L'ambra, emblema di Danzica

The Amber of Gdansk

Gdansk y el ámbar báltico

Gdansk, fiancée de l’ambre de la Baltique

Gdańsk: bogactwo zbudowane na bursztynie

Danzig, Bernsteinstadt an der Ostsee

On the coasts of Gdansk in Poland, the waves of the Baltic Sea bring up a precious treasure: amber fragments that it deposits on the beach. For centuries, Polish craftsmen worked it into elabrate art pieces. 

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Cultural Heritage

City Country Culture

On the coasts of Gdansk in Poland, the waves of the Baltic Sea bring up a precious treasure: amber

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In the buzzing city of Tokyo; works of art aren't just in museums or zen gardens... there's also the hidden masterpieces that don't get displayed. The traditional tattoo, called irezumi, is thousands of years old and carries with it the weight of a long and rich tradition. But modern mainstream Japan has little time for this forgotten slice of history. From the 13th century onwards, tattoos became a marker of social deviance and criminality. In modern Japan, it marked out the members of the brutal Yakuza. But now, it's having a renaissance among Japanese youth.

Japan's Tattoo Taboo

Head to Tokyo for a traditional tattoo session

In Southern California, in the middle of the desert, stands an oasis of pleasure. In the 1940s, Palm Springs was virgin land where the stars of architecture experimented and reinvented themselves. Today, the city is an open-air museum of modernism.

Palm Springs, an Oasis of Hedonism

The city is an open-air museum of modernism

Since the 20th century, a yellow train has linked Villefranche-de-Conflent to Latour-de-Carol, offering travelers a unique panorama of the Eastern Pyrenees. Nicknamed canary for its color, this railway turned the lives of the Catalans of the north upside down, torn between the French Republic and the Kingdom of Spain.

The Train That Unified The Catalans

Since the 20th century, a yellow train has linked Villefranche-de-Conflent to Latour-de-Carol, offering travelers a unique panorama of the Eastern Pyrenees

For a long time, the Baja California peninsula was thought to be a land of legend, full of gold and pearls. These riches attracted Europeans with the Spanish conquistadors, French industrialists and Jesuit missionaries all coming. But the Mexican peninsular was inhabited long before the settlers came.

Mexico: Indomitable Baja California

For a long time, the Baja California peninsula was thought to be a land of legend, full of gold and pearls.

Jews from all over the world come to the Polish city of Lublin to honour their Polish ancestors. As early as the 15th century, tens of thousands of them lived in the old city where they developed a rich and learned culture earning Lublin the moniker, the Polish Jerusalem.

Lublln: The Polish Jerusalem

Jews from all over the world come to the Polish city of Lublin to honour their Polish ancestors. 

In the past it was always Western archaeologists that led digs in Egypt and uncovered the marvellous treasures of Ancient Egypt. But today Egyptian academics are taking back control of their heritage.

Egypt Takes Back Control of its Heritage

The Serbo-Croatian engineer Nikola Tesla wanted to bring progress to his country: With the development of two-phase alternating current, he allowed for the nationwide transmission of electricity.

Nikola Tesla Brings Light to Croatia

Kyoto has been at the epicentre of Japanese culture for over a thousand years. Along its traditional alleys lined with wooden houses and sliding doors, geisha can still be spotted in their kimono and obi. At once works of art and artists at work, they embody a uniquely Japanese way of life.

Geisha are at once works of art and artists at work, and embody a uniquely Japanese way of life

Geisha, the Ladies of Kyoto

A medieval town with winding streets and colorful facades, Tallinn is one of the best-preserved cities in Estonia. But its heritage has a dark underbelly. Under Communist rule for over four decades, it was overrun with KGB agents during the Cold War.

Tallinn is a pretty town with a dark past

Tallinn, the Capital of Soviet Paranoia

Known as the Polish Manchester, Poland’s third city was an industrial powerhouse in the 19th century. Today the vast brick warehouses and factories are being renewed by artists and artisans.

Łódź - Poland's Other Capital

At a time when the Romans did not venture far from the Mediterranean coast, the Polynesians crossed vast expanses of the Pacific Ocean in dugout canoes. It is said that they reached America long before Christopher Columbus navigating by the stars.

Polynesia Navigating with the Stars

UNESCO recognised Belgian beer is the result of an ancestral know-how which today produces nearly 1500 varieties. 

Belgium: Beer Paradise

In the Vaucluse mountains, a long dry stone wall runs the length of the landscape. This is a wall erected against an invisible enemy: the plague. In the 18th century, a massive outbreak wiped out a third of the population of Marseille, and today, the wall still stands as a monument to the many victims of that epidemic. 

