Schedule

Life was quiet in a small Bosnian town of Bihac near the border with Croatia until flows of migrants began to arrive in 2018. After other migration routes through the Balkans shut, Bihac has suddenly become a new kicking-off point for thousands of migrants trying to sneak across the border in search of a better life in the EU. Migrants call it ‘the game’ and they are determined to ‘play’ until they reach their final destination in Europe.

Western Sahara is one of the most heavily mined territories in the world following decades of conflict with its neighbours. Despite a 1991 ceasefire, most Sahrawis still linger in refugee camps in Algeria because it is too dangerous to live there. Now, some brave young women have taken it upon themselves to clear their ancestral lands of landmines so their people can return.

Three years after Jacobo Arbenz was resoundingly elected president of Guatemala, he was forced to resign by armed intervention. He was just one of many leaders to suffer a similar fate after falling foul of the US. In this film, author and academic Stephen Kinzer explores the motives, formula, and justification America uses to topple governments it doesn’t like, as illustrated in Guatemala, Libya, and Hawaii.

Near Taos, New Mexico, you’ll find a sweeping plain dotted with odd-looking structures built nearly entirely from dirt and trash. This is not a large homeless camp or the set of a post-apocalyptic movie. It’s an off-grid subdivision dubbed the ‘Greater World Community,’ whose residents live in self-sufficient ‘Earthships’ and believe in “radical sustainability.”

As China is setting a course to revive the Silk Road with its ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative, we visit the key cities on the renowned ancient trade route. Learn the story behind the discovery of the famous terracotta army in Xi’an, visit Lanzhou for a traditional tea ceremony, and find out what ailments are treated with acupuncture in Ürümqi.

Welcome to the Mobile Mini Circus for Children in Afghanistan! It’s an oasis of joy and creativity amid poverty and never-ending war. Here, Afghan children have the opportunity not just to learn acrobatics or juggling, but to develop trust and communication skills. Discover another Afghanistan with RTD, as we follow the troupe and hear from kids about their unusual hobby and hopes for the future.

The ancient Greek island of Lesbos is where hundreds of thousands of people fleeing Africa and the Middle East first reach Europe. “Clowns without Borders” is an organisation that sends volunteers to entertain children in the refugee camps and offer a little comic relief.

While the crew of corvette Soobrazitelny is painting their ship ahead of the big parade, their brothers in arms, the marines, learn to drive an armoured vehicle. The Magnitogorsk submarine, meanwhile, is navigating the Kaliningrad Sea Canal – a narrow manmade canal created back in 1901, a task that demands much skill and precision.

The crew of submarine Magnitogorsk receive the results of their exams and find out who of them are the brainiest. On board the corvette Soobrazitelny, lieutenant Karakash is getting ready for an exam as well. The results may influence his career. Meanwhile, the marines continue their training in an armoured vehicle: today they’ll be firing from the cannon.

It’s spring cleaning time aboard the Magnitogorsk. The submarine has to look its best for the upcoming stand-off with corvette Soobrazitelny. The captain of the latter, Aleksandr Slonov, pays a friendly visit to his old friend and soon-to-be rival, Vladimir Nagornov. To fire up their competitive spirit, the teams of both vessels decide to play a football match.

After finishing their combat vehicle training, the marines begin preparing for a parachute jump. At the same time, the corvette Soobrazitelny crew members practice their underwater de-mining techniques one final time, while submarine Magnitogorsk enlists the help of a reconnaissance aircraft. The time has come for the two Baltic Fleet vessels to test their military prowess against each other!

Captain Nagornov’s tactic aboard the Magnitogorsk is to sneak up on the corvette underwater. Meanwhile, captain Slonov’s corvette is preparing a surprise for its enemy – the marines in armoured vehicles are ready to be deployed in the water. But, as the military exercise commences, the two teams notice the presence of a third party: a mysterious aircraft that seems to have its own agenda.

Corvette Soobrazitelny and submarine Magnitogorsk both reach the training battle area. And now, after all the preparation and planning, it’s time to show what their crews are capable of. They’ll be trying to outsmart each other using all resources available to them, including amphibious armoured vehicles and torpedoes. Each team is determined to win this battle.

