The unbelievable story of the Zimbabwe prison officer who decided to turn a video camera on his work. The story he came out with shows prison staff forced to... more

The unbelievable story of the Zimbabwe prison officer who decided to turn a video camera on his work. The story he came out with shows prison staff forced to vote for Mugabwe, imprisoned MDC officials. Most of all it illustrates the underbelly of a one party African state in action. Guardian Films More info: http://www.guardian.co.uk/ Broadcast enquiries: 07768867743 less

See full film here: http://www.booserver.com/projects.php?ProjectID=3158 May 2008 Day-to-day living is increasingly difficult for the 2 million Iraqi... more

See full film here: http://www.booserver.com/projects.php?ProjectID=3158 May 2008 Day-to-day living is increasingly difficult for the 2 million Iraqi refugees in Syria and Jordan. Families who previously fled for their lives must now contemplate the journey back to Iraq. The reality of bombed and occupied homes, sectarian terror, and more fighting frightens them. But penniless and with no hope of work they must now consider returning. A personal narrative which more than anything tells of the enduring tragedy of war, long after peace returns to the streets. less

May 2008 Welcome to the Sky Kingdom, a religious wonderland decorated with a giant teapot, a giant vase and an enormous golden umbrella. The controversial... more

May 2008 Welcome to the Sky Kingdom, a religious wonderland decorated with a giant teapot, a giant vase and an enormous golden umbrella. The controversial multi-faith Sky Kingdom sect has its home on the Malaysian peninsula's east coast, and it's spiritual figurehead is Arifin Mohammed - also known as Father or Ayah Pin. less

June 2008 Violence in Zimbabwe escalates as Robert Mugabe's ZANU PF party fights growing political resistance. Using a hidden camera we follow the MDC's... more

June 2008 Violence in Zimbabwe escalates as Robert Mugabe's ZANU PF party fights growing political resistance. Using a hidden camera we follow the MDC's resistance movement. Julius is a young man in-hiding after an attack by Mugabe loyalists left him with severe injuries. He was beaten unconscious and left to drown. Many of his attackers were neighbours, 'I used to socialise with them', he says. 'Our crime was that we voted for the MDC', Julius tells us. 'We were beaten because they said we wasted our votes and sold our country'. A badly injured man, targeted by ZANU PF for acting as a polling officer, is being treated at a nearby hospital. He knows he is risking his life by appearing on-camera but does not turn us down; 'I want the world to know that it is true', he explains. 'People are being beaten by ZANU PF, people are being killed by ZANU PF'. less

June 2008 The death of a young American peace activist in Gaza, attracted international media attention. Now her story has been turned into a controversial... more

June 2008 The death of a young American peace activist in Gaza, attracted international media attention. Now her story has been turned into a controversial but popular play using extracts from her letters. Rachel Corrie travelled to Gaza in 2003 to prevent the Israeli government from bulldozing Palestinian homes. But she was killed when acting as a human shield. Bren Carlill of the Australia-Israel Jewish Affairs Council blames the International Solidarity Movement for Rachel's death; "This is a Palestinian organisation that takes naive Westerners and puts them as human shields in war zones - it's actually a war crime". less

June 2008 Chinese authorities have got a radical weapon against troublemakers: lock them up indefinitely in police-run mental hospitals. Written off as... more

June 2008 Chinese authorities have got a radical weapon against troublemakers: lock them up indefinitely in police-run mental hospitals. Written off as 'dangerously ill', 'patients' are often never seen again. Zhang, a democratic activist, was abducted by the police and taken to an institution where he's been detained alongside genuine psychopaths. As his sister tried to prove his sanity, it appeared that the motive was his political views. Another victim was incarcerated and force-fed pills for a year after challenging a court ruling. Coming out, she talked to human rights activists: 'What on earth is wrong with me that I must stay with murderers in one cell? Is there a law in this world?' Psychiatrists claim that 'patients' have pathologically distorted views of reality. Anyone opposing the Chinese government must be insane indeed. less

