2020 Ruptly Documentary CollectionHikikomori Loveless MENU Known as hikikomori, the phenomenon of...
Transcript of 2020 Ruptly Documentary CollectionHikikomori Loveless MENU Known as hikikomori, the phenomenon of...
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M E N U
Dying Alone
Over the past few decades, the number of Japan seniors living alone has risen sharply. Many of them are dying in
their apartments, only to be discovered weeks or even months later by neighbours alarmed by the smell. Lonely
deaths, or kodokushi, have become so common that companies have even emerged specializing in cleaning up
the apartments of the deceased.
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25:11
KODOKUSHI
Tags
JAPAN
ELDERLY
Year
2019
Language
English, Spanish, Russian
Gold World Medal at New York Festivals World’s Best TV & Films 2020 in Human Concerns Category
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M E N U
The Coca Trap
Growing coca leaf is the only way to put food on the table for many in rural Colombia. Coca, which is the base
substance for making cocaine, is the only livelihood they can rely upon. Most Colombia’s coca growers say they
only do it because they have no alternative options and distance themselves from rapacious drug traffickers.
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Length
23:51
COLOMBIA
Tags
AGRICULTURE
COCAINE
Year
2019
Language
English, Spanish, Russian
Finalist at New York Festivals World’s Best TV & Films 2020 in Certificate in Current Affairs Category
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M E N U
Argentinians vs. the IMF
Wondering why Latin America is in revolt? From Ecuador to Chile, Haiti to Argentina ordinary people have had
enough of rising inequality, hunger, and poverty. Redfish went to Argentina to look at how IMF-imposed austerity
and President Mauricio Macri's neoliberal policies have brought thousands onto the streets. We also uncovered
how a U.S. backed resurgence of Latin America's right-wing is destroying the environment and threatening the
continent's natural resources.
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Length
25:00
CAPITALISM
Tags
AUSTERITY
REVOLUTION
Year
2019
Language
English Spanish
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M E N U
Deporting Hope
Days before Turkey's invasion of north Syria, redfish was in Turkey to uncover plans to move refugees out of the
country and into northern Syria in a bid to alter the demographics of the Kurdish-controlled region. Is Erdogan
using refugees as pawns in a geopolitical game? We take a look at the impact of politics on those most
vulnerable and investigate claims that the Turkish government is forcibly deporting Syrian refugees.
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Length
25:00
WAR
Tags
MIGRATION
RACISM
Year
2019
Language
English
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M E N U
The Far-Right and the UK Military
What are the politics of the British army? Since the Iraq War, the UK military has tried to improve its image by
presenting itself as inclusive, diverse and non-political. But accusations of endemic racism and far-right sentiment
within its ranks have surfaced, telling a different story. With death threats against left-wing leader Jeremy Corbyn
and active recruitment of former soldiers to far-right groups, we investigate how this institution seems to be an
incubator for far-right extremists. Afghanistan veteran and journalist Joe Glenton turns the lens on the UK military
and speaks to veterans, paramilitaries, and victims about what this institution represents.
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Length
25:00
WAR
Tags
RACISM
NATIONALISM
Year
2019
Language
English
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M E N U
Exporting Homophobia
How African is homophobia? Uganda, a country now infamous for its proposed "kill the gays" bill is at the centre of
an epidemic of violence and murder against LGBTQ+ people, and neighbouring Kenya where many Ugandans
have fled, isn’t any better. But homophobia on the continent isn’t new. The first anti-homosexuality laws in East
Africa were written by the British and today, North American evangelicals are reinforcing those laws by spreading
their extreme anti-homosexuality agenda through the continent. redfish travelled between Kenya and Uganda to
map the evangelical network, speak to activists and members of the LGBTQ+ community and investigate just how
far evangelicals will go to spread their ideas across the globe.
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Length
25:00
KENYA
Tags
UGANDA
HOMPHOBIA
Year
2019
Language
English
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M E N U
The Art of Sanctions
Unrest over economic conditions has hit Iran, but since the U.S withdrew from the historic Iran deal and instead
imposed new sanctions, the Iranian economy has been spiralling. While many blame the Iranian government for
mismanaging the economy, the crisis is also intertwined with the deep geopolitical conflict in the region. U.S.
officials claim that sanctions target the government, but with over half of Iranian families now living below the
poverty line, who is really suffering? From cancer patients to traditional Bazaar shop owners, we speak to
Iranians from all walks of life to seehow sanctions have impacted the lives of the people of Iran.
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Length
25:00
SANCTIONS
Tags
IRAN
MIDDLE EAST
Year
2019
Language
English
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M E N U
Amazon: Fighting Fire
In September 2019, the world watched on in horror as the Amazon Rainforest burned. Since then, that story has
mostly disappeared. But while the international media loses interest and world leaders continue to do nothing, the
Amazon's indigenous peoples are daily faced with the destruction of their home. Today they fight not only for its
protection, but also for the survival of their culture, their land and their lives. Redfish was in the Amazon to hear
from the Paiter Suruí tribe about indigenous resistance, the struggle against right-wing President Bolsonaro, the
invasion of the Brazilian military and the corporations who will stop at nothing to extract profit.
