Ariadne

The constant movement of the wheels, threads, sprockets, feet and hands suggests restlessness, and this is paralleled by the soundtrack. The unknown woman could be Gretchen from Faust, hopelessly in love or Ariadne who gave Theseus the thread to find his way out of labyrinth or perhaps she is one of the fates, weaving destiny… Enlarged from Super-8 to 35mm, the film is very grainy, in itself an homage to the medium of film which is also emphasized by the depiction of all kinds of turning machines, both in image and sound.

Ata Kak - Time Bomb

After Awesome Tapes From Africa's Brian Shimkovitz found the energetic, ecstatic music of Ghanaian musician Ata Kak, the tunes became beloved around the world. It was all unbeknownst to the artist himself -- his music was even unknown to those living in his hometown in Ghana. Years of tireless searching ensued, and eventually the Los Angeles-based label owner found a lead. Ata Kak - Time Bomb follows the search that Shimkovitz undertook as well as the visit to Ghana that took place once he found him. It is a celebration of great tunes and how, when it hits the right audience at the right time, music can touch people in a way that you never imagined.

Nachtarbeiter - Von Fledermäusen und anderem Nachtgetier

A cinematic foray into nocturnal nature, where numerous nocturnal animals are in search of prey: From midnight to 4 a.m., the camera observes bats and other nocturnal creatures.

Motorradrennen in Mainz

For my own reasons

I'm twenty. I need to be scared of things.

Der Karneval zu Mainz 1908

Short film about the carnival activities in Mainz, Germany.

My Village in Nunavik

Shot during three seasons, Kenuajuak's documentary tenderly portrays village life and the elements that forge the character of his people: their history, the great open spaces and their unflagging humour. Though Kenuajuak appreciates the amenities of southern civilization that have made their way north, he remains attached to the traditional way of life and the land: its vast tundra, the sea teeming with Arctic char, the sky full of Canada geese. My Village in Nunavik is an unsentimental film by a young Inuk who is open to the outside world but clearly loves his village. With subtitles.

Defending Brother No.2

Two Dutch lawyers, Michiel Pestman and Victor Koppe, travel to Cambodia in 2011 to defend Nuon Chea in an international tribunal. Nuon Chea, also known as Brother No. 2, was the second man after Pol Pot in the Khmer Rouge regime. He is being charged with mass murder and crimes against humanity. For four years, the documentary follows the lawyers in their attempt to give this man a fair trial, but the UN tribunal is beset by local interests and a government which consists partly of other former members of the Khmer Rouge who would really like all of the blame to rest solely on the defendant. What should've been the crowning achievement in the careers of the lawyers turns out very different.

Spitfire: The Birth of a Legend

‘Spitfire— Birth of a Legend‘ tells the story of the Spitfire from a radical design on the drawing board to the fighter aircraft that became the symbol of Britain’s determination to fight on to victory. It celebrates the history of this acclaimed aircraft, the men who designed and built it, and those who flew and fought in it. The story, along with dramatic archive and colour film of aerial combat, graphically illustrates the appeal and fascination the Spitfire has maintained since it faced and fought the fighter and bomber formations of the Luftwaffe.

Older, Stronger, Wiser

In this short documentary, five black women talk about their lives in rural and urban Canada between the 1920s and 1950s. What emerges is a unique history of Canada’s black people and the legacy of their community elders. Produced by the NFB’s iconic Studio D.

Entre ciel et terre

idizwadidiz

Two friends walk and draw circles. It is what it is, idizwadidiz, c’est ce que c’est, seskecé. Nice weather.

It's Your Health

Tommy Davis asks dentist Dr. Hendricks about his older brother Jim, a star halfback who failed his Annapolis dental examination. The doctor offers good advice, the kind one should share with his friends. Tommy invites his whole gang to hear Dr. Hendricks explain the importance of dental health and how dental disease can be controlled. Dr. Hendricks tells a fascinating story. He talks about mouth hygiene, dental care and the role foods play in protecting dental health. Tommy and his friends learn the facts, and the care of their teeth and health takes on a new, highly important light. As for Jim, he profits, too. The story ends on the note that dental health is essential in health generally, appearance and personality.

Still Processing

A box of stunning family photos awakens grief and lost memories as they are viewed for the first time on camera.

Cleaners of Death

This is a story about people whose invisible job is to clean up the world that is hidden from our society.

Kid City

Documentarian Jon Boorstin follows architect Frank Gehry and his sister, Doreen Gehry Nelson, as they attempt a new method of teaching elementary school children in Los Angeles. With funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, the siblings work together on a pilot program of “design-based learning” that would restructure the typical classroom curriculum, replacing rote math or civics lessons with an imaginary city designed and built entirely by the students themselves. Restored in 2018 by the Academy Film Archive.

People Who Make Things

A portrait of three Los Angeles area residents who create things with their hands. Angelo Austin decorates wedding cakes; Dean Jeffries designs, manufactures, and paints custom cars; and Pamela Weir-Quiton creates wooden dolls. Restored by the Academy Film Archive in 2016.

Amazing Journeys

By land, by air, and by sea, viewers can now experience the struggle that millions of creatures endure in the name of migration as wildlife photographers show just how deeply survival instincts have become ingrained into to the animals of planet Earth. From the monarch butterflies that swarm the highlands of Mexico to the birds who navigate by the stars and the millions of red crabs who make the perilous land journey across Christmas Island, this release offers a look at animal instinct in it's purest form.

Indefensible: The Troubling Legacy of Edward Cornwallis

The history of Edward Cornwallis, the founder of Halifax, and the modern day controversy surrounding his statue.

die kastanie

The chestnut tree is old and sick and may have to be felled. But for now, it still stands, towering over the garden. Slowly, like buds unfolding, the stories of the people who gaze upon the tree emerge.