Consumerism has become the cornerstone of the post-industrial age. Using theories of evolutionary psychology to underpin a bold narrative of our times, this film takes a whirlwind tour through the “weird mental illness of consumerism”, showing how our insatiable appetite has driven us into “the jaws of the beast”.By the age of 20, the average westerner has seen one million commercial messages. W
It isn't easy, running China, with its 1.3 billion people and 56 officially recognized ethnic nationalities. It's a vast mix of languages, living standards, beliefs and customs. Run it successfully, and you have a prosperous, innovative, powerful empire to rival any the world has seen. Make mistakes, and the chaos will be vast and terrible.China is run by the Communist Party, which bases its leg
A fascinating look at the relationship between genius and autism, with particular focus on the phenomenon of savants; a small group of enigmatic talents with extraordinary mental abilities.Savants number less than 100 worldwide. Some can work out five-digit multiplication in their heads, or recite thousands of books by heart. Others can play a piano melody after hearing it only once. Over half
Human, All Too Human is a three-part 1999 documentary television series produced by the BBC. It follows the lives of three prominent philosophers; Friedrich Nietzsche, Martin Heidegger, and Jean-Paul Sartre. The theme of this documentary revolves heavily around the school of philosophical thought known as existentialism, although the term had not been coined at the time of Nietzsche’s writing, and
From the Authors: Why Poverty? uses film to get people talking about poverty.We commissioned eight documentaries from award-winning film makers and 30 shorts from new and emerging talents. The films are moving, subtle and thought-provoking stories, but they also tackle big issues and pose difficult questions.The films were shown around the world in November 2012 on more than 70 national br
At the age of 21 Brian Davis graduated with a degree in English from Cambridge University, seven years later he was a published author and by the mid eighties he had become one of the best known journalists in advertising, today however he is homeless and penniless.In this profoundly moving documentary created by the BBC, we see how a man who appeared to have it all in terms of career and way of
Bafta-winning director Morgan Matthews’s landmark film exploring the impact of teenage killings on families and communities across Britain, an emotional journey that chronicles every teenager who died as a result of violence in 2009 in the UK. Harrowing actuality filmed in the immediate aftermath combines with moving testimony from the spectrum of people affected in the wake of violent death. Film
The first documentary feature – originally aired on HBO – to explore the tragic and bizarre life of the late chess master Bobby Fischer. The drama of Bobby Fischer’s career was undeniable, from his troubled childhood, to his rock star status as World Champion and Cold War icon, to his life as a fugitive on the run. This film explores one of the most infamous and mysterious characters of the 20th c
From campaigners looking to have more female hero's on bank notes to the sexually explicit portrayal of women in music videos and to rape jokes. Is there a new culture abroad evolving in which men see it acceptable to portray women in a derogatory and abusive way and is this culture now infecting and polluting the lives of school girls? Kirsty Wark sets about exploring this questions in hopes to f