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Length
25:00
AMAZON
Tags
BRAZIL
INDIGENOUS
Year
2019
Language
English Brazilian Portuguese
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M E N U
Revolution or Reform?
In the United States, socialism has long been a dirty word. But in an era of growing inequality, more people are
seeing capitalism as the source of their problems. The rise of figures like Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio
Cortez and organisations like the Democratic Socialists of America, seems to suggest that socialism has gone
from a dirty word, to the coolest new trend. But what exactly is 'democratic socialism'? Redfish travelled through
the U.S. to look at the revival of radical politics in the country.
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Length
25:00
SOCIALISM
Tags
USA
DSA
Year
2019
Language
English
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M E N U
Game Over The Border
After the more popular migration routes through the Balkans were shut down, Bosnia emerged as a new waypoint
for people still trying to get to the European Union. It’s fully packed with migrants from all over the Middle East:
Iranians, Pakistanis, Afghans, Syrians; all determined to reach Croatia before heading further into the bloc. It's a
quest they call, ‘the game.’
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Length
26 :44
MIGRANT CRISIS
Tags
BALKANS
REFUGEES
Year
2019
Language
English, Spanish, Russian
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M E N U
Tolerance du voyage
Many of France's Gypsies feel that the “most beautiful country in the world” is treating them poorly. Anti Gypsy
prejudice has been fed by a recent influx of Roma from Eastern Europe. So, can France hold on to its ideals of
Liberty, Equality and Fraternity when confronted by free-spirited home-grown and newcomer Gypsies.
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Length
27:28
GIPSY
Tags
FRANCE
TRADITIONS
Year
2019
Language
English, Spanish, Russian
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M E N U
Black Lives: Truths
Though segregation ended more than 50 years ago, many cities across the US are still racially divided. We visit
distressed black neighbourhoods in Maryland, Pennsylvania and Virginia to see how urban planning has shaped
America's inequality and condemned residents to lives of poverty, crime and decay.
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Length
26:13
GENTRIFICATION
Tags
AFRICAN AMERICAN
USA
Year
2019
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
SERIES
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M E N U
Black Lives: Agents of Change
Failing schools versus community education in America: In Black America, many young people grow up in
dangerous, run-down neighbourhoods and attend underfunded schools. They are discouraged as the education
on offer is not equipping them to turn their lives around. We travel to Philadelphia and New York to find out how
the community is taking matters into its own hands.
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Length
25:57
NEW YORK
Tags
AFRICAN AMERICAN
EDUCATION
Year
2019
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
SERIES
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M E N U
Black Lives: Illusion
Black children often grow up in single parent families headed by teenage mothers amidst poverty. We meet a
teenage dad caught up in drug dealing and a newly single mother that lost her livelihood after her car broke
down. These young parents want to give their children a better life, but breaking the cycle isn’t easy.
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Length
25:22
CHILDREN
Tags
AFRICAN AMERICAN
PARENTHOOD
Year
2019
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
SERIES
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M E N U
Black Lives: Addiction
In the United States, buying illicit drugs can be as easy as drinking in a local bar. Drug dealers are everywhere,
offering anything from heroin to cocaine and synthetic narcotics. We meet insiders and took a look at the murky
drug trading world.
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Length
26:35
DRUGS
Tags
AFRICAN AMERICAN
TRAFFIC
Year
2019
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
SERIES
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M E N U
Black Lives: Deadlock
Black America has been shaped by racism, but fifty years after the end of segregation, is racism still holding
African Americans back, or is integration an irreversible process? White supremacists from the Ku Klux Klan, a
radio host and a Black Lives Matter activist question whether Blacks and Whites really want to live side by
side.
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Length
27:06
KKK
Tags
RACISM
AFRICAN AMERICAN
Year
2019
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
SERIES
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M E N U
Black Lives: Doom
Can skin colour dictate a black person’s future? Some say their skin speaks before their words and blame
racial prejudice for having no chance in life. Others prove that regardless of skin colour, your “current
situation doesn’t have to be your final destination.” We meet black men from troubled neighbourhoods,
who managed to turn their lives around.
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Length
26:15
UNEMPLOYMENT
Tags
RACISM
USA
Year
2019
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
SERIES
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M E N U
Black Lives: Trap
Civil rights were supposed to give African Americans access to the American Dream. But after decades of
legal equality, many feel an entire system is stopping them from being successful. Black Lives Matter
activists blame systemic racism and White supremacy, but an activist Imam and a Trump-supporting
pastor question the whole American Dream.
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Length
25:40
AMERICAN DREAM
Tags
INEQUALITY
USA
Year
2019
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
SERIES
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M E N U
I Want My Sex Back
After years of feeling uncomfortable with his male body, Billy finally came up with a solution: he underwent sex
reassignment surgery to become the woman he had always felt he was. However, the change didn’t bring him the
relief he had sought. After seven years of being a woman, Billy reverted back to being a man. Rene Jax was born
and raised as a male. She used to dress as a woman before she actually took the plunge to become female. Now
at the age of 58, she says her gender reassignment was a mistake, merely cosmetic surgery. Walt Heyer felt
trapped in his male body. In 1983, he finally became Laura Jensen. He believed it was a genetic disorder that had
caused his gender dysphoria. However, it wasn’t until he had reverted back to his original sex that Walt realised his
issues stemmed from the trauma of sexual abuse.
