We Are the Dream: The Kids of the Oakland MLK Oratorical Fest

HBO

Every year for the past 40 years, students from across Oakland are invited to participate in the MLK Oratorical Festival, a city-wide speech contest inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We Are the Dream follows several young people as they prepare their original and adapted speeches and poems in the weeks leading up to the final competition.

One Nation Under Stress

HBO

From acclaimed directors/producers Marc Levin and Daphne Pinkerson (HBO’s I Am Evidence, Class Divide) comes an enlightening HBO documentary that explores the causes and effects of chronic stress from scientific, economic and sociological perspectives. In investigating the recent three-year decline in U.S. life expectancy for the first time in a hundred years, neurosurgeon and Emmy®-award winning CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta travels across the country, interviewing experts from a wide range of fields who share their insights on why we are experiencing so much stress, its effect on Americans, and its consequences for the health of the nation.Along the way, Gupta also speaks candidly with Americans struggling with stress-related ailments and loved ones lost to “deaths of despair,” particularly in communities facing economic and social instability. Shedding light on the origins and nature of stress, including its biological and social roots, as well as various treatments and strategies being developed to help cope with it, One Nation Under Stress is a timely and vital film that encourages us all to focus on the mental and emotional well-being of the nation, a process that involves education, enlightenment and empathy.

Song of Parkland

HBO

When Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School drama teacher Melody Herzfeld heard the fire alarm on February 14, 2018, she was with her students in rehearsals for their annual children’s musical. Moments later, a Code Red sounded. Herzfeld rushed her 65 students into a storage closet while a shooter killed 17 teachers and students nearby. Filmed in the months following the shootings, while theFlorida schoolcommunity is grappling with the tragedy,Song of Parkland documents the dedication of teacher Melody Herzfeld and her theater students as they return to school andresolve to continue with their production. “This is our begin again. This is our start-over.… This is the most important show you’re going to do, ever,” she tells them. The touching documentary debuts one year after the attack.

The Number on Great-Grandpa’s Arm

HBO

Directed and produced by seven-time Emmy® Award winner Amy Schatz, and featuring animation from award winning artist Jeff Scher, this 19-minute documentary shines a light on the tender relationship between an inquisitive American boy and his great-grandfather, a Polish-born Jew who lost both his parents to the Nazis, but was able to survive Auschwitz and make his way to America at the end of WWII. When 10-year-old Elliott asks his 90-year-old great-grandfather Jack about the number tattooed on his arm, the boy’s question sparks an intimate conversation about Jack’s life that embraces happy memories of childhood in Poland, the loss of his family, surviving the concentration camps, and finding a good and new life in America. Interwoven with haunting historical footage, photos, and hand-painted watercolor animation by Jeff Scher, The Number on Great-Grandpa’s Arm is both a heartbreaking story of Jewish life in Eastern Europe before and during the Holocaust, and a heartwarming story of a bond that reaches across generations. An introduction to the Holocaust for children, this gentle yet powerful family film centers on Elliott's love for his beloved great-grandfather and his heartfelt wish to pass to future generations Jack’s memories and lessons from that terrible time, telling a story that must be told while survivors still remain to tell it.

15: A Quinceañera Story

HBO

A "quinceañera" is a coming-of-age celebration for a Latina girl’s 15th birthday, marking her transition from girl to woman. But for many American Latina teenagers, it is an event that means much more, allowing the girls to embrace their chosen identities while still honoring their cultures, traditions and, most of all, the families who have sacrificed so much to give them a good life in the U.S. "15: A Quinceañera Story" is a series of four short films, each under a half hour, that follows five girls from different cultural, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, bonded together by this traditional rite of passage. As the girls pick out their dresses, ready their courts and venues, practice their intricate dance routines, and conquer their nerves, they also reflect (as do their proud parents) on the struggles that have led them to their quinces and the hopes they have for the future. Heartfelt and inspiring, the series highlights a new generation of diverse, young Latina women, coming into their own with confidence and determination while never forgetting where they came from.

King In The Wilderness

HBO

From award-winning director/producer Peter Kunhardt, King in the Wilderness follows Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the volatile last three years of his life, from the passage of the Voting Rights Act in 1965 to his assassination in April 1968. Drawing on revelatory stories from his inner circle of friends, the film provides a clear window into the civil rights leader’s character, showing him to be a man with an unshakeable commitment to peaceful protest in the face of an increasingly unstable country. Illuminating and poignant, the documentary – which is tied to the 50th anniversary of King’s death – reveals a conflicted leader whose successes were punctuated in his final years by an onslaught of criticism from both sides of the political spectrum, whether the Black Power movement, who saw his nonviolence as weakness, or President Lyndon B. Johnson, who viewed his anti-Vietnam War speeches as irresponsible. With compassion and clarity, King in the Wilderness unearths a stirring new perspective into Dr. King’s character, his radical doctrine of nonviolence, and his internal philosophical struggles prior to his death, inviting a sense of penetrating intimacy and insight into one of the most profound thinkers of our time.

