Tag Archives: Environment

The Devil Operation

The charismatic Father Marco Arana, named a Hero of the Environment in 2009 by TIME Magazine, has been so effective in advocating against the US-owned Yanacocha mine that he’s code-named “the Devil” and targeted in a campaign of harassment and terror.

When one colleague is threatened with rape and another is killed, the activists fight back, capture a spy, and uncover a military-scale operation of surveillance and violence that shocks even them.

When billions of dollars are at stake, just how far are corporations willing to go to protect their bottom line?

A gripping David and Goliath tale of corporate espionage unfolds in this exposé of torture, intimidation, and murder of Peruvian eco-activists and indigenous farmers. Shocking video footage, horrifying photos, and meticulous reports compiled by private security firms working for gold mines are uncovered by the filmmakers to reveal the truth in this real-life political thriller.

The Rise of Deadly Tiger Attacks

Residents of the protected Leuser National Park in Aceh struggle to keep Sumatran tigers away from their livestock and homes. Once a rarity, these kinds of attacks are now on the rise in North Sumatra. Between 2019 and 2020, Sumatran tigers killed at least 20 cattle in this region alone.

The attacks are also an economic strain on the region’s farmers, costing around $10,000 in lost cattle. But there’s another, more concerning outcome of the rise in attacks—an environment of fear amongst those who call the forest borderlands their home.

Great White North

With a never-before-seen explosion of Great White Shark encounters off Canada’s East Coast, we embark on a research expedition to unlock the secrets of these elusive apex predators that have invaded Canada’s ocean playground.

A recent spate of close encounters with Great White Sharks has brought together a team of researchers and scientists to conduct a ground-breaking research expedition.

Using an array of underwater cameras, ground-breaking early advance multi-beam sonar imaging, ROV cameras, underwater acoustic technology, and drone photography, our team will prove that not only are great whites here, but in much larger numbers than anyone had imagined.

The expedition will also break new ground in expanding our knowledge of these elusive apex predators. Many questions remain to be answered: how many great whites are visiting North Atlantic Waters and for how long. Are they reproducing there, or just summer visitors feasting on seals and tuna? What role does climate change play in the proliferation of sharks in the Northwest Atlantic? Are these curious juveniles carving out new territory, or mature breeding adults that are expanding their range? What impact are they having on the local ecosystem, and does their presence mean the North Atlantic Ocean is becoming healthier?

Ocean Odyssey

We follow a pair of Humpback Whales – a mother and her calf – on their great migration from the warm tropics to the frozen ice flows of Antarctica, via an Ocean Current that is home to thousands of interconnected species.

As we cross multiple eco-systems, it becomes evident that the ocean itsself is the blue heart of our entire planet, necessary for life as we know it both in the sea and on land. Our journey takes us from the smallest microscopic organisms to the largest animals ever to have inhabited the planet to understand how their fragile interdependence is crucial to maintaining the oceans health but also our weather systems on land, and the make up of our atmosphere.

Reportage (series)

Blood Tusks

A hundred elephants die every day in Africa killed by poachers, members of the militia or of terrorist organizations like Al Shabab. Their tusks sell for €600 per kilo, and an emerging middle class in China demands ivory as symbol of their new wealth status and International criminal gangs are there to cater to them. The tusks of these poor animals are pulled out while they´re still alive because they´re more valuable that way, and most of those apprehended do not even face a fine. Experts from the UN, ecologist organizations and Interpol warn that Elephants face extinction. In this episode we investigate this brutal industry meeting with every link in the chain from the poachers and sellers to the environmentalist and law enforcement.

War Lords

Somalia has the perfect ecosystem for endless war: European mercenaries, pirates, Al Qaeda jihadists, weapon smugglers, drought and hunger. We enter an absurd, anarchic reality where warlords will switch allegiances to gain security and stability, again to make profit and perhaps again for religious conviction. We meet with one of ‘good’ warlords whose troop of mercenaries are working for the local government for now. His militia was the only one that could win the Islamists from Al Shabab, but in Somalia, loyalty is with the clan and not with the State. We venture into one of the refugee camps for the internally displaced, the result of an exodus that has displaced almost two million Somalis. With the highest child mortality rate in the world – Islamists prohibited vaccinations as they considered them part of a Western conspiracy – to add to their troubles, alongside war, hunger, disease and the threat of kidnap – Somalia can be considered the most dangerous country in the world.