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Length
27:22
LGBT
Tags
HEALTH
TRANSGENDER
Year
2018
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
Saffron Terror
India: a country of tolerance, spirituality and ancient traditions. This is how the Indian tourist board promotes the
country. But another India is emerging. Right-wing nationalism is sweeping the country, bolstered by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi's huge win in the 2019 elections. redfish went on a journey to uncover how Hindu supremacy is
taking over the country and what that means for society. But with far-right violence comes resistance and those
fighting back for the most marginalised.
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Length
23:50
MODI
Tags
INDIA
NATIONALISM
Year
2018
Language
English Hindi
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M E N U
Islamophobia
The UK has an Islamophobia problem. With attacks on Muslims and their community spaces increasing, a ruling
party with an institutional Islamophobia problem and a state-wide "counter-terror programme" that actually
targets ordinary Muslims, the problem is only getting worse. Maz Saleem’s father was killed by a white neo-Nazi
terrorist when he was walking home from his local Mosque in Birmingham in 2013. She takes redfish on a journey
across the UK to speak to Muslims who are too often spoken about but not listened to.
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Length
24:27
ISLAMOPHOBIA
Tags
RACISM
UK
Year
2018
Language
English
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M E N U
Refugees: Europe's Trapped Child
Behind Fortress Europe’s fortified walls, Spain is hiding a dark reality. Thousands of children trying to get to the
European mainland have found themselves trapped in Melilla, a Spanish enclave on the continent of Africa. Is
Europe failing to live up to its legal obligation to protect the children in its care? redfish followed a group of minors
living on the streets who face neglect, unsafe conditions and even sexual assault.
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Length
23:50
SPAIN
Tags
MELILLA
REFUGEES
Year
2018
Language
English Arabic
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M E N U
Fighting the Polish Far-Right
Poland today is often associated with far-right nationalism, and since winning the election in 2015, the right-wing
Law & Justice Party has targeted immigrants, women, the LGBT+ community and emboldened the far-right. But
what about those who are fighting back? Activist Dan Glass, whose Polish-Jewish grandmother witnessed the
Warsaw ghetto go up in flames, went on a personal and political journey to meet the people resisting the
resurgence of the Polish far-right.
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Length
25:05
HOMOPHOBIA
Tags
RACISM
LGBT
Year
2018
Language
English
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M E N U
The Women Transforming Bolivia
In the past, Bolivia's indigenous women were subject to discrimination and banned from public spaces. But today
these same women are at the forefront of a process of change in Bolivian society. But how did this come about?
redfish met the women working to radically change Bolivia - from indigenous politicians to those fighting for
justice for femicide victims, to the queer activists.
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Length
25:08
FEMINISM
Tags
BOLIVA
REVOLUTION
Year
2018
Language
English Spanish
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M E N U
Culinary Colonisation
India is known as the diabetes capital of the world. And although Indian food is famous worldwide, the country is
being flooded with big food corporations displacing India's rich food culture with fast and processed foods. But
who benefits? Where there is illness, there are pharmaceutical companies poised to profit. In India, they are
capitalising on loose regulation to make huge profits from the country's poor and sick. redfish went to the second
most populated country on Earth to get to the bottom of its food and health crisis.
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Length
24:58
HEALTH
Tags
INDIA
FOOD
Year
2018
Language
English
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M E N U
Colombia: The Fight for Peace
The 2016 peace deal between Colombia's government and FARC rebels should have ended one of the world's
longest civil wars. But Colombia's right-wing government has been accused of refusing to honour the deal and
with over 700 activists, journalists, and FARC members murdered since the deal, peace remains out of sight.
redfish travelled to Colombia to speak with human rights defenders and victims of the war to hear about the
struggle for peace and the fight for justice.
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Length
25:00
FARC
Tags
COLOMBIA
WAR
Year
2018
Language
English Spanish
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M E N U
Oury Jalloh: Death in Cell #5
14 years ago in a small German city, Oury Jalloh, an asylum seeker from Sierra Leone was found dead, burned in a
police cell. The case was shrouded in mystery from the start, with activists accusing the police, the justice system
and the German state of a cover-up and to this day, people are still waiting for answers. redfish gained access to
documents that shine a light on the case and spoke with lawyers, experts, and activists at the heart of what has
become one of the most enduring anti-racist movements in Germany.
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Length
25:25
POLICE
Tags
RACISM
GERMANY
Year
2018
Language
English German
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M E N U
Substitutes
Senji Nakajima is the happy owner of a love doll he’s named Saori. Although the Japanese man is married
to a real-live woman, he lives separately with his silicone surrogate. The odd couple goes on weekend
trips to Mount Fuji, has late night dates at a karaoke bar, and engages in one-sided conversations. To find
out why some Japanese people are shunning real relationships for romance with synthetic partners, an
RTD crew tagged along with Mr. Nakajima and other doll owners. Tune in to our documentary to gain
remarkable insight into the world of silicone love and companionship in Japan.