In Iraq, the family is sacred, but can it take the strain? RTD follows Omar, a Russian-Iraqi, on a family visit to his father’s homeland. Omar's quest is to reunite a clan that once numbered four hundred members, but has been torn apart by sectarianism, regime change and emigration. In the process, he learns what conflict can do to the strongest of family ties.

Life was good for people in the Indonesian village of Semunying Jaya, comfortably living off the surrounding forests. That all changed when Duta Palma began to cut down the Dayak Iban people’s rainforest and replace it with oil palms. The corporation’s plantations have poisoned the environment, and now farming, fishing, and hunting are virtually impossible. But the villagers aren’t willing to give up without a fight.

Billy, Rene, and Walt were born and raised as men, but they felt uncomfortable with their birth sex. After years of confusion, they each underwent surgery to change into what they thought were their true selves. However, sex change brought no relief to what they had believed was gender dysphoria. While Billy and Walt decided to go back to being men, Rene remained a transsexual woman. I Want My Sex Back! tells their stories of change and disappointment. 

Endemic poverty in the West African country of Togo is putting crushing pressure on families. Children as young as five toil long hours breaking stones, picking coffee beans, and other manual labour. Their parents are aware of the hard and often dangerous conditions but must send them to work to help the family survive. Many children seek more promising opportunities abroad but end up falling into slavery and prostitution.

For three decades, the picturesque and fertile land in the foothills of Italy’s Mount Vesuvius has been contaminated by toxic waste, illegally buried and burnt here by mafia gangs. The resulting pollution caused a dramatic increase in cancer among the local population, including children.

The first instalment of the Panama Chronicles explores the origin of the hack and shows how the stolen information made its way to the public. It takes a look at ICIJ, the group of journalists that led the investigation, as well as their choice of material to publish. You’ll also meet some of the victims and learn how their lives were affected. 

The second instalment of the Panama Chronicles takes an in-depth look at the offshore legal firm whose data was hacked and its founders. It also speculates on who could have stolen the information, as well as how and why. Finally, the film looks at who might have ultimately been behind the leak and explores possible motivations.

Like most students in rural Nepal, Durge Kami is a diligent pupil who tries to listen to his teachers.  He differs from his school mates in just one respect, he is 69! At such a ripe old age, he was determined to realise his life’s ambition to complete his education. Not everyone supported him at first but by doing what he loves he’s become an inspiration for kids and adults alike.

For over 25 years, six friends pushed the limits, making the most challenging BASE jumps imaginable. No building was too tall, no jump too risky, no environment too extreme. Zooming through canyons in wingsuits like birds in flight, the daredevils felt unbridled joy and freedom. Over four years, half would pay the ultimate price for their addiction to flight. 

In Iraq, the family is sacred, but can it take the strain? RTD follows Omar, a Russian-Iraqi, on a family visit to his father’s homeland. Omar's quest is to reunite a clan that once numbered four hundred members, but has been torn apart by sectarianism, regime change and emigration. In the process, he learns what conflict can do to the strongest of family ties.

Five years into the devastating Syrian war, the country’s capital, Damascus is a shelter for the civilians who refuse to flee their motherland. Yet, even here no one is really safe as shells hit the streets and buildings regularly. Sameer is a local cameraman who continues his work despite its dangers. Through his lens, he shows us the everyday life of ordinary Syrians. 

The Taliban and Al-Qaeda operated virtually unhindered in Pakistan’s North Waziristan region for years. In 2014, a military operation began to oust the terrorists, forcing thousands of people to flee to neighbouring Afghanistan. An RT crew ventured to Waziristan to see what awaits the returning refugees back in their homeland.

These ladies put on bright bouffant skirts and arrange their long hair in neat plaits. Then they go into the ring and beat the hell out of each other! Meet the Bolivian fighting cholitas, the female wrestlers of lucha libre, a free fight that marries a choreographed show with a full-on punching match.

RT Doc visits Angeles City in the Philippines, an infamous and popular sex tourism destination.  The city is home to many children conceived by foreign holiday makers who took what they wanted and left offspring in their wake.

