The Joy of Stats

The Joy of Data

July 2016 •English

A witty and mind-expanding exploration of data, with mathematician Dr Hannah Fry. This high-tech romp reveals what data is and how it is captured, stored, shared and made sense of. Fry tells the story of the engineers of the data age, people most of us have never heard of despite the fact they brought about a technological and philosophical revolution.

The Joy of Winning

August 2018 •English

How to have a happier life and a better world all thanks to maths, in this witty, mind-expanding guide to the science of success with Hannah Fry. Following in the footsteps of BBC Four's award-winning maths films The Joy of Stats and The Joy of Data, this latest gleefully nerdy adventure sees mathematician Dr Hannah Fry unlock the essential strategies you'll need to get what you want - to win - more of the time. From how to bag a bargain dinner to how best to stop the kids arguing on a long car journey, maths can give you a winning strategy. And the same rules apply to the world's biggest problems - whether it's avoiding nuclear annihilation or tackling climate change.

The Mermaids' Tears: Oceans of Plastic

May 2009 •French

Every km of ocean now contains an average of 74,000 pieces of plastic. A 'plastic soup' of waste, killing hundreds of thousands of animals every year and leaching chemicals slowly up the food chain. In Holland, scientists found plastic in the stomachs of 95% of all fulmar birds. In Germany, plastic has been found to affect the reproductive systems of animals, while in the US, conservationists are seeing increasing numbers of dolphins die in agony, their guts blocked with rubbish. What will be the long term impact of this 'plastic pollution'? Can anything be done to clean up our oceans?

Život a čísla

January 1948 •Czech

Future of the Game: Baseball's Latest Statistical Revolution

September 2015 •English

"It started with batting average, home runs and RBIs. Then sabermetrics came along and introduced a new set of results-driven statistics. But results only tell half the story, and the new revolution in baseball analytics goes one step deeper to measure the actual physicality of the players – exit velocity off the bat, spin rate on a pitcher's curveball, efficiency of an outfielder's route to a fly ball, and a ton more. "FUTURE OF THE GAME is a new series exploring the cutting edge in sports technology, co-produced with our pals at VICE's tech channel Motherboard. In this inaugural episode we meet the architects of MLB Statcast, a new initiative using the same technology that tracks debris during the launch of space shuttles to change the way we watch baseball on TV and give overlooked talent a second change to stick in the Major Leagues" (Vice Sports).

Sister Wife Murder

July 2024 •English

Chloe attends church and is immediately drawn to the pastor, Caleb. She falls in love with him, only to discover that he is married to two other women. When one of the wives mysteriously disappears, Chloe fears that she may be next.

Moneyball

September 2011 •English

The story of Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane's successful attempt to put together a baseball team on a budget, by employing computer-generated analysis to draft his players.

André Midani - An Insider’s Story Of Brazilian Music

January 2015 •Portuguese

Based on the autobiography of noted music executive André Midani, André Midani — An Insider’s Story of Brazilian Music (2015) explores Brazilian music throughout his five-decade career through informal gatherings and jam sessions at his home, featuring Caetano Veloso, Jorge Ben Jor, Gilberto Gil, and Marisa Monte, among other luminaries of the industry.

Big vs. Small

September 2020 •Portuguese

Big vs. Small is a small, artful film about the curious relationship between a tiny woman who dreams of surfing a 30-metre wave. It tells the story of Joana Andrade (39) from Portugal, currently one of only two women in Europe surfing the biggest waves in the world.

They Call Us Aliens - Foreigners in Tokyo

October 2008 •German

Three Ukrainian girls break into the model business, a South African bachelor prepares for his shinto wedding and a priest from Finland runs for election… Just a few protagonists of the new documentary film by German director Veit Helmer. Japan was closed for foreigners until 1853. Now people from all over the world move to Tokyo to explore Japanese culture. Japanese meet foreigners with curiosity and anxiety. The film observes how foreigners struggle to make a living in a totally different society.

Lost Track New Zealand

August 2020 •English

Two surfers go on a road trip through New Zealand.

George V: The Tyrant King

January 2020 •English

Behind his brother Edward in line to the throne, George V was shy, scared of public speaking, poorly educated and lacking refinement and could come across as cold and detached. But when Edward died from flu he not only inherited the crown, but married his brother's fiancee Mary, who shaped not only his future but that of the monarchy. This profile examines a king who reigned from 1910 to 1936 and took Britain into the First World War, changed the name and destiny of the royal family and challenged the establishment.

Richmond Park National Nature Reserve

April 2017 •English

Richmond Park – National Nature Reserve, presented by Sir David Attenborough, is an award-winning film by conservation charity the Friends of Richmond Park. Filmed by experienced wildlife film makers (including a leading cameraman from Blue Planet II). The film won first prize in the 2018 Charity Film Awards in the 'Documentary/Long Form' category. Sir David explains in the film: “Richmond Park is not just a local park it's London's own National Nature Reserve with thousands of species of flora and fauna; but with 5.5 million visitors each year, the Park is under immense pressure. However, as visitors we can all help to protect it through simple actions so that it will remain a wonderful place for the enjoyment of future generations”.

Blin Cat

July 2015 •Russian

A video essay about a conversation the director had with a friend about a particular picture of a cat sitting in front of a plate of blins.

Lioness in Exile

April 2012 •English

Soon after we meet Manyari, the queen of her pride, she does something both unusual and bold: She leaves the sanctuary of the clan with her young cubs and takes them on a dangerous odyssey. She makes a bid to escape because two young bloods are sniffing around, and if they take over the pride, they will kill her cubs

Maurice

August 2011 •French

A short documentary portrait of Maurice Laroche, owner and projectionist of the 'Beverley', the last Porno Cinema in Paris.

Finally Orange

June 2003 •English

The story of the 2003 NCAA Tournament and the story of the Syracuse Orangemen team that brought coach Jim Boeheim his first championship

The Manchester Pusher

November 2018 •English

A look at the number of canal deaths in the Manchester Region.

North by Current

March 2021 •English

Filmmaker Angelo Madsen Minax returns to his rural Michigan hometown following the death of his infant niece and the subsequent arrest of his brother-in-law as the culprit. Using the audio-visual approaches of essay film, first-person cinema vérité, staged actions, and decades of home movies, Madsen navigates a town steeped in opioid addiction, economic depression, and religious fervor, while using the act of filmmaking to rebuild familial bonds and reimagine justice. Posing empathy as a tool for creating a more just world, North By Current does not seek to investigate a crime, but creates a relentless portrait of an enduring pastoral family, poised to reframe and reimagine narratives about incarceration, addiction, trans embodiment, and ruralness.

Human Garbage

July 2016 •English

A look at the homeless problem in Manchester