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Length
26:38
CULTURE
Tags
SEX
JAPAN
Year
2018
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
My Forever Family
All over Russia, residential homes are filled with thousands of orphaned and abandoned children with mental
and physical disabilities. Many are in remote regions far from proper health care facilities or where there are few
qualified medical staff. All too often the children are unwanted meaning many display challenging behaviour,
which is why doctors, nurses and volunteers from a charity called ‘Road of Life’ visit regional homes. They take
kids who can’t be treated locally to doctors in Moscow and try to find them new homes and families. On one
trip they meet shy teenager, Sasha who's hearing-impaired, and cheeky nine-year-old, Yulia, who has an
orthopaedic condition. The two travel to Moscow with the team for treatment and to find new 'forever' families.
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Length
52:01
CHILDREN
Tags
ADOPTION
HEALTH
Year
2018
Language
English, Russian
Highly Commended at The AIB's 2019 (Association for International Broadcasting)
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M E N U
Ebola: Surviving survival
Two years after West Africa's Ebola outbreak came to an end, the deadly virus continues to take its toll.
Only this time, it’s pushing survivors to the margins of society. In Sierra Leone, communities often reject
anyone who had Ebola out of fear that they still carry the deadly infection. The outcasts are evicted from
their homes and find it difficult to earn even a meagre living. Child survivors too face discrimination and
prejudice, with many shunned by their own families. Support programmes rarely reach Ebola survivors,
some of whom have filed a lawsuit against the Sierra Leone government for the misuse of aid money.
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Length
26:58
DISEASE
Tags
AFRICA
MEDICINE
Year
2018
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
Hikikomori Loveless
Known as hikikomori, the phenomenon of social withdrawal has become increasingly commonplace in
Japan. Hundreds of thousands of Japanese shut themselves away, spending months and sometimes years
in isolation. The social recluses don’t study or go to work. They retreat into their rooms, rarely venturing out to
get food in a convenience store and to communicate with immediate family. One of them is Ito. He spends
time listening to music, playing video games and surfing the internet. But he has neither the power nor desire
to leave his bedroom, where he has voluntarily locked himself. Unlike his younger brother, Ito was regularly
yelled at and hit as a child. His parents, he says, only wanted him to be successful in life.
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Length
26:09
INTERNET
Tags
HEALTH
JAPAN
Year
2018
Language
English, Spanish, Russian
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M E N U
Undermined
While most countries have been trying to eradicate child labour, Bolivia ended up becoming the first
nation in the world to legalise it. In 2013, the country’s government announced its intention to set the
minimum working age at 14, protect the rights and safety of working children, and phase out child labour
completely by 2019. However, during the parliamentary debate, child workers took to the streets of La Paz
and clashed with police to protect their ability to support their families. In the end, the new labour code
passed in 2014 made it legal for kids as young as 10 to work. Bolivia’s children’s unions are pushing for the
legal working age to be decreased even further.
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Length
26:43
CHILD LABOR
Tags
BOLIVIA
HUMAN RIGHTS
Year
2018
Language
English, Spanish, Russian
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M E N U
When you think of ‘Yakuza’, images of grim-faced tough guys in sharp black suits and dark glasses
probably spring to mind. While gangsters in Japan’s mafia are often portrayed as merciless professional
killers in films, the reality is somewhat different. Meet Mr. Makoto, a tubby tattooed Yakuza mobster and
‘old-fashioned guy’. He agreed to speak openly about his life and job with RTD’s film crew. “I wouldn’t
want my son to become a Yakuza, because nowadays being a Yakuza in our society is very hard.
When he grows up, it will be even harder,” he says.
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Yakuza: Good For Nothing
Length
26:21
CRIME
Tags
JAPAN
SOCIAL ISSUES
Year
2017
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
In Tanzania, the tradition of child brides is still prevalent. Despite strict laws against this practice,
promising harsh punishment for grooms and parents, young girls are still married off to much older men.
In exchange, the family of the bride receives cows that it considers more useful than their daughter.
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Bride Trade
Length
26:10
CHILDREN
Tags
AFRICA
TRADITIONS
Year
2017
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
The Philippines’s controversial President Rodrigo Duterte came to power on his promise to crack down on
crime. Dubbed “The Punisher”, he addressed his subjects, encouraging them to kill drug addicts. However,
his inauguration was followed by a wave of extrajudicial killings of alleged drug dealers and now he
denies any involvement with the vigilante violence. A dramatic increase in brutal street executions
coincided with the start of “Project Duterte”, the police programme aimed at “Drug Use and
Trafficking Elimination thru Rehabilitation, Training and Enforcement”, many Filipinos claim they have
lost all trust in the country’s law enforcement.
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Project Duterte
Length
48:11
HUMAN RIGHTS
Tags
ASIA
360
Year
2017
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
Silver for Documentary: Individual at Telly Awards 2017
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M E N U
On the outskirts of Kenya’s capital, elderly women walk in constant fear, as they increasingly fall victim to
rape. However, some are now fighting back thanks to self-defence classes designed especially for them.
