From DW Documentary. Five young people go on a sailing trip together — nothing unusual in that. What makes this adventure special is that all the participants have autism. It’s a shared experienced aimed at boosting self-esteem in everyday life. This is a challenging step for all five. Everything is different here, no day like…

From DW Documentary. Residents of Warsaw’s Muranow district claim they live amongst Jewish ghosts. These ghosts go wandering through the streets of the neighbourhood that, before World War II, they called home. Before Muranow became the Warsaw Ghetto, this flourishing district was once an important cultural center for the Jewish community. German bombardment devastated the…

From DW Documentary. Motor racing celebrates many a hero, but it also mourns its many victims. The 1930s saw their share of both records and danger, drivers and their mechanics risking anything to make their cars faster. High Velocity – a film about speed. Thrills and spills have been part of racing since the car…

From DW Documentary. Natalia Romik has uncovered incredible Holocaust-era hideouts used by Jews in Poland. In one case, it was a 600-year-old oak tree, in another an underground bunker at a cemetery. Each one reveals amazing stories of survival against the odds. Researcher Natalia Romik is actively engaged in ensuring the past is not forgotten.…

From DW Documentary. Emile Hoarau wants to finally face his past. He was nine years old when authorities on the French island of Réunion took him away from his family. Instead of a brighter future, a long ordeal awaited him At the time, around two thousand children like Emile were torn from their families. Like…

From DW Documentary. In southwestern China, women have led families for centuries. Here, at the foot of the Himalayas, Lizajui is one of the last villages where matriarchal Mosuo traditions still rule. A father’s role is much more limited here among the Mosuo, an ethnic minority in China. Although they father children, they do not…

From DW Documentary. In his village in Kenya, farmer Kisilu Musya films the effects of climate change. But when a violent storm destroys crops, houses and huts, Kisilu becomes a climate activist. "Thank You for the Rain" is a joint film by Kisilu Musya, a Kenyan farmer, climate campaigner and video diarist, and Julia Dahr,…

From DW Documentary. Lynx and other large carnivores once called Europe home. Then, humans wiped out these native animals. Now, a few lynx are back. Will they be able to stay? In Baden-Württemberg, a plan to reintroduce the native lynx would enable the population to expand and take root, once again. But the plan is…

From DW Documentary. The Black Lives Matter movement and migration are helping to fuel the debate about Europe’s colonial past. To what extent does colonialism still shape European society? What questions should we be asking ourselves? Afropean: In search of identity What do Black people in Europe have in common? The British author and photographer…

From DW Documentary. Winter in Lapland is no longer as cold as it used to be, with dire repercussions. The ice is melting. We meet three women whose lives in their homeland are directly affected by climate change. Malin Brännström is Indigenous Sami. She and her husband are reindeer herders in Swedish Lapland. But free-range…

From DW Documentary. Thirty years ago the Soviet Union, the bastion of communism, fell apart after member states declared their independence. What do people who were born at that time think about the USSR? We ask young adults in Georgia, Ukraine and Russia. While Ukrainian Sergey Sobol and Georgian Irakli Rusadze see their future in…

From DW Documentary. Is humanity destined for a futuristic utopia? Or are we heading blindly towards life in a nightmarish surveillance state? Both scenarios still seem possible as increased digitalization is turning us into a fully networked society. The Internet is in the process of infiltrating all aspects of human life. "Reformed techno-utopian" and filmmaker…

From DW Documentary. A midwife is fighting against sexism in India. As India’s so-called "village of men” demonstrates, a society without women has no future. In India, a girl is aborted every 12 seconds. Every 22 minutes a woman is raped. The connection between these two statistics is as startling as it is terrifying. Illegal…

From DW Documentary. China faces a huge problem when it comes to caring for elderly people. The number of retirees is increasing, while the number of care workers is dropping. The country is creating virtual care homes to monitor and help seniors. A white device with huge eyes announces that it is time for 65-year-old…

From DW Documentary. The Citarum river in West Java is considered the dirtiest river in the world. Textile factories discharge tons of untreated toxic waste into the river every day. Local residents also treat the river as a dumping ground, using the waters to dispose of excrement and household waste. In spite of how dirty…

