Easter Island: Mysteries of a Lost World
2014 · 75m · Documentary
The contrast between the majestic statues of Easter Island and the desolation of their surroundings is stark. For decades Easter Island, or Rapa Nui as the islanders call it, has been seen as a warning from history for the planet as a whole - willfully expend natural resources and the collapse of civilization is inevitable.
More Like This
Behind the Walls of the Forbidden City
2024 · ★ 8
Secluded from view by nine-meter-high walls and composed of 980 buildings, the Forbidden City in Beijing is the largest imperial palace ever built in the world. Three majestic structures form its center and host the city's ceremonies, each of which is considered an architectural masterpiece. In 1406, construction of the Forbidden City was launched at the initiative of one of China's most powerful sovereigns and founder of the Ming dynasty: Yongle. Endowed with divine power, the construction has already resisted more than 200 earthquakes.
More info →
Pontevedra, cuna de Colón
1927
Speculative historical essay defending the theory, sustained by Spanish historian Celso García de la Riega (1844-1914) and his followers, that the famous explorer Christopher Columbus (1451-1506) was born in a small village near the city of Pontevedra, in the region of Galicia, Spain. (A new version was released in 1930.)
More info →
Auguste Escoffier: The Birth of Haute Cuisine
2020 · ★ 8
A succulent account of the life of French chef Auguste Escoffier (1846-1935) who made the simple act of cooking food a true art by creating the modern concept of haute cuisine, and who also became the main reference point for many generations of future chefs.
More info →
Walking with Cavemen
2003 · ★ 7.5
The great follow-up to 'Walking with Dinosaurs' and 'Walking with Beasts', presented by Professor Robert Winston, explains the story of human evolution.
More info →
A Very Animated War
2021 · ★ 6.7
From 1945 to 1989, after the capitulation of Nazi Germany, two rival ideologies, communism and capitalism, faced each other in a merciless battle. On one side of the Iron Curtain and on the other, throughout the Cold War, the USSR and the United States sought to shape children’s imaginations through their magazines and films. Never in the history of mankind have so many comic books been published and so many cartoons produced for young people. In November 1989, communism collapsed with the Berlin Wall; capitalism was left to decide the future of the world. What if this victory had been prepared for a long time, and our thinking conditioned, from our early childhood, to ensure this absolute triumph?
More info →
Easter Island Origins
2024 · ★ 7.2
How were the giant stone heads of Rapa Nui – also known as Easter Island – carved and raised, and why? Since Europeans arrived on this remote Pacific island over 300 years ago, controversy has swirled around the iconic ancient statues and the history of the people who created them. Now, a new generation of researchers is overturning old theories, revealing the rich history, innovation, and resilience of the Rapanui people, and uncovering intriguing new evidence about where they – and their practice of monumental stone building – came from.
More info →
John Wesley: The Man and His Mission
2012
Keith Garner visits historical locations, elegant chapels and bustling city centres as he discovers the impact of the work of cleric and theologist John Wesley, 200 years after his death.
More info →