In 18th century France, a long wall was built to try to keep out the plague, and it still stands to this day

Provence and the Black Death

The counterculture movement reached Ibiza in the 1960s and 1970s as hippies came to the island looking to live and idealised life, close to nature.

Love and Peace in Ibiza

In northern Tanzania, between Kilimanjaro and Lake Victoria, stretch vast plains yellowed by the sun. This is the Serengeti National Park: a haven to endangered species and a UNESCO world heritage centre.

In northern Tanzania, between Kilimanjaro and Lake Victoria, stretch vast plains yellowed by the sun

Journey to the Serengeti

In southern Poland, at the foot of the Tatra Mountains, Zakopane lies nestled amid rock and forest. It's a winter sports resort and the starting point for mountain walks. This small village has grown to attract tourists and artists fascinated by the region's unique all-wood architectural style. 

Escape to a place of stunning natural beauty in the moutains of Poland

Zakopane, Poland's Mountain Escape

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Young Korean musicians have been taking the world of classical music by storm. A new generation are winning the big prizes and pursuing successful careers in Europe and around the world. What makes these Korean classical artists so good? A documentary following the rising stars of K-Classic

The Korean Musical Mystery

Generation K-Classics

Tempelhof, Berlin’s disused airport close to the city centre has been housing refugees in a welcome centre since 2015. A focus on residents’ daily lives of waiting for applications to be processed and for dreams to become reality.

Berlin Tempelhof

Tempelhof, Berlin’s disused airport close to the city centre has been housing refugees in a welcome centre since 2015. A focus on residents’ daily lives of waiting for applications to be processed and for dreams to be made reality.

Field of Dreams

Four women comic book artists from the Arab World, Tunisian Nadia Khiari, Lebanese Lena Merhej, Moroccan Zainab Fasiki and Egyptian Deena Mohamed open the doors of their studios and tell us about their experiences and their struggles. Ten years after the beginning of the Arab Spring how can they express themselves in the medium as Arab women?

Four women comic book artists from the Arab World open the doors of their studios and tell us about their experiences and their struggles. 

4 Arab Women Comic Book Artists

An author once described this work as a portrait of a woman done by a painter who had forgotten to paint the feet, legs, thighs, stomach, hips, chest, hands, arms, shoulders, neck and head. 

The Origin of the World by Gustave Courbet

Look but Don't Touch

Since 1945 the democracies of Europe have lived in peace. But the Russian invasion of Ukraine has shattered our ideas of peace. Can we still dream of paradise and a future free of violence? Twist explores these ideas in Berlin and at the Venice Biennale.

Paradise Lost?

Can we still dream of paradise and a future free of violence? Twist explores these ideas in Berlin and at the Venice Biennale.

Twist

The earthquakes that shook central Italy in 2016 were catastrophic for its cultural heritage. Hundreds of churches collapsed burying untold numbers of priceless artworks in the rubble. Work to save and restore this cultural heritage is a long and arduous task.

Rescuing Italy’s Cultural Heart

After the Quake

Is Saint Thomas' touching of Jesus' wounds homoerotic? It's certainly in stark contrast to Mary Magdalene, who is told not to touch him and spends the rest of her life living in a cave.

The incredulity of Saint Thomas - Caravaggio

Is Saint Thomas' touching of Jesus' wounds homoerotic?

In Ovid's Metamorphoses, Jupiter transforms into a swan to have sex with Leda. In this work, the painter takes the opportunity to explore the sensuality of the encounter, working with colours and fabrics to convey pleasure.

Leda and the Swan by Paolo Veronese

The painter explores the sensuality of the encounter between Leda and Jupiter

With Estonia celebrating 30 years of independence this year, TWIST goes to Tallinn to discover the city’s cultural scene. Featuring writer Sofi Oksanen, artists Flo Kasearu and Timo Toots, the Estonian Voices ensemble and rapper Tommy Cash

Estonia: Young, Digital, Provocative

With Estonia celebrating 30 years of independence this year, TWIST goes to Tallinn to discover the city’s cultural scene.

TWIST

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Finnish symphonic metal band Nightwish perform at Hellfest 2022.

Nightwish

Hellfest 2022

Why does the European Union allow deadly pesticides banned at home to be exported to developing countries? Brazil, especially, uses large quantities of harmful pesticides imported from Europe with terrible effects on the population’s health.

Why does the European Union allow deadly pesticides banned at home to be exported to developing countries? 