June 2008 Exxon Valdez leaked more than 40 million litres of crude oil into Alaska's pristine waterways nineteen years ago. Today, oil is still polluting the... more

June 2008 Exxon Valdez leaked more than 40 million litres of crude oil into Alaska's pristine waterways nineteen years ago. Today, oil is still polluting the shores and bankrupted fishermen are still waiting for the $5 billion payout granted in 1994. After a series of appeals by the company, $5 billion became $2.5. Now that the case has reached the increasingly pro-business US Supreme Court, fishermen fear they could end up with nothing. While ExxonMobil claims the area has returned to robust health, locals tell of vastly depleted fish stocks, which almost disappeared after the spill. ExxonMobil claims the fish fell victim to a virus, a theory disputed by the fishermen, who are backed by scientific evidence: 'The fish can't disappear like they're telling the public. [Exxon's] explanation just isn't practical,' says an expert. As the legal case drags on, a fifth of the plaintiffs have died and the rest have lost hope. For them, Exxon has already won no matter what. Yet the oil giant keeps repeating that the spill was a tragic accident and that the company has acted responsibly towards the local communities. Fishermen whose livelihoods were wrecked feel cheated: 'Exxon says that everything's coming back and everything's fine-- it's a lie.' less

June 2008 The crowd roars as children punch and kick one another during a Thai kickboxing competition in Bangkok. For the adults watching these young athletes... more

June 2008 The crowd roars as children punch and kick one another during a Thai kickboxing competition in Bangkok. For the adults watching these young athletes in combat it is more than just sport, it means money. "After their bets are in, audiences are even more captivated by every move the fighters make." The fights are dangerous, but the crowds only care about one thing, their money. Children as young as four years old train to fight. They risk brutal injuries to earn money for their poor families and dream of a happier life. "I'm going to buy a house for my dad", claims one fighter. less

See full film here: http://www.booserver.com/projects.php?ProjectID=3155 June 2008 When China pitched for the 2008 Olympic Games, it made a promise to... more

See full film here: http://www.booserver.com/projects.php?ProjectID=3155 June 2008 When China pitched for the 2008 Olympic Games, it made a promise to improve its people's fundamental human rights. Yet with increasing numbers of political activists being tortured and incarcerated for no other crime than expressing their opinions, this promise remains unfulfilled. less

June 2008 Since Israel began its blockade, Gaza has rarely been out of the news. We take a look at life behind the blockade and the headlines and we see a... more

June 2008 Since Israel began its blockade, Gaza has rarely been out of the news. We take a look at life behind the blockade and the headlines and we see a people left suffering and angry. 'Enough!' shouts a gas-buyer in the market, 'We are a people who have had enough!' The mood in the market, as in Gaza as a whole, is one of misery and anger. No one is allowed to enter or leave Gaza, and restrictions have been placed on water, fuel and electricity. 'This is the problem with Gaza', says John Ging, director of the UN Relief and Works Agency. 'The problems are identified, the solutions are known and yet nothing changes other than the situation continues to get worse and worse'. Karima Al Doul has cancer in an advanced stage. Before the blockade she used to travel to Israel for chemotherapy, but now treatment is unavailable and she has only months to live. Karima worries about the five children she will leave behind. It is the vulnerable that have suffered most from the blockades, she tells us. 'Many sick people have died because of this blockade. They are sick; this is not their fault'. less

June 2008 Corruption is part of daily life in Romania, with almost half of Romanians admitting to paying bribes. Now the EC is putting increasing pressure on... more

June 2008 Corruption is part of daily life in Romania, with almost half of Romanians admitting to paying bribes. Now the EC is putting increasing pressure on the Romanian government to end bribery. It's almost become compulsory. "They no longer mention it, you know what's expected." Some officials struggle against the rampant corruption but it often results in their dismissal. It's an ongoing battle between the politicians exploiting corruption and those fighting it. But following a push from Europe a number of high profile politicians have been charged, to the delight of Romanians. "People want to see convictions." less