Honduras: The Mara´s Life   

Nineteen people are murdered every day in Honduras, the most violent country without a war in the world. Sistiaga experiences the daily horror of life on the streets in the cities of Honduras. Within three days of arriving he has already witnessed 12 murders: taxi drivers, engineers, drug dealers, gangsters. Killing is not the means but the goal itself, and brutality prevails – beheadings and dismemberment no longer make headlines. Young gangsters will kill each other for a corner to sell their drugs. The Maras control whole neighbourhoods in Honduras, drug dealers impose their law and the police are infiltrated and corrupted.

Holy Land

Half a million Israeli settlers live within the Palestinian territories forming the main barrier to a two-state solution. They do not see themselves as colonists or invaders, but rather pioneers. Some see themselves as the vanguard that will welcome the arrival of the Messiahs to the lands of Abraham, and others consider themselves a barrier against Islamic extremism. Many however, live in the colonies because the houses are cheaper. Living at the ground zero of our ages defining conflict however takes its toll as we see both sides locked in every day conflict and mutual mistrust that permeates every waking minute, and is the prism through which their identity is defined. We travel to this committed and obstinate world, a community suspicious of foreigners and the International press, and that welcomes isolation. They are convinced that anti Semitism govern the world, and that this land was promised to them. We travel to the Holy Land.

No Country for Women

It’s one of the biggest economies in the world and one of the most powerful members of the G-20 club. But India is not a country for women. Every hour a woman is killed. Mothers will abort when they know the gender of the baby, and many women in India will suffer every kind of humiliation and violence. Some will be sold as sex slaves before they are 12 years old, others will be force to marry as soon as they have their first period. More will suffer beatings or will be raped by gangs without consequence, or burnt with acid by their own husbands following brutal cultural traditions. We travel to the most savage and archaic India. The one you can´t find on the touristic guides or at G-20 meetings.

Hunting Homosexuals

Uganda is a Paradise for European tourists, one of the most Christian countries in Africa and the most homophobic country on the continent. The Parliament debates the Anti Homosexuality Law, also known as the ‘Killing Gay Law’. ‘They are very dangerous, they can finish Humanity’ This is how reverend Simon Lokodo – Minister of Ethics and Integrity – speaks about gays in a deeply Christian country, one of 80 countries in the world where being homosexual is a crime. They contemplate the death penalty for what they call ‘grave homosexuality’ or life sentence for the couples that dare to get married. There have been already assassinations of activists, beatings, intimidation and persecution. This episode uncovers the messianic arguments of the leaders that spread hate, and we give voice to the few gay activists that dare to face them.

Riding the Beast

The Beast is the train running through Mexico that everyday carries Central American migrants who dream of a better life in the United States. The reality is that on this most dangerous of journeys, the threat of kidnap, rape, violence and murder is constant as carrying their worldly belongings makes them an obvious target for gangs. Catastrophic accidents causing amputation and death are commonplace giving ‘the beast’ a second nickname, the ‘migrant mincer’. 20,000 people a year are kidnapped, a further 5,000 ‘missing’ and the route is strewn with shallow graves. In this episode we ride ‘the beast’ and experience the hardships of those who risk everything on its back. We meet with migrants searching for a better life, victims of its brutality and the support industry of kitchens, guides and markets that have grown alongside this arduous track.

Albino: A Story of Fear and Prejudice

In Tanzania, albino´s are feared and hated as many believe they are cursed and bring bad luck. As a result of these terrible superstitions they have become victims of mutilation and murder. To be born as an albino in certain places in Africa continues to be the worst sentence. Black magic rituals use their organs and witch doctors will pay high fees for their limbs. In this episode we meet with the victims of this heartbreaking reality and those who are trying to end these barbaric traditions.

