The film looks at the traumatic experiences of patients in East German psychiatric care. It sheds light on often inhumane conditions in psychiatric institutions and on dubious forms of therapy. The documentary is a powerful portrayal of the struggle to reform “soul work under socialism”.
Fond memories, true love and bizarre anecdotes combined with unique archive footage make this film a fascinating study of socialist car culture past and present. What did it mean to own a motor car in the East? Classic car enthusiasts from all over Europe tell fascinating stories about their “dearest companion”.
He was an icon, flamboyant pianist, egomaniac, showman par excellence: Liberace – the King of Bling – enjoyed an unparalleled career. The salon pianist turned megastar lived the American dream, but it was a life of unmatched paradox and eccentricity.
In the 1990s, Spanish war photographer Gervasio Sánchez documented the lives of children in besieged Sarajevo. 25 years later he returns and confronts today’s adults with images from that time. What became of them? What was it like growing up after the war? An often overwhelming encounter with the past
It is 1212: Thousands of children from Central Europe set off for Jerusalem to liberate the Holy City from the Saracens. With no equipment, weapons, provisions or money and driven only by their faith, most meet their death or are sold into slavery. What was behind this historically unprecedented crusade? What is fact, what is fiction? A search for clues.
We are immersed in elegant scenes of traditional temples to wellness. The focus is on design and architecture as well as the culture of bathhouses from various periods: the Géllert Thermal Bath in Budapest, the Sento Takara-yu in Tokyo, the Roman Baths in Bath and the Hamam Kılıç Ali Paşa in Istanbul.
The story of a rural Jewish family in Germany that was torn apart, its members forced into hard labour, deported and finally murdered. We trace the steps of their destruction, from mere harassment to crimes beyond comprehension. The film takes us to where the Holocaust unfolded: Auschwitz as well as Kaunas and Treblinka.
He was a patron of science, a reformer, and might even be called the first modern ruler. And yet he was also brutal and power-hungry. Frederick II of Hohenstaufen (1194–1250) was an exceptional figure on the Roman-German imperial throne.
Edward II, who ruled England in the early 14th century, was surrounded by opponents: the Scots in the north, the French on the continent, and the barons in his own country. He was eventually brought down by his own wife, who invaded England and forced him to resign. The story of an unprecedented royal downfall.
The Putin era in Russian politics began on 31 December 1999, after Yeltsin’s resignation and shortly before the millennium celebrations. The children born on that day have now come of age. They have only ever known ex-KGB man Vladimir Putin at the pinnacle of power. What do the Putin generation think and feel? How do they want to live in the future?
We travel to France, Germany and Italy to find out about the fascinating world of the medieval Cistercian Order. The old traditions of their monasteries are still preserved and maintained to this day. What was the secret behind their incredible achievements and skills that helped them make such an important contribution to the cultural development of the western world?
Before the eyes of the international community, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Palmyra in Syria suffered severe damage. In a sophisticated virtual reality project the “queen of the desert” was digitally reconstructed. Now the cultural heritage of the Syrian people can at least be experienced virtually again.
