Abegweit

Fall 2

March 1970 •English

Bas Jan Ader rides his bike into a canal in Amsterdam.

Traffic Crossing Leeds Bridge

October 1888 •

A film by Louis Aimé Augustin Le Prince, shot in late October 1888, showing pedestrians and carriages crossing Leeds Bridge.

Inside Grand Central

March 2006 •English

In the heart of New York City stands Grand Central Terminal. Explore the magnificent secrets of this iconic landmark as we take you inside the heart, soul and amazing engineering of this superstructure. From railroad cars to rush hours, we unlock the colorful tales of its past, present and future.

A Hundred Years Underground

October 1963 •English

A film looking at the first 100 years of the Underground Railway in London from 1863 to 1963. A range of well known people and senior managers speak alongside some excellent archive film.

The Making of Jurassic World VelociCoaster

December 2021 •English

An inside look at the creation of Universal Orlando Resort's new Jurassic World VelociCoaster.

Hulhumale’ Skatepark – The Build

January 2017 •English

Follow the story of how a skatepark was built in the Maldives and the volunteers who worked day and night for a month to make it happen. See how the project unfolded from initial idea to completion.

Brooklyn Bridge

November 1981 •English

Today it's a symbol of strength and vitality. 135 years ago, it was a source of controversy. This documentary examines the great problems and ingenious solutions that marked the construction of the Brooklyn Bridge. From conception to construction, it traces the bridge's transformation from a spectacular feat of heroic engineering to an honored symbol in American culture.

The End Of The Line: Rochester's Subway

May 1995 •English

"The End of the Line - Rochester's Subway" tells the little-known story of the rail line that operated in a former section of the Erie Canal from 1927 until its abandonment in 1956. Produced in 1994 by filmmakers Fredrick Armstrong and James P. Harte, the forty-five minute documentary recounts the tale of an American city's bumpy ride through the Twentieth Century, from the perspective of a little engine that could, but didn't. The film has since been rereleased (2005) and now contains the main feature with special portions that were added as part of the rereleased version. These include a look at the only surviving subway car from the lines and a Phantom tun through the tunnels in their abandoned state, among others, for a total of 90 minutes of unique and well preserved historical information.

Walt Builds a Family Fallout Shelter

February 1960 •English

A man named Walt who has recently completed building a fallout shelter in his home, a project initiated due to the threat of nuclear war during the Cold War era. Walt demonstrates to his friends the multi-functionality of the shelter, which can also serve as a darkroom, an extra bedroom, or a safe space during tornadoes. He explains the construction process in detail, emphasizing the need for precise measurements, proper leveling, and the use of concrete blocks for radiation protection. The shelter includes a stock of essentials like a radio, batteries, and a fire extinguisher. Walt’s narrative is interspersed with advice on obtaining official bulletins for guidance and the importance of building shelters correctly. The film concludes with a message from the Director of the Office of Civil and Defense Mobilization, advocating for the construction of family fallout shelters across America as a means of personal safety and national security in the nuclear age.

David Macaulay: Pyramid

January 1989 •English

How did ancient Egyptians build the Great Pyramid at Giza, joining two million blocks of heavy stone with amazing precision? Who were the leaders who built these enormous structures, and what did these tombs signify? Host David Macaulay explores the history, mythology, and religions of Egypt's people, combining live footage and animation. Take a rare look at the mummy of Ramses II and buried treasure in the sacred Valley of the Kings.

The Navigators: Pathfinders of the Pacific

September 1983 •English

In hand-built, double-hulled canoes sixty feet long, the ancestors of today's Polynesians sailed vast distances using only the waves, the stars, and the flights of birds to navigate. Anthropologist Sanford Low visits the Caroline Islands of Micronesia to meet Mau Piailug, the last navigator initiated on his island and one of few men still practicing this once-essential art. He demonstrates his skill by sailing a replica canoe 2500 miles from Hawaii to Tahiti with no modern navigational instruments.

Talking Architecture, City: Hall

October 2013 •Korean

A documentary film about Seoul City Hall Construction. The construction project has a hard going in every way. A city plan, excessive administrative notions, a design and all got mingled up. Can the project sail, yes?

The Tuskar Rock Tragedy

October 2022 •English

On 24th March 1968 an Aer Lingus plane carrying 61 passengers and crew crashed into the sea just off the Tuskar Rock lighthouse off the Wexford coast. There were no survivors. Family and friends of those onboard tell their story of loss and the theories of what happened.

La Grande Aventure du France

June 2020 •French

Skyscraper

November 1959 •English

Nominated for an Academy Award, this live-action short film playfully chronicles the construction of the Tishman Building at 666 Fifth Avenue in New York City.

La Camioneta: The Journey of One American School Bus

May 2013 •English

Every day dozens of decommissioned school buses leave the United States on a southward migration that carries them to Guatemala, where they are repaired, repainted, and resurrected as the brightly-colored camionetas that bring the vast majority of Guatemalans to work each day. Since 2006, nearly 1,000 camioneta drivers and fare-collectors have been murdered for either refusing or being unable to pay the extortion money demanded by local Guatemalan gangs. LA CAMIONETA follows one such bus on its transformative journey: a journey between North and South, between life and death, and through an unfolding collection of moments, people, and places that serve to quietly remind us of the interconnected worlds in which we live.

If You Build It

April 2013 •English

A year in the life of one of America's most innovative classrooms where students design & build to transform their hometown community. The film follows Emily Pilloton and Matt Miller as they teach the fundamentals of design, architecture and construction to a class of high school juniors in rural North Carolina.

Great Pyramid K 2019

December 2019 •English

Today we cut the granite with diamond-cut blade as is one of the most difficult rocks to cut due to its hardness.How could the egyptians, if it was them, have achieved those shapes in the sculpture sphinx of Sénousret made of Migmatite material, which is harder than granite? What was that extraordinary tool that made this possible? This example is what disputes all the official theories of egyptology. Dozen of questions now arise. Did the egyptians really have an advance technology that was losted over time? The answer is in this movie.Lucky is to understand that in 2019, we have a chance to learn how the Great Pyramid was built, who built it, and what its hidden behind it. Let yourself go and come discover the biggest mystery of humanity, the New Great Story!

Rebuilding the World Trade Center

September 2013 •English

Chronicling the reconstruction of the World Trade Center and restoration of the New York City skyline, with a focus on the construction workers who made it happen. Thirteen cameras placed throughout the site document eight years of progress with stunning time-lapse imagery, and shadow workers every step of the way as they turn a pile of ashes into a towering testament to imagination and resilience.

The Road Taken

September 1996 •English

This 1996 documentary takes a nostalgic ride through history to present the experiences of Black sleeping-car porters who worked on Canada's railways from the early 1900s through the 1960s. There was a strong sense of pride among these men and they were well-respected by their community. Yet, harsh working conditions prevented them from being promoted to other railway jobs until finally, in 1955, porter Lee Williams took his fight to the union.