On January 8, 2020, Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 went down as it was leaving Iranian air space. All 176 people on board were killed, many of them Iranian Canadians. For weeks Iranian authorities vociferously denied responsibility, but foreign governments and agencies were certain the plane was shot down by Iranian military, a fact Iran’s government eventually admitted. There were no answers as to why the plane was fired on or even why it was allowed to take off, since hostilities had broken out in the region in preceding days.
You May Also Like
In August 2013 a group of 7 climbers, 5 Americans and 2 Burmese climbers, traveled to northern Myanmar to make a first ascent of Southeast Asia’s disputed highest peak. All told, the climbers traveled over 270 miles on foot through some of the harshest terrain on the planet. As a country that is just recently awaking from over 50 years of military rule and relative isolation, they were offered a glimpse into a culture unaffected by the rapid pace of globalization throughout the rest of world. This film is not just a recounting of a mountaineering expedition, its a film about a country that is on the brink of rapid change, and what this might entail for the future Myanmar and its people.
Known as “The Toolbox Killer,” Lawrence Bittaker, alongside his partner Roy Norris, committed heinous acts. Bittaker remained silent about his crimes for 40 years until he met criminologist Laura Brand. Over the course of five years, Brand recorded her many conversations with Bittaker as he spoke from death row about his methods and motives, providing unique insights into the mind of a criminal sadist.
Gil Scott-Heron, one of rap’s earliest (and unfortunately unknown) pioneers, gets his full due in Black Wax, the 1982 documentary recently reissued on video. Interspliced between performance footage of Scott-Heron and his Midnight Band are vignettes of him walking around Washington D.C., spouting his views on then-President Reagan (dubbed “Ray-Gun”) and generally dropping knowledge. The live performance features many of Scott-Heron’s best-known hits, including “Johannesburg,” “Winter in America,” and “Angel Dust,” among others. Warm, intelligent, and insightful throughout, Scott-Heron is clearly enjoying himself and the opportunity to espouse his views. A must for any fan of Scott-Heron’s, and definitely worth a look for fans of the funkier jazz music of the mid to late 1970’s.
They were told to get their heads out of the clouds, but they didn’t listen. This documentary tells the story of entrepreneurs who never gave up on their dreams despite obstacles and setbacks and the world telling them ‘it can’t be done.’ These men and women never stopped dreaming and they are now changing the world.
The story of Alice Herz-Sommer, a German-speaking Jewish pianist from Prague who was, at her death, the world’s oldest Holocaust survivor. She discusses the importance of music, laughter, and how to have an optimistic outlook on life.
1949 the early years of the Cold War. Albert Schweitzer has become one of the most admired men in the world. The “jungle doctor” Albert Schweitzer tells the story of a philosopher and physician who promoted peace during the Cold War, built a hospital in what is now Gabon and proved stronger than the CIA.
REEL ROCK 13 delivers jaw-dropping action, soulful journeys and rollicking humor in a brand new collection of the year’s best climbing films. Hop on a wild ride to the frigid Antarctic, get the feel of the world’s hardest route, explore surreal Bedouin lands and take a run at speed. Four new films feature the world’s best climbers, including Adam Ondra, Madaleine Sorkin, Alex Honnold, Conrad Anker and many more.
A motorcycle cop is still haunted by the traumatic separation from his father when he was a boy. After surviving a near-fatal accident and being framed for police brutality, his whole world falls apart. Unexpectedly, he finds hope in the shape of a terminally ill boy, who reunites him with his father after 28 years. To honor the boy, he creates the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
In the ice-gripped environment of Alaska’s Admiralty Island, summer offers the briefest of respites. Year-round residents such as bears and seals turn to the salmon-filled waterways for sustenance. Meanwhile, migrants descend in droves, from humpback whales to over 140 million seabirds–almost half the birds in the Northern Hemisphere.
Between 1998 and 2005, a wave of murders targeting elderly women hit Mexico City, triggering the hunt for — and capture — of a most unlikely suspect.
Meet the men whose lives intersect in a prison reentry and addiction recovery creative writing program. Learn, from their own words, what lead them to commit their crimes, and witness the complexity of their ongoing stories on the outside.
Struggling to elevate himself from his low caste in 17th century Japan, Miyamoto trains to become a mighty samurai warrior.
