411VM Issue #15

Honey Hunters

April 2016 •Polish

"Honey Hunters" is a life story of bees and people. In order to get to the bottom of the mysteries of the life of bees and show them to the audience, the camera enters a contemporary hive and a traditional wild beehive drilled in the trunk of an old tree. It wanders the forests in Poland and Ural, mountains in Nepal and... roofs of Paris and Warsaw. For millions years bees have been laboriously building the natural environment of our planet. These days, they started to die by millions. A programme of wild tree beekeeping reintroduction was launched in Polish forests. It has been an ancient local tradition. Maybe reaching for the past, the original model of coexistence of bees and people, for wild tree beekeeping, can help us to save the bees? After watching “Honey Hunters” everyone wants to have their own beehive and harvest their own honey!

Like It Is

July 1968 •English

This documentary on the "youth movement" of the late 1960s focuses on the hippie pot smoking/free love culture in the San Francisco Bay area.

8 Mile

November 2002 •English

For Jimmy Smith, Jr., life is a daily fight just to keep hope alive. Feeding his dreams in Detroit's vibrant music scene, Jimmy wages an extraordinary personal struggle to find his own voice - and earn a place in a world where rhymes rule, legends are born and every moment… is another chance.

California Schemin'

September 2025 •English

In the late '90s, Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd had their musical ambitions consistently ridiculed for having the 'wrong' accents, so they went for broke and reinvented themselves as Californian rappers. The duo re-recorded their own tracks with fake accents and turned up in London claiming to be an established duo on the Cali scene as well as childhood friends with Eminem. They quickly bagged themselves a record deal, a hefty sum in advances, and an appearance on MTV... until it all came crashing down.

Bruno & Bettina

January 2018 •German

Masao Adachi, the author and director of experimental works and pinku-eiga in the 1960s, was a member of the Japanese New Left that shifted from being a filmmaker to a guerrilla fighter. In 1974, he joined the Japanese Red Army in Lebanon, which worked closely with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Filmmaker Lutz Dammbeck met Adachi in Tokyo in 2018 and talked with him about a wide range of topics, including art, revolution, the influence of western avant-garde art and American underground; the Japanese Red Army; collaboration with secret services; the role of the Left after 1968; and the reasons for failures of leftist ideas and strategies.

Real Haunts 4

January 2025 •English

An Original Documentary Film that explores 4 unique haunted hot spots including a Gothic Haunted House, America's Oldest Lighthouse, Ryholite Ghost Town, Nevada and a haunted Train Museum. With Mark Hall-Patton from "Pawn Stars"

Une vie avec Oradour

September 2011 •French

Hockney on Photography and Other Matters

November 2009 •English

Hockney talks about his 40 year love affair with photography.

Tony Hawk's Secret Skatepark Tour 3

September 2007 •English

"There aren't any other sports that have pros who show up at local spots. It certainly doesn't happen in ball-sports!" - Tony Hawk. Tony and crew set out again to amaze and astound locals who thought they could grab a quiet session at their local park only to find it filled with hoards of skateboard fans. The power of the cellphone brings in everyone from skaters and their parents to random locals who've heard the name Tony Hawk.

The Obama Years: The Power of Words

March 2017 •English

Barack Obama launched into our national consciousness at the 2004 Democratic National Convention and ever since, he's delivered messages of patriotism, unity, and hope through the power of words. But of all the speeches he's given, six in particular may define his legacy as, in historian Doris Kearns Goodwin's words, "one of the best writers and orators in the presidency." Interviews with eminent historians and key figures in his writing process give rare insights into these iconic speeches, as well as the Obama presidency and the man himself.

Frankly... Jacky Ickx

July 2011 •English

Frankly ... Jacky Ickx is a documentary that explores the life of Belgian racing legend Jacky Ickx, tracing his journey from motocross to his iconic status in Formula One and endurance racing. Known as “Monsieur Le Mans” for his six Le Mans wins, Ickx’s story is one of fearless racing, deep introspection, and resilience. Through interviews and archival footage, the film highlights his career milestones, thoughts on the dangers of motorsport, and his legacy, both on the track and in humanitarian efforts, offering an intimate portrait of a true motorsport icon.

Bala

January 1976 •Bengali

A documentary about the aging prima ballerina Balasaraswati (popularly known as "Bala"), the most famous exponent of the Bharatanatyam dance.

Blaze of Glory: Mel Brooks' Wild, Wild West

May 2014 •English

A documentary about Mel Brooks' legendary 1974 comedy «Blazing Saddles».

Trans & Pregnant

November 2024 •English

Two men undertake a thought-provoking journey to parenthood. Not by adoption or surrogacy, but by Frankie, a trans man, carrying their baby. Made with support from NZ on Air.

This is Love

Invalid date •English

This is Love tells the romance stories of 3 Nigerian LGBTQ+ couples and how they navigate romantic relationships in a conservative and hostile Nigerian environment. It is an attempt to humanize LGBTQ+ people in Nigeria by telling a story of how they find love amidst the risks and struggles. The cast includes a lesbian couple, a gay couple and a couple made up of a transman and a ciswoman. It covered conversations around acceptance, religion, health, the Same-Sex Marriage Prohibition Act (SSMPA), and finding love. 2 out of the 3 couples wore masks and had their voices distorted. Aside from helping to conceal the identity of the cast, the mask and distorted voices are also symbolic of the double life LGBTQ+ Nigerians have to live for their safety and security.

Volcom - True to This

January 2014 •English

When Volcom was founded in 1991, it was the first company to combine skateboarding, surfing and snowboarding under one brand from its inception. This way of life influenced the anti-establishment style and attitude that defined a generation. The cultural phenomenon was best captured when Volcom released "Alive We Ride" in 1993: a film documenting the raw excitement and spontaneous creativity inherent to the lifestyle. Twenty-one years later, with the release of "True To This", Volcom again captures the energy and artistry of board-riding in its purest forms. Shot all around the world and showcasing iconic athletes, "True To This" is a tribute to the movement that inspired a generation and the people and places that embody that spirit today.

1947: Brexit India

November 2023 •English

This feature length documentary sheds a light on British presence in India from 1609 till 1947. The documentary aims to focus on the factors behind India getting Independence apart from the Freedom Movement by the National leaders.

Empathy

April 2017 •Spanish

Ed is commissioned to make a documentary intending to change those habits of society that are harmful to animals. But completely alien to the animal protection movement, he will realize that to carry out the project, he must first convince himself.

Dumb: The Story of Big Brother Magazine

June 2017 •English

A look at the rise and fall of the subversive skateboarding magazine Big Brother, which rose to prominence in the mid-1990s and had a profound effect on the skating subculture with its unfiltered approach.

Den förbjudna gangsterrappen

May 2022 •Swedish