The Underground Eiger

Dure Limite: Caving in a mill, Mer de Glace(fr)

The Mer de Glace in Chamonix, November 86: every summer the meltwater that runs on the surface of the glacier flows into a huge crevasse called "a mill". In 1897, Joseph VALLOT had explored it to a depth of 60m, a lake had prevented him from going any further. Since then no one had descended into this well. In the fall, a multidisciplinary team made up of mountaineers including Jean Marc BOIVIN, speleologists and scientists descending into the crevasse... Superb images and live comments in a temperature of 0° and a humidity of 100%. The team reached 110m deep under the ice, a world first in glacier exploration. Jean marc BOIVIN seems delighted with his first speleological exploration. With the participation of Serge AVIOTTE, Jean Michel ASSELIN, Jean Marc BOIVIN, Janot LAMBERTON, Pierrot PILLET, Louis REYNAUD, Jean Luc RIGAUD and Denis TERMIER.

A Crack in the Mountain(en)

Deep in the jungle of Central Vietnam, lies a magnificent underground kingdom. Hang Son Doong which translates as “mountain river cave”, is the largest cave passage in the world and a place of spectacular beauty. With more people having climbed Everest than visited Son Doong, its pristine charm has remained undisturbed for millions of years. In 2014, Son Doong’s future was thrown into doubt when plans were announced to build a cable car into the cave. With many arguing that this would destroy its delicate eco-system and the local community divided over the benefits this development would bring, the film follows those caught up in the unfolding events. Beautifully shot and scored, “A Crack In The Mountain” is a powerful exposé about how both good and bad intentions can ultimately lead to one of the world’s greatest natural wonders being trampled for money. As well as inspire those who care about our natural heritage to fight to protect it.

Ancient Caves(en)

Ancient Caves brings science and adventure together as it follows paleoclimatologist Dr. Gina Moseley on a mission to unlock the secrets of the Earth’s climate in the most unlikely of places: caves. Moseley and her team of cave explorers travel the world exploring vast underground worlds in search of stalagmite samples – geologic “fingerprints” – that reveal clues about the planet’s climate history. Their quest leads them to some of the world’s most remote caves, both above and below the water, in France, Iceland, the Bahamas, the U.S. and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Together, they go where very few humans will ever go, revealing the incredible lengths scientists will go to study the unknown.

The Rescue: 54 Hours Under the Ground(en)

After a freak accident, experienced caver George Linnane was left with multiple life-threatening injuries within Britain’s deepest cave system. This drama documentary set in the Brecon Beacons tells the story of his remarkable 54-hour-long rescue. With George’s life hanging in the balance, a team of over 300 individuals came to the rescue, from Wales and across the UK, to try and save his life and bring him safely to the surface.

Down the Rabbit Hole(en)

James Roddie is a caver, climber and a professional photographer. He’s also a 30-year-old man with an eating disorder. After the death of his father, James deals with it the best way he knows how – heading underground with his camera. Delving into his story, James candidly explores why caving, adventure, and mental health are so intricately tied together.

Escape from the Planet of the Apes(en)

The world is shocked by the appearance of three talking chimpanzees, who arrived mysteriously in a spacecraft. Intrigued by their intelligence, humans use them for research - until the apes attempt to escape.

The Cave(en)

After a group of biologists discovers a huge network of unexplored caves in Romania and, believing it to be an undisturbed eco-system that has produced a new species, they hire the best American team of underwater cave explorers in the world. While exploring deeper into the underwater caves, a rockslide blocks their exit, and they soon discover a larger carnivorous creature has added them to its food chain.

The True Story of the Bridge on the River Kwai(en)

Made famous by the 1957 Hollywood movie, the bridges of the River Kwai emblematize one of the most misunderstood events in history. Contrary to the romanticized film version, the structures represent a period of terror, desperation, and death for over 16,000 POWs and 100,00 local slaves. The Thailand - Burma Railway was the vision of the Japanese Imperial Army: a 250-mile track cut through dense jungle that would connect Bangkok and Rangoon. To accomplish this nearly impossible feat, the fanatical and ruthless Japanese engineers used POWs and local slaves as manpower. Candid interviews with men who lived through the atrocity - including Dutch, Australian, British, and American POWs - illuminate the violence and horror of their three-and-a-half-year internment. From Britain's surrender of Singapore the enduring force of friendship, The True Story Of The Bridge On The River Kwai narrates a moving and unforgettable account of a period in history that must be remembered.

Killer Instinct - The Rise and Fall of Mike Tyson(en)

We see the man in action, in the ring as the intense fighting machine with killer instincts, and out of the ring as the quietly spoken young man.

Son of Torum(et)

In the same vein as Meri's other documentations, this one takes advantage of the glasnost policy to discuss the social and ecologic impact of the Russian oil industry on the natives and the lands they inhabit.

A Road in India(en)

Life on the road in India, showing the traffic, people and animals.

Temples of India(en)

Hindu temples at Benares and Belur and the mythologies associated with them.

Through a Lens Darkly: Black Photographers and the Emergence of a People(en)

The film explores the role of photography, since its rudimentary beginnings in the 1840s, in shaping the identity, aspirations, and social emergence of African Americans from slavery to the present. The dramatic arch is developed as a visual narrative that flows through the past 160 years to reveal black photography as an instrument for social change, an African American point-of-view on American history, and a particularized aesthetic vision.

Another Romance of Celluloid(en)

This second entry in MGM's "Romance of Film" series documents how celluloid movie film is processed and features behind-the-scenes glimpses of current MGM productions.

The Seventh Man(en)

The story chronicles 2 years in the life of the best 6-man football team in Texas, the Panther Creek Panthers.

Bleu Silico(fr)

Researchers are trying to inject DNA from photosensitive algae to heal our retinas. From ocean blue to the computers blue screen, the vision is hybridized.

New York, New York - Saturday in SoHo/Watching My Name Go By(en)

Humphrey Burton introduces two Omnibus USA reports on the arts in New York... that is the arts in the streets, away from the museums and the concert halls. One film is 'Saturday in Soho', an impression of artists, dancers and musicians' work and of the Soho area in general. The second is 'Watching My Name Go By', a showcase a kind of graffiti cult game played by 11 to 17-year-olds. It's illegal and dangerous - and while some New Yorkers think it's a kind of art, others think it's kind of disgusting.

Rodman: For Better or Worse(en)

While Rodman is no doubt one of the greatest talents in NBA history, he is just as famous for his off-court exploits. 30 for 30 explores the reasons behind him becoming the character he is known as today.

The Origins of Ebbing(en)

Forgotten Transports to Estonia(cs)