Storyville Season 14, Episode 17: Shanghai Tales - All About My Friends

1

Cage Fighting Women

Cage fighting (aka mixed martial arts) is one of the world's fastest growing sports. It is violent, shocking and some say barbaric, but hugely popular. Inside the cage, punching, kneeing, kicking, elbowing and choking are all allowed. Whilst men have dominated the sport for years, female fights are now becoming an increasing attraction. Filmmaker Nick Holt follows the fortunes of two British female fighters as they travel to America for the biggest bouts of their lives. Both have their own reasons for stepping into the cage and both are prepared to lay their safety on the line in search of success.

85 min

2

Last White Man Standing

Tom Cholmondeley, heir to one of the largest estates in Kenya and the Lord Delamere title, stands accused of murder in Nairobi, charged with killing black poacher Robert Njoya on his land. If convicted, Cholmondeley could hang. Serah Njoya, the widow with four children who lives on the edge of the Delamere estate, wants her husband's killer brought to justice.

85 min

3

Kim Jong-Il's Comedy Club

A journalist with no scruples and a pair of Danish comedians travel to North Korea with a mission to use humour to uncover the truth behind one of the world's most notorious regimes On the pretext of being a small Danish theatre troupe on a cultural exchange, the filmmaker was granted permission by the North Korean government to stage a performance for a select audience in the capital. In reality, the troupe was comprised of an unscrupulous journalist, Mads Brugger, and two Danish/Korean comedians, Jacob and Simon, of whom the former is handicapped. Their goal is to use humour to expose the intricate effects of an oppressive regime.

85 min

4

The Most Dangerous Man in America

In 1971, leading Vietnam War strategist Daniel Ellsberg concluded that the war was based on decades of lies. He leaked 7,000 pages of top-secret documents to the New York Times, a daring act of conscience that led directly to Watergate, President Nixon's resignation and the end of the Vietnam War.

85 min

5

Your Father's Murderer: A Letter To Zachary

On the evening of 5th November 2001, 28-year-old Dr Andrew Bagby was murdered in a parking lot in western Pennsylvania. The prime suspect, his ex-girlfriend Dr Shirley Turner, promptly fled the United States for St. John's, Newfoundland where she announced that she was pregnant with Bagby's child, a boy she named Zachary. Filmmaker Kurt Kuenne, Bagby's childhood friend, originally began this film as a way for Zachary to learn about his father. But when Turner was allowed to walk free on bail in Canada and given custody of Zachary while awaiting extradition to the US, its focus shifted to the desperate efforts of Zachary's grandparents, David and Kathleen Bagby, to win custody of the boy. A film that prompted standing ovations at film festivals across North America, it is the recipient of numerous honours and citations, was named one of the top five documentaries of 2008 by the National Board of Review and named in Best Films of 2008 lists by more than three dozen critics.

85 min

6

Rise Up Reggae Star

On an island where reggae is considered the voice of the people and an outlet for survival, Rise Up Reggae Star follows three aspiring artists who seek to 'rise up' from obscurity for their chance at success. This documentary takes the viewer off the beaten path far from any tourist attractions and sandy beaches, yet it is still able to capture the beauty and magic that the Island has to offer. From the deep countryside to the whirlwind ghettos of Kingston, no matter where you are, the film makes it evident that music is the heartbeat of the culture.

85 min

7

Race Horses

What might it be like to be a horse? Not just any horse, but a top-end racehorse in Ireland? This is the question Race Horses explores, following three promising, charismatic horses over the course of one rather difficult racing year, bringing us into their world and revealing their distinct individual characters. Beautiful, unusual, and highly entertaining, the film combines the drama of a sports movie with the exploration of an ancient human obsession, offering a subtle critique of humanity's quirks on the side.

85 min

8

Kings of Pastry

Imagine a scene never before witnessed - 16 French pastry chefs gathered in Lyon for three intense days of mixing, piping and sculpting everything from delicate chocolates to six-foot sugar sculptures in hope of being declared one of the best by the country's President. This is the prestigious Meilleurs Ouvriers de France competition (Best Craftsmen in France). The blue, white and red striped collar worn on the jackets of the winners is more than the ultimate recognition for every pastry chef - it is a dream and an obsession. The finalists, France's culinary elite, risk their reputations as well as sacrifice family and finances in pursuit of this lifelong distinction of excellence. Similar to the Olympics, the three-day contest takes place every four years and it requires that the chefs not only have extraordinary skill and nerves of steel but also a lot of luck.

85 min

9

Cod Wars

Icelandic film which tells the story of Britain and Iceland's struggle over the once-plentiful cod fishing grounds in the North Atlantic from both sides. During the 1950s and 1960's Britain consumed 430,000 tons of cod each year, but as the stocks started to diminish the livelihoods of fishing communities in both countries were at stake. Iceland took steps to protect their fishing industry - the mainstay of their economy - resulting in the three so-called Cod Wars. This was a David and Goliath struggle, where the small fleet of Icelandic gunboats were pitted against the British trawlers and the Royal Navy.

85 min

10

Killer Image - Shooting Robert King

What makes an inexperienced photographer decide he wants to cover wars in the most dangerous parts of the planet? In this documentary, filmmaker Richard Parry follows photo-journalist Robert King from his first brush with war in the Balkans in his early twenties to his Time magazine shoots in Chechnya. King seems like a danger addict and yet craves peace. His early naivity transforms itself to deep cynicism. He seems traumatised, yet continues to work. This compelling portrait asks two powerful questions about war journalists: why do they do it and how do they survive it?

