Inspired by Pythagoras's belief in four-fold transmigration, by which the soul is passed from human to animal to vegetable to mineral, Michelangelo Frammartino's wondrous docu-essay traces the cycle of life through the daily rituals of life in the southern Italian region of Calabria.

In the muddy market square of Momostenango, Guatemala, where shamans burn offerings in the shadow of the Catholic church, prehispanic gods dance beside horror movie monsters and dictators from the dark days of the Cold War. Unlike the folkloric performances long studied by anthropologists, this new dance won't show up on any postcard. In some villages, it's even been banned for frightening tourists. So how did these fiberglass masks of Xena: Warrior...

A charming series of short documentaries that take you to the heart of Australian outback life. Biggest Banana: One of the most important days of year for Tweed Valley Banana growers is Murwillumbah’s King Banana competition. After the weigh in and judging the King Banana Proclamation is read out aloud and the winners including the Queen Banana are announced. A Ringers life: Boys as young as 15 and 16 leave home to become ringers out on the backblocks...

Five separate stories are dramatized, woven out of a series of theoretical, island-hopping voyages that start en route to Hawaii, and after traversing the South Seas as far as Australia, end up flying back home from Honolulu. In between, through both an adventurous shipboard passenger, a returning American WWII veteran, and the enthused narration, we're taken island hopping to stops in places lush, tranquil, and inviting, like Tahiti, Tonga and Fiji,...

David Tranter continues his series of outstanding films which document the Dreaming stories and history of his Alyawarr heritage. As in Tranters other films - Boomerang Today, Crookhat and Camphoo, Karlu Karlu and Willaberta Jack - the stories are told by Elders in the community. In this case three old men, Donald (Crookhat) Akemarr Thompson, Alec Apetyarr Peterson and Casey Akemarr Holmes travel by four-wheel drive out to a surprising strip of...

This series documents life in a Yucatan village, focusing on one family over the course of a year. The films explore the ancient agricultural and religious customs that ground contemporary Maya life in traditional values - even as modern Mexico comes to the village. In Maya, Spanish, and English, with English subtitles. Film Festivals, Screenings, Awards CINE Golden Eagle Award PBS national broadcasts Margaret Mead Film Festival honoree Choice Outstanding...

In December of 2002, McDonald's had to shut down their restaurants in Bolivia. The company cited financial problems, but the real reasons were to be found elsewhere. Bolivia may be a small, poor nation on the global market, but a country's fierce local food culture can be sometimes a more powerful factor than economic clout. In his first feature-length documentary, Fernando Martinez shows what happened, a story driven by the characters behind the...

Over the course of his career, filmmaker John Marshall shot more than one million feet of film and video (722 hours) of the Ju/'hoansi (!Kung Bushmen) of Namibia's Kalahari Desert. This body of work is unrivalled as a long-term visual study of a single group of people. Contained in Marshall's footage are the personal histories of individuals, documents of a now non-existent way of life, and the unfolding of massive social and economic change as experienced...

This off-beat series follows the exploits of the Bush mechanics, a group of engaging Aboriginal characters who travel through central Australia. In each episode, the Bush Mechanics who come from the remote Warlpiri community of Yuendumu are presented with a new set of challenges - catching a car thief, getting a nephew out of jail, racing to an outback rock concert and travelling thousands of miles to gather pearl shells for a rainmaking ceremony....

Two Journeys contrasts the journey of Miisia's new wife back to his village with that of Tipaia's to sell cattle for Rerenko's legal fees.