Documentaries
Road to Recovery: Job Quest
It's a crisis hundreds of thousands of people are facing in this worldwide recession. Unemployed, and desperately looking for work. Hosted by Richard Quest, “Road to Recovery: Job Quest” is a raw, heartbreaking, and at times uplifting look at three people who have lost their jobs and are trying to find new work. We watch what happens over the course of several weeks, as the job seekers catalogue their ups and downs and weigh painful decisions with their families. We also hear from the job seekers on what it was like to be a part of Job Quest, and how they are doing now.
The Next Giant Leap
On 20th July 1969, U.S astronaut Neil Armstrong took “one giant leap for mankind” and became the first human being to land on the moon. Since then, it has been mostly baby steps. For almost four decades, the United States and the Soviet Union dominated the conquest of space, driven by national pride and cold war fervor.
As tensions between Russia and the U.S. eased and other concerns took hold, both countries changed their goals. Instead of shooting for the stars or other planets, the super powers set their sites on orbital space missions closer to home. Meanwhile, China has become the third country to send men into space, and other countries - Israel, Iran, India to name a few - successfully launched satellites into orbit.
In the light of the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, CNN International airs a special program exploring why the state of space exploration lags far behind previous expectations and how the space exploration is no longer an exclusive purview of the two former superpowers. The program also spotlights some of the likely future leaders in the outer space.
Going Green: Green Light for Business
In a business environment, where the top priority is often the bottom line, the decision to “go green” has added benefits. Often, a company’s conversion involves streamlining, reducing waste, becoming more efficient and utilizing resources in a new, more effective ways. In short, the company develops new ways to work smarter.
So how are the world’s most forward-thinking companies achieving their environmental and economic goals? CNN’s extensive newsgathering operation is on full display, as our journalists travel across the globe to meet with CEOs, city leaders and environmental entrepreneurs.
Culminating in an unprecendented half-hour special hosted on three continents, we go behind the scenes at a major Hollywood studio, run through Russia’s plans for the Winter Olympics, see Sweden's designs for ending the use of fossil fuels, get a never-before-seen look at the eco-friendly engines that drive Google and see why Paris may be repositioning itself as the “City of ‘Green’ Lights” for those who want to promote business and protect the planet.
Eye on Russia: Moving Forward
In this extraordinary half-hour program, CNN's Moscow-based Senior International Correspondent Matthew Chance offers viewers a ticket into the heart of Russia's current economic, political and cultural climate. Chance travels by train from the Arctic north of Murmansk to the southern climes of Sochi - with stops in St. Petersburg and Moscow. What develops through the course of his journey provides a unique glimpse into Russian society at a critical time in its history. Whether visiting a Russian farm to understand the country's ambitions as an agricultural superpower, hanging out with astronauts at the Star City training center, or going toe-to-toe with a 2.13-meter tall boxing world champion, Chance's breadth of reporting in this travelogue is as large and diverse as the country itself.
Going Green: Your Green World
"Your Green World" is a special program devoted to the current state of green initiatives around the planet. Arwa Damon leads a team of international correspondents highlighting today's environmental concerns and the most innovative ideas to help solve them. In Europe, the program explores the aviation industry's bold plans to reduce carbon emissions coming from airplanes. In the United States, we're given a first look at the latest "green gadgets" coming to market, including phones that run off the sun. An in Jakarta, we're there for a wedding, where the marriage vows include a mandatory promise to help plant trees.
Road to Recovery: Asia in Gear
Asia could be the best hope to save an auto industry in crisis. Home to the world's largest carmaker (Toyota) and a contender for largest car market (China), what happens here has a ripple effect throughout the world. Andrew Stevens is your guide for a look at the innovative strategies and solutions put forward at the Shanghai auto show. He takes you inside the latest in environmentally-friendly autos from China and Japan and explains corporate strategies for targeting the growing markets in India and China. With help from CNN's global correspondents, he looks at how these developments are impacting automakers, their employees and the car buyers. Plus, of course, a dose of the craziest and coolest cars on offer at the auto show.
On The Border
A four-part documentary series on human rights situation of the North Korean refugees. The producer and production team of Chosun Ilbo Daily risked their lives with the refugees/defectors throughout their escape to freedom. Following are the stories:
- Standing on the Border: In the border regions of China and North Korea, drug and human trafficking prevail. People are crossing the rivers for food and for their own reason. Some of them may even freeze to death during the course.
- Ghost Children: There are many stateless children in every village of Chinese border area. They become illegal immigrants because their mothers are North Korean defectors who cannot be registered in China. They are excluded from social benefits without any medical care and education. These children are living like ghosts with no identity since their birth...
- Crossing the Border: Following defectors in their escape to South Korea, the team covered the entire escape route and risked their lives together with the defectors who were smuggling into Thailand through Laos and China.
- People Deserted by their Motherland: North Korean timber site in Sibera has been opened to the public first time in history with interviews of former timber workers who have successfully escaped from the site and discovered shocking truths.
