Storyville Season 28, Episode 21: Agent of Happiness

1

Revenge Our Dad the Nazi Killer

Hundreds of Nazi war criminals fled to Australia after World War Two hoping to start over and avoid prosecution. Not all of them found the refuge they had sought; quite a few died prematurely in freak accidents or by taking their own lives, or at least that was how their deaths were reported. In this real-life murder mystery, three Australian Jewish brothers investigate whether their father and uncle, the sole survivors of a large Eastern European family, may have been involved in these mysterious deaths.

89 min

2

Beyond Utopia: Escape from North Korea

A suspenseful, immersive look at the lengths to which people will go to gain freedom. The film follows various individuals as they attempt to flee North Korea, one of the most oppressive places on earth and a land they grew up believing was a paradise. At the film’s core are a mother desperate to reunite with the child she was forced to leave behind; a family of five - including small children and an elderly grandmother - embarking on a treacherous journey across the Yalu River and into the hostile mountains of China; and a South Korean Christian pastor on a mission to help them. Leaving their homeland is fraught with danger - severe punishment if caught and possibly even execution - as well as potential exploitation by unscrupulous brokers. Family members who remain behind may also face retribution. Yet these individuals are driven to take the risk.

104 min

3

Another Body: My AI Porn Nightmare

When 22-year-old American engineering student Taylor discovers that her face has been digitally altered to appear in online hardcore porn videos, she is devastated and doesn't know who to trust or what to do. The police tell Taylor that what this person did is not even a crime, but when she learns that a fellow student, Julia, has also been targeted, she and Julia take the investigation into their own hands, diving into the underground world of deepfake technology and discovering a society of men who terrorise women.

75 min

4

The Eternal Memory

An extraordinary portrait of unconditional love and devotion directed by Oscar-nominated documentary director Maite Alberdi. Augusto Góngora and Paulina Urrutia have been a couple for 23 years. Augusto is one of Chile's most prominent cultural journalists and television presenters, whose work was dedicated to publicising and ensuring that the atrocities of the Pinochet dictatorship were never forgotten. His wife, Pauli, is an actress who also served as the Minister of Culture and Arts. Eight years ago, Augusto was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and since then, Pauli has been caring for him. As Augusto’s memory slowly deteriorates, Pauli’s unwavering support is tested as they both try to maintain his identity despite the challenges of his illness. Each day, the couple face the difficulties caused by Alzheimer's disease, but they also maintain a tenderness and sense of humour that binds them together.

85 min

5

Total Trust: Surveillance State

A Storyville documentary that explores, in intimate detail, state surveillance and digital social control in China by following the experiences of two families and a journalist. Zijuan Chen is fighting for the release of her imprisoned husband, human rights lawyer Weiping Chang, while trying to keep his memory alive for their son. Wenzu Li and her newly freed husband, Quanzhang Wang, struggle against surveillance that is not only stopping him from being able to work but also affecting ordinary tasks like taking their son to school. Journalist Sophie Xueqin Huang, a pivotal figure in bringing the Me Too movement to China, is at constant risk of arrest. Chinese film-maker Jialing Zhang gives an exclusive and previously impossible intimate insight into the interior of China and tells a deeply disturbing story of how the state uses technology to control its citizens as well as propaganda to convince its people to trust it.

95 min

6

Praying for Armageddon

Praying for Armageddon is a political thriller that explores the power and influence of American Evangelical Christians as they aim to fulfil the Armageddon prophecy. The film observes American believers as they prepare for what they call The Holy War and exposes the powerful megachurch pastors who call for the 'final battle' that they believe will trigger the Second Coming of Christ. Completed before the current crisis in Israel and Gaza, it also unveils how politicians driven by faith embrace the State of Israel as the key to their prophetic vision for the end of days.

87 min

7

The Gullspång Miracle: A Nordic Mystery

A Storyville documentary that takes the audience on a wild ride of unbelievable twists and turns. What begins as an eerie story of family reunification sees three women's lives spiral out of control.

107 min

8

Dalton's Dream

An intimate look at the life of X Factor winner Dalton Harris as he tries to build on his success and embrace his identity in the face of prejudice.

91 min

9

Against the Tide

A Storyville documentary that follows two Indian fishermen, Rakesh and Ganesh, whose friendship is tested as one continues with traditional fishing methods and the other tries modern technology.

92 min

10

Copa ’71: The Lost Lionesses

A Storyville documentary about an extraordinary football tournament, told through the fearless voices of the women who took part and including recently uncovered archive footage.

77 min

11

Flee

A Storyville documentary, mostly animated, that charts the extraordinary true tale of Ali, a gay Afghan man, and the desperate measures he is forced to take to escape persecution.

85 min

12

Bad Press

A Storyville documentary that tells the enthralling, edge-of-your-seat story of a defiant journalist's battle for freedom of the press and against state-censored media.

91 min

13

Inheriting the Castle

A Storyville documentary about an indigenous Argentinian mother and daughter and the challenges they face living in an inherited crumbling mansion deep in the Argentine Pampas.

74 min

14

Surviving October 7th: We Will Dance Again

A powerful film providing a harrowing glimpse into the assault on partygoers at the Nova Music Festival - one of the sites in Israel, attacked by Hamas on October 7 2023.

88 min

15

War Game

A Storyville documentary that sweeps viewers into an elaborate simulation which dramatically escalates the threat posed in the USA by the Capitol attack on 6 January 2021.

94 min

16

Life and Death in Gaza

From terrifying bombing raids to multiple evacuations, the intensity of family separations and reunions, to deaths and even the birth of a new life amidst the chaos. Life and Death in Gaza is self-shot over the course of the year and captures the fight for survival through direct, personal experiences.

90 min

17

Dogs of War

A Storyville documentary that tells the untold story of a seemingly ordinary Englishman who spent more than 40 years as a mercenary, fighting other people’s wars for money. Basingstoke-based Dave Tompkins was a petty thief who craved adventure. His career as an international mercenary began in Africa and took him all over the world - to Afghanistan, Croatia and later to Colombia, where he led a team commissioned to assassinate notorious Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar. In Dogs of War, Dave tells his extraordinary story.

87 min

18

Eternal You

A Storyville documentary exploring the digital afterlife business. What if a person's death did not mean the end of their life? What if their loved ones could still talk to them long after their body has been cremated or is lying lifeless in the ground? What sounds like the scenario of a science fiction movie is already offered by companies today. By using AI, these startups create avatars of deceased people to allow their loved ones to interact with them. Eternal You tells the story of a human experiment: what does it do to people to resurrect their deceased loved ones in order to talk to them? Who takes responsibility for the psychological and ethical consequences? And do we even want all this?

83 min

19

Hollywoodgate

A Storyville documentary that follows, with unprecedented access to one of the most secretive cabals in the world, a group of Talib leaders in their first year back in power in Afghanistan.

88 min

20

Queendom

A Storyville documentary following Gina, a queer artist from a small Russian town, who stages radical performances in public that become a new form of art and activism – and put their life in danger.

97 min

21

Agent of Happiness

A Storyville documentary that follows Amber and Guna, happiness agents for the government of Bhutan, as they travel the mountainous Himalayas, meeting people and measuring how happy they are

93 min

22

Until I Fly

Five-year-old Veeru has to endure relentless bullying and discrimination. Born to an Indian mother and a Nepalese father, in the Indian Himalayan village where he lives, he is taunted for being mixed race. This Storyville documentary follows the little boy over five transformative years as he grapples with the profound effects of racism, never retaliating, finally triumphing when he discovers a talent for a sport that turns his ‘enemies’ into his teammates.

88 min