Discover Movies

The 237th issue of the long running industry cinemagazine. Includes the articles: 'Marilyn', 'Sight Restored' and 'North Star'.

A short film concerning the evolving nature of memory and the potential of theme to survive the randomisation of narrative.

Founded in the Bronx by Jamaican expat Lloyd ‘Bullwackie’ Barnes in 1976, Wackie’s take on dub and reggae was nothing if not distinctive. Idiosyncratic by nature, and textually lo-fi by necessity, this unique mojo long served as the label’s de facto sonic aesthetic. A protégé of Prince Buster, and a former engineer at Duke Reid’s Treasure Isle label, Barnes’ touch can be felt across dozens of records including sides from Wayne Jarrett, Sugar Minott, Prince Douglas, Horace Andy, Love Joys, and fellow producer, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry. Released in 1981, the following hour-long documentary, Bullwackie In New York, provides a priceless snapshot of the independent label and the culture surrounding it. Live performances, interviews, studio footage and more.

Prominent filmmaker, artist and actress Mania Akbari reclaims her body—and that of all the other women in Iranian film. Using almost a hundred excerpts spanning Iran's film history, from the silent era to just after the Islamic Revolution—films that have all since been banned—she tells a story of liberation, exploitation, emancipation and ultimately oppression.

On the Rock of Gibraltar, a battle is being waged between man and monkey. Barbary macaques have called this place home for centuries, surviving both the Moors and Spaniards and coexisting with the British since the 1700s. Abandoning the gorgeous Mediterranean view is just not a part of their plan. Increasingly though, the macaques are climbing down into town and disturbing the peace as they romp along rooftops in this peculiar British outpost. Recent efforts to keep them in line have involved only feeble peashooters, but Her Majesty’s next coordinated moves might actually make a dent. With a hint of humor, this quiet and beautifully photographed observational film captures the macaques in everyday acts of rebellion and asks us to consider the arbitrary nature of our own territorial tendencies.

The mavericks whose radical ideas created modern dance in the 20th century.

Twenty-five years since the birth of Rave, a new generation of British DJs and producers are at the forefront of a global musical revolution. From Trance to Dubstep, the sound of British producers has now become the most sought after commodity for the biggest popstars on the planet.

When Andrew Logan founded the Alternative Miss World in a jigsaw factory in Hackney in 1972, he didn’t expect that his celebration of transformation would take him from the Croisette at Cannes, to the highest court in the UK.

Part of the Senior Biology series, 'Development of the Rabbit' is a study of the gestation period of rabbits - aided by diagrammatic, microscopic, and dissection footage.

Pop stars, musicians and music industry experts reminisce about their love affair with the now once-defunct 7" single.

Following the disturbing case of a Manchester social media consultant who used the platforms she knew best to torment, smear and manipulate her victims online. Presenting herself as the target of abuse, Wall created a web of false accusations that damaged reputations, careers and lives. Through interviews, evidence and first-hand accounts, the episode exposes how digital harassment can spiral into a full-blown campaign of psychological destruction — and how hard it can be to stop once the lies are online.

The art of traditional sailing is often represented through activity at sea, yet maintenance on land is of equal importance. This film shows the materials and skills that keep boats working, and the crafts that people keep alive through practising them.

Documentary on the life cycle of the tortoiseshell butterfly: first laying their eggs under the leaves of sting nettles and in2-3 weeks the caterpillars emerge and live off the nettle leaves. Then fully grown caterpillars spin a chrysalis. After 3 weeks the new butterfly emerges, and so the cycle continues.

For over 146 years Broadmoor hospital has gained a reputation as the last stop for some of the UK’s most dangerous criminals. It was thought of as the place where mentally unstable offenders would be incarcerated for the rest of their lives – until a recent and radical change. Broadmoor is a brave documentary that goes behind the formidable walls at a time when a controversial new approach seeks to release inmates back into society after no longer than nine years. With unprecedented access to staff and their patients, Broadmoor exposes the myths surrounding mental health and reveals the realities of life inside a notorious institution.

Open All Hours is an in depth look at the importance of independent skate shops and gives an insight into their current state within the industry and why losing them is more than losing a store, it's the loss of a community.

