, one of the funniest people alive.” - Ron Mael and Russell Mael.

A unique look at silver and the extraordinary jobs it is used for today.

As the orchards come alive with berries, cherries, apples and plums, a Kentish summer blossoms on film.

Terry Wogan presents a compilation programme celebrating the unique talent of Arthur Lowe. Featuring interviews with those who knew him, and footage from both his classic comedy performances and his many straight roles.

When Martin Popplewell was 15 years old he watched the film 'The Blue Lagoon' starring Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins. From then on he was determined to live as a castaway on an uninhabited Pacific Island with a girl Friday. When he realised his dream in 1989 he was just 18 years old. The adventure became a media sensation with journalists flying halfway round the world to cover the story. Martin kept a video diary of his experience. In 2001 he returned to the Pacific to make a critically acclaimed documentary. The Real Castaway reunites the two castaways on their desert island 12 years after their experience. It’s a story about adventure, growing up and the pursuit of an impossible dream.

Following Simon on his maiden voyage with Eddie, his horse, travelling on foot from Dorset to Devon in time for the Sidmouth Folk Festival. Meeting friends and strangers along the way, a glimpse into the life of a British Traveller.

New ways of cleaning in the mid-sixties.

A BAFTA award nominated documentary looking at the famous Tower of London Ceremonies.

The Dark Side of Seduction is the Super Seducer 2 documentary. Culled from over 200 hours of footage, the documentary follows Richard La Ruina and the team as they go from pre-production to completion. See behind the scenes footage and interviews with the cast and crew, as they struggle with making a sequel to one of the most controversial games ever. Get unparalleled access to the team, and gain insight into the process of making the world's biggest ever FMV game. The team battle with the question of whether they are doing something evil or actually doing something that will make the world a better place.

Encouraging tens of thousands of people to strip to the waist and have their photo taken isn't easy. But the chest x-ray screening programme was a key part of the fight against tuberculosis, the cause of over 20,000 deaths in 1943. This film shows factory worker Mary overcoming her initial qualms, and ultimately sending a signed copy of her topless skeleton photo to her boyfriend.

A lovingly crafted home movie charting the maiden voyage of the Brown family's new yacht.

With exclusive behind-the-scenes access, seldom-seen footage from the archives and a rare interview with Kirsty Wark, this is the story of a true visionary of British art.

West Highland is an impression of a day on a railway between Mallaig and Glasgow in the last days of steam.

Jim and Loz Beck are brothers from Chipping Norton. They play rock'n'roll together since they're 8 years old. At 18, they leave the boring british countryside to live and work on their music in London. Jim starts working in a Cultural association while Loz discovers the pleasures of the student life. The film is driven by the raw punk music and the deeply political and emotional lyrics from their two piece band Cassels. In this intimate portrait, Jim and Loz will confront their strong artistic point of view and their DIY approach to the reality of the music industry and the social and economical London's life.

A professional paranormal investigation team takes matters into their own hands, seeking to show that The Viaduct Tavern in London and The Skirrid Inn in Wales are two of the most haunted pubs in the whole of Britain.

A group of Welsh settlers decided to emigrate to Argentine Patagonia in 1865. Among them, a woman named Catherine Roberts, her husband, and their three children. Aboard the ship Mimosa they arrived at the current Puerto Madryn, Chubut, on July 28, 1865. Catherine died on August 21 and was buried near the coast, but her traces were lost until 1995 when some bones were discovered by chance. Argentine scientists Silvia Dahinten, Julieta Gómez Otero and Fernando Coronato have been working for twenty years to determine if the remains found are those of Catherine. In 2015, the arrival in Puerto Madryn of a Welsh descendant of Catherine, and new scientific advances, allow us to confirm that the bones found in 1995 are those of Catherine.

Three overseas servicemen take a tour of the Royal Mile - visiting the sights between Edinburgh Castle and Holyrood Palace, and learning about the sometimes gruesome history of Scotland.