Agnelli

HBO

A compelling and insightful portrait of one of the most charismatic figures of modern history, Agnelli chronicles the dramatic and colorful life of Italian industrialist Gianni Agnelli, the world-renowned head of Fiat Automobiles. Divided into five parts, the 102-minute documentary covers Agnelli’s eccentric childhood and emergence as a glamorous international playboy during the 1950s and ‘60s; the dark and turbulent “Years of Lead” in Turin, which tested the mogul’s determination to act as a stabilizing force in the politically chaotic decade of the 1970s; the revitalization and prosperity of Fiat in the 1980s; and a string of emotional and physical challenges that crippled Agnelli prior to his death in 2003. The film features archival video footage and photographs, interviews with family members, high society friends and his house staff, and insights from journalists and historians who put Agnelli’s accomplishments and struggles in historical context. An insightful profile of a preternaturally charismatic figure, Agnelli brings viewers into the life of Italy’s “crown prince” of industry, underlining the mythic nature of his place in the minds of the Italian people and the lasting legacy he left behind.

Class Divide

HBO

Acclaimed filmmaker Marc Levin explores the effects of hyper-gentrification and rising economic disparity in the NYC neighborhood of West Chelsea. On one side of the intersection of 10th Ave. and 26th St. sits Avenues: The World School, an elite, state-of-the art private school (pre-K through 12th grade) with a $40,000 plus per year price tag. On the other side sits the Elliott-Chelsea public-housing projects, home to thousands of underemployed and underserved residents living mostly below the poverty line. Through the stories of young people from both sides of the street, we learn what it is like to live here, in the shadow of The High Line, a celebrated elevated park that has spawned skyrocketing property values that are among the highest in the city. As we see, the juxtaposition of “haves and have-nots” in West Chelsea underscores a growing problem in many urban meccas around the country, as low-income residents are feeling the pressure of new money and luxury living that may eventually force them to move out of the very neighborhoods where they were born and raised.

Habla Y Vota

HBO

Habla y Vota is the fourteenth installment of HBO Latino’s award-winning "Habla"series, which comprises over 200 testimonials from U.S. Latinos—including celebrities, recognized professionals, and everyday Latinos—who’ve shared their funny, poignant, and honest stories about being Latino in the U.S. Featuring leading Latino celebrities and inspiring personalities and in order to raise the voice of the Hispanic community during the 2016 elections, Habla y Vota will be part of a bigger effort to reach Latinos and encourage voting in November. This one-hour non-partisan documentary special, in both English and Spanish, will feature Latino storytellers sharing their personal experiences directly to the camera for a national audience.

Miss You Can Do It

HBO

For children with a learning or physical disability, the focus is often on what’s wrong. Miss You Can Do It celebrates what’s right. This uplifting HBO Documentary Film chronicles the efforts of Abbey Curran, a former Miss Iowa USA and the first woman with a disability to compete in the Miss USA Pageant®, and eight girls with various disabilities as they participate in the Miss You Can Do It pageant. Created in 2004 by Curran (who has cerebral palsy), Miss You Can Do It offers girls with special needs the opportunity to be celebrated and not defined by what the world sees on the outside. The girls and their families travel from all over the country to Kewanee, Illinois (Curran’s hometown) to participate in a weekend-long event where the girls’ inner beauty and abilities reign. Unlike traditional pageants, the contestants are not judged by the fit of their gown but on how brightly their hearts shine. No one leaves the pageant empty handed, with each girl receiving a special award, and as we see, the real winners of the pageant might just be the family and friends who proudly cheer them on from the audience. An HBO Production.

An Apology to Elephants

HBO

Elephants are among the Earth’s most majestic and intelligent creatures – but for hundreds of years, they have suffered under the hands of humans. We have poached them for their tusks, chained them up in captivity, and destroyed their natural habitats. Narrated and executive produced by Oscar® nominated actress Lily Tomlin and directed and produced by Emmy® winner Amy Schatz, An Apology to Elephants is an HBO family documentary that illustrates how elephants live in the wild – from their matriarchal structure to their truly impressive memories – and examines the problems and issues that arise when they are brought to live in captivity in zoos and circuses. This film traces our long history with elephants and features beautiful nature footage, juxtaposed with disturbing behind-the-scenes video of the cruel ways that circuses break down elephants’ spirits in order to get them to perform. The film also shows how people have been striving to spread awareness and improve the conditions for the scores of elephants still living in North America. An HBO Production. 

The Weight of the Nation for Kids 03: Quiz Ed!

HBO

How can you burn food without cooking? (Answer: Exercise!) How can you gain weight without eating? (Spoiler: Drinking soda!) These and other riddles are posed to students of varying ages and activity levels to test their nutrition knowledge – and inspire them to take action. In addition to learning many simple fixes they can make toward healthier lifestyles, such as not skipping meals and avoiding hidden sugars, the kids reveal their own concerns about physical activity – or their lack-thereof. Kassidy hated gym class until she had Coach Joe, who explains the real-life benefits of strength training. “If you have trouble opening a pickle jar, [wrist curls] will help!” she says recalling Joe’s advice. Gunther learns to cut back on video games and play real-life sports instead; and the team-sport-averse Thomas discovers a love for martial arts. Answering the show’s tricky trivia, the kids of Quiz Ed! flex their muscles on just how much they already know about keeping fit. An HBO Production.

