DOCUMENTARY FILMS
Our informative documentary films
Investigative research is one of our strengths. Our films plumb the depths, illustrate nuanced aspects, answer key questions, highlight developments and deliver analyses.
The rowing eight – a myth
arte
The eight – the supreme discipline of rowing. Myth, legend, goose bumps. Political influence, social relationships and the women’s fight for equal rights also play a major role.
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Are judges saving the climate now?
arte
The effects of climate change are increasing. More and more people are suing for their right to a better climate. In several German cities, judges are hearing cases against car companies. Can such climate lawsuits change environmental policy?
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Super storage – power for the long term
arte
How can green electricity from wind and sun be stored for times when the sun is not shining and the wind turbines are idle? The science documentary accompanies researchers in the exciting search for new storage technologies.
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How the Germans learned to love France
arte
The rapprochement between the two nations – from a West and East German perspective. Exchange students show footage of their trips to France from the 1950s to the 1990s.
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Apple orchards and wilderness. The old country on the Elbe
arte
The Elbe is a very special region. Unique cultural and natural landscapes alternate here: Endless orchards, rare rain moorland and pristine forest.
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The secrets of Neuschwanstein
National Geographic
Neuschwanstein Castle – a place full of dreams, miracles and myths, but also full of secrets. Year after year, the medieval castle in the Allgäu attracts over 1.5 million visitors from all over the world.
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Treasures under lock and key. The freeport system
Co-production: Germany/Austria
More and more works of art and valuables, such as gold or vintage cars, are being stored in duty-free high-security warehouses known as freeports.
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A family under the shadow of the swastika
arte
Hundreds of letters, more than nine hours of private film material and countless photos document the extraordinary story of Helmut and Erna.
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Wood – The stolen forest
Environmental thriller
Illegal logging is a billion-dollar global business. Alexander von Bismarck, descendant of the Iron Chancellor and head of the Environmental Investigation Agency in Washington, successfully tracks down the schemes and intrigues of the timber mafia.
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Evolution in the urban jungle
arte
New genetic research provides unexpected insights into Darwin’s theory of evolution. As a result, animals and plants are often able to adapt to new living conditions in the city in just a few decades.
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Coronavirus: Security versus freedom
arte
After three quarters of a year of living with coronavirus, a lot is still unclear, but there is broad agreement on one thing: we will have to live it for a long time. The only question is: how?
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Armies in the grip of the corporations
arte
The armed forces are under pressure – both in Germany and in France. Both armies are being stretched as they have not been for decades by foreign missions from ranging Afghanistan to North Africa.
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The first male midwife in Haiti
arte
Our documentary follows 24-year-old Edouard on his journey to become Haiti’s first male obstetrician. The Caribbean island nation has one of the highest mortality rates new births in the Western Hemisphere.