From DW Documentary. Every year, up to a million tons of fishing nets are lost or dumped at sea. These "ghost nets” continue to kill indiscriminately. Millions of marine animals die in agony each year, while conservationists conduct diving operations to recover the nets. Nets and parts of nets are lost during storms and accidents,…

From DW Documentary. It’s a case involving one of the worst examples of fraud in the history of German industry. Who knew about the manipulation of VW’s diesel emissions, and just as importantly – when? In September 2015 US authorities revealed that VW had been selling diesel cars fitted with software designed to improve emission…

From DW Documentary. Germany has around 1.5 million millionaires. A number that’s increasing day by day. Along with demands that they should pay more tax. What do the rich think of that? The responses couldn’t be more varied. "I’ve had the good fortune to be born into the right family, with a silver spoon in…

From DW Documentary. Iran’s mountainous terrain has always been an important part of people’s lives. Years ago, these mountains were populated by legendary horsemen. Today, they are the subject of scientific investigation. This film provides the viewer with stunning aerial views of these mountains. It unfurls the rich tapestry of Iran’s history, from the legendary…

From DW Documentary. Santa Claus is a global icon. But where did this friendly old man in a red suit who brings gifts for children actually come from? How could Santa become a central figure of our consumer society? Everyone knows Santa Claus, but few know much about his origins. This film changes that, by…

From DW Documentary. ‘Girls for Future’ follows four girls as they fight for a better future. Aged between 11 and 14 years, they are all directly affected by environmental destruction – from air pollution to water shortage – and its consequences. The protagonists are from India, Australia, Indonesia and Senegal, respectively. In Senegal, we see…

From DW Documentary. In Russia, love, sex and family are personal matters. But increasingly, they are also political ones: Putin himself is a vocal proponent of patriarchy and large families. This is especially challenging for women, young people and the LGBTQIA community. Through a steady dose of propaganda, the state is attempting to reinforce outdated…

From DW Documentary. The tiny, picturesque island is not typical of the area. It is part of Yemen, but far away from the civil war. Even many people well acquainted with the region haven’t been to Socotra. Instead, they speak with shining eyes of an island that they long to see one day. Socotra lies…

From DW Documentary. It’s been five months since the devastating floods in Germany’s Ahr Valley. Thousands of houses remain uninhabitable, and many have to be torn down. With the arrival of winter, many people are facing the challenge of living without adequate heating. Nils Görres works for a heating and plumbing company in Altenburg, one…

From DW Documentary. Thirty years after the collapse of the USSR, the martial rhetoric and other trappings of the "strong men" of the totalitarian era are making a comeback. Why? The film’s director Ivo Briedis and the journalist Rita Ruduša were both born in the Soviet Union. Together, they embark on a journey to explore…

From DW Documentary. Daniel Libeskind wants his work to stir your emotions. His buildings, which include the Jewish Museum in Berlin and the new World Trade Center, have attracted worldwide attention. This film is a celebration of the artist and his work. Star architect Daniel Libeskind first rose to international prominence back in 1999 with…

From DW Documentary. On March 13, 2013 a conclave of cardinals chose the Argentinian Jorge Mario Bergoglio to succeed Josef Ratzinger (Benedict XVI) as pope. The new leader asked to be called Francis after the “little poor man” of Assisi. He longed, he said, for a poor Church — to serve the poor. Almost immediately…

From DW Documentary. What does the future of education look like in a wired world? In this film, Indian education expert Sugata Mitra conducts a daring experiment. In an Indian village, he builds a school that only exists virtually, in the cloud. In many parts of the world, just getting to the nearest school is…

From DW Documentary. For centuries, Europeans lusted after exotic treasures from all over the world. Millions of objects were stored away by German museums during the colonial era. That’s left a cultural vacuum in former colonial countries. Today, the restitution of these objects to their cultures of origin does happen – but it is the…

From DW Documentary. "In war, animals are victims too,” says Alaa Aljaleel, the cat rescuer of Idlib. In one of the last rebel strongholds of Syria’s civil war, he cares for injured and abandoned cats. Around 400 cats live with Alaa Aljaleel in his animal shelter, and a few more drop by now and then…

From DW Documentary. For China, it’s a renegade province that must be brought into line. The Taiwanese, on the other hand, see themselves as a legitimate, independent, democratic state. For Taiwan, the stakes are high. After watching how Hong Kong was "brought into line" by China, Taiwan has been all the more determined to assert…

