Frauen und Männer der Steinzeit

The Nobles of Prehistory

Dames et princes de la Préhistoire

Mujeres y hombres de la prehistoria

Some Paleolithic burials are exceptional. Dated around 25,000 BC, they are far more complex and decorative than we usually give the era credit for. Of great beauty, they also trigger the question: who were these individuals buried with so much care and adornment?

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Some Paleolithic burials are exceptional. Dated around 25,000 BC, they are far more complex and decorative than we usually give the era credit for. Of great beauty, they also trigger the question: who were these individuals buried with so much care and adornment?<br /><br />

Ladies and Princes of the Paleolithic

Dated around 25,000 BC, some Paleolithic burials are complex and decorative

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Polished axes from the Neolithic period were the tools used for perhaps the biggest change that man has brought about on Earth: the clearing of the land for agriculture.

Making History

Stone Age Axes - Clearing the Land

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The Enigmas of the Past

Archaeology

The Chachapoyas of Peru fascinate archaeologists and historians. Between the 8th and the 16th centuries this reputedly fierce warrior people practiced an unusual mortuary ritual.

Archaeological Investigations

The Chachapoyas of Peru fascinate archaeologists and historians with their unusual mortuary rituals.

Chachapoyas: Living with the Dead

For twenty years, archaeologists and craftsmen have been building the fortified castle of Guedelon in Burgundy using the techniques and materials available in medieval times. This documentary explores the fascinating building project that is recreating a vivid picture of the past.

Guedelon - Rebuilding the Past

Narbonne in the south of France was one of the largest metropolises in the Roman province of Gaul, a major centre of Mediterranean trade that dazzled travellers with its impressive public architecture. But why does so little remain of this once great Roman city today?  

Narbonne in the south of France was one of the largest metropolises in the Roman province of Gaul. So why does so little remain of this once great Roman city today?  

Narbonne - The Second Rome

Docudrama. On 26 June 1813, Austrian foreign minister Metternich came to meet Napoleon at his headquarters in Dresden. Although the French emperor still dominated Europe, he had been severely weakened by the disastrous campaigns in Russia. Could France still count on the support of Austria? After a private meeting that lasted nine hours, the fate of Europe would be decided.

The Beginning of the End

Docudrama. on 26 June 1813 Austrian foreign minister Metternich came to meet Napoleon at his headquarters in Dresden. Although the French emperor still dominated Europe, he had been severely weakened by the disastrous campaigns in Russia. Could France still count on the support of Austria? After a private meeting that lasted nine hours the fate of Europe would be decided.

Napoleon vs. Metternich

Why does Jesus occupy an exceptional place in the Qur'an? The authors of Corpus Christi investigate the origins and genesis of Islam with twenty-six scholars around the world.

Jesus and Islam

Why does Jesus occupy an exceptional place in the Qur'an?

The Crucifixion According to the Qur'an

The famous Tintin comic, The Seven Crystal Balls (1948) has been a favourite for generations of readers with its terrifying Amerindian mummy, Rascar Capa which was almost certainly inspired by a mummy seen by the author, Hergé, at an exhibition in Brussels in the 1920s.
Serge Lemaitre, curator of the Americas Collection at the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels, tries to track down this mummy and tell its story.

The famous Tintin comic, The Seven Crystal Balls(1948) has been a favourite for generations of readers with its terrifying Amerindian mummy, Rascar Capa which was almost certainly inspired by a mummy seen by the author, Hergé, at an exhibition in Brussels in the 1920s.
Serge Lemaitre, curator of the Americas Collection at the Royal Museums of Art and History in Brussels, tries to track down this mummy and tell its story.

Tintin and the Mystery of the Rascar Capac Mummy

One of the most important Bronze Age burial sites is at the Jutland village of Etved in Denmark. In 1921 a mummy of a girl was uncovered dating from 1370 BCE offering a fascinating insight into the day to day lives of our Bronze Age ancestors.

 In 1921 a mummy of a girl was uncovered dating from 1370 BCE offering an insight into life during the Bronze Age.  

The Egtved Girl

In 12th century Sicily King Roger II had a ceremonial cloak made to show his power and magnificence with beautiful Arabic inscriptions adorning its hems. Religious historian Valérie Theis explores the history of this mysterious mantle

The Mantle of Roger II of Sicily

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Behind his polite exterior lies a formidable leader with a ruthless character, ready to do anything to make China the world's leading power by the People’s Republic’s centenary in 2049. This well-documented portrait of the Chinese president gives an unprecedented insight into his politics and shows how Xi Jinping's personal journey has shaped his choices as he steers China towards world domination.