The Weight of the Nation for Kids 01: The Great Cafeteria Takeover

HBO

A profile of the Rethinkers, a youth-based non-profit in New Orleans trying to make the district’s school cafeterias offer healthier, better-tasting options. Formed when New Orleans kids returned home after Hurricane Katrina – which gave them the experience of eating at other schools out-of-state – the Rethinkers hope to rebuild their hometown’s public schools, starting with its lunch food. “Being from New Orleans I know what good food tastes like,” says Victoria, the center of our story, who says she would rather work for change than sit around doing nothing about it. Victoria leads the charge in surveying several cafeterias and after getting some local-news attention, Aramark, the company who runs the public-school lunches, invites the Rethinkers to give some recommendations. These bright and passionate students are able to negotiate with the corporation and come to an agreement on fresher, healthier food. The kids continue to make their mark by giving “report cards” to area schools based on the surveys conducted, and announce the schools’ grades – as well the Aramark agreement – at a grand-finale press conference that is both moving and inspiring. An HBO Production. 

The Weight of the Nation for Kids 02: Kebreeya's Salad Days

HBO

This warmhearted documentary tells the story of 17-year-old Kebreeya’s crusade to improve nutrition awareness on a personal, familial, and community level in her North Carolina town. After her mom’s gastric-bypass surgery, and seeing relatives with asthma and diabetes, Kebreeya changes her diet to exclude fast food and soda and tries to get her family on board. Though not completely converted to “Kebreeya food” just yet, her mother admits, “I have a problem with Lay’s Lightly Salted Potato Chips. And it seemed like I was eating a whole bag a day.” Deepening her connection to her food, Kebreeya maintains a garden at a local elementary school and encourages others to do so via student group SWARM (Students Working for an Agricultural Revolutionary Movement). She also takes it upon herself to survey other students on lunch menu suggestions and submits them to school officials, proposing a salad bar for their high-school cafeteria. Despite resistance from various school-board officials, Kebreeya takes her plea all the way to her town’s city council and the mayor – and shows how kids can make a difference. An HBO Production. 

Citizen U.S.A.: A 50 State Road Trip

HBO

Intrepid journalist/filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi – who has built an award-winning reputation with her playful, politically charged HBO documentaries focusing on both the famous (George Bush, Ted Haggard, John McCain, Barack Obama) and not-so-famous (right-wing Republicans, Evangelicals, motel kids in California) – unabashedly waves the flag in this uplifting and illuminating look at the naturalization process in America. Beginning with the swearing-in ceremony of her own Dutch-born husband, Michiel Vos (who produced this and several other HBO films with his wife), Pelosi travels across the U.S. to attend naturalization ceremonies in all 50 states, where she meets brand-new citizens and probes why they inevitably chose America as their home. The documentary intersperses stories of newly naturalized citizens with interviews from notable first-generation Americans, including Madeleine Albright, Arianna Huffington, Henry Kissinger and Gene Simmons. An HBO Production. 

The Fence

HBO

In 2006, the United States government decided to build a fence along its Mexican border. After three years, 350 engineers, thousands of construction workers, tens of thousands of tons of metal, and billions of dollars, the question is: Was it all worth it? In The Fence, award-winning filmmaker Rory Kennedy investigates the impact of the $3 billion project, revealing how the fence’s stated goals – containing illegal immigration, cracking down on drug trafficking, and protecting America from terrorists – have given way to unforeseen, even absurd, consequences. An HBO Production. 

Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County

HBO

Journalist/producer/filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi – who has built an award-winning reputation with her playful, politically charged HBO documentaries about George Bush, Ted Haggard and conservative America – shifts her focus to a serious social issue that has been exacerbated by the recent economic downturn: homelessness among children of the working poor. Shot over the course of the summer of 2009, Homeless: The Motel Kids of Orange County follows several Southern California children who have taken up residence at discounted motels within walking distance of Disneyland, spending their childhoods in limbo as their families struggle to survive in one of the wealthiest regions of America. As we see, though the community is trying to provide the children with adequate education and food, the day-to-day lives of motel kids are more often than not a numbing exercise in boredom, frustration, and ever-diminishing expectations. An HBO Production. 

I Can't Do This But I Can Do That: A Film For Families About Learning Differences

HBO

This 30-minute documentary takes an enlightening look at young people with a wide spectrum of learning differences, offering a compelling portrait of the ways in which these children are able to compensate by using their strengths to overcome their challenges. Many say they are no different from other kids, and can accomplish the same things – just differently. We hear from their parents as well as their teachers, all of whom are committed to helping the children discover the ways they learn best. Kids’ interview segments are intercut with scenes of the children engaged in the activities that reflect their talents: one is a gifted muralist, another shines as a poet. Another boy is so articulate no one would ever suspect that he has dyslexia and has trouble spelling words and recognizing them on sight. A group of students attending Denver Academy, a school for students with learning differences, find that being surrounded by others with similar challenges helps them to accept themselves, as well as succeed academically and in the arts. The documentary ends on an uplifting note, reassuring children of different abilities that they are no less capable of performing great feats in their lives. An HBO Production.

Section 60: Arlington National Cemetery

HBO

It has been called “the saddest acre in America.” It is also one of the most sacred. Situated in a quiet pocket of Arlington National Cemetery, Section 60 is a final resting place for young men and women who died fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan. For families and friends, it is a place to grieve, to honor, to remember – and to find comfort and community with others who have shared the same profound loss. An HBO Production.