Most people in Korogocho, one of Nairobi’s biggest slum neighbourhoods, live on less than a dollar a day.
Many eke out a living in this crime ridden area by scavenging in the local dump or reselling produce
bought from the local market. HIV has decimated the community, depriving many children of one or both
parents. Moreover, rape is rampant, especially against older women who are preyed upon by young men
in the belief that sex with a ‘shushu’ cures AIDS and lifts curses.
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Granny fight club
Length
27:37
CRIME
Tags
KENYA
SPORT
Year
2017
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
Every year, a mere few thousand international tourists are allowed a glimpse inside North Korea, the
world’s most isolated country. An RTD film crew, along with around 200 international journalists, is invited
to attend the late supreme leaders’ birthday celebrations. The occasion is marked with a military parade,
the country’s biggest display of fire power for several years. Some of the latest weaponry was on show for
the very first time, both locals and foreign visitors are impressed, but for very different reasons.
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The Happiest People on Earth
Length
51:47
DICTATORSHIP
Tags
CULTURE
NORTH KOREA
Year
2017
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
In 2011, South Sudan gained its long-desired independence from Sudan. Two years later, an intertribal war
tore the new country apart. The conflict quickly escalated into a full-blown civil war, with the two rivals
leading opposing armies and enlisting the help of other tribes. The hostilities have led to countless civilian
deaths. Thousands of people have been forced to flee, with many separated from their relatives. Without
homes or access to common medicines, refugees become vulnerable to life-threatening diseases brought
on by poor sanitation. Amid these extreme conditions, a Red Cross hospital in the town of Kodok has
become the last hope for thousands of people affected by war in the country’s Upper Nile Region.
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Sudanaesthesia
Length
52:17
CIVIL WAR
Tags
CHARITY
REFUGEES
Year
2017
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
Like many young men, Bardip fell in love with a girl at college, got married, and settled down to have a
family. However, four years later, he and his parents were murdered by the bride’s relatives, who were
angry that she had married outside her caste and without their consent. Such Nuptials, though legal, are
considered a dark stain on the reputation of parents. Seventy percent of marriages in India are still
arranged and young couples that dare to marry for love risk honor killings, severe beatings, and
kidnappings. The police often do little or are even complicit in these cases.
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Love Commandos
Length
27:43
INDIA
Tags
ACID ATTACK
TRADITIONS
Year
2017
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
Silver World Medal at New York Festivals World’s Best TV & Films 2018
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M E N U
The residents of Goma live in the shadow of Mt. Nyiragongo, one of the most active volcanoes in Africa. In
2002, it erupted and destroyed much of the city, leaving 400,000 people homeless. Afterwards, militants
from Rwanda and battles between the Congolese government and rebel forces continued the
devastation. The majority of people here live without electricity, running water or basic sanitation, and
there are no jobs to be had. Armed gangs hide in the nearby jungles, tempting young men with a life
away from crippling poverty. The threat of violence is constantly present. Despite the bleak conditions,
one man is trying to make a difference in the lives of the city’s youth.
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Congo: Cycle of life
Length
25:38
SPORT
Tags
CONGO
POVERTY
Year
2017
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
Dragon of Afghanistan
People on the streets of Kabul call Abbas Alizada the “Afghan Bruce Lee.” After his striking resemblance to
the Chinese martial arts icon made him a social media star, he took a year to work on himself and
become even more like his hero. His makeover was a smashing success. Today, Abbas uses his celebrity to
inspire other young Afghan athletes, but fame has come with a price – he now must be wary every time
he leaves his house.
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Length
27:24
CELEBRITY
Tags
AFGHANISTAN
ISIS
Year
2017
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
Water has become a luxury for the people in the Indian state of Punjab. Thousands of villages here rely on
water deliveries from elsewhere. People have to pay exorbitant prices for water that their state once had
in abundance. Farmers can no longer afford to grow food, their crops are dying and they are left with
enormous debts. The devastation has led many to take their own lives. Meanwhile the authorities turn a
blind eye to the mass suicides.
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H2WOE
Gold World Medal New York Festivals World's Best TV & Films 2017 Awarded Gold Camera 2017 US International Film and Video Festival Best of Festival Nominee - Documentary
Length
25:21
INDIA
Tags
ECOLOGY
WATER CRISIS
Year
2016
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
James Brown discovers what life is like for a homeless person in one of the world’s wealthiest cities. He
spends Christmas sleeping rough on the streets of London, begging for change. While most people are
merrily preparing for the holidays, this festive time of year is just another reminder of loneliness for anyone
who’s homeless. James explores the mental and physical effects of homelessness and the means
available to help break out of it. He interviews homeless people and charity workers who provide food, as
well as those who have succeeded in leaving the street behind and putting their lives back on track.
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My Homeless Christmas
Length
25:45
LONDON
Tags
HOMELESSNESS
CITY LIFE
Year
2016
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
Informing a soldier’s relatives that he or she has died is clearly important and so the Israeli Defence Forces
set up a special messenger unit. In the all too frequent event of a soldier being killed, its sole task is to find
his or her family as quickly as possible, to ensure they are told of the tragedy officially and in person rather
than hearing it on the grapevine. RT Doc travels to Israel to meet the servicemen who have come to be
known as, “Angels of Death” and asks what it takes to do the job. We meet messenger unit officers to see
how Israel’s Defence Forces handle the deaths of servicemen and women and look into why the
messenger service is needed.