A portrait of the Chinese president giving an unprecedented insight into his politics and showing how Xi Jinping's personal journey has shaped his choices as he steers China towards world domination.

The New World of Xi Jinping

In 1974, the French erotic film Emmanuelle broke audience records: almost 350 million viewers worldwide and a twelve-year run on the Champs Elysées in Paris. After the success of the sexually explicit Last Tango in Paris, Emmanuelle appeared at a turning point in French society: The sexual emancipation following May '68 in France. 

Queen of French Erotic Cinema

In 1974, the French erotic film Emmanuelle broke audience records: almost 350 million viewers worldwide and a twelve-year run on the Champs Elysées in Paris

Emmanuelle

In France, the bungalow evokes holidays in the sun. In the UK, they are humble everyday dwellings for grandparents. But in Germany or the United States, they take on a very different form: they are a bourgeois luxury, a single-storey villa with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking nature. Inspired by the "bangalo", a traditional one-storey Bengal house open to the outside, this style was also a staple of colonial architecture. 

In the US and Germany, bungalows are a bourgeois luxury: a single-storey villa with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking nature

The Beauty of Bungalows

Moria, Europe's largest refugee camp, has become one giant shanty town. When Covid struck, those living in the camp felt abandoned as things turned from bad to worse.
Maurice Joyeux, from the Jesuit Refugee Service, and his friend Mortaza Behboudi chose this very moment to return to Lesbos, to find the forgotten people of the pandemic, surviving in this squalid and unsanitary camp.

ARTE Reportage

Moria, Europe's largest refugee camp, has become one giant shanty town. When Covid struck, those living in the camp felt abandoned as things turned from bad to worse.

Greece: Moria - A Living Hell

With his Stetson on his head and a cigarette in his mouth, Townes Van Zandt (1944-1997), was a singer-songwriter of incandescent, beautifully despairing country songs. He was an artist plagued by demons, often under the influence of alcohol and drugs, but he nevertheless wrote some of the masterpieces of American song, including "If I Needed You" and "To Live is to Fly", and managed to climb to the top of the charts in spite of himself with the song "Pancho and Lefty", first popularised by Emmylou Harris and then covered by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. His song 'Kathleen' was recently covered by Tindersticks.
 Troubled Troubadour
Through concert footage, film archives and interviews, this remarkable documentary sensitively traces Townes Van Zandt's formative experiences and existential and artistic ups and downs - from the beginning of his musical career, inspired by early Bob Dylan records and legendary blues bard Lightnin' Hopkins, to his untimely death. His managers, his children, his three wives and numerous musician friends shed light on his personality and reveal the affection they had for this troubled troubadour.

Portait of troubled Texan folk singer Townes van Zandt (1944-1997) who wrote beautiful and despairing country songs.

Townes Van Zandt: Be Here to Love Me

For decades, the middle classes were what held post-war Europe together. Confidence in the Republic and its values was a given for the French middle classes who saw the state as a force for good and believed in social mobility. That all changed with the Yellow Vest movement (2018-2019) which saw angry protests against the government. This documentary follows participants in this movement.

The Working Poor in Revolt

What is the vocal alchemy that propels pop singers to the pinnacle of success, decade after decade? While many of them, like Freddy Mercury or Alicia Keys, display impeccable power and technique, these assets are not always what counts. Can we identify common characteristics in the immense diversity of voices from pop music, past and present? With interviews from musicians such as Damn Albarn, DJ Koze, Joy Denalane and Joan as Police Woman, the first part of this two-part documentary explores the very essence of the pop voice.

The first part of this two-part documentary explores the very essence of the pop voice, with interviews from musicians such as Damn Albarn, DJ Koze, Joy Denalane and Joan as Police Woman.

The Magic Voices of Pop (1/2)

38 million Japanese live together in the most populated urban area in the world. No wonder that the people of Tokyo have taken over the roofs to have extra space. A traditional Japanese garden and tea house, along with a martial arts class, take to the skies in search of  tranquility.

A traditional Japanese garden and tea house, along with a martial arts class, take to the skies in search of  tranquility

City Rooftops: Tokyo

Love is political, says journalist and author Şeyda Kurt. In her book Radical Tenderness she does away with the myth of romantic love. Ultimately, the widespread ideal of romantic, two-person love only serves to preserve existing patriarchal power relations, she says. Maria Schrader's new movie Ich bin Dein Mensch revolves around a humanoid robot with artificial intelligence that is programmed to serve as the 'perfect partner'.  Plus: Philosopher Peter Trawny, who says that freedom and love are incompatible, and LBGTQI+ groups fight for the freedom to love in Islam. 

