Men Are All Brothers

Watashi no hanashi buraku no hanashi

May 2022 •Japanese

"Buraku" or "Buraku-min" are the terms used for ethnic Japanese people who are believed to descend from the pre-Meiji castes. Today, neither "Buraku" nor "Burakumin" exist anymore in terms of laws and social systems. However, many Japanese people still have a deep-rooted sense of discrimination towards people who descend from those families. Why does something that should not exist continue to exist? How did this discrimination begin in the first place? This film takes a variety of approaches to unravel the history of accumulated discrimination and its intricately intertwined context, from its origins and evolution, vividly depicting the structure of discrimination that often remains hidden from the public eye.

Ningen no machi

July 1986 •Japanese

Interviews with Burakumin in Osaka, victims of discrimination

The Broken Commandment

July 2022 •Japanese

At the strong insistence of his father, Ushimatsu Segawa conceals his origins from a “buraku” area of low-class “untouchables,” leaving his hometown to serve as an elementary school teacher where he excels and is loved by his students. But he constantly struggles with the secret of his low-birth status and is disturbed by all of the discrimination levelled upon his class. It prevents him from pursuing a romance with Shiho, whom he meets at the temple where he resides, but who descends from a samurai family.

Apostasy

November 1948 •Japanese

In the Meiji period, a schoolteacher tries to hide his lower-class upbringing as he supports a visiting liberal intellectual.

The Broken Commandment

April 1962 •Japanese

Ushimatsu's father told him never to reveal his lower-caste heritage; years later, he now contemplates confiding in an activist fighting against such discrimination.

The Art of Eric Gill

October 2005 •English

Overview of the life and work of the influential sculptor, architect, writer and teacher who founded austere artistic communities but whose art was often an untamed celebration of sexuality.

Making 'The Shining'

October 1980 •English

Directed and edited by Stanley Kubrick's daughter Vivian Kubrick, this film offers a look behind the scenes during the making of The Shining.

Diamir - The Bewitched of Nanga Parbat

January 1982 •French

Mountaineering documentary on the Nanga Parbat expedition, in India, in 1982. Led by mountaineer Pierre Mazeaud, this international expedition brings together eight French people, two Germans, an Iraqi, an Austrian and an Englishman including Michel Afanassieff, Michel Berrueux, Walter Cecchinel, Kurt Diemberger, Hans Engl, Shah Jehan, Karim Imamdad and others. On July 14, 1982, Hans Engl reached the summit after twelve hours of struggle.

A Tale of Two Curries

November 2024 •English

What even is a curry? A dish? A spice? A colonial mistake? Or something that’s always been part of who we are? In this documentary, Melissa unpacks this messy debate, tracing how a single word came to define (and flatten) an entire world of flavours, histories, and identities.

Carlo Acutis: Roadmap to Reality

April 2025 •English

In a world losing itself to screens, teenage mystic Carlo Acutis saw beyond our social media-addicted society and offered an answer—if we’re willing to listen. Carlo Acutis: Roadmap to Reality explores the life of the first millennial saint while following teens on a phone-free pilgrimage to his tomb, immersing them in his story, his passion for Christ, and a search for meaning in a digital age.

Universal State of Mind

Invalid date •French

Temiscaming, Québec

October 1976 •English

Temiscaming, Québec is the story of a town's struggle to survive after its main source of employment, the CIP mill, closed down. Part I tells what steps the workers, townspeople and ex-CIP managers took to reopen a mill co-owned and co-managed by the workers; Part II explains the new corporate ownership of the mill, how it works, and its growing pains.

L'Opéra Hira Gasy de Madagascar

January 2018 •English

Opera artist Hira Gasy from Madagascar, Emeline Raholiarisoa tells the story of this unique art that an international group is proposing to include as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Born in an artist's village, the author evokes the life of the troupe founded by her father Ramilison (known as Dadamily, Basigara) and more than six centuries of history of her country. The film is also haunted by death: many of the people filmed died of illness or road accidents, because in Madagascar, the health system is in ruins, the bush taxis are rolling coffins, and the drivers, who most often have bought their license, know neither the code nor safe driving. Why so many deaths? In this country, if you are not rich, and you are injured or sick, you die. A rebellious film that invites us to change things profoundly in the largest island in the Indian Ocean.

Saroyanland

December 2013 •Turkish

Saroyanland is a docu-drama focusing on the journey of famous writer William Saroyan to the birthplace of his Armenian family Bitlis, in Turkey in 1964. While retaking the same road, the film aims to understand Saroyan's unique attitude to belonging, witnessing the self-discovery of a man who followed the traces of his Armenian ancestors.

Skyward

March 1985 •English

IMAX documentary about the Suncoast Seabird Sanctuary, FL, USA Made for exhibition at the Expo '85, Tsukuba, Japan.

The Witness

January 2000 •English

Transformed by the love of a kitten, a tough New York City construction contractor is inspired to rescue abandoned animals, become a vegetarian, and take his message of compassion to the streets. A construction contractor who grew up on the mean streets of Brooklyn, Eddie Lama is probably the last person you'd figure to be an animal activist. Indeed, Eddie was raised with a deeply ingrained aversion to animals, as he explains in the award-winning documentary "The Witness." But when a pretty woman asks him to take care of her kitten, he finds himself reluctantly agreeing as a ploy to get a date, not knowing that his life is about to change forever. In the end, it is the kitten who captures his heart, opening his eyes to the wonder of other living creatures and awakening him to the richness of the human-animal bond.

Belle & Sebastian: Fans Only

October 2003 •English

Fans Only is a record of the development of Belle & Sebastian during their time with Jeepster, from If You're Feeling Sinister to Storytelling. Featuring all of the videos, live performances, interviews, out-takes, TV appearances, early documentary footage, exclusive material and behind the scenes insights into the evolution of the band.

Don't Breathe

September 2014 •English

Don’t Breathe is a dark comedy set in Georgia that follows the tribulations of a middle-aged man, Levan, who is suddenly led to question his existence because of a routine medical examination. It sends him into a downward spiral of paranoia and doubt as he fumbles his way through the theatre of the absurd that we call life. Using humour and a playful tone, the film examines the fragility of human nature, when our bearings get lost and our imagination takes over, highlighting our common fears, doubts, hopes and resilience.

Seil und Tau Fabrikation in Howrah bei Kalkutta

January 1909 •English

A short film showing the industrial process of jute works in India.

Picturesque India or, In and About Calcutta

January 1913 •English

Botanical gardens in Bombay plus the highly decorative Jain Temple in Calcutta.