skakmat

This documentary explores Dolph Lundgren’s journey from his childhood in Sweden to becoming an internationally renowned action star in Hollywood. The film reflects on Lundgren’s personal pursuit of the American Dream, driven by his father’s advice that to achieve something special, he had to go to America. The documentary touches on his transformation from an insecure Swedish kid into one of the most iconic action heroes of his generation, alongside legends like Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger. It also delves into the key factors behind his success, including his hard work, perseverance, and the elusive “it” factor that helped him thrive in a highly competitive industry. Throughout, Lundgren reflects on mortality and how it has shaped his desire to live life to the fullest.

A deeply intimate and highly cinematic documentary featuring the Dalai Lama, who, at nearly ninety year of age, offers practical advice for navigating the 21st century’s challenges.

This film documents the “FUKUSHIMA with Béla Tarr”, a filmmaking workshop in Fukushima conducted by esteemed Hungarian filmmaker Tarr Béla.

The second installment of the adventures of the Corsini Commando takes us this time to the Pampas plain, where Corsini grew up and forged a vision of the world that would accompany him throughout his life. The result of this excursion is an erratic wandering through the landscapes of the Homeland, its paradoxes and its ghosts: A land dreamed of by a newly arrived foreigner who imagined for himself a gaucho destiny that would never become completely real. Now then: is that not, in the end, the destiny of all things?

A documentary following the life of Herman ten Kate, a man who had a severe stroke 7 years ago and who has shown unparalleled determination to adapt to his new life. Once an accomplished mathematician, painter and lecturer, he is now limited by both his body and his mind. This film shows how his family have provided a backbone for him to live his life to the fullest, and how the worst situations can still provide a life of hope and positivity.

Law Wai-cheung is an important figure in promoting disability’s rights in Hong Kong. A life in a wheelchair equipped Law with the perseverance and fighting spirit to not only achieve independent living, but even dedicated himself to helping others in the local disabled community to build a life of their own. Executive produced by Oscar winning documentarian Ruby Yang, this documentary by So Ka-ue incorporates heartwarming animation by Macau animator Wong Weng-chon to chronicle Law’s life in tandem with the local disability’s rights movements from the 60s to the present.

In Chile, glaciers are melting, forests are burning, inequalities are growing, social revolt is roaring… Between reason and desire, Camila’s thoughts waver: can she give birth to a child in this burning world?

The story of the cult horror empire through interviews with cast, crew, and horror icons such as Don Mancini, Brad Dourif, Jennifer Tilly, Catherine Hicks, Chris Sarandon, John Waters, Fiona Dourif, Perrey Reeves, Gerrit Graham, David Kirschner, and dozens more.

The film tells the story of how a small-town boy who feels like an outsider turns his specialness into a superpower and, through extreme hard work and self-belief, manages to become a unique and beloved superstar.

Meet the skiers driven by an insatiable thirst for adventure and discovery and explore the essence of being at one with the mountains.

Embark on a captivating journey that delves into the essence of Yucatecan Maya life in the 21st century. This feature-length documentary unfolds against the backdrop of Coba, the second largest Maya ceremonial center in the ancient world. From this archaeological marvel, the film ventures deep into the lush jungles and intimate villages, offering a poignant exploration of two indigenous families committed to preserving their rich heritage. At its core, Beyond the Ruins weaves a tapestry that illuminates the profound interconnectedness of existence, as mirrored in the ancient Maya philosophy of “in lak’ ech, a lak’ en” – where “I am you; you are me.” The film not only resurrects a vibrant but often overlooked culture; it also invites viewers to contemplate the universal lessons embedded in Maya wisdom. Through this evocative lens, audiences discover not only a living legacy but also a source of inspiration to enhance their own quality of life.

This documentary tracks three elderly women from Taiwan, China and the US who are drawn together by the bound they develop with inmates of a maximum-security prison in New York.

A landscape film about isolation, fear, and the ever-presence of religion in rural Pennsylvania.

Trump’s Big FUSS is a powerful acronym capturing Trump’s vision for America and his fight for US sovereignty, standing firm against globalist elitists.

A young filmmaker maintains an epistolary conversation with his deceased grandmother while he rediscovers the space they both inhabited for more than a decade.

It began with a botched circumcision: Acclaimed author Gary Shteyngart tells his story of immigration, manhood, and seeking treatment for his physical trauma.

In NYC, a group of volunteers launch the first Muslim Community Patrol in America to combat the rising hate crimes in their community.