June 2008 Ernest Hemingway lived outside Havana for more than 20 years. Now falling into disrepair, his former home is the centre of a political battle between... more

June 2008 Ernest Hemingway lived outside Havana for more than 20 years. Now falling into disrepair, his former home is the centre of a political battle between the US and the Castro regime. Hemingway wrote some of his most famous books in Cuba and his house is full of his original writings and and manuscripts, requiring an expensive and painstaking preservation process. Financial help is badly needed from the US but is denied thanks to the trade embargo. "This is really stupid. This harms our own preservation of our own culture and histories." Claims Steve Clemons of the US based New American Foundation. less

June 2008 Paris is a city divided. Tensions between police, immigrants and ethnic minorities in deprived ghettos have erupted in riots. David Brill... more

June 2008 Paris is a city divided. Tensions between police, immigrants and ethnic minorities in deprived ghettos have erupted in riots. David Brill investigates the social and racial fault lines of Paris. The residents of Paris' outer-suburb ghettos feel angry and disillusioned by a seemingly indifferent government. With unemployment at 40% in these areas, resentment runs deep. Sarkozy, who dubbed these residents as "scum" in 2005, has become a hate figure. Suspicion of police is also rife, particularly after two boys died while running from police in the 2005 riots. Samir, a father of two, says; "at the smallest disturbance they send in 50 busloads of riot police, blockade the whole neighbourhood and harass everyone. I can't imagine my girls growing up here." Racism is another ongoing problem. One resident states; "I am French but look at my skin. It means I can never feel French." less

June 2008 An appearance of peace has returned to Lebanon; but as Hezbollah grows in power, political tensions are becoming palpable. Has the country finally... more

June 2008 An appearance of peace has returned to Lebanon; but as Hezbollah grows in power, political tensions are becoming palpable. Has the country finally entered a long-term settlement, or are we witnessing the preliminaries to a new conflict? Thanks to massive financial and military backing from Iran and Syria, Hezbollah has emerged as a powerhouse over the past years. Keen to display its power, it has repeatedly had the upper hand in skirmishes with government forces. A traditional enemy of Israel, Hezbollah has recently shifted its attention to Lebanon. Sunnis and supporters of the government have now become terrified to speak out against it: 'I doubt the Lebanese president can do anything about them because they see themselves as stronger than the state. They are a state within a state', says a leader of the Future Movement. Lebanese society is divided between pro-Hezbollah and pro-government factions, which is most visible in the hostility between Sunnis and Shias but has lately spread to other communities. With the 2009 elections looming, the Christian vote has become a vital political battleground. And in some ways the split emerging among them is more significant than the Sunni-Shia divide. Militias are forming in the suburbs of Beirut and tensions keep rising. Is this the build-up to a new civil war? less

See full film here: http://www.booserver.com/projects.php?ProjectID=3154 June 2008 At 89, Doctor Hida, a survivor of the 1945 atomic bomb at Hiroshima, ... more

See full film here: http://www.booserver.com/projects.php?ProjectID=3154 June 2008 At 89, Doctor Hida, a survivor of the 1945 atomic bomb at Hiroshima, continues to care for some of the other quarter of a million survivors. Atomic Wounds retraces his dedicated journey and highlights how the terrible danger of radiation was concealed by successive American administrations in the 50's - 70's so that nuclear power could be freely developed, with no concern for public health. less

TO SEE MORE VISIT - http://www.guardian.co.uk/video June 2008 US forces in Afghanistan face an unexpected enemy: the language barrier. They need villagers to... more