Seven Worlds, One Planet

BBC Worldwide Learning

Millions of years ago huge forces ripped apart the Earth’s crust creating seven spectacular continents. Over time, each continent developed its own remarkable wildlife. From the depths of the South American jungles to the frozen peaks of Asia, and from the cities of Europe to the vast plains of Africa - 'Seven Worlds, One Planet' features extraordinary animal behaviour and untold wildlife stories from each continent. We discover how our seven worlds gave rise to the great diversity of life on Earth today, and reveal the challenges now faced by animals in a world shaped by us.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

BBC Worldwide Learning

In the tyrannical court of Athens, the pitiless dictator Theseus plans his wedding to Hippolyta, a prisoner of war, and young Hermia is sentenced to death by her own father. Meanwhile, in the rickety township on the hillside, amateur theatre group the Mechanicals rehearse, with all their comic rivalries. And beyond Athens, in the wild wood, dark forces are stirring… Celebrating 400 years of Shakespeare, Russell T Davies’ full-blooded adaptation has more attitude and invention than anything that’s gone before. This is a production for everyone, brought to life by an award-winning cast of established stars and exciting newcomers. It’s a dream that will never be forgotten.

Weird Wonders of the World (Series 2)

BBC Worldwide Learning

This fast-paced and refreshing take on nature documentaries returns to explore more of the unexplained, unexpected and utterly weird aspects of life on our planet. This series features the divers who found an underwater transparent blob the size of an elephant, meets the researchers who filmed an army of mice eating the brains of seabird chicks, and finds out what caused the flowing river of ice caught on camera in the Saudi Arabian desert. Using scientific demonstrations, detective work and eye-witness accounts, this series reveals what in the weird world is going on.

Biology: Amazing Me

BBC Worldwide Learning

Biology-Amazing Me

David Attenborough's Life of Mammals

BBC Worldwide Learning

David Attenborough introduces us to the most diverse group of animals ever to live on Earth, from the smallest - the two-inch pygmy shrew, to the largest - the blue whale; from the slowest - the sloth, to the swiftest - the cheetah; from the least attractive - the naked mole rat, to the most irresistible - a human baby. The Life of Mammals is the story of 4,000 species that have outlived the dinosaurs and conquered the farthest places on earth. With bodies kept warm by thick coats of fur and their developing young protected and nourished within their bodies, they have managed to colonize every part of the globe, dry or wet, hot or cold. Their adaptations for finding food have also had a profound effect on the way they move, socialize, mate and breed.

Horrible Histories (Season 8)

BBC Worldwide Learning

CBBC and BBC One sketch show based on historical fact.Season 8 starsJim Howick,Simon Farnaby,Ben Willbond,Mathew Bayntonandothers.

Planet Earth II

BBC Worldwide Learning

A decade ago, Planet Earth redefined natural history filmmaking, giving us the ultimate portrait of life on Earth. Ten years on, the unprecedented advances in both filming technology and our understanding of the natural world means we can once again reveal our planet from a completely new perspective. In one of the most ambitious landmark series, Planet Earth II allows us to experience the world from the viewpoint of the animals themselves. Travelling through jungles, deserts, mountains, islands, grasslands and cities, this series explores the unique characteristics of Earth’s most iconic habitats and the extraordinary ways animals survive within them. New technology has allowed individual stories to be captured in an unparalleled level of detail. For the first time viewers are immersed in incredible landscapes and share the most dramatic moments in the lives of animals. From spellbinding wildlife spectacle to intimate encounters, Planet Earth 2 will take you closer than ever before.

Einstein and Hawking - Masters of Our Universe: Episode 1

BBC Worldwide Learning

One of the 20th century's greatest minds. Einstein created the theory of relativity, a tool to explore and predict the way the universe works - from its very creation to its ultimate demise.

Planet Earth

BBC Worldwide Learning

David Attenborough celebrates the amazing variety of the natural world in the epic documentary series, Planet Earth, filmed over four years across 64 different countries.

Bitesize: Shakespeare

BBC Worldwide Learning

This series from BBC Worldwide Learning covers plots and themes in Shakespeare's works.

Secrets Of The Ancients

BBC Worldwide Learning

Following the enormous success of Secrets of Lost Empires, Secrets of the Ancients sets out to discover how ancient civilisations were able to complete awe-inspiring projects without the use of modern-day technology. Today's engineers, archaeologists and historians are challenged to replicate the construction of ancient monuments using the technology available at the time.

The World's Worst Disasters

BBC Worldwide Learning

Using a mixture of rare archive footage and dramatic 3D animated reconstructions, this series shows what happens when natural forces come into conflict with humans—with devastating results. Each episode of this fascinating series focuses on one type of natural disaster, giving examples of some of the largest or most devastating in recent years. From volcanoes, earthquakes, typhoons, and avalanches—to those that we humans may have more of a hand in, such as forest fires and landslides.

Butterfly Effect (Season 3)

Balanga

The Butterfly Effecttells the big History through the tiny events that have changed the face of the world.Each episode is an invitation to relive a page of our history through spectacular reconstructions and most innovative graphic techniques.

