Documentaries

South Africa: 2010

In less than a year, the whistle will blow for the opening match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. It will be the biggest event that the African continent will host.  And while South Africa successfully hosted the Confederations Cup in July, the nation still has much to do to be ready for the big event. 

In this half hour special, "South Africa: 2010", CNN looks at what needs to be done to correct transportation problems and a crucial lack of accommodations.  Also: we examine the seedier side of a beautiful sport as municipalities weigh legalizing prostitution -- what some call an inevitable evil.  And we'll check out fans around the world -- by meeting some of the tens of thousands of English fans who are planning to flood South Africa next year, taking a look at the explosion of soccer in the U.S., and going inside a small coastal town in South Africa whose inhabitants are learning a whole new language to bring tourists and fans to their shores.

Another Day: Cheating Death 

Ten years ago, Anna Bagenholm was a 29-year-old Norwegian medical resident on a ski excursion when an accident landed her head first, in a freezing stream.  In his book and documentary, Gupta recounts how Bagenholm's core body temperature dipped to 56 degrees fahrenheit.  She was clinically dead for three hours, yet doctors still managed to revive her.  Despite staggering odds, Bagenholm eventually made a full recovery.  Gupta describes the "miracle" of her survival as not due to luck, but instead as the result of evidence-based calibrations and her experienced medical team, led by emergency physician Dr. Mads Gilbert.  

Also among the stories Gupta tells for the documentary, is that of cardiac arrest survivor Chris Brooks, who lives largely because he is treated by an "Ice Doctor," Gupta's name for doctors who induce medical hypothermia to treat certain patients.  Cold appears to slow metabolism enough to give doctors time to treat the underlying conditions, though a University of Chicago survey showed that fewer than 250 of the nation’s 6,000 hospitals practice "medical hypothermia."

Vital Signs: The Clinic

This time next year cancer will be the world's leading cause of death. Now, for the first time, world leaders, corporations, non-governmental organizations, and advocates join together to share new ideas and treatments. The LIVESTRONG Global Cancer Summit is an unprecedented show of global solidarity for a disease that affects all our lives. It takes place in Dublin, Ireland, August 24 - 26th.

CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta is traveling to Dublin to get your questions about cancer answered. He has gathered an intimate roundtable of cancer experts, advocates and researchers from around the world to answer CNN viewer questions. They will provide a candid look at cutting edge cancer treatments and offer advice to viewers around the world fighting this disease. Be empowered and inspired to fight back against cancer.

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.

World Cup 2010: Ready to Play? 2

With just a year to go before kickoff, the stadiums are almost complete and South Africans are slowly getting excited about the 2010 FIFA World Cup. This June, the host nation will have a dry run for the biggest sporting event to hit the continent this year as the Confederations Cup kicks off. But how will the economic storm clouds of the global financial crisis affect the hosting of the first World Cup on African soil? Is the country ready for the hundred of thousands of fans that are expected? Why despite the financial crisis are tickets still impossible to buy? And how will the host nation's team Bafana Bafana perform on the global stage? 'World Cup: Ready to Play?' examines these and other issues as the world gets ready to descend on South Africa.

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.

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.