Wojtek - the Bear that Went to War
This is the story of Wojtek the Soldier Bear - a magnificent 500lb military bear who fought in World War II alongside a band of Polish soldiers, shared their beer and cigarettes - and eventually their fate. Told by those that knew him, his story will capture the imagination and provide a very different perspective of the Polish war story.
Rings of Burma
Having fled from junta-governed Burma Madzi and Lame hoped for freedom and better life in Thailand. But the fear for their daughters, who stayed behind, is overwhelming. With determination and strenght they fight to keep their family intact.
Madzi and Lame belong to Karen people - minority that is prosecuted in junta ruled Burma. In search of safty they flee to Thailand, where together with other Karens they live in a tourist heritage park. But having escaped from one slavery they get trapped in another - in order to survive Madzi needs to act as a local attraction. Karen women, known as "giraffe women", attract tourist to their long forgotten tradition of wearing rings. For thease women, it is the only way of making money, apart from prostitution.
Madzi puts the rings at the age of 60; Lame wanders around, because there in no real work for men. Real life is left behind in Burma. They also left their daughter with 5 grandchildren there. although the Karen part of Burma is safer now, lifein the border areas is baset with regular war activity, looting and raping. The mother tries to communicate with her daughter but she cannot get through. At last they manage to talk.
They make a decision - the daughter will move to Thailand. Her mother will help bribe soldiers at checkpoints and pay for travel expenses. It will not be easy - the road through the junge is dangerous and they can turn her back at the border. Madzi passes the money through someone and the daughter, with her five children, sets out on her way. Only she does not arrive.
The phone is silent. Her mother sends a boat every dat for her, but it returns empty.
Madzi is alone in all this - She listens in for messages from Burma, she listens to music. For hours she can sit and stare at the radio. Her husband cannot tear his eyes away from TV series, and their son keeps on excercising. There is a growing confession, he says he does not want his daughter to come as he has no strength to take care of her (they will need to help her build a house, feed the children). after a pause he adds he has never loved madzi. He only married because his parents told him to. Their son looses his first bozing tournament.
Madzi and Lame belong to Karen people - minority that is prosecuted in junta ruled Burma. In search of safty they flee to Thailand, where together with other Karens they live in a tourist heritage park. But having escaped from one slavery they get trapped in another - in order to survive Madzi needs to act as a local attraction. Karen women, known as "giraffe women", attract tourist to their long forgotten tradition of wearing rings. For thease women, it is the only way of making money, apart from prostitution.
Madzi puts the rings at the age of 60; Lame wanders around, because there in no real work for men. Real life is left behind in Burma. They also left their daughter with 5 grandchildren there. although the Karen part of Burma is safer now, lifein the border areas is baset with regular war activity, looting and raping. The mother tries to communicate with her daughter but she cannot get through. At last they manage to talk.
They make a decision - the daughter will move to Thailand. Her mother will help bribe soldiers at checkpoints and pay for travel expenses. It will not be easy - the road through the junge is dangerous and they can turn her back at the border. Madzi passes the money through someone and the daughter, with her five children, sets out on her way. Only she does not arrive.
The phone is silent. Her mother sends a boat every dat for her, but it returns empty.
Madzi is alone in all this - She listens in for messages from Burma, she listens to music. For hours she can sit and stare at the radio. Her husband cannot tear his eyes away from TV series, and their son keeps on excercising. There is a growing confession, he says he does not want his daughter to come as he has no strength to take care of her (they will need to help her build a house, feed the children). after a pause he adds he has never loved madzi. He only married because his parents told him to. Their son looses his first bozing tournament.
Welcome to the Rich Men's World
Papua New Guinea, Sandaun province. Interior covered with impenetrable forest. A film about the secret murder of wives of the chieftain leads us directly to a conflict of two tribes. Imbiniss people are clearing their virgin jungle and they work with a Chinese corporation to start an oil palm plantation here. They want to have shoes, money, the road and normal houses as people of the modern world. Neighbouring Ossima maintains the traditional lifestyle like thousands of years before. A dispute about the border piece of the jungle is breaking out, and in the background – a dispute over values. Let us see from close up how another fragment disappears from the tropical forest, let us get to know the hopes and conflicts of people who are behind this decision.