Gutenberg and the First Printing Press

Balanga

1450—Mayence—Johannes Gutenberg has been working on creating a printing press for more than two years. After a not entirely successful demonstration, he tries to persuade the wealthy banker Johann Fust to help finance his project. Fust agrees and lends Gutenberg 800 florins, plus 300 florins per annum for general expenses—a considerable sum for the period. The two men become partners. Fust and Gutenberg’s choice of the first work to be printed is an astute one: Saint Jerome’s Latin version of the Bible. It enjoys an immediate and resounding success. Gutenberg then perfects the various elements that make up his invention. He improves the hand press, movable print characters in a suitable alloy, special ink... These inventions mean knowledge can be disseminated much more rapidly. They revolutionize European civilization and open the way for the Renaissance and the development of Humanism.

The Gold Rush

Balanga

January 24, 1848. Coloma, California. In a saw mill belonging to Swiss pioneer John Sutter, James W. Marshall, a carpenter, finds pieces of shining metal in the stream next to the saw mill: it’s gold! Marshall shares his discovery with his boss, who decides to keep this news secret—a secret the two men are unable to keep. The news spreads like wildfire and is confirmed by a number of newspapers in March 1848. It’s the start of an unprecedented gold rush. Waves of immigrants from all over the world arrive in California, raising the population from 15,000 to several hundred thousand. The Indians are driven out, expropriated and decimated by disease. The first transcontinental railroad is built, and a Californian constitution is soon passed. Criminality also explodes: this is the beginning of the myth of the “Wild West” and its infamous outlaws. The Gold Rush will end several years later, but California and the American mentality will be changed by it forever.

How Climate Made History

ZDF

This two-part series presents some of the most spectacular discoveries of modern climatic research. An international team comprising climatologists, historians and geologists has established that climate has played a crucial role in the development of historical events throughout central Europe. This applies, among other things, to the rise of the Roman Empire, the vast migration of peoples between 400 and 700 A.D., Hannibal's journey across the Alps, the persecution of witches in the Middle Ages, and the 30 Years War. This documentary presents the events in question and explains just how weather literally makes history.

The Words That Built America

HBO

The Declaration of Independence, The U.S. Constitution and The Bill of Rights represent much more than the words used by America’s Founding Fathers to define a fragile, nascent country. They’re the living, breathing realization of America’s democratic ideal, the bedrock of a society that its people have built over nearly two-and-a-half centuries, and they provide a blueprint that is, was and will be a template for democracy around the world.To celebrate these iconic documents on our nation’s birthday, HBO presents a 45-minute special, directed by Alexandra Pelosi and narrated by David McCullough (John Adams), in which dozens of Americans – from actors and media personalities, to politicians, lawmakers and presidents, to schoolchildren whose future is being shaped by our shared past – read the three founding documents that define our outlook on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

100 Years, 100 Events

Film Ideas

Every decade has its share of important events. But in this completely engrossing series we bring you only the best, the most far-reaching, the most worldly, and the most consequential. You will see a unique clarity of history through the "most privy" in insider accounts and expert witnesses. Events include: Germany Reunification, The Gulf War, Communists Try To Grab Back Power In Moscow, The Horror In Bosnia, The Failure In Somalia, Nelson Mandela, Yitzhak Rabin, The Death Of Princess Diana, Bill Clinton & Monica Lewinsky, and 100 Years: A Retrospective.

Elizabethan England

ClickView Pty Limited

Elizabeth I ruled during precarious times. Her right to rule was questioned, and she encountered challenges and threats to her throne. This two-part series explores the dangers Elizabeth faced both at home and abroad.

Lincoln's Greatest Speech: The Second Inaugural Address

Kenbow Communications

Hosted by Academy Award-winner Richard Dreyfuss and featuring Lincoln biographer Dr. Ronald C. White, Jr., this video examines President Abraham Lincoln's second inaugural address, which Lincoln termed to be his "greatest speech" and his "best effort." Through Dreyfuss' delivery of the speech and White's analysis, the video brings to light the true meaning of Lincoln's words and feelings towards the Civil War, the defeated Confederacy, and American slavery.

Spreading the Word: Fry’s Planet Word

BBC Worldwide Learning

In this program, Stephen Fry delves into the history of the written word, starting with the earliest writing—cuneiform—and ending with blogging and twittering. Along the way he looks at how printing shaped our relationship with writing, eventually resulting in libraries, encyclopedias, and computer code. Topics include Egyptian hieroglyphics, Homer, and the Phoenicians; the spread of Arabic; Pinyin and Chinese literacy (with Zhou Youguang, called the “father of Pinyin”); typography, the development of the book, and the standardization of English; the rise of reading, and Diderot’s Encyclopédie; the Bodleian Library; Wikipedia; social media and the Arab Spring; and the MIT Media Lab. Part of the series Fry’s Planet Word. (59 minutes)

Tiananmen Square (Declassified)

History Education

Using seldom-shown footage and declassified diplomatic sources, this program provides details on the unforgettable demonstrations in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square, a place where a movement was born—and then killed. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

The Olympic Games

Balanga

The Olympic Games were held every four years in Olympia. They were Pan-Hellenic—open to all Greeks—and the events provided the opportunity to win Olympic titles (a wreath of wild laurel) and immense prestige. After the Roman conquest, the Games are opened to foreigners and enjoy huge success. But in the 4th century, Archbishop Ambrose of Milan considers them to be pagan and has them banned. For more than 1,300 years, the Games vanish from History, and Olympia gradually falls into oblivion. Everything suddenly changes when the ruins of Olympia are rediscovered. Major digs on the ancient sporting site begin in 1875 and once again put the Olympic Games in the world’s spotlight. The first modern version of the Olympic Games is held in Athens in 1896 and is a triumph. The Olympic Games take on new life and henceforth allow the participation of all people, irrespective of their sex or race. Today, the Olympic Games are the most-watched sporting event in the world.