Recent research has revealed the extraordinary modernity of the Mongols, a people who once built an empire four times larger than that of the Romans. Little known outside his homeland, Emperor Genghis Khan is revered within Mongolia. This documentary challenges the image of a bloodthirsty warrior, portraying instead a brilliant strategist who brought innovation to many fields: politics, religion, science, culture, and the arts. It depicts a forward-thinking society where women held prominent roles.

Made possible through a unique UK-wide collaboration of national and regional publicly-funded film archives, Lost Connections draws on a century of archive footage that invites reflections on loss, loneliness, isolation, and expressions of desire, optimism, hope and renewal. It is not a film about the pandemic, it is a film about recovery, the human character, sadness and joy, what we really value, and our gradual reconnection with each other, our communities, and the world around us.

Gibraltar has been at the centre of a fiercely-contested diplomatic dispute that has stretched over the centuries. In the summer of 2010, director Ana Garcia returned home to Gibraltar to get married. Coming back to this most unique of British territories, she found herself compelled to find out more about the history of her family and her birthplace. As she prepares for her wedding, we are taken on a very personal journey that uncovers the inspiring story of how a small community has fought for its home and identity.

Part two of two teaching films about human anatomy which is devoted to the action of the skeletal muscles in producing movement of the bones at the joints of the human skeleton. It uses live action and animated medical illustrations as well as an actual skeleton with commentary. A man, naked to the waist, also demonstrates the relevant physical processes such as respiration.

Simon Liu's eerie, entrancing portrait of contemporary Hong Kong tracks a series of strange disruptions to the city's urban infrastructure. Deceptively tranquil 16mm images of everyday life are accompanied by muffled music cues, ominous radio transmissions, and intimations of an impending hazardous event that may never arrive.

The story of young Afghan girls learning to read, write and skateboard in Kabul.

The world of shellfish, from the delicate tasting oyster to the succulent mussel.

A new mother has spent longer than expected with her baby daughter due to the Covid lockdown - but now she must confront the post-pandemic return to work. A docu-drama filmed 100% remotely during the coronavirus lockdown.

A group of twenty-somethings, coping with the sudden loss of a close friend, do the only thing that makes sense to them in their time of grief: they put on a play.

The Rolling Stones played in front of 1.5million people, the biggest concert of all time, at Copacabana Beach, Rio De Janeiro, on the 18th February 2006 to promote the release of their studio album "A Bigger Bang" as part of the Bigger Bang Tour.

A Secrets of Life short

Continuing his search for inspiration, Zed resumes his studies of twentieth-century television's Doctor Who. What he finds will have a profound effect...

A BAFTA award winning documentary focussing on how drivers are trained to drive new electric trains in the UK.

In Transit is about the return of the Norwegian volunteers who were with the SS forces during the Second World War.

For the first time, the inner secrets of the gunpowder plotters are dramatised using the actual words of their most senior captured leader Thomas Wintour, Guy Fawkes and state interrogators investigating the 18-month conspiracy in which a family circle of militant Catholic gentlemen tried to blow up King and Parliament. Wintour's insider account of this epic tale of faith, fanaticism, persecution and betrayal is told in detail, from his recruitment of both Fawkes and his own brother to his capture in a dramatic siege and bloody shoot-out on 8 November. The hopes, fears and plans for a Midlands rebellion, royal kidnap, the plotters' penetration of the king's bodyguard and Fawkes' attendance, sword in hand, at a wedding attended by the king in December 1604 are shown, as well as a dramatisation of the thrilling, forgotten story of the final days after 5/11 as the conspirators are hunted down and then face the terrible punishments reserved for traitors.

Lucinda Lambton conjures up curiosities from the dark corners of museums and collections throughout the land.

GCN's James Lowsley-Williams and GMBN's Blake Samson are trading in their usual bikes for ones with much smaller wheels, as they try their hand at two variations of the incredibly varied sport of bicycle motocross. We'll explore the history of BMX to learn about the rise, fall and rebirth of one of cycling's most explosive forms. From racing on the track to landing tricks in skate bowls, what does it take to make it to the top level of BMX?

