Inside A Cult: Messiah on Trial

Current and former cult members struggle to come to terms with the 2008 trial of self-proclaimed Messiah Wayne Bent, accused of molesting young girls.

Shadow Boxing

By delving into the life of the girl behind the fighter, Shadow Boxing illuminates the heart of a true warrior, showcasing her courage and resilience long before she enters the ring.

Paper City

Just after midnight on 10 March 1945, the US launched an air-based attack on eastern Tokyo; continuing until morning, the raid left more than 100,000 people dead and a quarter of the city eradicated. Unlike their loved ones, Hiroshi Hoshino, Michiko Kiyooka and Minoru Tsukiyama managed to emerge from the bombings. Now in their twilight years, they wish for nothing more than recognition and reparations for those who, like them, had been indelibly harmed by the war – but the Japanese government and even their fellow citizens seem disinclined to acknowledge the past.

Portrait: The Making of Henry

Making of documentary from the Ultra HD Blu-ray edition of Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer released on the movie's 30th anniversary.

The Executive Empress

The Executive Empress explores the entrepreneurial lives of several Florida women, who have turned their unique passions into successful businesses.

Caos do Sodré

Spring by the Sea

Alternating Philippines and Saudi Arabia as her home, the filmmaker uses personal home videos and present footage to tell the story of her family.

Kathryn Bigelow: Hollywood sous adrénaline

For more than 40 years Kathryn Bigelow has been making films that explore male violence. With movies like Blue Steel, Point Break, The Hurt Locker and Zero Dark Thirty, the Oscar winning American filmmaker has impressed with hard-hitting moviemaking that holds a mirror up to contemporary America and the world.

My Survival as an Aboriginal

Essie Coffey gives the children lessons on Aboriginal culture. She speaks of the importance of teaching these kids about their traditions. Aboriginal kids are forgetting about their Aboriginal heritage because they are being taught white culture instead.

Witness Underground

Punk rock, B-movies, and Jehovah’s Witnesses unite in this heartfelt documentary. As members of Jehovah’s Witness start to explore culture outside of their religion, they have to wrestle with the possibility of being excommunicated from friends and family. Featuring in-depth interviews and extensive home video footage, Witness Underground tells the story of punk rocker Witnesses pushing against the highly controlling Jehovah’s Witnesses religion as they build their own community through music and art. This prolific community of Witness musicians create their own record label, Nuclear Gopher, and become early adopters of promoting their music through the internet, including what may have been the first album to ever be livestreamed. This community’s history is well documented through archival footage of their home movies and self-produced music videos, all with a very charming energy.

A

Roughly chronological, from 3/96 to 11/96, with a coda in spring of 1997: inside compounds of Aum Shinrikyo, a Buddhist sect led by Shoko Asahara. (Members confessed to a murderous sarin attack in the Tokyo subway in 1995.) We see what they eat, where they sleep, and how they respond to media scrutiny, on-going trials, the shrinking of their fortunes, and the criticism of society. Central focus is placed on Hiroshi Araki, a young man who finds himself elevated to chief spokesman for Aum after its leaders are arrested. Araki faces extreme hostility from the Japanese public, who find it hard to believe that most followers of the cult had no idea of the attacks and even harder to understand why these followers remain devoted to the religion, if not the violence.

Solidão no Fundo da Agulha

I'm Thinking a lot of Thoughts Right Now

Four friends embark on a journey to California where they discover the beauty of friendship amidst the stunning landscapes of the West.

El campeón del mundo

Ten years after winning a world title in bodybuilding in Russia and becoming a star of said discipline in Mexico, Antonio Osta (43) leads a life of austerity in the Uruguayan rural town where he grew up. He resides there with his son Juanjo (17), a sensitive teenager who keeps him company and confronts him openly. Suffering from acute kidney disease which keeps him from competing professionally, Antonio is stuck in limbo, halfway between his glorious past and the impossibility of being who he once was. However, he is unwilling to give up his lifestyle, even if it kills him. In an attempt to reinvent himself, and seeking a better future for his son, Antonio plans a comeback to the Mexico bodybuilding scene, where he may relive his glory days.

Zalazak stoljeća (Testament L.Z.)

An epic documentary of rise and fall of Ustasha regime in Croatia.

Hollywood Trailblazer: The Debra Hill Story

Debra Hill's documentary tells the story of her multifaceted life and of inspiring filmmakers around the world, and her legacy as a creative producer, mentor, film pioneer and activist is an enduring one.

Business Ethics: a Documentary

Why is it prohibited to sit in food courts if you will not order foods? Why did Isko Moreno, newly elected Mayor of Manila, suddenly withdrew the licenses of bars near university establishments? What is life at night in Poblacion, Makati for Prostitutes? These are the questions that intrigued the group of students from Adamson University from tapping the nameless dilemma of the business industry and figuring in the end if they are ethical or not.

Heaven's Gate: The Untold Story

Documentary chronicling the history of the Heaven's Gate cult, including actual home video footage and interviews with surviving members.

Aliens from Spaceship Earth

While the aliens in this film may seem to be quite human, one must realize that we're dealing with close encounters of the fourth kind. An inner space journey triggered by the drug culture and rebellion of the 1960s, and the non-violent search for self that continues among people in today's culture. Could this be due to some influence from a higher spiritual consciousness? The world's alien leaders are well represented in this film: Baba Muktananda, Swami Satchidananda, A. C. Bhaktivedanta, Guru Maharaj Ji, Yoga Bhahan, Sri Sathya, Sai Baba, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Father Yod, Baba Ram Das, and well-known personalities who present their views on seeking their own terrestrial individuality.

India on Film: 1899 – 1947

As part of the 2017 UK-India Year of Culture, the British Council and British Film Institute share a unique collection of films documenting the sights and culture of a bygone India. Filmed between 1899-1947, and preserved in the BFI National Archive since then, these rare films capture many glimpses of life in India, from dances and markets, to hunts and pageantry.