Troy: The Passion of Helen

A&E

This documentary from Clash of the Gods explores the 3,000-year-old story of the woman at the heart of the Trojan War. The Greek poet Homer told the tale in The Iliad and The Odyssey, and Hollywood has presented its own versions. Now, we examine the myth of Helen. Conceived from the god Zeus’ rape of her mother, she is said to be the most beautiful woman in the world and desired by every man. Modern writers including Camille Paglia and Arianna Huffington give their own unique perspective on Helen. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

Part 10: The Weight of Memory (March 1973-Onward) (The Vietnam War: A Film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick)

Ken Burns

While the Watergate scandal rivets Americans’ attention, the Vietnamese continue in a civil war. When North Vietnamese troops pour into the South, Saigon collapses. For the next 40 years, all sides search for healing and reconciliation.

Gandhi

BBC Worldwide Learning

The first definitive series on the life of Gandhi, examining his relationship with his wife, his controversial views on race and his role on the path to Indian independence. On the world stage, Martin Luther King, the Dalai Lama and a myriad of peace movements have marched in Gandhi's footsteps. But while he remains, unquestionably, India's revered father, the 'Father of a Nation', there is another and less well known side to him. This series charts Gandhi's Establishment beginnings, his move into politics and his campaign to bring independence to India.

Harry Potter J.K. Rowling

Bloomberg

Joanne Rowling, creator of Harry Potter, is the best-selling fiction writer of all time. The first author to become a billionaire from her work, her imaginative tales of a boy wizard have generated the most popular and profitable series of books and movies ever produced, and caused hundreds of millions of kids to rediscover reading in an age of texting and Twitter. From her working-class roots in rural England, she endured poverty, her mother’s untimely death, a broken marriage, and single motherhood, until the entire Harry Potter saga struck her one day like a bolt from the blue. After writing the first book in a café while on welfare and being turned down by twelve publishers, Rowling would create a franchise that rewrote the rules of how children’s books are marketed. Through seven record-setting novels, a series of hit movies over which she’s had unprecedented influence, a theme park, and countless Harry Potter products, J.K. Rowling has doggedly maintained the integrity of her vision to the benefit of herself and fans around the world. This program includes an interview with Tanya Seghatchian, the producer who found Harry Potter for Warner Bros., persuaded Rowling to approve a movie deal, and who worked personally with Rowling on the early films. Additional interviews include Michael Jacobs, VP of the American publisher who turned the marketing of the Harry Potter books into blockbuster events; Melissa Anelli, webmistress of the popular Leaky Cauldron fan site; and Jim Dale, Rowling’s choice of narrator for the American audio books.

Magic Johnson

Bloomberg

What does an NBA legend with five rings and 3 MVPs do for a second act? If you’re Earvin “Magic” Johnson, you become a super-successful serial entrepreneur with a billion-dollar portfolio of popular franchises and real estate funds. Magic announced his retirement because of HIV in 1991 and 20 years later, he’s not only healthy, but deep into a second legacy that could put his legendary basketball career in the shade. Magic got there by combining his own healing process with a desire to revive dying minority communities. Determined to improve radically the urban American landscape, and his own bottom line, he launched a pioneering series of Urban Funds, including the billion-dollar Canyon Johnson Fund III, which uses private investment money to renovate shopping centers, housing projects, office high-rises, and more in distressed urban neighborhood communities nationwide.

Toni Morrison Uncensored

Banijay Rights Limited

In this compelling program, world-renowned author Toni Morrison candidly answers questions regarding how she became a writer, the pain of empathizing with her characters, the sensual nature of her novels, and how it felt to win the Nobel Prize. In addition, she pulls no punches discussing how she first became aware of her racial otherness, how writing for a black audience has kept her work from becoming derivative, the societal uses of racism, and how racism leads to barbarism when individuals abdicate their humanity. (30 minutes)

Amazon Jeff Bezos

Bloomberg

Jeff Bezos didn’t just invent online shopping; he almost single-handedly turned it into a 34-billion-dollar enterprise. With the launch of Amazon.com in 1994, Bezos put online shopping on the map, and Amazon.com has sold every product imaginable since the company’s inception. Amazon began as a bookstore, expanding into dozens of product categories and forcing the world’s biggest retailers to rethink their business models, ultimately changing the way people shop. An inventive risk-taker, Bezos has never shied away from challenges, investing huge amounts of capital in his ventures, often taking a hit before seeing profits soar. Bezos is ranked one of the richest men in the world. In 2011, Forbes Magazine estimated his worth at $18.1 billion. Interviews include former Amazon employees James Marcus and Eric Best, tech entrepreneur Esther Dyson, Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, Wired Magazine editor-in-chief Chris Anderson, and ex-Harper Collins CEO Jane Friedman.