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Angels Of Death
Length
26:23
ISRAEL
Tags
EMERGENCY
WAR
Year
2016
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
Kavre province in Nepal has been dubbed “Kidney valley”: there’s hardly a household in which a family
member hasn’t sold his or her kidney on the black market. There is no legal way for patients to obtain
donor organs other than from a relative. In the absence of a suitable familial match, the patient’s only
chance of survival is to turn to the underground organ trade. Grim dealers exploit the region’s extreme
poverty and the people’s lack of education about health and medicine. Many victims have been told that
the process would have no impact on their health and even that a kidney would grow back.
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Kidney Valley
Length
26:13
HEALTH
Tags
CRIME
NEPAL
Year
2016
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
For centuries, a very unusual tradition has been practiced in Albania; women who choose to become
burrneshas, or sworn virgins. They become men virtual to represent their families in this deeply patriarchal
society. The ancient practice was established under a medieval code of laws known as the ‘Kanun’, which
among other things set out the legal framework of everyday life, such as the rules for conducting a blood
feud and the roles and responsibilities of men and women.
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The Virgins
Length
26:35
HUMAN RIGHTS
Tags
ALBANIA
TRADITIONS
Year
2016
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
Knockout Girls
In Pakistan’s traditionally patriarchal society, women are expected to keep house and take care of the
family. Many are engaged at a very early age and never even see their husbands until the wedding, after
which they leave their parents and go to live with their new husbands. Until then, every day is devoted to
preparing for married life: they learn to cook, do housework and raise children. Many are discouraged from
going to school or taking part in sports, some are even forbidden to do so. Society frowns upon educated
girls and sport is considered unbecoming of a young lady. The first girls’ boxing club in Karachi has begun to
challenge these stereotypes.
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Length
27:38
HUMAN RIGHTS
Tags
CHILDREN
SPORT
Year
2016
Language
English, Spanish, Russian
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M E N U
Wombs for rent
RTD crew travels to India to investigate its booming surrogacy industry. Surrogacy for profit is a
controversial issue, due to fears that it may leave vulnerable women open to exploitation. However, those
at centres such as the Akanksha Infertility Clinic in Gujarat are convinced of the benefits for all involved.
Dr. Nayna Patel has so far helped over 500 childless couples become parents to their own offspring, while
providing surrogate mothers with a life-changing sum of money.
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Length
25:48
HINDI
Tags
CHILDREN
MEDICINE
Year
2015
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
Raft to Freedom
Steve can track his family tree back to the first settlers. He believes in America’s original values including
everyone’s right to pursue happiness. He used to be minister of “Tent City” for the homeless, before it was
torn down by the authorities. Now - joined on his mission by RTD's Aleksey Brazhnikov - he sets sail on a
raft to raise awareness about the issue of homelessness. Aleksey interviews Minister Steve and other
homeless people about the circumstances that brought them to this point in life. He finds out about the
legal and social problems the homeless in America face, and learns what they themselves think may be
the solutions.
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Length
26:56
HOMELESSNESS
Tags
AMERICAN STORY
HUMAN RIGHTS
Year
2015
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
PREVIOUS NEXT
M E N U
100% Cotton. Made in India.
Indian farmers are struggling to make their cotton plantations pay a living wage. GMO seeds promised
higher yields but turned out to be harder to grow. That has lead many farmers to rack up huge debts that
they just can’t pay. In an alarming number of cases, worry and depression drive farmers to take their own
lives, leaving their families to face a crippling financial burden. Activists argue that GMO companies are
responsible for the decline in Indian agriculture, leaving the farmers no way out. RT Doc tries to get to the
bottom of what’s going on with the Indian cotton industry.
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Length
26:37
ECONOMY
Tags
AGRICULTURE
GMO
Year
2015
Language
English, Spanish, Russian
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M E N U
The Untamed Shrew
A working man’s life in Egypt is hard, long days of manual labour in the scorching sun, in return for wages
that would barely pay for a light lunch in first world countries. But even that meagre income is beyond the
reach of the country’s women, widows with children struggle to find work. Sisa Abu Daooh was different;
her husband died when she was barely 20 years old and, determined to bring up her baby daughter, she
found a way to beat the system. Refusing to find herself a new man, instead she became one! She
dressed like a man, walked like a man and learned to talk like a man too and for over 40 years she worked
like a man to bring in the money she needed to provide for her child.
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Length
49:16
HUMAN RIGHTS
Tags
EGYPT
UNEMPLOYMENT
Year
2015
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
The Invisible Women
According to an old Indian superstition, a widow’s sins are to blame for her husband’s death. As a result,
widows face a lifetime of atonement. They have to cut their hair short, wear joyless white mourning saris,
and they are prohibited from attending celebrations and social events. Some families force widows to
leave their homes and beg in the streets. Widows become untouchable, invisible and ignored, as many
fear they bring bad luck. Until the 19th century, Indian widows would be burnt alive along with the bodies
of their dead husbands. This cruel ritual was eventually abolished but the lives of women who outlive their
partners can be devoid of all enjoyment, especially if they come from India’s poorest regions.