Scene By Scene - Asia Pacific Screen Awards (5 programs)
Scene by Scene is a series of programs that showcases some of the film Directors that are nominated for the 2008 Asia Pacific Screen Awards. The first four programs give you a rare peek behind the camera, shadowing some of the world’s most renowned directors to learn tricks of the trade, as well as what inspires and motivates them to break cinematic ground. The fifth program will highlight the winners of this year’s award ceremony. This is truly a unique experience for a global audience to recognize the creativity of cultures in the vast Asia-Pacific region.
World Cup 2010: Ready to Play?
We've had the Olympics and 2012 seems a long way away... but the next major sporting event is already shaping up... or is it. South Africa plays host to arguably the world's biggest sporting event, the World Cup in 2010. But rumours have been building that the country won't be ready to host the event, are the stadiums on track? Are the security plans secure enough and are the organisers confident. CNN takes a look at South Africa's plans to host the 2010 World Cup and what it means to the country in terms of pride, passion and plain old cash.
Future Updated
Rising sea levels, melting glaciers, floods, economic inequality and conflicts are some of the bleak scenarios predicted as the world's temperature continues to rise.
In 'Future Updated', an invited studio audience meets the most concerned and committed people in the world on global warming and climate crisis. Representatives from the scientific community, politicians, activists and industrialists all gather together for this major discussion, which will focus on concrete and comprehensive ways to achieve a civil society in concord with nature. The exchange of views will be characterized by innovative ideas in the climate debate.
Chaired by CNN International correspondent Fionnuala Sweeney, confirmed panelists are: Dr Tim Flannery, one of Australia's best known scientists and global warming activist; Volvo CEO Leif Johansson and Ericsson CEO Carl Henrik Svanberg.
Psychic Touch
A half hour look at psychic phenomena and how its finding its way to the mainstream. From entertainers like medium Lisa Williams, who has a hit show on Lifetime Television and broadcasts in dozens of countries where she claims to communicate with the dead, to doctors and hospitals who use intuitive healers to help the sick, this half hour examines the psychic realm and asks if it is finally finding an audience beyond the "weird" and "out there" stereotype. Isha Sesay hosts and Arwa Damon takes us on the journey inside the sixth sense.
Principal Voices: Design for Good
Science and technology play a key role in developing solutions to crises all over the world. The Principal Voices featured in this segment develop stunning designs that tackle everything from global warming to sustainable living standards.
Big Thinker - Daniel Libeskind - Architect, New York
The man behind the most well-known building project worldwide, Libeskind is responsible for the master plan for the rebuilding of the World Trade Center in New York. Libeskind has been the recipient of numerous awards for his architectural designs, including the 2001 Hiroshima Art Prize – the first time it has gone to an architect.
Frontline Pioneer - Cameron Sinclair
Co-founder and executive director of Architecture for Humanity, Africa His charitable organization promotes architecture and design solutions to humanitarian crises and provides design services to communities in need. It is currently working in seven countries on projects ranging from school building to developing mobile medical facilities to combat HIV/AIDS. In 2004 Fortune Magazine named him as one of the Aspen Seven, seven people changing the world for the better. Most Recently Sinclair was named as one of three winners of the 2006 TED Prize, which honors visionaries from any field who have shown they can “positively impact life on this planet”.
Future Player - Peter Head - Civil engineer, UK
The director of Arup and one of the world's leading bridge builders, Field is now the master planner of the world's first eco city. On an island at the mouth of the Yangtze, Dongtan, a city for 500,000, will be a prototype for 400 or more similar Chinese cities over the next 30 years. Dongtan will be all but self-sufficient, powered by wind, wood and sun. Its cars will be electric or hydrogen-fuelled, and its buildings will be mini power stations. There will be no landfill sites and 80% of waste will be recycled. Enough local food will be grown to supply much of the city's needs.
Going Green: Search for Solutions
The world's first 'ecopolis' in the UAE, vertical farms in rundown NYC buildings, Italian 'smog-eating cement' and British carbon neutral beer are just some of the remarkable initiatives highlighted in CNN's global week of special programming, "Going Green: Search for Solutions".
Airing the week leading into the G8 Summit in Hokkaido, Japan, where global warming and climate change are high on the agenda, the week represents the network's most comprehensive assessment to date of environmental threats and solutions in five distinct areas: food and water production, living, business, transport and energy. CNN correspondents report live from five continents, harnessing resources from the network's 30 international bureaus.
The week culminates with a 30-minute special of the same title, featuring highlights of the week's coverage.
Luxury Life
Does Japan still hold the number one spot? Has US demand been decimated by the credit crunch and why are there so many fake Gucci handbags for sale at knockdown prices on the streets of Thailand? The global economy is under attack from many angles, the rise of emerging markets, the sinking dollar, rampant inflation and a US-led credit crunch, but the luxury industry appears to be weathering the storm. What do the Chief Executives of the major luxury companies worry about, which markets are they targeting and what is the next must-have product? CNN’s Monita Rajpal takes a look at the health of the global luxury industry.
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