TO SEE MORE VISIT - http://www.guardian.co.uk/video June 2008 US forces in Afghanistan face an unexpected enemy: the language barrier. They need villagers to cooperate but inaccurate translations keep defeating them. Here is one comically absurd example of failed communication. An increasing number of Taliban rockets has been hitting Charlie Company. The source of the attacks was located near Mangratay, a small Afghan village. Sergeant Adams is sent to Mangratay to speak to the local elders about the attacks. As always, he finds a ghost town: 'everybody has just disappeared.' Finally, a man appears but he only speaks Pashto. Asked about the level of security in the area, he replies that 'there is no security'. Inexplicably, this gets translated to: 'We are fine; there are no problems here.' The translators have become empowered and inject their own interpretation into everything. Although the elder clearly indicates he wants to cooperate, the translator fails to convey his answers, And so it goes on. The old Afghan offers the American soldier a parable; 'The Taliban are like little ants, there is no way to keep them from the wheat' is translated to 'the Taliban are behind this mountain'. This is a familiar situation to Sergeant Adams, who leaves swearing and angry. A week later, more rockets hit the same area. Time after time the Americans and ordinary Afghans fail to understand one another. Never was the absurdity of war more obvious than here. less

June 2008 Robots have become part of daily life in Japan and now they look to be the solution to a national problem. Armies of these metal creatures are being... more

June 2008 Robots have become part of daily life in Japan and now they look to be the solution to a national problem. Armies of these metal creatures are being developed to provide care for the elderly. In the past, three generations of a Japanese family would live together. Yet as this lifestyle becomes more rare, fewer people are left supporting Japan's elders. So scientists are developing Ri-Man, the "newest prototype of the care robot." Ri-Man can see, hear and assess a person's health, but he still needs tweaking. Currently he is "unable to express any emotion", but things are set to change. less

June 2008 Photographer Peter Kayafas has long been fascinated by the earthiness of southerners, their hospitality and their hatreds. Peter travels down the... more

June 2008 Photographer Peter Kayafas has long been fascinated by the earthiness of southerners, their hospitality and their hatreds. Peter travels down the South's roads capturing the contradictions of the region. Kayafas says, "Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker...I'd say that Highway 61 is one of the most historically relevant roads in America" /due to the number of artists and musicians who've travelled along it. Peter and travelling companion Maher uncover many incredible moments, from Big Jack Johnson on his porch playing Catfish Blues, to meeting Joanne Bland who took part in the freedom march led by Martin Luther King in the 1960s. less

June 2008 In the depths of Siberia, amongst the ruins of a former Soviet military base lives a hidden community. Although hundreds of kilometres from... more

June 2008 In the depths of Siberia, amongst the ruins of a former Soviet military base lives a hidden community. Although hundreds of kilometres from civilization, people are volunteering to come and live here. Eniseisk 15 was once a secret radar site that detected missiles launched from space but was dismantled after an arms agreement with America. Now it is being used to house disabled people long with elderly people who volunteer to receive free housing here from the state. Conditions are difficult though, with no employment opportunities for the young and no medical care for the elderly. Yet compared to surrounding villages "the housing here is comfortable. You don't have to chop wood, you don't need to heat the stove and the toilet is inside the flat," explains the local councilor. Maybe that explains the increase of people wanting to move to this desolate, remote village in Siberia. less

June 2008 This year US General Bice announced that Guam will be the site of 'the largest military build-up in the history of the US'. Locals say that the... more

June 2008 This year US General Bice announced that Guam will be the site of 'the largest military build-up in the history of the US'. Locals say that the communities indigenous to this small Pacific island will not survive. Guam is a political anomaly: A US territory where citizens do not have US voting-rights and where island politics are controlled by Washington. The indigenous population, the Chamarro, live in poverty and preserving their traditional way of life is a struggle. 'We are certainly on the endangered species list', says Chamorro leader Debbie Quintana. Now the US plans to make Guam the lynchpin of its military strategy in the western Pacific, and the mood in Guam is of anger and disbelief. 'We are a strategic location, a possession, a bounty of war', Quinata says. 'And if we don't like it, tough'. less