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Length
25:53
HUMAN RIGHTS
Tags
HINDI
HOMELESSNESS
Year
2015
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
ToxiCity
Ghana is one of several African countries where electronic goods are sent once they have been discarded
by developed nations. Agbogbloshie is an enormous dumping ground near Accra where digital
appliances are dismantled for scrap. The process employed by those working there involves burning off
plastic casing to uncover metal components. As a result, extremely toxic chemicals are released into the
environment. The site operates without any health and safety regulations, and every day those living and
working there, including young children, are exposed to substantial health risks. Despite this, many
Ghanaians still see the e-waste industry as a vital source of employment.
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Length
25:54
CHILD LABOUR
Tags
AFRICA
ECOLOGY
Year
2015
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
The Afghan Lady Cab
Sara Bohayi is the first and only woman taxi driver in Afghanistan. In this patriarchal and highly religious
society, women rarely work or drive, let alone work as drivers. A woman’s fate here is to become a
housewife, caring for her husband and children. But Sara never married, she made a decision to be
independent, the breadwinner for herself and her sister and to be her own woman.
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Length
26:08
HUMAN RIGHTS
Tags
AFGHANISTAN
PROFESSIONS
Year
2015
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
Albino Africa
People fear them. They are outcasts, treated with contempt. They are frequently beaten and murdered
simply because they are not like other people. Their skin is a different colour. This is not a film about the
African-American civil rights movement in the mid-20th century. These twenty six minutes tell the story
of those with the misfortune to be born an albino in Africa today.
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Silver World Medal New York Festivals World’s Best TV & Films 2015. International Television & Film Awards
Length
26:15
CHILDREN
Tags
AFRICA
HUMAN RIGHTS
Year
2014
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
Cold turkey in Kyrgyzstan
The Nazaraliev drug rehab centre in the vast and remote steppes of Kyrgyzstan offers hope to drug
addicts who have to overcome physical and psychological dependence on controlled substances. For
many addicts and their families, this medical centre in Kyrgyzstan is their last hope. At the Nazaraliev
drug rehab centre, patients try both traditional treatment and shock therapy. Anyone who experiences
withdrawal is put into an induced coma to avoid pain and suffering. Before leaving, some patients are
given the chance of a therapeutic ‘pilgrimage’, a 250-kilometre hike over rough terrain to face up to
and confront their inner demons.
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Length
26:00
HEALTH
Tags
DRUGS
KYRGYZSTAN
Year
2014
Language
English, Russian
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M E N U
See Me, Hear Me
Autism is a fast-spreading illness. No scientist is certain where it comes from or how to cure it. One thing is
clear: people with autism are intelligent individuals who don’t have the mental capability to stand their
ground. As such, their well-being depends a great deal on the people around them. Join RT to see what
it takes to live with autism in Russia. Meet Andrey, 31, an autism-sufferer. He has been forced to live in a
care home just because his aunt was after his flat in the centre of Moscow. And find out why Timur, 14, a
talented artist and autism-sufferer, is also highly likely to end up in a care home, too.
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Length
25:59
AUTISM
Tags
DISABILITY
MENTAL HEALTH
Year
2014
Language
English, Russian
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M E N U
The Choice
Social insecurity, financial problems or a thriving career. These are the reasons why the women in this film
doubt their readiness to become mothers at this particular moment in time. An organization called the
Cradle is there to listen to their concerns, provide them with information, and, hopefully, help them to
abandon thoughts of abortion.
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Length
25:52
CHILDREN
Tags
ADOPTION
HEALTH
Year
2014
Language
English, Russian
PREVIOUS NEXT
M E N U
The Young and the Brave
It's hard to prepare oneself for an emergency situation, but when these kids saw others in desperate need
of help, they didn't think twice before putting their own lives in danger to rescue them. These are the
stories of ordinary schoolchildren who found themselves in extraordinary circumstances and showed
bravery that not every adult is capable of. They recall the moment of their heroic deed and explain how
they managed to remain calm and composed in the scariest moment of their lives.
Soci
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Length
26:01
CHILDREN
Tags
HEROES
RESCUE
Year
2014
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
PREVIOUS NEXT
M E N U
Fishing Wars
Some of the Atlantic’s richest fishing grounds can be found near the coastlines of Morocco, Mauritania
and Senegal and hundreds of international companies constantly fight over the right to fish these waters.
Russian vessels, too, have fished here since the 1970s, but today their job is harder than ever. They face
new laws pushing them further from the coastline and forcing them to hire local crew they struggle to find
a common language with. With fish numbers dropping, fierce competition, increasing illegal activity and
local African governments resorting to highly questionable means of fishing control, ocean fishing in the
21st century has never been riskier.