Footage of the everyday life of an ordinary Ukrainian family from the city of Svitlodarsk in the Donetsk region shows a life marred by the Russian occupation, where martial law has become the norm. The picture contrasts children’s games, doing homework and having dinner in front of the TV with the panorama of the bombed-out buildings of a ghost town.

Luciano Candisani, award-winning Brazilian photographer, returns to the Pantanal, the world’s largest floodplain, to document its biodiversity and raise awareness about severe environmental threats. The region faces drastic water flow changes and unprecedented fires, yet Candisani finds hope and resilience amidst the challenges.

“Octopus Heart” is a poignant documentary examining the link between emotional trauma and Takotsubo Syndrome. Following Anastazija Zivanovic’s life of profound loss and adversity, it reveals how our emotional struggles shape our physical health, inspiring awareness, and resilience.

Spanish footballers come together for the first time to relive the turbulent 2023 Women’s World Cup and the kiss that overshadowed their victory.

Explores Leni Riefenstahl’s artistic legacy and her complex ties to the Nazi regime, juxtaposing her self-portrayal with evidence suggesting awareness of the regime’s atrocities.

Many migrants live in search of a mirror in which to recognize themselves; they are not from here, but they are not from there either. Los Williams / The Williams, a feature-length documentary, familiar and sporting, told in first-person by Iñaki and Nico Williams. Two brothers, footballers, Basques and “beltzas” or black, of Ghanaian descent, reveal their incredible tale across the two most crucial years of their lives. From their historic participation in the Qatar World Cup with two different selections, to the long-awaited victory of the Athletic Club in the Copa del Rey after 40 years, and Nico’s triumph at the European Championship. Two international stars, face to face with their past and their future, through the conflicts that have marked their lives: racism, identity, frustration, ambition, and success.

A look at Hammer’s progression from a back off in London’s Regent Street to its iconic status within the horror film genre. The company, started by comedian and businessman William Hinds in 1934, made films such as The Curse of Frankenstein, Dracula, and The Quartermass Xperiment during the period for which it is best known, making stars out of the likes of Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing.

Stones are at once the most foundational and the most overlooked parts of our lifeworld. When a retired nature documentary narrator passes a kidney stone, she decides to tell one more story about this forgotten world of stone . A hypnotic essay film asking urgent ecological questions, Apple Cider Vinegar takes the viewer on a journey meeting Palestinian quarry workers, passionate Britisch Geologist and People living on the lava fields of Fogo.

Three juxtaposing stories taking place in Portugal, Austria and Cuba create an intimate and poetic portrait of the daily lives and struggles of the elderly in an unstable world, seen through the eyes of their grandchildren.

Luciano lives with his mother and younger sister in a low-income neighborhood in the Argentine city of Rosario. He studies and helps with the housework. Since money is always short, he takes any temporary work he can get to support his family, while he looks for a steady job. After years of spending long hours at the gym, he has managed to see himself in the body he longed for. Life, however, imposes new challenges on him in his relentless journey to pursue his identity.

A time-lapse documentary about Zuzana Čaputová’s tenure as President follows her political work, personal dilemmas and the difficult challenges facing Slovak society.

A hybrid feature film that investigates contemporaneity through the body and its countless possibilities of expression and meanings. The film puts the body and the idea of the body in evidence, through metalanguage, articulation and confrontation of documentary, fictional and performative languages. The film follows the trajectory of the main character who uses her own body to formulate universes and investigate the meanings that are drawn in it. In a kind of subjective diary written on her skin, she records sensations and reflections, building relationships with thinkers, performances and archival materials, which lead her to other bodies and other stories.

A group of incarcerated women sign up to learn an instrument and write their own songs, as part of a unique music program in an Australian prison. The process opens deep scars around trauma and addiction, but can they prove that music has the universal power to heal, even in the complex world of prison?

The documentary provides an insight into the life and work of one of the Czech Republic’s most experienced war reporters, Martin Dorazín.

There may be a 50-year age difference between Samid and Ayaz, but they share a passion for film. Both are brimming with ideas to revive the cinema in their village in the hills of Azerbaijan. Once the long-awaited Holy Grail – a projector bulb – arrives after many months, the cinema is packed out with locals… But will the magic work?

The populist Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) organised a train for its supporters on the national holiday of Unification Day to visit celebrations culminating in the nationalist speeches of AUR’s President George Simion. The observational footage of passengers and participants in the grand convention brings to light the dangerous rise of the far right in Romania.

A furious, iconoclastic attack on power and the media in a modern France where Islamophobia has become mainstream and inequality is growing from the suburbs to the boulevards.