Twist

Love is political, says journalist and author Şeyda Kurt. In her book Radical Tenderness she does away with the myth of romantic love

Why is Love so Hard?

Earth's drinking water resources are dwindling and to avoid shortages, scientists will have to come to the rescue.

Earth's drinking water resources are dwindling

Drinking Water in Danger

From the Théâtre de l’Archevêché, Mozart’s opera – directed by Lotte de Beer – opens the festivities at the Aix-en-Provence opera festival. Conductor Thomas Hengelbrock leads a fine vocal ensemble that includes soprano Julie Fuchs, baritone Andrè Schuen and mezzo-soprano Lea Desandre.

Aix-en-Provence Festival 2021

Mozart’s opera – directed by Lotte de Beer – opens the festivities of the festival of lyric art in Aix-en-Provence.

Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro

One Country, Two Systems? No Way! say the youth of Taiwan. But China under President Xi Jinping wants more than ever to bring the island of Taiwan back into the fold, just like Hong Kong. Can the burgeoning democracy on China’s doorstep, driven by digital technology, resist the Middle Kingdom’s advances?  

Taiwan: A Digital Democracy in China's Shadow

Star violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter and composer JohnWilliams have long been something of a dream team. The 89-year-old American has composed a new violin concerto especially for the German violin virtuoso. Together with works by Jessie Montgomery, Aaron Copland and Igor Stravinsky, this world premiere is the highlight of the Tanglewood Festival 2021. The Boston Symphony Orchestra is conducted by BSO Music Director Andris Nelsons and John Williams.

Programme
Jessie Montgomery: Starburst
John Williams: Violin concerto No. 2 (World Premiere)
John Williams: New arrangements of film themes “Across the Stars“
Aaron Copland: Quiet City
Igor Stravinsky: Suite from “The Firebird“ (1919 Edition)

Tanglewood Festival 2021

Anne-Sophie Mutter performs the world premiere of John Williams new violin concerto with the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Anne-Sophie Mutter - John Williams

After four years of waiting London Grammar have finally released a new album. To celebrate ,the British trio are invited onto the Ground Control set and ,as usual with London Grammar, the result is beautiful.

Ground Control

After four years of waiting London Grammar have finally released a new album. To celebrate ,the British trio are invited onto the Ground Control set to perform.

London Grammar

Millions of people worldwide suffer from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME/CFS), an extreme and persistent exhaustion for which there is no cure. An investigation into a little known illness focusing on the experiences of three individuals suffering from CFS: Ralf, Sonja and Aileen.

ME/CFS – A Misunderstood Illness

 An investigation into little understood illness focusing on the experiences of three individuals suffering from CFS: Ralf, Sonja and Aileen.

Living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

 French swimmer Florent Manaudou, German pentathlete Marvin Dogue and French sabre fencer Cécilia Berder all trained hard for the Tokyo Olympics, but the most important part of their training they say is in the mind. Mental conditioning is a growing science designed to get the best out of sports champions at a time when they could crumble under the pressure. At the beginning of World War Two, American airforce pilots struggled to face off against the Japanese fleet. Cue Bud Winter: in peace time, a sports coach, and in war, a mental conditioner who taught the pilots how to keep their head in the game even in life-or-death situations. Gradually, the idea that sportsmen and women were as much mind as they were muscle took hold. 

 For Olympic French swimmer Florent Manaudou, his greatest challenge is mental, not physical

Inside the Heads of Champions

From Chur, Switzerland’s oldest city, to Tirano in Northern Italy, the Bernina Express winds its way through deep valleys and wild gorges, crossing some 196 bridges and going through 55 tunnels in its journey through the Graubünden Alps. A journey to discover one of the most spectacular railway lines in the world and an audacious feat of engineering.

A Train through the Alps

 A journey of discovery on one of the most spectacular railway lines in the world, and an audacious feat of engineering.

The Bernina Express

In Japan, the “washlet” combines Western toilets with Japanese hygiene standards. A clever combination of comfort and cleanliness, they're considered a basic essential for people in Japan, although visitors may be left baffled as to how to use them. They have dozens of functionalities.

Gacha Gacha (1/9)

Japanese toilets make the bathroom experience a high tech luxury

Toilets, Perfected

Every year, the Kediri Vespa festival attracts thousands of enthusiasts to the Indonesian city.

The Nobles of PrehistoryLadies and Princes of the Paleolithic

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