Mark Zuckerberg: Inside Facebook

BBC Worldwide Learning

Mark Zuckerberg’s journey from college student to the founder of one of the most influential new businesses in the world is the stuff of legend. This program tells the story of the social media Web site’s extraordinary rise using an exclusive interview with Zuckerberg and access to senior staff at the company’s Silicon Valley offices. Filmed before Facebook became a publicly traded company, the video also examines the challenge of combining idealism with business realities, the use of Facebook as a market research database, threats from Google and others, and the critical role that Zuckerberg himself plays in determining Facebook’s prospects. A BBC Production. (48 minutes)

Race to Save the Reef

CNN

Ivan Watson goes on a journey to see the damage on the Great Barrier Reef and to meet the scientists spearheading the campaign to save the reef with projects at sea and on land.

Weed 4: Pot vs. Pills

CNN

U.S. politicians promise to lead the country out of the worst drug crisis in its history, but opioid abuse continues to kill Americans in record numbers. Are our leaders ignoring a lifesaving solution? Over115 Americans die every day from opioid overdoses, more than those killed in car accidents, from breast cancer or even guns. Nearly 2.5 million Americans struggle with opioid addiction, and though controversial, some people believe a potentially lifesaving solution may lie in medical marijuana. In the fourth installment of his groundbreaking series,CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Guptatakes an in-depth look at marijuana’s potential as both an alternative to opioids in treating pain and inendingopioid addiction.

Namibia Wildlife Conservation

CNN

See how the southern African nation of Namibia overcame huge odds to become a modern-day success story in wildlife conservation.

Rodrigues Octopus Fishing

CNN

Meet the fearless women of Rodrigues Island who are preserving the art of octopus fishing as they search for sustainability.

Nigeria's Female DJs

CNN

A new breed of female DJs is challenging the status quo in Nigeria. Meet some of the most popular female DJs and see how they are changing perceptions both at home and abroad.

Senegal's Street Dance Scene

CNN

Discover the evolution of the centuries-old sabar dance and learn how foreign influences are incubating new movements on the sidewalks of Dakar.

The Challenge: Everest - Part 1

CNN

In part one of this three part series, Ben Fogle and Victoria Pendleton prepare for an expedition through a series of grueling altitude tests. They then travel to Nepal, via the world’s most frightening airport, and begin the trek to Everest Base Camp. They receive a Buddhist blessing, encounter stunning views, and visit the Climbers’ Memorial.

One Square Meter: Part 1

CNN

One Square Meter looks at what drives the global real estate market. In Part One, host John Defterios tours new developments, including Playa Vista in Los Angeles; a luxury residential building in Bangkok; Ecuador's Mashpi ecolodge; and Dubai's innovative floating "Seahorse" homes. He also explores a project refurbishing London's iconic Battersea Power Station and meets the architect creating "plug-in" homes for traditional courtyard buildings in Beijing's historic Guancai Hutong neighborhood.

The Trump-Russia Investigation

CNN

The stories of the Trump Tower meeting; the shocking firing of FBI Director James Comey; Donald Trump's long history of financial dealings in Russia; the legal jeopardy of all the President's men; where the investigation could now be going.

Tokyo: Two Sides

CNN

CNN explores the dichotomies of Tokyo’s multi-layered worlds of art and design through the prisms of the old and the new, the traditional and the modern, the historical and the futuristic. In the heart of 21st Century Tokyo, meet the modern masters sharing their visions for the future of Japan’s ancient arts—from flower arrangement to woodcut prints, architecture to kimono-making.

Kenya Cycling

CNN

Follow the journey of Kenya's determined cyclists as they climb their way to the top with an endurance dream that's anything but modest—qualifying for the Tour de France.

Ghana's Highlife

CNN

Ghana's Highlife is a musical identity that became the back beat for an African soundscape, a style of song that borrowed from abroad but took on its own traditions.

South Africa's Pantsula Dance

CNN

An iconic form of dance, South Africa's pantsula has evolved from a political statement to one of the most exciting forms of contemporary dance in Africa.

Mozambique Horse Rescue

CNN

A couple's unbreakable bond with each other and with the 104 horses they helped rescue—retrace the life-changing journey that brought them all to a strange new land—Mozambique.

Deaf in Rwanda

CNN

A vibrant group of deaf Rwandans are working hard to establish their own official sign language to give a voice to Rwanda's voiceless.

Sudan's Pyramids

CNN

Well-preserved yet almost unknown to the outside world, Sudan's ancient pyramids point to a proud past of kings and kingdoms that existed in the heart of Africa.

Zimbabwe's Music Scene

CNN

Meet the pioneers of the sound of Zimbabwe's youth, brought together by the Harare International Festival of the Arts.

The Challenge: Everest - Part 2

CNN

In part two of this three part series, Ben Fogle and Victoria Pendleton begin their climb of Mt. Everest on the South Col route. Pendleton experiences severe hypoxia at high altitude and must decide whether to continue the climb or retire.

The Challenge: Everest - Part 3

CNN

In final episode of this three part series, Ben Fogle continues his climb up Mount Everest after altitude sickness forces Victoria Pendelton to leave the expedition. Mountaineer Kenton Cool and Sherpas guide Ben along the trek when equipment failure threatens the lives of Ben and the cameraman in the Death Zone.

Expedition Antarctic

CNN

In Expedition Antarctic, CNN's Arwa Damon and Brice Laine spent nearly a month on an ice-breaking vessel to explore the harsh but fragile beauty of the Antarctic, where researchers are finding it to be a vital buffer to climate change.