Walking on Bombs

Afghanistan is full of landmines, which emerged as the most lethal weapon used against North American military forces and their allies. We travel to the south of the country – the most dangerous zone – to enter the world of bomb disposal officers; men and women that walk on bombs. None of them match the stereotype seen in The Hurt Locker and none of them are adrenalin junkies.  In their own words, this is the quickest way of getting killed in Afghanistan. War is over but the bombs remain. Every day, at least one Afghan is killed or mutilated.

How to Organise a Genocide

Rwanda is a country full of murderers, a fact evidenced by the million people who were killed with machetes over 3 months during the Rwandan genocide. We return twenty years on when many of the killers are starting to be released from prison and return to their homes and villages, and live amongst their victims; those who survived the slaughter hiding in swamps. We meet with both the victims and the perpetrators of a genocide, living side by side, which has not been forgotten..

At Hell´s Gate

In this episode we visit Kawah Ijen´s active volcano in Indonesia to investigate the labour conditions that miners bear everyday in extracting its sulphur. In the mouth of the volcano labourers carry upon their backs over 70 kilos of sulphur blocks, double their own weight. We follow the trail of these men –  suffering the worlds worse working conditions – in to ‘the gates of hell’. A strong smell of rotten eggs impregnate everything, the eyes gets irritated, the sulphur makes breathing difficult, the throat burns… This is one of the most toxic places on earth. Few make it past fifty years of age and their bodies are deformed form the heavy loads, for which they are paid €0.01 a kilo or at most €3 a day.                

Groundswell Rising

Groundswell Rising shows how Fracking – an untested energy extraction process – has contaminated drinking water and jeopardized health. We meet scientists, doctors and farmers across the political spectrum engaged in a David and Goliath struggle against Big Oil and Gas, decrying a process that puts profits over people.

Homeowners near wells suffer from respiratory ailments and property devaluation. A former industry employee shows skin lesions and edema, a result of working on drilling rigs, while others witness mistakes (5% of all wells leak) and explosions, against a back drop of rising ill health, as more and more suffer, from nose bleeds to asthma.

But there is cause for hope.

Local mothers groups unite to win some protections, while lease holders outraged by the corporations strong-arm tactics win local bans. Common Cause uncovers corruption as corporations buy influence to evade environmental protection laws, and the movement begins to gather momentum as actor Mark Ruffalo and singer Natalie Merchant support—and sometimes lead—their efforts.

Grassroots efforts have achieved bans, moratoriums, and referendums on Fracking, giving hope to others worldwide faced with the same nightmare. Transcending the genre of environmental film, Groundswell Rising’s passionate stories inspire and empower.

“Groundswell is ultimately a rousing, convincing rallying cry that the little guys, working in numbers, can triumph” LA Weekly

“But however you stand on the issue, you’re likely to be moved by the film’s portraits of grassroots activists managing to make their voices heard despite the opposition of major corporations and the big money at their disposal.” The Hollywood Reporter

The Good Neighbour

The Good Neighbour highlights the operations of the Norwegian oil company  Statoil,  in the notorious Canadian oil sands industry. Statoil is primarily owned by the Norwegian people and  has in recent years become a major player in global oil production.

The controversial oil sands in Northern Canada  are the biggest energy project in the world.

It is well established that the oil sands are an environmental disaster – however is it also a human rights disaster? The land belongs to First Nation Peoples who are fighting against environmental damages. Norway is the richest country in the world and Statoil promotes itself as being at the forefront of a developing industry that prioritizes equality, social justice and the importance of environmental responsibility. Do they fulfil this commitment from the perspective of the First Nations people?

A young Norwegian woman Julie Strand Offerdal wants answers and embarks on an epic journey from Montreal to Fort McMurray in a truck that runs on used vegetable oil. She navigates through a system, which proves to lack monitoring mechanisms, governmental rules and regulations, and violates  First Nation´s human and land-based constitutional rights. The overbearing presence of the companies weaves into the fabric of the every day lives of the people in an irreversible way, altering for better or worse the way of life of the First Nation’s people forever.

You, Me and the SPP

Not heard of the Security Prosperity Partnership? You’re not alone. The people behind the SPP want to keep us all in the dark.

The SPP is the latest version of corporate plans to control the social, political and economic destiny of the world.