The “shadow” begins to see fragmented memories that transcend time and place. In an underground, it touches and listens carefully to the memories of people existed.

Explore the mesmerizing world of whales, the ocean’s majestic rulers, through vivid footage from 20 nations. On this journey, whales show their incredible ability to traverse halfway around the earth and to dive to great depth in a single breath. Yet, amidst their splendor lies a shocking truth about our planet. What is their final call to protect our future?

In the 1980s, Kim Hyunsook was an integral part of a collective of young women activists who focused their efforts on fighting urban poverty in some of Incheon’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods. These women not only lived in these communities but also worked alongside the urban underprivileged. She introduced me to some of her former colleagues from that era. Thus, I began this film journey by visiting Ahn Soonae, a close confidante and associate of Kim’s, whom Kim affectionately described as ‘a foul-mouthed woman with a huge ass.’ Soon after, I had the privilege of meeting other members of the collective, now elderly women in their 60s.

Short film directed by Yara Khalil about her Kurdish roots.

For the first time in six years, Barbara Morgenstern, pioneer of German-style electronic intimate pop, works on a new album. Her laptop sits on a shoebox, in the privacy of her home she finds first lines and harmonies: “I like to be alone,” one song begins. One by one, musicians join her. Intuitive ideas take shape. A window has opened. Arrangements, rehearsals, recordings follow. Step by step, the music enters public space, images are produced, videos, narratives. Questions arise: New beginning or back to the roots? New Biedermeier or tough political comment? The bigger the band, the riskier the booking. The more crisis-ridden the environment, the more comforting the music-making.

An 8-year journey into divided America, The American Question examines the insidious roots of polarization and distrust through past the past and present, revealing how communities can restore trust in each other to unite our country.

A young man apparently gets lost between his parental home in Lower Saxony, Berlin darkrooms and a flat share in Madrid. The clinical chill of the psychiatry reports is juxtaposed with a heart-wrenching diary text that resists being categorised too quickly. The images, too, speak a different language than the diagnosis: “Disoriented and not responding to his environment,” the initial anamnesis reads. But we see the film sequences trace and re-cast photographic evidence of getting lost, re-connect the narrator persona striving for self-empowerment with his environment. The protocol of a story of illness and treatment expands into an auto-socio-biographical document of self-location by artistic work – on life as lived.

The series tells the story of the São Paulo International Film Festival, one of the most traditional cultural events in Latin America. For 48 years, the festival has showcased hundreds of films from all over the world, bringing vibrancy to the city. Filmmaker Marina Person provides an irreverent perspective, highlighting the exciting and unusual stories that have marked the festival’s journey of resistance. The series reveals the individuals who have embraced the challenge of organizing this significant cultural event in Brazil every year, despite often challenging conditions. We also delves into how the Mostra has grown to become one of the main festivals globally, shedding light on the changes in cinema, Brazil, and the world over the years.

Following how La Joia, Bad Gyal’s first album, was made, a path full of lights and shadows in which a diamond in the rough ends up becoming a real jewel.

Climbers Alex Honnold and Tommy Caldwell set out on a daring expedition to tackle Alaska’s formidable Devils Thumb. Battling harsh conditions and daunting peaks, they push their physical and mental limits, while their deep friendship faces its toughest trial yet.

“El Cuarto Round” invites us to accompany Osvaldo, “El Mariana”, on an intimate six-month journey as he prepares for his fight at La Velada del Año 4, at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium in Madrid. Through his training, we not only see him face physical and emotional challenges, but also discover new facets of himself, where his public and personal lives become deeply intertwined.

Kirat falls for a man she meets online, only to get swept up in a virtual relationship that upends her life for years, in this shocking documentary.

The ultimate deep dive into the world of shark cinema: filmmakers, critics, scholars and conservationists explore the weird, wild cinematic legacy of sharks on film and audiences’ undying fascination with these misunderstood creatures.

From the mighty Amazon’s icy source to its plume reaching as far as the Caribbean, National Geographic Explorer teams conduct groundbreaking research to take the pulse of one of the planet’s integral and endlessly magical resources. From the health of river turtles and pink dolphins to the migration of Andean bears, extreme urgency is met by equally hopeful solutions.

In ’90s Argentina, the murder of a high school student sparks widespread protests. Retold by her loved ones, this documentary shows their fight for justice.

As the nights go by, a young filmmaker uses their video camera to express their thoughts, dreams, and inner turmoil to an online friend.