Last December's "Cheriegate" affair did little to abate the rampant public cynicism reserved for politicians - a mistrust evidenced in the turnout at the 2001 general election, which was the lowest for more than 80 years. In this documentary, Michael Cockerell talks to figures including Edwina Currie, Max Clifford, Geoffrey Robinson and Neil Hamilton in an effort to see if spin, sleaze and ministerial failure is to blame, or whether the media's sneering political coverage is most at fault.

The impact of such strict laws on homosexuality in Iran is examined through the life of asylum seeker Ramtin. Following the capture and torture of his boyfriend in Tehran, he now finds himself building a new life in Leeds. Ramtin and close friend Ali shed light on a situation ending the lives of many young men in their native country. This remarkable documentary finds Ramtin making the most of life in the U.K, playing flamenco guitar on local radio, practicing with a professional dancer and forming a support group for other gay Iranians. Yet fear of prosecution upon return to Iran, leaves Ramtin with his life in the balance as the Home Office continue to deny him citizenship.

How our societies can be transformed into an ultra-low carbon way of living fit for our children’s future?

Through vintage amateur movies as well as archival Communist propaganda documentaries, this program turns back the clock to see what Tibet was like from the 1930s to 1950. After the popular and successful TV and DVD collaborations The Lost World of Mitchell & Kenyon and The Lost World of Friese-Greene, the BFI and BBC co-produced The Lost World of Tibet, broadcast on BBC Four on 3 March 2008.

In this fascinating documentary, historian Bettany Hughes travels to the seven wonders of the Buddhist world.Her journey begins at the Mahabodhi Temple in India, where Buddhism was born; here Hughes examines the foundations of the belief system - the three jewels.At Nepal's Boudhanath Stupa, she looks deeper into the concept of dharma - the teaching of Buddha, and at the Temple of the Tooth in Sri Lanka, Bettany explores karma, the idea that our intentional acts will be mirrored in the future.At Wat Pho Temple in Thailand, Hughes explores samsara, the endless cycle of birth and death that Buddhists seek to end by achieving enlightenment, before travelling to Angkor Wat in Cambodia to learn more about the practice of meditation.In Hong Kong, Hughes visits the Giant Buddha and looks more closely at Zen, before arriving at the final wonder, the Hsi Lai temple in Los Angeles, to discover more about the ultimate goal for all Buddhists - nirvana.

Adventures on a fishing boat as told by two young boys who experience what it takes to be a fisherman at sea.

Skateboarding is the ultimate Escape from Boredom. On this dvd we share many of the good times with you (and a couple of the bad) we've had around the globe in the last 18 months.

Low key documentary recording the daily life of an elderly blind man in Russia.

90’ documentary about the experiences of the last British soldiers to leave Basra.

A look at Hadrian's Wall in Northumberland, and a more detailed examination of the Berlin Wall in Germany.

A look at the motor coach, with a view from the back of a coach during a tour of Italy.

Physicist Dr Helen Czerski takes us on a journey into the science of bubbles - not just fun toys, but also powerful tools that push back the boundaries of science.

Exploring some of the industrial applications of film, and the many ways in which it is used as a tool in man's search for knowledge.

The extraordinary story of a man who risks everything to preserve freedom of speech in Russia. In December 2021 Dmitry Muratov is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He is the editor-in-chief of Russia’s only independent newspaper, Novaya Gazeta. Six of his journalists have been murdered, after their reports displeased the state. In February 2022 Russia invades Ukraine. In early March, using the cover of a documentary film festival, Muratov secretly negotiates free passage for forty journalists with the Latvian government. Then he returns to Moscow to look after his paper and its remaining staff. To this day, he refuses to leave Moscow, whatever the pressure on him and his team. "Putin stands for death. I stand for life."

Through the eyes of journalists and photographers working at Barricada, the official publication of the FSLN, the film observes the problems of putting socialism into practice, with reports on the war, the economy, the prison system and the political process leading up to the 1984 elections.

VICE's Matt Shea takes viewers inside Andrew Tate’s secret society and compound in Romania and gives a voice to women who were allegedly abused by him.