Following the shock of 9/11, right wing political and business leaders have pushed the Security Prosperity Partnership. Negotiated away from public scrutiny, they say it is a way to keep trade flowing between the USA, Canada and Mexico.

You, Me and the SPP shows the SPP is much more than a trade agreement.

The SPP undermines our democratic rights and the ability of our elected representatives to pass laws and regulations that safeguard the environment, protect workers rights and control the economy in the interests of ordinary citizens.

The SPP threatens the sovereignty  of all three countries through the integration of military and security structures, and regulatory regimes.

Democracy could become an empty shell..

Death of a Cemetery

Manila North Cemetery in the Philippines is a place of rest for 3000 people, all of whom are alive.

When rich families first erected mausoleums for their dead in the 1800s, they needed caretakers to maintain them and guard any valuables buried within. In exchange for their work, the caretakers were allowed to live inside the mausoleums, and a cemetery community was born.

Gravekeepers grow gardens around tombs; chefs cook up hearty fare in pop-up restaurants alongside crypts; and children play basketball in between school and funerals.

Manila North Cemetery has become a home to those without a home. But the graveyard is not always peaceful. One caretaker must face the task of burying his own relative in the cemetery, and another – only 13 years old – must undergo an exorcism lest forever be possessed by the spirits he disturbed.

Yet in a place where exhumations, ghosts, and witch doctors are part of daily routine, the biggest dangers residents face are universal to the human experience.

Cape Spin: An American Power Struggle

Cape Spin! An American Power Struggle tells the surreal, fascinating, tragicomic story of the battle over America’s largest clean energy project.

Cape Wind would be the U.S.’s first offshore windfarm…But strange alliances formed for and against: Kennedys, Kochs, and everyday folks do battle with the developer and green groups over the future of American power.

As the democratic process rumbles on, contradictions and counter-claims emerge pitting environmentalists, wealthy NIMBYS and even Native Americans against one-another in a contest where nothing is as it seems.

With full access to both sides, a commitment to impartial storytelling and fueled by a satiric ‘revolutionary’ soundtrack, Cape Spin is a gripping and entertaining study of eco-capitalism and grassroots democracy.

The Shark Con

When Director Rusty Armstrong accompanied the Editor of Shark Diver magazine on a diving trip, a passion for shark conservation was shared by everyone they met. Overfishing and finning were the reasons for their depletion and had to be stopped. But then at the end of the trip, they met a retired shark fisherman who had different ideas about shark conservation…

The shark fisherman had fished sharks for three decades, and kept extensive notes about his catches and shark migrations, but then in 1997, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) attempted to put an end to overfishing and heavily reduced shark fishing quotas. Despite a well-known scientist presenting ground-breaking research that proved sharks couldn’t be overfished, his work was dismissed and the shark fisherman were put out of business.

The Shark Con uncovers the truth about the shark conservation industry.

Following the collapse of shark fishing, the shark tourism industry – comprised of people with a common goal of protecting sharks – was the next to suffer from new regulations being imposed. As the investigation mounts, it becomes clear that many non-profit organisations were raising millions of dollars each year for shark research, yet very little research was actually being done. Meanwhile, more and more regulations were being implemented.

The Shark Con takes viewers on a rollercoaster ride into the big business of shark fishing, revealing the controversial truth about the industry and answering the question: Are sharks really overfished or is this just an elaborate con?

The Leftovers

A film about five people who attempt to travel 2000km in a vegetable oil powered van… Living on nothing but waste.

The Leftovers is a road trip adventure about people who eat trash. Meet Mykel and Paul, two experienced Dumpster Divers as they embark on a journey down the east coast of Australia. Wanting to make a statement about our over consuming society, they challenge themselves to live on nothing but waste and so leaving their money behind, they power their van with waste vegetable oil and eat out of bins along the way.

Also along for the ride they bring three brave new apprentices to the world of Dumpster Diving. Nick from Scotland who’s in for the thrill, Sofia an international student from Sweden who wants to see the real Australia and Krystal who just wants to get out of Brisbane!

Will their first adrenalin-pumping dive into dumpster living be remembered as the dawn of a new age or the holiday from hell?!