Journey To The East

The famous traveler, scientist and philanthropist Frederik Paulsen, who conquered all 8 poles of our planet, plunged into the depths of the Arctic Ocean, studied the bottom of Lake Baikal and the Novosibirsk Islands, in the company of actress Agnia Ditkovskite went on a new expedition to Tuva. Their goal is to reach the top of the sacred mountain Mongun-Taiga. Tuvans believe that there, at an altitude of almost 4 thousand meters, dwells a spirit that protects the entire Tuvan land. And they don't let outsiders in there.

In December 1979, the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan. Four years later—the Islamic calendar's year 1362—, director Volker Koepp visited Kabul and neighboring provinces. Koepp met a cross-section of people, such as soldiers, intellectuals, kids, and nomads, and with sensitive intensity told stories of their daily lives in the turmoil of an “undeclared war.” This travelogue, which was undertaken with the GDR’s consent, took a political risk because it expresses Koepp’s doubt that conflicts can be solved through military invention.

It's a dark world in which you have to know how to travel encrypted and anonymized on the Internet: the darknet: stomping ground for drug dealers, arms dealers and child molesters. But also a haven for journalists, whistleblowers, and the politically persecuted in many countries around the world. Due to ever more comprehensive digital surveillance, the darknet is essential for survival for people in an increasing number of autocratically ruled countries around the world. Annette Dittert has embarked on a journey to get to know the light and dark side of this digital parallel universe.

The inner world of the great painter Max Ernst is the subject of this film. One of the principal founders of Surrealism, Max Ernst explores the nature of materials and the emotional significance of shapes to combine with his collages and netherworld canvases. The director and Ernst together use the film creatively as a medium to explain the artist's own development.

Born in a county town beside the Han River, Wan Ying, the host of the podcast bowuzhi.fm, never found interest in the river that flowed past her home every day. It wasn't until she returned home for a family funeral in early 2023, standing by the riverbank during a night of vigil, that she was deeply moved by the silent flow of the magnificent river. Inspired, she invites a few friends for a journey upstream the Han River, aiming to rediscover the mother river whose name has long been obscured. Han River, China's third mother river, originates between the Bashan Mountains and the Qinling Range. As it flows, it nurtures a commercial golden waterway connecting the north and south of China. This journey uncovers tales of pioneering construction, passionate departures from home, dramatic business legends, scenic views of vast farmlands, and breathtaking mountain vistas shrouded in mist.

Magnar and Oddny Kleiva have led their entire lives on their small mountain farm in Norway, seemingly unaffected by the riches of modern society. One day relatives from the US come to visit, and invite them to see where their grandmothers sister emigrated to in 1890. But will the brother and sister in their seventies dare the long journey, having barely left the county before?

The grey seal has always been adept at hunting fast, elusive prey. As one of Europe's largest predators, the decline of fish stocks and increase in competition, as well as legal seal hunting, has changed their entire world--and their behavior. Recent improvements in annual surveys and animal tagging have revealed precious information about where grey seals go when they leave the coast and how they spend their lives. Their name traditionally conjures up images of adorable pups and clownish behavior, but this film uncovers another side to these predators.

The Film takes its viewers into the sacred groves of the Himalayas that are still alive because of the faith of its people. It traces the struggles of the people to save their forests from being plundered, as they crumble under the pressure of countless development projects.

Jouni Hiltunen has filmed Cranes for many years. He decides to once again follow the Crane family's summer in Finland from early spring to the birth of a Crane chick. After the nesting he leaves on a so-called birds road with migrating Cranes, towards Hungary and finally to Israel, to find out if there is a winter paradise for migrating Cranes somewhere. The film about the year of the Cranes and the migration journey expands to a story about the coexistence of man in a rapidly changing world.

Monika Treut explores the worlds and thoughts of several female to male transgendered individuals. As with Treuts first film, Jungfrauenmaschine, Gendernauts, enters a minority sector of San Fransisco culture. The characters in this film have a lot to complain about, and they do. They are people whose physical appearance (female) does not match their inner sexual identity (male). The subject is pinpointed in the film independant of sexual orientation. Leave your conservative hats at the door, this is going to need your special attention.

Routine imprisoned Eva in an automatism that was ingrained in her spirit. Dromomania will perhaps be the expression that best illustrates her condition. She feels absent, and her frivolous glance catalogs each one of the small details of the journey that imprisons her every day. Her apathetic state is interrupted when she crosses an object outside the street and Eva is forced to finally face her demons.

Takaki runs a small cardboard processing company. One day, he killed himself. He did this because of Yoshiyuki. Yoshiyuki is the CEO of a company that works with Takaki's company. Due to Yoshiyuki, Takaki's company went bankrupt because of heavy debts. This caused Takaki to jump off of a rooftop building. Despite the appeals from Takaki's family, Yoshiyuki was unpunished by the law. Takaki ’s son Kazuma and Takaki ’s nephew Mitsuru decide to take revenge on Yoshiyuki.

Guo Zequan went on a journey into the southern part of China.

Kapten Groggs and his companion Kalle sail to foreign shores, encountering wild animals, stormy weather, and friendly villains.

Chris Jiménez follows Sanae Nagashima with his camera in her journey from the crowded streets of Asakusa to the ancient castle of Tsuchiura.

A journey with Ahlam and her family in Paris, taking a closer look at her personal and artistic life, enriched by memories, songs and music.

The Journey of Chinese Plants is China's first documentary telling stories of Chinese plants and their connection to the world. Chief Director Li Chengcai says he was inspired to create the series by French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who spent the last few years of his life studying plants.

Erdeng is a shaman from the grasslands of West Ujimqin Banner near the Mongolian border in China. When he was young, he studied under a respected shaman in Mongolia. Baolidao, Erdeng’s son, prefers a more modern life in China. In 2012, they travelled to Mongolia and, seeing the power of the shaman with his own eyes, Baolidao began to develop a new appreciation for his people.

The journey of a pentagram immerses us in the preparation of a concert of baroque music with pieces by Bach and Handel. Participating in the reflections of the musicians on the historical interpretation and the meaning of the pieces.