The shakuhachi is a famous Japanese lbamboo-flute. It was originally introduced from China into Japan in the 7th century and underwent a resurgence in the early Edo period. The film records the life of the shakuhachi performers, controllers, and learners in China, Japan, the United States

Inter-cut with archive material, friends, family and associates of the musician tell the story of his life and how spirituality became such a major part of it.

Pierre-Auguste Renoir is known and loved for his impressionist paintings of Paris. These paintings count among the world’s favourites. Renoir, however, grew tired of this style and changed course. This film, based on the collection of 181 Renoirs at the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia,– examines the direction he then took and why it provokes such extreme reactions right up to today. Some claim they are repulsed by Renoir’s later works and some claim they are seduced. What may surprise many is that among the many artists who sought Renoir’s new works out and were clearly highly influenced by them were the two giants of the 20th century – Picasso and Matisse.

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A young and ambitious team of chefs face the life-changing challenges of competing in the world’s most prestigious culinary competition.

Brothers Colin and Ewan McGregor follow up their documentary The Battle of Britain with a film exploring Bomber Command, a rarely told story from the Second World War. The film focuses primarily on the men who fought and died in the skies above occupied Europe, with numerous examples of individual heroism and extraordinary collective spirit, and Colin learns to fly the key aircraft of the campaign: the Lancaster bomber. But this is also the story of a controversy that has lasted almost 70 years. The program covers six years of wartime operations, and traces the obstacles and challenges that were overcome as the RAF developed and deployed the awesome fighting force that was Bomber Command.

Herzog and cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger go to Antarctica to meet people who live and work there, and to capture footage of the continent’s unique locations. Herzog’s voiceover narration explains that his film will not be a typical Antarctica film about “fluffy penguins”, but will explore the dreams of the people and the landscape.

In this hilarious and heartwarming special, Jo Firestone teaches a comedy workshop for 16 senior citizens, leading up to their first live stand-up show.

A fresh and revealing insight into Princess Diana through the personal and intimate reflections of her two sons and her friends and family.

They are the world’s biggest rapids, thundering down the final pitch of the mighty Congo River. Legendary kayaker Steve Fisher and his elite expedition team battle seemingly insurmountable obstacles, navigate the maddening politics of a broken Central African country and face their own worst fears in an attempt to be the first explorers to survive the Inga Rapids.

An insight on Sun Ra’s philosophies.