A documentary revisiting the global television phenomenon LOST. Featuring interviews with the cast and crew, as well as members of the loyal fan base who still celebrate the show twenty years after it originally aired.

Actor Christopher Reeve rises to stardom when he lands the role of Superman in the 1970s. When a horse-riding accident leaves him paralyzed in 1995, Reeve spends the rest of his life searching for a cure for spinal cord injuries.

Explore the highs and lows of growing up in the spotlight through the lens of some of the world’s most famous former child stars. Through celebrity interviews, verite scenes, and archival footage, this film deconstructs the stages of earlier stardom and looks at the entertainment system over the last century.

An inside account of President Trump’s challenge to the results of the 2020 presidential election as told by former White House staff and appointees, including former Attorney General William Barr, and elected Republican officials in Arizona and Georgia who resisted pressure to change the results of the vote in their states.

On the shores of Jeju Island, a fierce group of South Korean divers fight to save their vanishing culture from looming threats.

On Sunday 8 September at Stade de France, the Closing Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games officially drew 11 days of competition to a close. Called Paris est une fête, the ceremony, directed by Thomas Jolly and designed by Romain Pissenem, paid tribute to the 4,400 athletes who took part. But the ceremony also highlighted the history of electronic music and of Paris as a city of celebration and culture.

For the first time in the history of the Games, the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games will take place – just a few weeks apart – outside the stadium, in the heart of Paris. On 28 August 2024, the bottom of the Champs-Elysées and Place de la Concorde will be transformed into the impressive backdrop for a ceremony that will feature a parade of 4,400 athletes from approximately 184 Paralympic delegations from around the world.

Follow a multi-generational orangutan family through their treetop triumphs and travails in this immersive documentary narrated by David Attenborough.

A behind-the-scenes featurette explaining the process to make new Coraline puppets fifteen years after the film’s release.

Embark on a delightful journey into the world of dogs in this documentary that reveals scientific and emotional insights about our lovable BFFs.

A bipartisan group of U.S. defense, intelligence, and elected policymakers spanning five presidential administrations participate in an unscripted role-play exercise in which they confront a political coup backed by rogue members of the U.S. military, in the wake of a contested presidential election.

On 26 July 2024, the largest-ever Olympic Games Opening Ceremony took place, beginning at 7.30 p.m. CET. The Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 was an unprecedented experience drawing on the natural light of the setting sun with all its nuances to illuminate the world’s best athletes as they travelled down the Seine, in the heart of the French capital.

A Nepali mountaineer risks everything on a record-breaking Mount Everest climb to secure a brighter future for her daughters.

Attack of the Red Sea Sharks investigates why sharks killed three people in less than a year in the coastal waters of Red Sea resorts. Multiple witnesses captured the gruesome attacks, with the videos quickly going viral, sparking confusion and hysteria. Are these attacks part of a growing trend that is becoming more common worldwide? A team of scientists launches a global pursuit to answer that question and find ways to prevent future attacks.

Shark biologists have discovered a nursery of Atlantic great whites right off the coast of New York City! Watch as they deploy a state-of-the-art camera tag to reveal the secret life of the baby great white for the first time in these Atlantic waters, and study how climate change may impact the future of this shark population.

The special follows award-winning actor Mackie in his hometown of New Orleans, where he grew up boating and angling and still practices the sport to date, a passion he now shares with his four sons. Throughout the documentary, Mackie is on a personal mission to keep the peace between coastal communities and sharks. Diving fin-first, he comes face-to-face with the ocean’s apex predators, swimming with several enormous sandbar and silky sharks and tagging a formidable 7-foot bull shark.

Originally a home video never intended for public viewing, this film captures the final chapter in Roger Federer’s legendary tennis career, featuring Roger, his family, and his three main rivals: Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, and Andy Murray.

Thousands of terracotta warriors guarded the first Chinese emperor’s tomb. This is their story, told through archeological evidence and reenactments.

Spend time with the original cast, along with new voices, as this behind-the-scenes special recalls the birth of “X-Men: The Animated Series,” and its revival thirty years later as “X-Men ’97.”

An intimate and revelatory portrait of one of the world’s most influential political figures, Lula explores the rise, fall and triumphant return of beloved Brazilian leader Luiz Inácio “Lula” da Silva, chronicling his extraordinary journey in 2022 to regain the Brazilian presidency after spending nineteen months in prison.

Featuring unprecedented access to Jim Henson’s personal archives, filmmaker Ron Howard brings us a fascinating and insightful look at a complex man whose boundless imagination inspired the world.

