GROW VASU (2024)

Scotland's Einstein: James Clerk Maxwell - The Man Who Changed the World

Professor Iain Stewart reveals the story behind the Scottish physicist who was Einstein's hero; James Clerk Maxwell. Maxwell's discoveries not only inspired Einstein, but they helped shape our modern world - allowing the development of radio, TV, mobile phones and much more. Despite this, he is largely unknown in his native land of Scotland. Scientist Iain Stewart sets out to change that, and to celebrate the life, work and legacy of the man dubbed "Scotland's Forgotten Einstein".

The Last Emperor

A dramatic history of Pu Yi, the last of the Emperors of China, from his lofty birth and brief reign in the Forbidden City, the object of worship by half a billion people; through his abdication, his decline and dissolute lifestyle; his exploitation by the invading Japanese, and finally to his obscure existence as just another peasant worker in the People's Republic.

Wars Don't End

During World War II, 12 000 children were born to Norwegian mothers and German soldiers. In WARS DON’T END five of these children tell their stories about lives of discrimination and abuse stemming from the choices of their mothers and the actions of their fathers.

Go Tha Hardest

A documentary about an upcoming artist who is in grief but is trying to manage his musical career as a rapper.

Claude Chabrol, the Maverick

An account of the life and work of French filmmaker Claude Chabrol (1930-2010), a sybarite Buddha, a furtive anarchist, an insolent lover of life.

The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc

In 1429, a French teenager stood before her King with a message she claimed came from God; that she would defeat the world's greatest army and liberate her country from its political and religious turmoil. As she reclaims God's diminished kingdom, this courageous young woman has various amazing victories until her violent and untimely death.

Charlton Heston: Radical to Right Wing

A look at the life and work of the iconic US actor Charlton Heston (1923-2008); the embodiment of many mythic heroes who was both a staunch defender of the Civil Rights movement during the sixties and a spokesman for the National Rifle Association in his later years. The extraordinary and controversial public and personal career of one of the greatest film personalities of all time.

Gorillas in the Mist

The story of Dian Fossey, a scientist who came to Africa to study the vanishing mountain gorillas, and later fought to protect them.

Milk

The true story of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man ever elected to public office. In San Francisco in the late 1970s, Harvey Milk becomes an activist for gay rights and inspires others to join him in his fight for equal rights that should be available to all Americans.

The Story and Forgiveness of José and Maria

After 50 years, José and Maria break off their marriage for good and agree to tell their grandson, for the first time, about the reasons that led them to this decision. A story about love, pain and forgiveness.

The Farewell Song

Documentary tribute to the Egyptian singer Abdel Halim Hafez produced in 1977 consisting of archive images of the singer during his visit to Paris in September 1974, joined by fictional scenes which take the form of a journalistic investigation. A little-known film in the filmography of Ahmed Rachedi who during this Parisian period will direct another feature film that we would very much like to see again: "A Finger in the Gear" (1973), on a screenplay by Rachid Boudjedra. The credits and some images of "La chanson de l'Adieu", released in France in December 1981 in the famous Luxor hall in Paris where more than 5,000 spectators came to see it.

Rambam - The Story of Maimonides

Rambam was born in Cordova, Spain in the 12th century. Known as the "Nesher Gadol" the "Great Eagle" - Rambam had the unique ability to see and perceive, with insight and clarity, the "big picture" - and man's relationship to the Divine. He was the first philosopher to unify - and reconcile the rational - with the reality of God. The legacy he left behind is astounding.

Edward Said: Out of Place

A look at the life and career of the influential post-colonial writer and champion of the Palestinian cause in the West, through interviews with his immediate family and closest friends.

Gray Matters

Gray Matters explores the long, fascinating life and complicated career of architect and designer Eileen Gray, whose uncompromising vision defined and defied the practice of modernism in decoration, design and architecture. Making a reputation with her traditional lacquer work in the first decade of the 20th century, she became a critically acclaimed and sought after designer and decorator in the next before reinventing herself as an architect, a field in which she laboured largely in obscurity. Apart from the accolades that greeted her first building –persistently and perversely credited to her mentor–her pioneering work was done quietly, privately and to her own specifications. But she lived long enough (98) to be re-discovered and acclaimed. Today, with her work commanding extraordinary prices and attention, her legacy, like its creator, remains elusive, contested and compelling.

Lens in the box

"If all these cameras start talking to you.." A short documentary on a vintage camera museum, established by an archivist and photographer Mr. Aditya Arya

Stephen King: Master of Horror

Plot unavailable

John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood

The gripping story of legendary American actor John Travolta: his rise to stardom in the 1970s; his agonizing fall in disgrace in the 1980s; and his stunning artistic rebirth in the 1990s.