Pesticides: European Hypocrisy

Anglo-French guitarist Laura Cox presents the Scorpions, probably the most successful German rock band ever, headlining at Hellfest 2022. For more than five decades the German five-piece has been producing international hits and have sold more than 100 million records.

Anglo-French guitarist Laura Cox presents the Scorpions, probably the most successful German rock band ever, headlining at Hellfest 2022. 

Scorpions

According to the latest calculations by the OECD, South Korean women could live to be over 92 years old on average in 2070, and men over 89. That would be a world record. What's the secret?

South Korea: An Obsession With Health

South Koreans are on track to be the longest-lived people in the world

ARTE Reportage

The Russian enclave of Kaliningrad sits between Lithuania and Poland. Once German East Prussia, it is now home to 1 million Russian citizens. What is life like in this small territory now practically cut off from its EU neighbours since the war in Ukraine began?

Kaliningrad: Putin's Enclave

The Russian enclave of Kaliningrad sits between Lithuania and Poland and is now practically cut off from its EU neighbours since the war in Ukraine began.

On 22 July 2016 a German high-school student David Sonboly killed nine people in a seemingly random attack in a Munich shopping-centre. Why do some young people become mass murderers? A look at radicalisation within extreme-right groups online.

Youth Violence Online

Why do some young people become mass murderers? A look at radicalisation within extreme-right groups online.

Like. Hate. Die

As Lithuania stops Russia from transporting goods by train through its territory to Kaliningrad, a focus on the history of this singular Russian territory.

The Kaliningrad Affair

Mapping the World Essentials

Just a few weeks before the release of their new album, The Sick and the Dying… and the Dead! Thrash metal stars Megadeth perform at Hellfest 2022.

Megadeth

In Europe, the last primary forests are found almost exclusively in the mountains in the east or south-east of the continent. These virgin forests have never been exploited or cut down, and have remained as they have always been. Few studies have been done on this forests, which are presumably havens of biodiversity. We go on a research trip to the Dinaric Alps in Albania.

The Green Lungs of Europe

We go on a research trip to the Dinaric Alps in Albania

Geo Reportage

Dutch band Epica returns to Hellfest to present Omega, a new album showing off their inimitable symphonic heavy metal sound.

Epica

The philanthropic foundation set up by US billionaire Bill Gates quietly co-finances experiments with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in several African countries. In the age of philanthropic capitalism, billionaires "save the world" and make money in the process. But who is helped the most, ordinary Africans or the food industry?

 In the age of philanthropic capitalism, billionaires "save the world" and make money in the process. An investigation into GM experiments in Africa.

Africa, GMOs and Bill Gates

Some six million people have already fled Ukraine. Among them, 730,000 Ukrainian refugees passed through humanitarian corridors that take them deep into enemy territory. Now they are huddled in isolated camps in the middle of the Russian countryside and many want to leave the country as quickly as possible.

Some 730,000 Ukrainian refugees are cooped up in isolated camps in the middle of the Russian countryside

Re: Ukrainian Refugees in Russia

Since the 1990s, total insect biomass has declined by 75 percent. The rapid decline affects all food chains: fish and birds can no longer find enough to eat and are becoming fewer and fewer. Studies show that neonicotinoids used in pesticides aren't just destroying the insect popualtion, but also affect human health.

Since the 1990s, total insect biomass has declined by 75 percent

How Chemical Giants Destroyed our Ecosystem

Punk rock fans note: The Offspring have released a new album: The Californians perform tracks from their latest work at Hellfest, Let the Bad Times Roll.

The Offspring

Brazilian cult band Sepultura is back at Hellfest! They unleash their intense thrash metal in front of a white-hot audience.

Sepultura

The trio led by Matthew Bellamy is one of the most explosive and creative forces in rock music over the past two decades. There is no one else quite like Muse. Be impressed by their committed performance at Berlin’s Tempelhof Sounds Festival.

Tempelhof Sounds 2022

 There is no one else quite like Muse. Be impressed by their committed performance at Berlin’s Tempelhof Sounds Festival.

Muse

Drockick Murphys are perhaps the most Irish of American bands. The Bostonians baptize their new album Turn Up That Dial at Hellfest 2022.

Dropkick Murphys

Sheffield natives Bring Me The Horizon bring their heterogeneous metal sound to Hellfest 2022.

Bring Me The Horizon

Hellfest invites a heavyweight of crossover and thrash metal: Los Angeles natives Suicidal Tendencies make the main stage tremble!

Suicidal Tendencies

According to the myth, the Greeks managed to enter the city of Troy by building a wooden horse in which was hidden Greek soldiers. How much of this story is based on actual historical events? And if the story is true, was it even a horse?

City Country Culture

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