The extraordinary story of the 'Hitler Émigrés', the refugees - mainly Jewish who escaped the Nazi regime in the 1930s and found refuge in the UK - told through the portal of Austrian portrait photographer; Lotte Meitner-Graf.

A film made for the Central Office of Information concerning Britain's coastline, with music by Michael Nyman.

Journalist Tir Dhondy explores the rise in luxury watch theft, meeting the moped riders snatching watches off the street - as well as a gang leader who runs a team of watch rippers.

An unconventional portrait of painter Frida Kahlo and photographer Tina Modotti. Simple in style but complex in its analysis, it explores the divergent themes and styles of two contemporary and radical women artists working in the upheaval of the aftermath of the Mexican Revolution.

Documentary filmmaker Christian Blackwood profiles controversial Filipino director Lino Brocka, detailing his rags-to-riches rise in the mainstream film industry of the Philippines. Primarily using interviews with the effusive director himself, Blackwood allows Brocka to describe, in his own terms, the common thematic threads tying together his work, from his own homosexuality to the political repression suffered by Filipinos at the hands of Ferdinand Marcos' dictatorial government.

Jean-Pierre Gorin’s gripping and unique film about a Samoan street gang in Long Beach, California, is, like other works by the filmmaker, a probing look at a closed community with its own rules, rituals, and language. Part observational documentary, part fiction invisibly scripted and shaped by the director, My Crasy Life, which won a special jury prize at Sundance, is an enthralling and intensely focused contemplation of violence and dislocation.

Hosted by horror aficionado Kim Newman in front of a live audience, hear 'horror' stories from Caroline Munro, Virginia Wetherell and sons of the legendary Brian Clemens, Samuel & George Clemens.

Jhalana’s refuge, India's urban leopard habitat, is controlled by the strong and experienced Bahadur. But his dominance is being challenged – by his son, Rana! Once a quiet youngster, Rana has grown into an ambitious young male. But in the animal kingdom, power is not inherited – it is fought for with strength and persistence. Rana is not content with just securing his place; he wants more. To fulfill his ambitions, he forms a bond with one of his father's females, and what begins as a simple interaction soon turns into a powerful partnership. The aging Bahadur has held his territory for six years and will not tolerate his son's claim. Rana faces a decision: retreat or fight. But Rana follows his instincts.

In track and field he’s remembered as The Greatest. Athletics' first commercially global star. Away from the spotlight, his is a life often misunderstood. Carl Lewis did it his own way - unwilling to conform to what the US expected from its athletes. Lewis won nine Olympic gold medals across four Games and was voted “Sportsman of the Century” by the International Olympic Committee. Yet he refused to be pigeonholed and, in doing so, he inspired change on and off the field. I’m Carl Lewis! delves into the consequences of his uncompromising drive.

Experimental documentary about recycling.

The Pink Panthers have stolen over £270m in diamonds in more than 241 robberies in cities from Paris to Tokyo. The film explores the rise of the group during the 1990s Balkan conflict when economic sanctions imposed on Serbia fueled illegal activities. The criminals reveal an underworld driven by fast wealth and paranoia, while the detectives and inspectors, who are working with Interpol, are on a mission to stop their crime spree with growing success.

"Straight Girl" paints a colourful, three-dimensional portrait of Leeds-based electronic musician Remy Enceladus, also known as Straight Girl. Through the close relationship that develops between Remy and the camera, the line between home life and stage persona blur; forming an intimate exploration of identity, feminism, mental health, sexuality and gender - ultimately amalgamating into a visually explosive finale of acceptance, freedom and expression.

Stephen Smith uncovers the secret history of the humble fig leaf, opening a window onto 2,000 years of Western art and ethics. He tells how the work of Michelangelo, known to his contemporaries as 'the maker of pork things', fuelled the infamous 'fig leaf campaign', the greatest cover-up in art history; how Bernini turned censorship into a new form of erotica by replacing the fig leaf with the slipping gauze; and how the ingenious machinations of Rodin brought nudity back to the public eye. In telling this story, Smith turns many of our deepest prejudices upside down, showing how the Victorians had a far more sophisticated and mature attitude to sexuality than we do today. He ends with an impassioned plea for the widespread return of the fig leaf to redeem modern art from cheap sensation and innuendo.

