Saving Egyptian Film Classics (2002)

Saving Egyptian Film Classics (2002)
Director: Sayed Badreya
Written by: Sayed Badreya & Hesham Issawi
Produced by: Sayed Badreya
Cast: Martin Scorcese, Madyha Yussury, Zahi Hawass, and more
Categories: Documentary
Running Time: 52 minutes



Synopsis: Featuring American directors such Martin Scorsese, Arthur Hiller and Egyptian movie stars Madyha Yssury, Zahi Hawass, the film deals with the harsh consequences of neglecting films in storage rooms without preservation.


Egypt produces the most popular cinema in the Middle East. The Egyptian Filmmakers have produced masterpieces since 1920s. Now all these films are in great danger. Egypt has no film preservation facilities to preserve these great movies. It is estimated that 99% of all silent filmsand 50% of all sound films ever made have been lost forever.


The documentary, Saving Egyptian Film Classics, shows the importance of the Egyptian Cinema in the international arena, tracing its history to the beginning of the twentieth century as well as stressing the historical significance involved in saving the Egyptian films.


Cinema is a universal language. Whether Egyptian, American, Indian or Chinese films are endangered; it is our universal language that is being threatened.

Born Rich (2003)

Born Rich is a 2003 documentary about the experience of growing up as a child in one of the world's richest families. It was created by Jamie Johnson, heir to the Johnson & Johnson fortune. The video had two versions, an American one which is shown in America only, and a worldwide one. The American one included the fortunes of the Anderson Family, but this was edited out of the worldwide version at the family's request.


According to wikipedia, it was purchased by HBO. The film was described as "a documentary on children of the insanely rich, directed by one of their own, Johnson & Johnson Inc. heir Jamie Johnson." It consists primarily of Johnson interviewing his friends and peers about the experience of living life free of financial constraints. These interviews are offset by Johnson's exploration of his own experience and family. Jamie's uncle is screenwriter and novelist Dirk Wittenborn, whom Jamie credits with encouraging him to make a documentary about the experience of wealthy children.


The documentary was nominated for two Emmy Awards including 'Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming' for the director, Jamie Johnson. The other nomination was in the category 'Outstanding Nonfiction Special' for the producers: Sheila Nevins (executive producer), Dirk Wittenborn (produced by) and Jamie Johnson (producer).

John Pilger: The New rulers of The World

The myths of globalisation have been incorporated into much of our everyday language. "Thinking globally" and "the global economy" are part of a jargon that assumes we are all part of one big global village, where national borders and national identities no longer matter. But what is globalisation? And where is this global village?

In some respects you are already living in it. The clothes in your local store were probably stitched together in the factories of Asia. Much of the food in your local supermarket will have been grown in Africa. It's easier than ever to buy music from Mali, read novels from Colombia and watch films from Iran. The world is shrinking.

In 2001, John Pilger made 'The New Rulers of the World', a film exploring the impact of globalisation. It took Indonesia as the prime example, a country that the World Bank described as a 'model pupil' until its 'globalised' economy collapsed in 1998.

Globalisation has not only made the world smaller. It has also made it interdependent. An investment decision made in London can spell unemployment for thousands in Indonesia, while a business decision taken in Tokyo can create thousands of new jobs for workers in north-east England.

This might seem a very natural development if you live in a country like Britain, with its long international history as a trading nation and imperial power. Bringing the world closer together may throw up new opportunities for cultural and economic interaction, but it also exposes us to the negative aspects of life on a shrinking planet, whether it be the threat of global warming, the international traffic in women for sexual exploitation or the spread of AIDS throughout Africa and Asia.

More and more people across the world are acknowledging the threats posed by globalisation. This has given rise to the Global Justice Movement, with its regular social forums, which are a new, dynamic form of true internationalism.

The protestors come from many different countries and many different backgrounds, but they are united by one aim: to ensure that globalisation works in the interests of all the world's people, not just a fortunate few.



Source: www.johnpilger.com

Freedom Downtime: The Story of Kevin Mitnick (2003)

Can you launch a nuclear missile by whistling into a payphone? The unofficial story of Kevin Mitnick, possibly the first citizen in American history to be jailed without a bail-hearing.


He went to jail for nothing more than copying software, but was "convicted" by the media both for breaking into NORAD as well as causing millions of dollars in damage to a software-company.


This documentary introduces you to the "Free Kevin" movement, who trried to stop the making of a film about Mitnick based on the media's lies, and who went on a journey to track down key players in the Mitnick-affair and get some answers.

The Fort Fisher Hermit

Robert E. Harrill, The Fort Fisher Hermit, spent 17 years under the stars and scrub oaks of Fort Fisher, North Carolina. Surviving off the land and the contributions from thousands of visitors, the Fort Fisher Hermit became one of the areas largest tourist attractions.


But Robert's new life wasn't as idyllic as he made it out to be, and his untimely death is marked by mystery and controversy.


This film examines the reasons that led him to become a hermit, his growing popularity, and the mysterious circumstances surrounding his death.

Earthlings: The Most Shocking Documentary Ever..

*** Shocking documentary, viewers' discretion is advised:




EARTHLINGS is an award-winning documentary film about the suffering of animals for food, fashion, pets, entertainment and medical research. Considered the most persuasive documentary ever made, EARTHLINGS is nicknamed “the Vegan maker” for its sensitive footage shot at animal shelters, pet stores, puppy mills, factory farms, slaughterhouses, the leather and fur trades, sporting events, circuses and research labs. The film is narrated by Academy Award® nominee Joaquin Phoenix and features music by platinum-selling recording artist Moby. Initially ignored by distributors, today EARTHLINGS is considered the definitive animal rights film by organizations around the world. “Of all the films I have ever made, this is the one that gets people talking the most,” said Phoenix. “For every one person who sees EARTHLINGS, they will tell three.”

In 1999, writer/producer/director Shaun Monson began work on a series of PSAs about spaying and neutering pets. The footage he shot at animal shelters around Los Angeles affected him so profoundly that the project soon evolved into EARTHLINGS. The film would take another six years to complete because of the difficulty in obtaining footage within these profitable industries. Though the film was initially ignored by distributors, who told Monson that the film would “never see the light of day and should be swept under the rug,” today EARTHLINGS is considered the definitive animal rights film by organizations around the world.