Natural Gods

L'école d'Arthur

May 2019 •French

Under the Cold Stars

September 2020 •Italian

Set in the mountains of northeast Italy, this film may be considered an observational documentary about rural life. Although this is undeniably the case, at the same time Under the cold stars can hardly be considered a documentary: the microcosm on which it focuses appears to be a reflection of a broader reality and perhaps a way to deal with the themes of man’s existence and his relationship with animals, nature and, most importantly, with time. As written by Franco Piavoli "it is a film which essentially relies on images and sound, where words themselves are sound and the music of life, of the relentless flow of time."

The Story of Yosemite National Park

January 1991 •English

Mountain men Joseph R Walker was probably the first non-Indian to see Yosemite, in 1833, but not until the California militia entered the valley rounding up the Ahwahneechee Indians was the region discovered. In June, 1864, President Abraham Lincoln signed the Yosemite Grant, making it a California State Park. It became famous through the writings of Horace Greeley and the efforts of John Muir. Cinematographer Dennis Burkhart captures in this video the magnificence of Yosemite Valley (El Capitan, Bridalveil Fall, Half Dome), the High Sierra (John Muir Trail, Tuolumne Meadows, Tioga Pass) and the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias. The camera catches the wildlife that roams the 1,1170 square miles of Yosemite, i.e. the mule deer, mountain lion, black bear, coyotes, bighorn sheep, and the rare peregrine falcon. This video reveals why 3.8 million visitors come each year and stand before awe-inspiring panoramas they will never forget.

The Story of Grand Canyon National Park

January 1991 •English

Two thousand square miles, a mile deep, approximately 10 miles wide- no geological feature on earth evokes a wider spectrum of human emotions than does the Grand Canyon of Arizona. It is impossible not to be profoundly moved when confronting such immensity. But it is more than a chasm, it is alive with mule deer, mountain lions, coyotes, bighorn sheep, wild turkeys, blue grouse, blue heron, desert tortoises, and the rare kaibab squirrel, found only in the Grand Canyon. Long before the Spanish arrived, the Anasazi (Ancient Ones) lived here. Included is an exclusive segment, never before filmed, of Shaman's Gallery, a significant Anasazi find of rock paintings in the Grand Canyon area, dating between 2000 B.C., and A.D 1. Established in 1908, Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed the Grand Canyon a parkland and said "do nothing to mar its grandeur, keep it for your children, your children's children, and all who will come after you."

Sex, Drugs & Religion

January 2010 •English

A 71 minute look into the wacky world of religion. Targeting groups from Catholics to Baptists, this movie exposes the idiocy that is associated to religion in general. This is the fourth film release from B.A. Brooks and is quickly causing quite a stir in religious communities across the globe, while also hailing acclaim as a very entertaining, and insightful film experience.

Africa Light / Gray Zone

January 2010 •English

"Africa Light" - as white local citizens call Namibia. The name suggests romance, the beauty of nature and promises a life without any problems in a country where the difference between rich and poor could hardly be greater. Namibia does not give that impression of it. If you look at its surface it seems like Africa in its most innocent and civilized form. It is a country that is so inviting to dream by its spectacular landscape, stunning scenery and fascinating wildlife. It has a very strong tourism structure and the government gets a lot of money with its magical attraction. But despite its grandiose splendor it is an endless gray zone as well. It oscillates between tradition and modernity, between the cattle in the country and the slums in the city. It shuttles from colonial times, land property reform to minimum wage for everyone. It fluctuates between socialism and cold calculated market economy.

On Closer Inspection

June 1953 •English

"Without leaving his own garden, a man may know the world" - an abstract study of the wildlife found in every garden.

Ghosts of the Forest

January 2001 •English

In GHOSTS OF THE FOREST daredevil bird and wildlife cinematographer, John Young is embarking on a journey into the rainforest of the tropical north to find those creatures often heard but rarely, if ever, seen.

Platypus: World's Strangest Animal

September 2003 •English

One of only two living mammals to lay eggs, the platypus has baffled and inspired the scientific community for hundreds of years. Three years in the making, this stunning natural history film takes us down the East Coast of Australia to the many serenely beautiful habitats of the platypus. Technology specially created for this film captures images from inside the nesting chamber of a wild platypus, and records the extraordinary sounds of the mother suckling her offspring. We watch as they grow from newborns to adulthood. Join renowned documentary makers David Parer and Elizabeth Parer-Cook (Dragons of Galapagos, Wolves of the Sea) on this fascinating journey from the rainforests of Queensland to the frozen mountains of Tasmania, as they reveal new insights into this mysterious creature.

The Lost Film of Dian Fossey

May 2002 •English

From 1968 to 1972, photographer and filmmaker Bob Campbell documented the activities of Dian Fossey as she developed a cross-species bond with Rwandan mountain gorillas. Campbell shot 70,000 feet of film, but only a fraction of his material was edited into the lecture presentation that preceded Fossey's Gorillas in the Mist. This program compiles highlights from the previously unreleased footage, offering an unforgettable glimpse into the gorilla community and Fossey's relationship with it. Her methods may not entirely jibe with those of modern conservationists, but there is no denying the profound impact of her work on current research and eco-activism.

Collision

October 2009 •English

COLLISION carves a new path in documentary film-making as it pits leading atheist, political journalist and bestselling author Christopher Hitchens against fellow author, satirist and evangelical theologian Douglas Wilson, as they go on the road to exchange blows over the question: "Is Christianity Good for the World?". The two contrarians laugh, confide and argue, in public and in private, as they journey through three cities. And the film captures it all. The result is a magnetic conflict, a character-driven narrative that sparkles cinematically with a perfect match of arresting personalities and intellectual rivalry. COLLISION is directed by prolific independent filmmaker Darren Doane (Van Morrison: Astral Weeks Live at the Hollywood Bowl, The Battle For L.A., Godmoney).

Seul au milieu des ours

January 2010 •French

Lobo Mexicano

April 2020 •Spanish

About the mexican wolf in northwest Chihuahua, the search for its conservation among local communities, landowners, and the Livestock Assurance Fund.

Arctique, la conquête glaciale

January 2015 •French

Dark fears over the North Pole. Long sheltered from large-scale industrial exploitation, the Arctic is now at risk of becoming the last El Dorado for major oil companies. This, combined with the melting of ice caused by global warming, poses enormous ecological risks: the impact of an oil spill, for example, would be incomparably more serious in this extreme climate than in any other part of the world.

Na ostrove kormoránov

January 1944 •Slovak

Meet the Hedgehogs

June 2017 •English

Steve Backshall visits a hedgehog rescue centre in Surrey founded by Brian May. He meets the dedicated staff and discovering the stories behind some of the animals being treated, helps to release a successfully treated hedgehog back into the wild, and offers advice on how to make a garden into a welcoming environment for the creatures.

Diário de uma onça

November 2023 •Portuguese

Jane

December 2017 •English

Drawing from never-before-seen footage that has been tucked away in the National Geographic archives, director Brett Morgen tells the story of Jane Goodall, a woman whose chimpanzee research revolutionized our understanding of the natural world.

In Wolf Country

May 2024 •German

We all know the big bad wolf of fairy-tale fame—over hundreds of years the wolf has become a culturally imprinted symbol of fear that’s completely detached from reality. In fact there weren’t even any wolves in western Europe for a long time. But they’re back—for example in Germany, where these social animals now occupy a few scattered areas around the country that people have left to them.

The Living Desert

November 1953 •English

Although first glance reveals little more than stones and sand, the desert is alive. Witness moving rocks, spitting mud pots, gorgeous flowers and the never-ending battle for survival between desert creatures of every shape, size and description.