From DW Documentary. Bangladesh is struggling just to stay afloat. Literally: By 2050, it’s estimated that climate issues will displace one in seven of the country’s inhabitants. This film takes the viewer on a journey through Bangladesh, exploring why overflowing rivers flood three-quarters of the country every year. We see how flooding threatens the country’s…

From DW Documentary. A timeless treasure, nearly lost forever. Without the UNESCO‘s unprecedented rescue operation, future generations might have only seen the stunning temples of Ramses II and Cleopatra in the pages of history books. Majestic stone colossi rising from the desert sands, structures like these kept their secrets for generations. For centuries, Abu Simbel,…

From DW Documentary. For thousands of migrants, hitching a ride on a freight train is the fastest way to get to the USA. But this route is also one of the most perilous. Just getting on and off "the Death Train,” also known as "La Bestia,” or "the Beast,” is dangerous. Each year, untold numbers…

From DW Documentary. For decades, Montenegro has been unable to get organized crime under control. Rampant corruption is hindering development in the country, which is a candidate for EU membership. Now, Prime Minister Zdravko Krivokapic is attempting a political awakening. At the end of 2020, a wave of protests swept Zdravko Krivokapic to the very…

From DW Documentary. Death and the devil. Nudity and eroticism. Horror. With its daring subjects and blazing colors, the art of the Gothic period captivated viewers some 500 years ago, and still affects us deeply, today. This documentary focuses on some of the most spectacular panels and paintings of the Gothic period. The mid-15th century…

From DW Documentary. This documentary follows a former inmate of Guantanamo Bay as he searches for his tormentors. Once charged as a terrorist and twice exonerated, he seeks revenge in the most unexpected way: through forgiveness. For many years, Mohamedou Slahi was considered one of the most dangerous terrorists in the world. He spent 14…

From DW Documentary. They are top athletes. But a single flight of stairs can be a challenge. This documentary follows two elite competitors as they embark on a journey to the Paralympic Games in Tokyo. Paraplegic racing wheelchair racer Alhassane Baldé and blind judoka Shugaa Nashwan are the two athletes portrayed in this film. Both…

From DW Documentary. With a shortage of care workers in Germany and a deserted job market, medical institutions are increasingly recruiting qualified staff from abroad. The majority of foreign nurses are hired through recruitment agencies, which is a lucrative business. Clinics can pay up to 21,000 euros for the recruitment of just one nurse. But…

From DW Documentary. Germany is undergoing a sea change after sixteen years with Angela Merkel as chancellor. Elections this fall gave parliamentary seats to many younger politicians, including Kassem Taher Saleh of the Green Party and Ria Schröder of the liberal FDP. Like the other new members of parliament, Kassem Taher Saleh and Ria Schröder…

From DW Documentary. New hydropower dams on the Mekong River are leaving fishing and farming communities high and dry. The dams provide clean electricity, but they also cause massive damage to Cambodia’s plant and animal worlds. Will climate change make matters worse? Cambodia’s new hydropower dams on the Mekong River are causing big problems. The…

From DW Documentary. Zenith Irfan doesn’t think twice about cruising through her homeland of Pakistan on her motorcycle. But is Pakistani society at large willing to grant women that kind of freedom? Zenith Irfan inherited her passion for riding motorcycles from her father, who passed away at a young age. Her mother and older brother…

From DW Documentary. In cities around the world, housing prices are skyrocketing while incomes aren’t keeping pace. Housing is a human right that is becoming increasingly evasive. A market gone wild is putting the squeeze on tenants. The documentary film sheds light on a new kind of faceless landlord, our increasingly unlivable cities and an…

From DW Documentary. This film documents the lives of young Palestinian women in Palestine and Israel. They live in contexts dominated by men, surrounded by outdated gender roles. But step-by-step, these young women are shaping their own paths through life. The documentary takes viewers across Israel and the West Bank to meet Palestinian women shaping…

From DW Documentary. Modern agriculture is designed to produce high yields. But it also depletes the soil. How do over-fertilization and pesticides impact the environment and humans? Are we poisoning our world and driving species to extinction? Fertile farmland is a precious resource – and it is vital to food production. But the abundant use…