Sardar Udham

A young Sardar Udham Singh left deeply scarred by the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, escaped into the mountains of Afghanistan, reaching London in 1933-34. Carrying an unhealed wound for 21 years, the revolutionary assassinated Michael O’Dwyer on 13th March, 1940, the man at the helm of affairs in Punjab, April 1919 to avenge the lost lives of his beloved brethren.

David Stratton: A Cinematic Life

A compelling personal journey with David Stratton, as he relates the fascinating development of our cinema history. David guides us from his boyhood cinema experience of Australia in England, where he saw the first images of this strange and exotic landscape via the medium of film, to his migration to Australia as a ‘ten pound pom’ in 1963 and onto his present day reflections on the iconic themes that run through our cinematic legacy. All of this reflects a passionate engagement in a uniquely Australian medium. Parallel and at the heart of the series is the story of an industry whose growing pains David has witnessed over a lifetime. Alongside David, the protagonists of this history are the giants of Australian cinema – both behind the camera and in front of it.

Inside Chernobyl's Mega Tomb

Documentary which follows the construction of a trailblazing 36,000-tonne steel structure to entomb the ruins of the nuclear power plant destroyed in the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.

Rivers and Tides

Portrait of Andy Goldsworthy, an artist whose specialty is ephemeral sculptures made from elements of nature.

Vincere

The story of the descent into madness of Mussolini's secret first wife, Ida Dasler, who was seduced by his passion and vigor but blind to the fascist dictator's many flaws.

Have You Got It Yet? The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd

Follow the moment Barrett was kicked out of Pink Floyd, from the narrative of him going from groundbreaking musician to iconic rocker and manic, unstable star.

The Mysterious Mr. Lagerfeld

A look at the fashion icon that was Karl Lagerfeld, one of the most flamboyant and recognisable figures in fashion - and one of the most mysterious. His influence was immeasurable, from the Chanel catwalk to the high street - but how many people ever really knew the real Karl Lagerfeld? Weaving investigations in the present with Lagerfeld’s biography – illustrated by illuminating and much unseen archive footage – this film shows his profound and lasting effect on those around him, including his beloved cat Choupette.

Quando o sol se pôr, o amanhã será tão incerto quanto antes

Plot unavailable

Yul Brynner, the Magnificent

The incredible story of the mythical Russian-American actor and filmmaker Yul Brynner (1920-85), the most exotic sex-symbol since Rudolph Valentino; the story of the atypical destiny of an international nomad: from the Parisian cabarets to the stages of Broadway and the Hollywood studios. The rise to fame of a multidisciplinary genius who became a king of the screen.

Manny

From abject poverty to becoming a ten-time boxing world champion, congressman, and international icon, Manny Pacquiao is the true definition of a Cinderella story. In the Philippines, he first entered the ring as a sixteen-year-old weighing ninety-eight pounds with the goal of earning money to feed his family. Now, almost twenty years later, when he fights, the country of 100 million people comes to a complete standstill to watch. Regarded for his ability to bring people together, Pacquiao entered the political arena in 2010. As history’s first boxing congressman, Pacquiao now fights for his people both inside and outside of the ring. Now at the height of his career, he is faced with maneuvering an unscrupulous sport while maintaining his political duties. The question now is, what bridge is too far for Manny Pacquiao to cross?

That Guy Dick Miller

Documentary about veteran character actor Dick Miller, whose career in and outside of Hollywood has spanned almost 200 films across six decades, featuring a diverse range of interviews with directors, co-stars, and contemporaries.

Blackout

First responders, journalists, shop owners, those inside the pressure-packed control center of Con Edison on West End Avenue, and other New Yorkers tell about what happened when the lights went out on July 13, 1977.

Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story

This film is a glimpse into the life, love and the unconquerable spirit of the legendary Bruce Lee. From a childhood of rigorous martial arts training, Lee realizes his dream of opening his own kung-fu school in America. Before long, he is discovered by a Hollywood producer and begins a meteoric rise to fame and an all too short reign as one the most charismatic action heroes in cinema history.

Factory Girl

In the mid-1960s, wealthy debutant Edie Sedgwick meets artist Andy Warhol. She joins Warhol's famous Factory and becomes his muse. Although she seems to have it all, Edie cannot have the love she craves from Andy, and she has an affair with a charismatic musician, who pushes her to seek independence from the artist and the milieu.

Titanic's Final Mystery

The sinking of the RMS Titanic remains one of the most enduring and mysterious tragedies of the 20th century. For decades, investigators and amateurs alike have floated theories for why it occurred and who was to blame for the extraordinary loss of life, but no one answer could fully explain what happened. Until now. To mark the 100th anniversary of the infamous disaster, Smithsonian Channel will premiere Titanic's Final Mystery. The two-hour special investigates a century of theories and uncovers astonishing new forensic evidence that proves the most likely theory for the case.