Jeremy Paxman joins forces with 'art sleuth' Bernadette Murphy to try and solve one of the greatest and bloodiest mysteries of the art world - why Vincent Van Gogh cut off his own ear in December 1888?

Documentary about Colonel Hilary Hook, formerly of the Indian cavalry and leader of extravagant safaris in Kenya. Hook returned home to England after being evicted from his home in the Kenya Hills, and is finding it hard to readjust to the English way of life.

A celebration of the iron willed women who maintained the 1984/85 Miners' Strike as they fought for the future of their communities.

The story of the mobile bank serving the people of the Scottish Highlands and islands.

Presented by Paul McGann, The Cavern Club and LA Factual have come together to produce "The Cavern Club: The Beat Goes On" - a unique documentary feature, telling the untold, complete and colourful story of the 'greatest club in the world'.

The 40 year mystery uncovered by his wife. This is the story of Lord Lucan, playboy, aristocrat, gambler and murderer. The public has been transfixed for over 40 years, when on November 7th, 1974 Lucan family nanny Sandra Rivett was killed and he disappeared without a trace. Ever since, one voice has remained almost entirely silent; his wife, Lady Lucan. Now she wants to set the record straight.

Documentary in which Darcey Bussell profiles Hollywood dancer Fred Astaire, marking 30 years since his death.

An updated version of the classic 1936 "Night Mail", this time using an aeroplanes and vans as well as trains, and with poetry by Blake Morrison.

An undercover Channel 4 investigation about the British Muslim women who support the ideology of ISIS.

A television documentary about John Cage and his music.

On the eve of the 2022 Championships, here’s another chance to relive what happened at Wimbledon last year. It was another thrilling tournament, with Novak Djokovic claiming his sixth title at the All England Club, coming from behind to beat Italy’s Matteo Berrettini in the final. Meanwhile, Ash Barty became the first Australian champion in the women’s singles for 41 years, and teenager Emma Raducanu announced herself on the world stage with a run to the fourth round as a wild card. (BBC)

Documentary about the 1942 British film "In Which We Serve" directed by David Lean and Noël Coward.

Film from Damien Swaby

The background to, events of and consequences of the Battle of Mers-El-Kebir on 3 July 1940. In that battle, Royal Navy ships fired on the French Fleet in order to prevent it from falling into German hands. A French battleship was sunk and several other ships damaged. Nearly 1,300 French sailors were killed.

Documentary about British author and actor Alan Bennett. Recorded over the course of a year, the film features a number of intimate encounters with Bennett, including a trip to New York to receive an award from the city's public library, a national radio appearance and a visit to his local community-run library in Primrose Hill, London. Reflecting on key periods of his life as well as providing observations on current events.

Two visitors enjoying Scotland, an enthusiastic but inexperienced golfer improving on the world's greatest courses; his wife exploring spectacular places visited by the first known lady golfer in history - Mary, Queen of Scots. The commentary of Scot's actor Andrew Crawford links romantic past with sporting present in a film which captures the flavour of the country and its national game.

The fascinating story of knighthood, told through the extraordinary life and times of William Marshal, whom many consider the world's greatest knight. From Europe's medieval castles to the holy city of Jerusalem, presenter Thomas Asbridge explores William's incredible life, revealing a rip-roaring adventure story in the spirit of King Arthur's Knights of the Round Table. In a career that spanned half a century, this English soldier and statesman served some of Christendom's greatest leaders, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Richard the Lionheart. Marshal fought in battles across Europe, survived court intrigue and exile, put his seal to the Magna Carta and proved to be the best friend a king could have, remaining loyal to those he served through disaster and victory. Then at the age of 70, despite all the odds, he saved England from a French invasion.

The Truth That Wasn't There is an award-winning documentary about three student filmmakers who cross the front-lines in the wake of civil war in Sri Lanka. In doing so they became the first independent journalists to visit the final battlegrounds. This is the story of what they found.