From DW Documentary. In Portugal, workers from south Asia pick the berries that fill European supermarket shelves. It’s a back-breaking job – with pay under four euros an hour, and ten-hour days. The incentive? The hope of an EU passport. It’s not easy to find workers in Portugal’s berry-growing region. So the government decided to…

From DW Documentary. Vaccination is one of the most powerful weapons in the fight against the coronavirus, in Africa, too. After a long wait, many countries there now have sufficient supplies of vaccine, but vaccination campaigns remain at a near standstill. Harriet Awuor is a nurse in Kenya. She knows that most of the difficulties…

From DW Documentary. With the help of mRNA technology, BioNTech has developed a vaccine for COVID-19. These assist the body to produce its own antigens to fight the virus – a medical milestone. Since the beginning of the 21st century, scientists Uğur Şahin und Özlem Türeci have pursued the goal of creating cancer treatments that…

From DW Documentary. After ten years away from their families, three Nepalese teenagers return to their mountain village. They were sent to a boarding school in Kathmandu at the age of four. Now they must learn to reconnect with their families and tradition. The Himalaya Mountains are a place of breathtaking beauty, but the secluded…

From DW Documentary. Back then it was called assimilation. Now, it’s recognized as cultural genocide. For generations, Indigenous families in Canada were forced to send their children to residential schools where their culture and language were eroded. The church-run schools, which operated between 1883 and 1996, were set up to turn Indigenous children into Christians…

From DW Documentary. The Khasis are one of the few matrilineal societies in the world. Children receive their mother’s name, and husbands move into their wife’s home. But what is the Khasis’ stance towards gender equality? Every morning Banisha gets ready for work. She teaches social studies at an elementary school in the Indian state…

From DW Documentary. In Burkina Faso, about a third of the country has no police or army presence whatsoever. To fill the vacuum, armed militias have moved in. One of the largest of these militias, known as the Koglweogo, is some 40,000 members strong. The Koglweogo militia’s stated goal is to protect the public from…

From DW Documentary. Hasan Kızıl has a mission in life: to help disabled cats and dogs to walk again. He builds animal walkers and prostheses in his hometown of Mardin, Turkey so that injured or abused animals can once again move freely. Animals that have been severely injured are often put to sleep. But Hasan Kızıl sees this as cruel. He believes there is another way. In the majority-Kurdish city of Mardin, in…

From DW Documentary. In the 1960s, US airline Pan Am sold spots on a waiting list for a trip to the moon. With the Cold War raging, nearly 100,000 customers on both sides of the Iron Curtain reserved their tickets – and the filmmaker’s family was among them. While the US and the Soviet Union…

From DW Documentary. South Africa’s former president Frederik Willem de Klerk has died at the age of 85. As it’s last white minority leader he steered his country towards the end of apartheid – for which De Klerk and Nelson Mandela won the Nobel Peace Prize. On 1 February 1991, South Africa’s then president, Frederik…

From DW Documentary. Indigenous peoples are among the worst affected by rainforest deforestation. What can art do in the face of this destruction? We show solutions from Cameroon, plus how artists in Brazil are fighting to save the Amazon. The rainforest is on fire. Profiteering and greed are destroying one of the world’s most important…

From DW Documentary. Around the world, beaches are under threat. Severe storms and sea levels are rising. Huge quantities of sand are being washed away into the ocean. Even entire islands are in existential danger. In Germany, the island of Sylt is battling against disappearance. Its beaches, like those of other North Sea islands, have…

From DW Documentary. On the Spanish island of La Palma, the Cumbre Vieja volcano is spewing lava and ash, forcing residents from their homes. It’s a nightmare for the tourist destination, one of the Canary Islands off the north-west African coast. What will become of the island? Two million years ago, the island was formed…

From DW Documentary. In 1945, Stuart and Budd Schulberg were sent to Europe to gather film evidence of Nazi crimes. The two brothers were part of a special OSS unit. The material they gathered was eventually put to use prosecuting top Nazi officials at Nuremberg. On November 20, 1945, the Nuremberg trials against prominent members…

From DW Documentary. A wave of authoritarianism is churning from East to West and assailing civil society. Autocrats are threatening democracy, while their regimes portray NGOs as Trojan horses for foreign interference. The resurgence of authoritarianism is impacting countries across the globe, no matter what their form of government. "In the Crosshairs of the State"…