Newly discovered interviews with Elizabeth Taylor and unprecedented access to the star’s personal archive reveal the complex inner life and vulnerability of the groundbreaking icon.

Follow the veterans and newest class of Navy and Marine Corps flight squadron as they go through intense training and into a season of heart-stopping aerial artistry.

Driven to maintain social order, policing in the United States has exploded in scope and scale over hundreds of years. Now, American policing embodies one word: power.

A film crew follows two leopard cubs as they make the fascinating journey from infancy into adulthood in this up-close-and-personal nature documentary.

As England reach the final of the Euros at last, 6,000 ticketless football fans storm Wembley stadium, leaving destruction in their wake.

An exploration of the life of Anita Pallenberg, European actress and rock ’n’ roll muse. Told in Anita’s own words, from her unpublished memoir, and in the words of her family, this bittersweet film is a never-seen-before look at life with The Rolling Stones.

This documentary delves into the mysteries surrounding the Neanderthals and what their fossil record tells us about their lives and disappearance.

The incredible true story of four children, who survive a plane crash deep in the dangerous Colombian Amazon. They are lost and alone for 40 days while the military and indigenous guard race against time to find them.

Delve into the digestive system with this lighthearted and informative documentary that demystifies the role gut health plays in our overall well-being.

A look at the relationships and rivalries within The Rolling Stones in their formative years, as well as the creative musical genius of Brian Jones, key to the success of the band.

This documentary looks at the surge in political violence through the story of the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, showing the roots of anti-government sentiment and its reverberations today, along with the emotionally charged warnings of those who suffered tragic losses in the deadliest homegrown attack in U.S. history.

The forests of Michoacán are home to millions of monarch butterflies. Activist Homero Gómez was highly vocal about its preservation – and then he vanished.

Documentary revealing the shocking story of how Richard Spencer was subjected to years of abuse at the hands of his wife Sheree. This is the disturbing tale of the suffering that Richard endured, with compelling footage of the abuse captured on camera and in audio recordings, as well as written testimonials.

The fascinating, and often hilarious, inside story of the technology-driven disruption that changed music in the late ’90s and early 2000s,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. The documentary looks at the technology that made it possible for millions of young people to quench their thirst for new music by simply downloading it for free.

A man forms an unlikely friendship with a wild otter while living in the remote Shetland Islands.

An intimately raw and magical journey through the life, mind, and heart of iconic artist Frida Kahlo. Told through her own words for the very first time — drawn from her diary, revealing letters, essays, and print interviews — and brought vividly to life by lyrical animation inspired by her unforgettable artwork.

An exploration of the perils of nationalism and art’s role as a weapon of resistance and activism throughout the 1990s Siege of Sarajevo during the Bosnian War. Explore how art and music sustained hope, thanks in part to humanitarians and the band U2.

In the remote village of El Echo that exists outside of time, the children care for the sheep and their elders. While the frost and drought punish the land, they learn to understand death, illness and love with each act, word and silence of their parents. A story about the echo of what clings to the soul, about the certainty of shelter provided by those around us, about rebellion and vertigo in the face of life. About growing up.

Stars of “The Walking Dead,” Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira, walk down memory lane and visit iconic locations where pivotal moments between their characters, Rick and Michonne, were filmed.

From practicing barefoot on the streets of Lagos to performing on stage in England, twelve year old Anthony Madu leaves his home in Nigeria to study at one of the most prestigious ballet schools in the world. Anthony, who had barely left his neighborhood in Lagos, finds himself thrust into a new world where his wildest dream is suddenly within reach. His journey is a story of extraordinary obstacles, courage, growth, and ultimately, his search for belonging.

Join us on a revealing journey behind-the-scenes of Maya Lopez’s own groundbreaking series. Witness how the production took unprecedented steps to portray the deaf experience, and Native American culture truthfully. Spend time with powerhouse actor Vincent D’Onofrio as he brings the Kingpin to monstrous life once again. All this and more waits to be discovered in “Assembled: The Making of Echo.”

Alongside a passionate cast and crew, follow Walker Scobell, Leah Sava Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri as they step into worlds fit for gods, battle unforgettable creatures, and perform legendary stunts.

A documentary on the rise and fall and recent return of sexy movies in Philippine cinema. Featuring interviews from the sexy movie icons of the past and the rising sexy stars of the present.

An in-depth look at the creative process behind “Society of the Snow,” featuring cast, crew, director J.A. Bayona and even real-life survivors.

This feature-length big screen documentary tells the riotous inside story of the infamous sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll repertory cinema which inspired a generation during Britain’s turbulent Thatcher years.