The second documentary in this BBC series examines the various movements that arose in photography in the first half of the 20th century by focusing on some of the representative workers in the field.
The Genius of Photography 1: Fixing the Shadows
This is the first in a series of documentaries tracing the evolution and the various uses of photography, and how it has changed the way we see the world, with some wonderful early examples of the technique.
Buddha With A Thousand Hands (2008)
Video of the China Disabled Peoples Performance Art Troupe, with their lead dancer, Tai Lihua, performing the famous Buddha with a Thousand Hands dance, recorded for German TV in 2008.
The Day India Burned: Partition
This documentary is about the partition of India, one of the greatest humanitarian disasters in modern times, as peoples were divided along communal and religious lines, and turned against each other in a fury of violence.
The Bombing of Germany
How America changed its wartime policy of not bombing civilian targets and was eventually involved in the bombing of the population at the centre of Berlin is the theme of this documentary.
Samsara – Cambodia
This is another impressionistic film about Cambodia, but it is much more solemn and haunting. It was filmed by Ellen Bruno in 1989, 10 years after the Vietnamese overthrew Pol Pot and set up their own government.
Dogora: Ouvrons les Yeux
Dogora was filmed in Cambodia and focuses on the everyday life of the people: their travels, work, play and enjoyment. We see life both in the cities and in the countryside, and sometimes some very intimate pictures have been captured, particularly of the children.
Virginia Peck’s Buddha Head Paintings
Here are some wonderful paintings by Virginia Peck of Buddha Heads. I am always happy to see artists reimagine the forms of the past, which shows that they are still alive and living in someone’s imagination.
Koyaanisqatsi
Koyaanisqatsi was made in 1983 through the combined efforts of three great artists in their own fields: Godfrey Reggio who directed the film, Ron Fricke, who was the main photographer and Philip Glass, who composed the music.