Mauritius Porlwi Festival

CNN

The Porlwi Festival is a feast for the eyes and ears of the people of Mauritius. Meet the organizers and the artists who put on one of Africa's most spectacular arts festivals.

Morocco's All-Female Road Rally

CNN

We follow 330 women on an eight-day journey like no other: a 2,000-kilometer off-road rally through the Moroccan Sahara, as woman and machine are put to the ultimate test.

Zambia's Female Boxers

CNN

Learn about thelegacy of Zambian boxer Catherine Phiri, the first African woman to win the World Boxing Council gold title.

The Other World Cup

CNN

We follow the progress of three African teams taking part in the CONIFA tournament of 16 non-FIFA members, representing stateless people and minority groups from across the globe.

Ghana's Castles

CNN

Explore Ghana's centuries-old fortresses, Elmina Castle and Cape Coast Castle, home to one of the darkest chapters in the country's history.

What Are Volcanoes?

Cerebellum Corporation

Discover the power and beauty of volcanoes, where they are found, and how they are formed. We will discuss magma, craters, and volcanic cones. Topics include: The Kailua Volcano, Fissure and Central Volcano, Hawaiian Volcanoes, Strombolian Volcanoes, Vulcanian Volcanoes, and Pelean Volcanoes.

Secrets of the Oceans: Climate Control

Java Films

When it comes to regulating global temperatures, forget the Amazon rainforest. It’s the oceans that really deserve the title of 'lungs of the planet'. Their plankton provides us with oxygen. Their currents transport heat from the tropical regions to the poles, acting as an air conditioner. They absorb almost a quarter of the carbon dioxide emitted annually. But so much of what they do and exactly how they do it is still unknown. To gain a deeper understanding of the importance of oceans in regulating our climate, we bring you four stories from four different corners of the world. From the seaborne lives of the Bajaus of Asia to the scientific crew of the Tara in Greenland. From the meteorological station in Siberia to the fishermen of the Gulf Stream. Four people, four seasons, four stories told in parallel over 24 hours that reveal the sometimes invisible ties between man and the sea.

Planet Earth II

BBC Worldwide Learning

A decade ago, Planet Earth redefined natural history filmmaking, giving us the ultimate portrait of life on Earth. Ten years on, the unprecedented advances in both filming technology and our understanding of the natural world means we can once again reveal our planet from a completely new perspective. In one of the most ambitious landmark series, Planet Earth II allows us to experience the world from the viewpoint of the animals themselves. Travelling through jungles, deserts, mountains, islands, grasslands and cities, this series explores the unique characteristics of Earth’s most iconic habitats and the extraordinary ways animals survive within them. New technology has allowed individual stories to be captured in an unparalleled level of detail. For the first time viewers are immersed in incredible landscapes and share the most dramatic moments in the lives of animals. From spellbinding wildlife spectacle to intimate encounters, Planet Earth 2 will take you closer than ever before.

Saving Troubled Coral Reefs

Inside Science

Scientists study causes of coral bleaching.

Home: Wonders of Life

BBC Worldwide Learning

As far as we know, there is only one place in the universe on which life has taken hold: Earth. But for how much longer will this distinction remain? Astronomers are on the brink of finding other worlds the same size as Earth and the same distance from their star. Professor Brian Cox considers what it is about our world that has made it a home and asks what ingredients are necessary to turn a tiny spec of rock in space into a living, vibrant planet.

Thin Ice: The Inside Story of Climate Science

Green Planet Films

In recent years, climate science has come under attack, so concerned geologist Simon Lamb grabbed his camera and set out to explore the inside story of climate research. For over three years he followed scientists from a wide range of disciplines at work in the Arctic, Antarctic, Southern Ocean, New Zealand, Europe, and the United States. They talk about their work, hopes and fears with candor and directness, resulting in an intimate portrait of the global community of researchers racing to understand our planet's changing climate and provide a compelling case for rising CO2 as the main cause. Portions with English subtitles. (73 minutes)

Planet Earth

BBC Worldwide Learning

David Attenborough celebrates the amazing variety of the natural world in the epic documentary series, Planet Earth, filmed over four years across 64 different countries.

Ecologist Bjorn Lomborg's Top 10 Challenges the World Faces

The Reason Foundation

Bjorn Lomborg—a Danish writer, Copenhagen Business School adjunct professor, director of the Copenhagen Consensus Centre, and former director of the Environmental Assessment Institute in Copenhagen—speaks to a Reason Weekend audience about solving the world’s problems. He lists 10 challenges the world faces and suggests a practical approach by setting personal preferences aside and prioritizing in order to get “the biggest bang for your buck”—an idea he refined by surveying economists on how to do the most good with limited amounts of money, and measuring costs and benefits of different solutions. In this presentation he looks at two examples—world hunger and global warming—and proposes solutions. A Reason TV production.

Horizon Guide to Climate Change

BBC Worldwide Learning

Whatever your views, climate change is now a familiar part of everyday conversation. We all know what it is, even if we don't all agree on what we think about it. But 50 years ago, the science of climate change was an academic backwater. The journey from scientific obscurity to the full glare of publicity has been fascinating, full of strange twists, extreme natural disasters, ambitious theories and changing fashions. This Horizon Guide looks back through the BBC program archive to reveal how climate change emerged from the shadows, to take its place at the center stage of global debate. A BBC Production.