Life was quiet in a small Bosnian town of Bihac near the border with Croatia until flows of migrants began to arrive in 2018. After other migration routes through the Balkans shut, Bihac has suddenly become a new kicking-off point for thousands of migrants trying to sneak across the border in search of a better life in the EU. Migrants call it ‘the game’ and they are determined to ‘play’ until they reach their final destination in Europe.

As China is setting a course to revive the Silk Road with its ‘One Belt, One Road’ initiative, we visit the key cities on the renowned ancient trade route. Learn the story behind the discovery of the famous terracotta army in Xi’an, visit Lanzhou for a traditional tea ceremony, and find out what ailments are treated with acupuncture in Ürümqi.

Welcome to the Mobile Mini Circus for Children in Afghanistan! It’s an oasis of joy and creativity amid poverty and never-ending war. Here, Afghan children have the opportunity not just to learn acrobatics or juggling, but to develop trust and communication skills. Discover another Afghanistan with RTD, as we follow the troupe and hear from kids about their unusual hobby and hopes for the future.

In late 1966, Ernesto Che Guevara came to Bolivia to incite a guerrilla war, but he was largely unsuccessful in winning peasants over to his revolutionary cause. After 11 months, he was captured and executed. This film features the memories of people who met or had contact with this enigmatic, yet iconic figure during his final days. Their stories give insight into the reasons for his demise and his legacy in Bolivia. 

The ancient Greek island of Lesbos is where hundreds of thousands of people fleeing Africa and the Middle East first reach Europe. “Clowns without Borders” is an organisation that sends volunteers to entertain children in the refugee camps and offer a little comic relief.

Life was good for people in the Indonesian village of Semunying Jaya, comfortably living off the surrounding forests. That all changed when Duta Palma began to cut down the Dayak Iban people’s rainforest and replace it with oil palms. The corporation’s plantations have poisoned the environment, and now farming, fishing, and hunting are virtually impossible. But the villagers aren’t willing to give up without a fight.

The first instalment of the Panama Chronicles explores the origin of the hack and shows how the stolen information made its way to the public. It takes a look at ICIJ, the group of journalists that led the investigation, as well as their choice of material to publish. You’ll also meet some of the victims and learn how their lives were affected. 

The second instalment of the Panama Chronicles takes an in-depth look at the offshore legal firm whose data was hacked and its founders. It also speculates on who could have stolen the information, as well as how and why. Finally, the film looks at who might have ultimately been behind the leak and explores possible motivations.

The Indian state of Punjab is undergoing a severe water crisis. Once an agricultural leader in India, it’s now turning into a desert. Farmers and other rural dwellers are going bankrupt over the need to pay for water delivered from other regions. In this drastic situation, the number of suicides has skyrocketed.

The Russian Ballet company’s exhausting tour of Germany has come to an end, but there’s no time to relax. The decision has been made to stage “The Last Tango”, a production that had previously been cancelled due to Anna’s illness. The team takes on this new challenge.

"Arabesque" is an international ballet competition held in Russia.  A victory here is a significant achievement that can launch an emerging talent's career. In this episode, we meet young hopefuls from Russia and across the world are ready to take on the competition.

In this episode, we spend more time with two of the "Arabesque" ballet competition contestants. Anna and Ivan are married and both work at the Natalya Sats Children’s Music Theatre, where they’re dance partners. During a rehearsal, Anna breaks her foot, putting the couple’s participation in jeopardy. 

Tensions are running high in the theatre of another "Arabesque" competition contestant, Japanese dancer, Hayato Nisidzima. He and his colleagues at the Moscow Ballet are devoted fans of classical ballet, while their choreographer prefers contemporary dance.

After leaving the Moscow Ballet company to pursue his career in classical ballet, soloist Dmitry Prusakov joins the famous Kremlin Ballet. He now works inside the Kremlin walls, in the very heart of Moscow. This is a dream job for many dancers, but those who get in must prove themselves.

Kirill is a student in Moscow and describes himself as androgynous. He’s looking forward to a sex change, but his provincial family have trouble accepting his chosen lifestyle. After being beaten up by his brother on his last visit Kirill decides to return to bridge the gap, and brings his friend Maria for moral support. Revisiting his old school rekindles bad memories of being bullied and teased.