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Length
25:58
ECOLOGY
Tags
AFRICA
FINANCIAL CRISIS
Year
2014
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
The Passengers
This is no ordinary trolleybus, it's not going anywhere, but the passengers hope it might take them to a
better tomorrow. Used as a shelter and meal station, the trolleybus took in its first residents two winters
ago. Now it's at the heart of a small trailer park for homeless people. The rules are simple: drink is
prohibited and work is encouraged. Anyone who lives by that code is welcome, whatever their past may
hold
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Length
25:38
HOMELESSNESS
Tags
CHARITY
ALCOHOLISM
Year
2014
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
PREVIOUS NEXT
M E N U
In the dark
How would you cope if you were suddenly deprived of your eyesight? In his latest experiment, James
Brown signs up to experience life as a blind person for two weeks, gaining important insights both into
himself and those around him.
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Length
51:55
DISABILITY
Tags
BLINDNESS,
TEST
Year
2014
Language
English, Spanish, Russian
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M E N U
Tanks: Born in Russia
Two factory workers, Kirill and Vladimir, compete for a job in Uralvagonzavod’s prestigious tank workshop,
the largest tank manufacturer in the world. They are both lucky enough to be offered work placements,
although there is only one permanent position up for grabs. Kirill is a novice who’s relying on beginner’s
luck to see him through. Vladimir, on the other hand, has been at the factory for three years and hopes
that his experience will count in his favour. A promotion would be especially valuable to him as his wife is
expecting their first baby; a move to the tank workshop would mean they could afford to buy their own
home.
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Length
Avg. ep. 26 min.
DOCU-REALITY
Tags
COMPETITION
RUSSIA
Year
2014
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
SERIES
PREVIOUS NEXT
M E N U
Imprisoned by Insanity
Prisoners of a psychiatric ward. They are criminal offenders suffering from mental disorders. Can anything
help their troubled souls and minds? Artist Aleksandr Semyonov tries to relieve their suffering with art
therapy. 'When I first started the art therapy course here, I was afraid of them. Their first results just
shocked me. They were supposed to draw the person sitting opposite from them, but each one
of them drew himself'.
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Length
26:11
CRIME
Tags
ART
HEALTH
Year
2013
Language
English, Russian
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M E N U
Republic of Texas
From 1836 to 1845, before it was annexed by the United States, the Republic of Texas was an independent
state. Now some Texian citizens, as they prefer to call themselves based on historical usage, claim their
country never lost its sovereignty to the USA. They have formed a volunteer alternative government,
complete with its own mint. RTD travels to the Lone Star State to meet those who, faced with an
encroaching Federal government, want their home state to be independent of the union.
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Length
26:33
LIFESTYLE
Tags
HISTORY
POLITICAL
Year
2013
Language
English, Russian
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M E N U
On women's shoulders
Most able-bodied men leave the poverty-stricken former Soviet country of Tajikistan to seek employment
in Russia, where they can earn eight times as much as at home. This leaves the small, mountainous
landlocked country's tough-as-nails women to eke out a living tending cattle in the mountains. Join
RTDoc as we explore the lives of these women as they work collectively to take care of cows, make dairy
products and look after children. We'll also meet men who have been compelled to work abroad but
whose hearts remain with their families and simple pastoral lives.
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Length
22:36
FORMER USSR
Tags
ECONOMY
TAJIKISTAN
Year
2013
Language
English, Russian
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M E N U
The last generation of shepherds
Every year, the shepherds of Dagestan take their flocks to cool, distant mountain medows so that the
sheep may graze. However, many Dagestanis see no future in this traditional lifestyle and many children
are tempted to leave their shepherd fathers' professions in the past. Shepherds must spend months on the
road, subsisting on simple diets of meat and bread and living in makeshift accomodations. These days,
the cost of wool is too low for the profession to be considered worth the effort. RTDoc gives you a look at
the shepherds and their families, as well as the sheep, the dogs, the clothes and the food.
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Length
25:30
SOUTHERN RUSSIA
Tags
DAGESTAN
SHEEPS
Year
2013
Language
English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian
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M E N U
Save our souls, Mama!
Alyona had enough money but felt unfulfilled, so she left St. Petersburg and started working for a village
which puts women together with children in need of a family. Many of the kids in the village have had to
flee abusive or neglectful parents who were alcoholics or drug addicts. How does the village's director,
former naval lieutenant Sergey Yakovenko, run everything and obtain funding? Do they see him as a
director, or as a dad? Do they think of Alyona as their mother? Can raising five children that aren't your
own be as fulfilling as taking care of your own family?
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Length
25:19
CHILDREN
Tags
ADOPTION
MOTHER
Year
2013
Language
English, Russian
PREVIOUS NEXT
M E N U
Brides by force
It will hardly surprise anyone that bride-snatching is illegal in Kyrgyzstan, but when you look at sentencing,
the reality paints a far different picture. A sheep's life is worth four times more than a young woman's. The
custom – in which single young men kidnap their bride of choice and pressure them to agree to
marriage – is very common in this country. But as RT’s team has found out, this centuries-old tradition
surprisingly has its passionate proponents as well as harsh critics.
Soci
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Length
25:42
KYRGYZSTAN
Tags
HUMAN RIGHTS
WOMEN
Year
2012
Language
English, Russian