Familiar Spirits

The Birth of Children of Paradise

January 1967 •German

Documentary about the making of Marcel Carne's 1945 film Children of Paradise (France), interviewing the director, the actors and production designer, as well as other French directors.

The Making of "Tampopo"

January 1986 •Japanese

Documentary about the making of Juzo Itami's film "Tampopo" (1985).

Talking with Ozu

November 1993 •Japanese

A tribute to the legendary Japanese film director featuring the reflections of filmmakers Lindsay Anderson, Claire Denis, Hou Hsiao-hsien, Aki Kaurismäki, Stanley Kwan, Paul Schrader, and Wim Wenders

Wings of Desire: The Angels Among Us

July 2003 •English

This is a documentary about the making of "Wings of Desire" (1987). The director, writer, actors, composer and other contributors speak at length and in detail about how the award-winning film was devised, cast, filmed, scored and edited.

Fassbinder's Berlin Alexanderplatz: A Mega Movie and Its Story

November 2007 •German

A documentary about the making of the television mini-series by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, including interviewees with the principal actors.

Cecil B. DeMille: American Epic

April 2004 •English

Documentary about the legendary American film director from his introduction to the film industry in its early years to his death in 1959.

Counter Shot: Departure of the Filmmakers

February 2008 •German

King Cohen: The Wild World of Filmmaker Larry Cohen

July 2018 •English

A feature-length documentary focusing on the acclaimed work and eclectic career of maverick filmmaker Larry Cohen, writer-director of "Black Caesar," "It's Alive," "God Told Me To," "Q," "The Stuff," and many more.

Auge in Auge - Eine deutsche Filmgeschichte

July 2008 •German

This is not merely another film about cinema history; it is a film about the love of cinema, a journey of discovery through over a century of German film history. Ten people working in film today remember their favourite films of yesteryear.

In the Lost City

February 2009 •Spanish

The city of Madrid as it appears in the Spanish films of the 1950s. A small tribute to all those who filmed and portrayed Madrid despite the dictatorship, censorship and the critical situation of industry and society.

Barbara Stanwyck: Fire and Desire

July 1991 •English

Actress Sally Field looks at the dramatic life and successful career of the superb actress Barbara Stanwyck (1907-90), a Hollywood legend.

Michael Curtiz: The Greatest Director You Never Heard Of

January 2012 •English

Documentary about the work of film director Michael Curtiz.

Almodóvar, todo sobre ellas

September 2016 •Spanish

When looking at Pedro Almodóvar’s filmography, it becomes evident that women are everywhere; in fact, his work revolves around them. His divas are the best to create a real portrait of Almodóvar and evoke the emotional power of his films. These women are the ideal observers of a cinematic career that, from La Mancha to Hollywood, has changed the image of Spain in the world.

Preston Sturges: The Rise and Fall of an American Dreamer

July 1990 •English

Documentary about the life and work of film director Preston Sturges.

QT8: The First Eight

October 2019 •English

A detailed account of the life and artistic career of legendary filmmaker Quentin Tarantino, from his early days as a video club manager to the scandalous fall in disgrace of producer Harvey Weinstein. A story about how to shoot eight great movies and become an icon of modern pop culture.

The Golden Gong: The Story of Rank Films - British Cinema's Legendary Studio

January 1985 •English

Documentary - After starting his career producing religious film shorts, J. Arthur Rank went on to become Britain's first and only movie mogul with his establishment of the legendary Pinewood Studios. Narrated by Michael Caine, THE GOLDEN GONG chronicles Pinewood's rise to success. - Richard Attenborough, Dirk Bogarde, Betty E. Box

The Story of 'Frenzy'

March 2001 •English

Documentary about the making of Alfred Hitchcock's 'Frenzy'.

The Pixar Story

August 2007 •English

A look at the first years of Pixar Animation Studios - from the success of "Toy Story" and Pixar's promotion of talented people, to the building of its East Bay campus, the company's relationship with Disney, and its remarkable initial string of eight hits. The contributions of John Lasseter, Ed Catmull and Steve Jobs are profiled. The decline of two-dimensional animation is chronicled as three-dimensional animation rises. Hard work and creativity seem to share the screen in equal proportions.

Sexo en el plató

April 2007 •Spanish

How are the sex scenes filmed? What tricks are used to fake the desire? How do the interpreters prepare and feel? Spanish actors and directors talk about the most intimate side of acting, about the tricks and work methods when narrating exposed sex. In Spain the general rule is that there are no rules. Each film, each interpreter, faces it in very different ways.

Greetings From Planet Smurf

June 2018 •French

The Smurfs were created in 1958 by the Belgian comic author Peyo (Pierre Culliford, 1928-1992) and they are one of Belgium's most recognized exports. From Brussels to Los Angeles, via Dubai, a journey into the tiny world of the famous little blue people, from the story of the creation of the original comic to the account of their huge global commercial exploitation.