All films

Every year, crowds from around the world flock to the small Serbian town of Guca, for its famous, annual trumpet festival. The lively, upbeat music makes for a great 5-day summer event and gives less-known bands a chance to practice, get noticed and make it big. But behind the fun and carefree festive atmosphere, few people see the gruelling demands placed on the musicians dedicated to their art.

Like most students in rural Nepal, Durge Kami is a diligent pupil who tries to listen to his teachers.  He differs from his school mates in just one respect, he is 69! At such a ripe old age, he was determined to realise his life’s ambition to complete his education. With no nearby adult learning centres, he has to go to a regular school. Not everyone supported him at first but by doing what he loves he’s become an inspiration for kids and adults alike.

In Vietnam, Phuc Tong made a cemetery for unborn babies. His country, where poverty and social stigma push women to terminate unplanned pregnancies, has the highest abortion rate in Asia. He has dedicated his life to helping young mothers and their babies. He offers shelter and tries to convince women to keep their children, even if that means raising them himself.

A cathedral founded on pure faith and its creator who’s dedicated more than 50 years of his life to building it. 91-year-old Don Justo, of the small Spanish town of Mejorada del Campo, is a former monk. On a whim and a dream he decided to build a monumental house of God and since 1961, he’s been doing just that using scrap, recycled building materials and as much good will as he can find.

The creative vision of one man transformed a community of farmers into a centre of modern art. Russian artist Nikolay Polissky turned his village into an artistic colony, where residents are the co-authors of his monumental nature-inspired sculptures. Twice a year, the village holds the largest Land-Art festival in Russia - Archstoyanie.

Cambodia, with its cheap labour, is an attractive place for many international fashion brands to manufacture their clothes. However, low production prices are often only achieved by violating workers’ rights. Most women working in clothes factories are fired as soon as they get pregnant.

When kids are accused of witchcraft in Africa’s Democratic Republic of the Congo, they’re thrown out of their homes. They beg and steal in the streets, where might is right. The aim of the country’s first centre for homeless children is to bring them back to their families. But superstition in Congolese society is hard to combat. 

Colombia has been in a state of civil war for over half a century. The biggest and most influential of the rebel groups that oppose the government is the FARC-EP. Since 2012, it’s been in peace talks with the government. We met with the rebels (almost half of whom are women) to find out why they joined the fight and what their hopes are for the long-awaited peace. 

The city of Flint in Michigan, US, has a water crisis. It’s been going on since 2014 when residents were switched to a cheaper supply but it took a year before the authorities admitted there was a problem. As a result, thousands were exposed to lead poisoning, carcinogenic chemicals and legionella bacteria. Miguel Francis-Santiago investigates what caused the problem, its dire consequences and why they tried to cover it up.

Ziona Chana is head of the largest family in the world, leader of a religious commune in India and, according to some, he’s God himself. Hundreds of followers pray to him and worship him as an immortal deity. RT Doc visits the polygamous “New Generation” cult he founded at the foot of the Himalayas. 

These Afghan girls have to reject their femininity and pretend to be male. They are called Bacha Posh. In Afghanistan’s traditional patriarchal society, many women can’t leave the house without a male accompanying them. For this reason, if a family has no son, a daughter is often appointed to play his role. Having tasted freedom, some of the girls never want to go back.

They joined the army driven by a desire to serve their country and its people. However, the wars they were sent to made them re-evaluate everything they believed in. Now, US veterans are trying to come to terms with their past and learn how to live among civilians again.  It turns out, they’ve no one to rely on but each other.

Lake Baikal in Russian Siberia is the oldest and deepest lake on the planet and is famous for containing 20% of the world’s fresh water. Its incredibly clear and clean water is home to hundreds of unique animal and plant species. Biologists, however, are increasingly concerned about the region’s ecology. James Brown goes back to Baikal seven years after his last visit to look into how the lake has changed.

It’s 15 years since the 2001 terror attack on New York’s twin towers changed America forever. Thousands lost their lives or loved ones and many others lost their health. On that day though, everyone in the US lost something else; peace of mind. RT Doc asks how 9/11 transformed modern America’s world view.

Mica is a shiny mineral that’s all the rage in modern-day makeup, helping to give beauty products a bright gleam and natural-looking glow. This beauty, however, comes at a price that most are unaware of. Those who pay it are the poorest and the most vulnerable. RT Doc visits India’s illegal mica mines where child labour is rife. 

Tatyana has a brain tumour and does not yet know whether it is benign or malignant. What is certain, however, is that she needs surgery. Her family is worried about the outcome and prognosis, but are reassured that she’ll be operated on in Sklifosovsky Institute – Russia’s best-known hospital.