85 min

11

The New Kings of Nigeria

Jaja was a 19th century slave who rose up to become a legendary king before being kidnapped by the British, never to see his homeland again. 140 years later Jaja's great grandson, and heir to the throne, returns to Nigeria. Having been educated in the West, Walter's public school accent lands him an unlikely role - he becomes the voice of Big Brother Nigeria. Walter is part of a new wave of elite young Nigerians returning to live in Lagos. The burgeoning media world is their playground, and we join them in an energetic romp through its screens, sets and socials. Walter becomes a hustling TV and music producer, and takes us along for the ride.

85 min

12

Valentino - The Last Emperor

Film which travels inside the singular world of one of Italy's most famous fashion designers, Valentino Garavani, documenting the colourful and dramatic closing act of his celebrated career and capturing the end of an era in global fashion. However, at the heart of the film is a love story - the unique relationship between Valentino and his business partner and companion of 50 years, Giancarlo Giammetti. Capturing intimate moments in the lives of two of Italy's richest and most famous men, the film lifts the curtain on the final act of a nearly 50-year reign at the top of the glamorous and fiercely competitive world of fashion.

85 min

13

When China Met Africa

A historic gathering of over fifty African heads of state in Beijing reverberates in Zambia where the lives of three characters unfold. Mr Liu is one of thousands of Chinese entrepreneurs who have settled across the continent in search of new opportunities. He has just bought his fourth farm and business is booming. In northern Zambia, Mr Li, a project manager for a multinational Chinese company, is upgrading the country's longest road. Pressure to complete the job on time intensifies when funds from the Zambian government start running out. Meanwhile, Zambia's trade minister is en route to China to secure millions of dollars of investment. Through the intimate portrayal of these three characters, the expanding footprint of a rising global power is laid bare - pointing to a radically different future not just for Africa but also for the world.

85 min

14

Sync or Swim

When Welsh filmmaker Dylan Williams followed his lover to Stockholm, the first thing his language teacher told him was that the way to fit into Swedish society was to join a club. Struggling to find work, approaching 40 and looking for a new purpose in life, he took her at her word. The club he found was Stockholm Arts Swim Gents, Sweden's only male synchronised swimming team, a ramshackle collection of men who were each looking for 'something different'. They found it. What ensues is an unexpected rollercoaster ride that ends at the unofficial world championships. By turns funny and moving, the film shows that happiness can be found in the strangest of places.

85 min

15

Anvil! The Story of Anvil

At 14, Toronto school friends Steve 'Lips' Kudlow and Robb Reiner made a pact to rock together forever. Their band Anvil went on to become the 'demi-gods of Canadian metal', releasing 1982's Metal on Metal, which influenced a musical generation including Metallica, Slayer and Anthrax. All those bands went on to sell millions of records but Anvil's career would take a different path - straight into obscurity. But Lips and Robb never gave up on their childhood dream and kept rocking, always believing that one day Anvil would taste the success that had so long eluded them. The film follows Lips and Robb, now in their 50s, as they gear up to record their thirteenth album, This is Thirteen. Coping with increasingly impatient families, crippling mortgages and the effects of old age, they know this is their last chance to really make it.

85 min

16

Leaving the Cult

Documentary aboutf three teenage boys who escape a polygamist Mormon cult in Utah. Powerfully emotional and compelling, a fascinating insight to a community it's hard to believe exists.

85 min

17

Shanghai Tales - All About My Friends

Documentary giving an intimate view of the pressurised life of hard-working Liu Wei as he attempts to balance work and life commitments and satisfy his parents and his demanding girlfriend.

85 min

18

Shanghai Tales - First Period: The War of Growing Up

Focusing on the challenges of growing up, the film captures the flirting, fighting, showing off and anguish of children on the cusp of adolescence, and gives an insight into the formation of a new generation of Chinese children.

85 min

19

Youtube Hero - The Winnebago Man

Filmmaker Ben Steinbauer tracks down Jack Rebney made famous when his 1989 video hit YouTube, and his journey turns into a fascinating exploration of viral video culture, and what it means on a personal level to its sometimes unwilling subjects.

85 min

20

Marriage Chinese Style: When My Child Is Born

How much freedom can there be in a Chinese marriage? This is a remarkable, intimate film about two people who want to have freedom and happiness at the same time. You may think this sounds like a western story, but it isn't - it's all deeply Chinese.

85 min

21

Trouble with Pirates

Documentary telling the story of the piracy explosion, with unique access to the coastal towns of war-torn Somalia, the boardrooms of the London, the operation hubs on warships in the Gulf of Aden, and the heartbreak of a hostage situation gone wrong.

85 min

22

The Photographer

Nazi accountant Walter Genewein helped to run the Lodx ghetto. He took color slides of what he considered the subhuman aspect of Jewish workers. This film uses the photographs to recreate the suffering of inmates, giving a compassionate picture of that it was like to be trapped in the ghetto.

85 min

23

Mandelson: The Real PM?

Arch-political schemer Peter Mandelson invited cameras to follow him during Labour's ill-fated election campaign, resulting in a fly-on-the-wall documentary in the best traditions of the genre that offers a stripped-down view of politics in its rawest, most compelling form.

85 min