As Take That, one of Britain's most successful and best-loved bands, mark their 30th anniversary, they are celebrated in this special one-off programme. It features fans from all over the country, and beyond, sharing their stories of how the band touched their lives - and in some cases, changed their world completely. This most successful boy band in UK chart history are reunited, with Robbie Williams joining them to share favourite memories as they reflect on three decades in the spotlight. It also offers up candid, previously unseen material that they shot over the years. There is also a reunion for the boys' biggest fans of all - the five, proud Take That mums. The band takes us on a guided tour of significant Take That locations, with some memorable fan surprises along the way. With a glimpse of their preparations for their anniversary album, we also see them in the studio with Bee Gees legend Barry Gibb.

A short visual meditation, OF THE UNKNOWN is set in Hong Kong where millionaires and the ‘working poor’ live side by side in one of Asia’s wealthiest and most densely populated cities. The film explores how our notions of freedom and happiness are shaped by the place we occupy, both literally and metaphorically, in our society. What is the importance of freedom when one faces a daily struggle for survival? Is it even possible to have dreams, or to dream, if one was never given any opportunities in life? https://vimeo.com/113548756

“The Nightcleaners” is set in the context of the campaign (1970-1972) to unionize the women who cleaned office blocks at night and were being victimized and underpaid. Intending at the outset to make a campaign film, the Collective was forced to turn to new forms in order to represent the forces at work between the cleaners, the Cleaner's Action Group and the Unions - and the complex nature of the campaign itself.

Jewish people - and a few Gentiles - muse on what it means to be Jewish in 1960s Britain. The challenges of maintaining faith and culture outside Israel, and in a society where ‘Jewish’ and ‘English’ are seen as mutually exclusive identities are perceptively explored in this astute documentary. Some secular Jews are keen to distance themselves from traditional Judaism and especially Zionism (one defines himself simply as a Marxist). Gentiles are on hand to cheerfully perpetuate some of the old stereotypes, and we’re treated to colourful snapshots of the Jewish community in London: the rag trade, a kosher butcher and restaurant.

This one-off documentary goes deep inside the Willie Wonka world of Cadbury, Britain's biggest and best-loved chocolate maker. Behind closed doors at the famous Bournville plant, a team of dedicated scientists struggle to meet the biggest challenge the company's faced for a century - to dramatically cut sugar from their Dairy Milk recipe. Meanwhile, the firm's Easter Creme Egg campaign finds Cadbury agents 'reverse shoplifting' as they hide prize-winning white eggs around the country. Elsewhere in the factory new flavours of chocolate are put into production, with wacky recipes invented by lucky members of the public.

Acting as part ode and through a series of interpretations, Claudette’s Star depicts young artists considering with sheer wonder who is given a voice.

Renowned actor Simon Callow traces the 200-year history of Silent Night, traveling to Oberndorf and Salzburg to uncover the carol’s humble beginnings. The film follows the lives of Joseph Mohr and Franz Gruber, two impoverished Austrian children whose paths converged in a small church, where Gruber’s melody joined Mohr’s lyrics to create the world’s most beloved carol. Born from hardship and hope after the Napoleonic wars, Silent Night transformed a quiet night’s story into a universal message of peace.

This film shows the operating procedures necessary for protection on a double track in the event of a mishap affecting the opposite line. We see the safety measures to be taken by station staff in such an emergency, and then how normal working is resumed.

Emma’s first collaboration with Indonesian performance artist, Tamarra, was in January 2019, when they travelled together to South Sulawesi to spend time with members of the Bissu community there. There is danger in assuming a universal trans experience - the Bissu have long celebrated multiple gender identities but their history of veneration, persecution and survival is unique. Tamarra and Emma made a subsequent shared ritual performance and documentary of the trip named Calabai Jangeng (literally - Crazy Trans Women) a term of beautiful endearment that was shouted loudly throughout our 10 day road trip!

In the autumn of 1888, a string of bloody murders rocked East London. Week after terrible week, the tabloids report the death of yet another Whitechapel resident. The police are left baffled, and investigations grow cold with no lead to who the killer may be. Known to history as Jack the Ripper, there are many theories as to who was guilty of the brutal Whitechapel killings. Through reenactment and interviews, this documentary film investigates the haunting story of Jack the Ripper, and the man thought to be behind the murders.

At 12:20 pm, Diana and Dodi departed from the Ritz Paris hotel rear entrance, heading for Dodi's father's apartment in Rue Arsène Houssaye. By doing this, they avoid a swarm of over thirty photographers waiting in front of the hotel.