Good Mr. Benda

Plot unavailable

Pollock

In August of 1949, Life Magazine ran a banner headline that begged the question: "Jackson Pollock: Is he the greatest living painter in the United States?" The film is a look back into the life of an extraordinary man, a man who has fittingly been called "an artist dedicated to concealment, a celebrity who nobody knew." As he struggled with self-doubt, engaging in a lonely tug-of-war between needing to express himself and wanting to shut the world out, Pollock began a downward spiral.

Documentary of AKB48: AKB48+1+10

We’re back for round two! Much like “AKB48+1”, this documentary goes through the English alphabet talking about a different aspect of the group for each letter. While still featuring tons of behind the scenes footage, it focuses more on member relations and the events of the past year (2012). Again, this documentary is a brilliant look into the diversity of the AKB48 experience. There’s so much about this group to learn, and the two bonus “AKB48+1” and “AKB48+1+10” documentaries provide a detailed look in a fun way.

Farzand

Maharashtra has a very well known history and in that, the period of Shivaji Maharaj is of pride to us all. Adilshah from Bijapur was the strongest enemy of Shivaji Maharaj and the ruler of Konkan and Maharashtra. Shivaji established Swaraj in these parts and set the people free from Adilshah's slavery. And hence, he became Shivaji's biggest enemy. Adilshah later, declared a war against Shivaji Maharaj and captured the Panhala fort. After several attempts for recapturing the fort, Shivaji Maharaj failed. Adilshah, being a tricky politician, appointed the brutal Beshakh Khan as the guardian of the fort. The illegal and immoral acts of Beshakh Khan was against Swaraj and a hurdle for the coronation of Shivaji Maharaj. To stop him and capture the fort of Panhala was now an issue of prestige for Shivaji Maharaj. Farzand is the movie about Shivaji Maharaj's 60 great warriors lead by Kondaji Farzand, which portrays their great achievements in capturing Panhala fort.

Take the Steps

"Take the Steps” follows four characters at Collingwood Football Club throughout the 2023 Toyota AFL Finals Series. Craig McRae is in his second year of senior coaching.

Hex Hollow: Witchcraft and Murder in Pennsylvania

A documentary film investigating the 1928 murder of a Pennsylvania farmer and the allegations of witchcraft that shocked the nation.

American Psycho: From Book to Screen

A documentary charting the adaptation and filmmaking process behind Mary Harron’s American Psycho (2000)

Mirza Ghalib

This is the about the most admired poet in the History of Urdu and Persian writings, Mirza Ghalib

AURORA: Nothing Is Eternal

Following the artist from the bustling streets of New York to her rain-soaked hometown of Bergen, the film includes interviews with AURORA's closest friends, as well as uniquely stripped-back performances of tracks including “Warrior” and “Murder Song (5, 4, 3, 2, 1).” Whether she’s reminiscing on her childhood with her sisters, dancing through the city streets in her headphones, or discussing the secret life of apples, there’s a spellbinding quality to everything the artist does.

Edlinger, la liberté au bout des doigts

In the 1980s, Patrick Edlinger, nicknamed "Le Blond", painted with the grace of a poet the first chapter in the world history of free climbing. In his hands, marginal exercise has become a real lifestyle, carrying a message of freedom. His famous solos, beyond the proven feat they represent, bear witness to this. Life at Your Fingertips, the first internationally known climbing film, touched and inspired by generations of climbers; Edlinger was one of the meteors that shone light on the cliffs of the world by following the trajectory of a single idea: to be free to live only by "climbing". Yet the man capable of concessions in the face of the necessities of life (competitions, advertisements) and pressure from the media, his public and the desires he aroused.

Public Enemies

Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger's charm and audacity endear him to much of America's downtrodden public, but he's also a thorn in the side of J. Edgar Hoover and the fledgling FBI. Desperate to capture the elusive outlaw, Hoover makes Dillinger his first Public Enemy Number One and assigns his top agent, Melvin Purvis, the task of bringing him in dead or alive.

Wilde

The story of Oscar Wilde, genius, poet, playwright and the First Modern Man. The self-realisation of his homosexuality caused Wilde enormous torment as he juggled marriage, fatherhood and responsibility with his obsessive love for Lord Alfred Douglas.

Patton

"Patton" tells the tale of General George S. Patton, famous tank commander of World War II. The film begins with Patton's career in North Africa and progresses through the invasion of Germany and the fall of the Third Reich. Side plots also speak of Patton's numerous faults such his temper and habit towards insubordination.