Only Ten Percent Is a Lie

Hermes Bird

March 1979 •English

This 11 minute homage to the male member shows its subject in the various stages of erection. The voice-over poem by James Broughton includes the line "This is the secret that will not stay hidden."

Love Poems Part II: Alexandria

January 2025 •English

CATS, SEA, FISHERMEN AND SUNSET. The sequel to the original Love Poems. A short documentary Film capturing beautiful shots in the City of Alexandria followed by a Poem written for the city by Salma Torrez.

My Mirror is the Door

October 2012 •Tamil

The ten anthologies and eight long poems of the Sangam age are the oldest and most distinguished body of secular poetry extant in India, of which women poets were a very strong presence.

The Legacy of Othello

June 2022 •German

A fascinating exploration of the literary — The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice, by English playwright William Shakespeare (1604) — and lyrical — Othello, by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (1887) — myth of Othello, the desperately tragic story of a Moorish general in the army of the Venetian Republic whose absurd jealousy poisons his love for his wife Desdemona.

The Wormwood Star

January 1956 •English

A portrait of artist, actress, poet and occultist Marjorie Cameron, it shows images of her paintings and recitations of her poems. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2006.

Stéphane Mallarmé

January 1968 •French

Stéphane Mallarmé is one of the many educational documentaries that Éric Rohmer did for the television during the 1960’s. At the beginning of the film, Rohmer states that he has placed in Mallarmé’s mouth words taken from an interview with the writer by Jules Heuret published in 1891.

Where is the Final Destination?

March 2025 •Persian

A single tree that has witnessed events, a girl who loves Forough, and a boy who reads Sohrab.

We Are Poets

June 2012 •English

Six teenage members of the performance poetry collective Leeds Young Authors travel to Washington D.C. to compete in poetry contest Brave New Voices, where they must somehow stay true to their own complex, uniquely British poetry whilst grappling the 'he who shouts loudest' mode of the competition. Brimming with ideas and yes, with excellent poetry, each member of Leeds Young Authors has much to tell us all about being young, and living here and now. An inspirational film, and ample proof if it were ever needed that words can indeed uplift and change lives.

Alternate Spaces

December 2022 •English

A short documentary on the River Ouse, following it downstream from Lewes to Newhaven, meditating on the surrounding area.

Amok

December 2013 •Indonesian

In 1976, Indonesian contemporary poet, Sutardji Calzoum Bachri, reads his poetry collection titled 'Amuk'. After 37 years, the sound record archive of that event is found in Jakarta Art Council. Using the archive, Rencong a.k.a DANGERDOPE, a hip-hop DJ from Aceh staged a music show.

O Poeta Americano

June 2014 •Portuguese

The boy runs after the ball. The worker builds concrete dreams between buildings and soccer balls in a lowland field in Recife. The poet receives a word ball, gives a literal stroke and makes an imaginary goal in this film about football, passion and poetry. João Cabral's America goes beyond the four lines of the field or paper, it transcends time and the field; update the memory to the fact that the love of football will not be volatile or ephemeral, neither in defeat nor in victory.

Where are the African Gods?

March 2018 •English

A moving recording of the late writer and renowned jazz singer Abbey Lincoln is captured in this new film from Brooklyn-born director Rodney Passé, who has previously worked with powerhouse music video director Khalil Joseph. Reading from her own works, Lincoln’s voice sets the tone for a film that explores the African American experience through fathers and their sons.

Wè

February 2021 •English

As Black and LGBTQ+ History Month begin this February, material science clothing brand PANGAIA leads celebrations with a poetic film that honors these two communities. Following a year of isolation, and with it a deeper understanding of the importance of outdoor spaces and the environment, Wè is a portrait of the self-love and acceptance we have learned to show others and gift to ourselves.

Éramos Livres

May 2024 •Portuguese

Five inmates recite poetry while time keeps passing by.

This Is the Way We Rise

January 2021 •English

An exploration into the creative process, following Native Hawaiian slam poet Jamaica Heolimeleikalani Osorio, as her art is reinvigorated by her calling to protect sacred sites atop Maunakea, Hawai`i.

Come il Bianco

July 2020 •French

Elsa the Rose

October 1966 •French

Images and poems of the celebrated couple Louis Aragon and Elsa Triolet. Elsa’s youth as recalled by Aragon, with commentary by Elsa.

Landscape of our Body

May 2024 •Vietnamese

As queer trans and gender non-conforming children of the Vietnamese diaspora, we are fragmented at the crossroads of being displaced from not only a sense of belonging to our ancestral land, but also our own bodies which are conditioned by society to stray away from our most authentic existence. Yet these bodies of ours are the vessels we sail to embark on a lifetime voyage of return to our original selves. It is our bodies that navigate the treacherous tides of normative systems that impose themselves on our very being. And it is our bodies that act as community lighthouses for collective liberation. Ultimately, the landscape of our bodies is our blueprint to remembering, to healing, to blooming.

Time to Read Poems

March 2021 •Korean

The experiences of five free-spirited individuals trying to break free from societal norms. Each narrative discusses creativity, mental health, labor activism and gender politics.

Great Poets: In Their Own Words

August 2014 •English

A journey into the BBC archives unearthing glorious performances and candid interviews from some of Britain's greatest poets.