Nicknamed the "Switzerland of Central America", Costa Rica has much more to offer the visitor than relative prosperity and certain tranquillity.
Social & External
In war-torn Central America there is a country with no dictator and no army, a country at peace with itself and its neighbors. It is the oldest democracy in Latin America. This film explores the history of Costa Rica and the reasons it has been able to exist as a neutral country firmly committed to social welfare and free elections. Costa Ricans live without an army, preferring to invest their resources in hospitals and schools rather than machine guns and tanks. The film explores the issue of Costa Rica's neutrality in the face of its dependence on U.S. aid.
“Entourage” star Adrian Grenier ventures to Cocos Island off the shore of Costa Rica to bring attention to the plight of endangered sharks who are being threatened by poachers and ocean pollution.
My grandfather, married for 57 years in Costa Rica, died in a fire in 2019. My father revealed to me that, like myself, my grandfather was gay. After this revelation, together we revisit my grandfather's life, seeking to give him one last act of liberation while discovering ourselves in the process.
By some measures, it’s a tiny country, just .03% of the Earth’s landmass. But when it comes to wildlife, Costa Rica is an ecological giant, bursting with a density of species and diverse habitats unparalleled anywhere else in the world.
The tropical climate and contrasted topography of Costa Rica has fostered exceptional biodiversity, hosting wildlife from both North and South America. From the peaks of the volcanoes down to the Pacific and Caribbean shores, and amidst the dense Cloud forest, the country is home to the most remarkable mammals, beautiful birds, and astonishing reptiles… all in for a beauty contest!
An inspirational story about a group of women from a remote farming region of Costa Rica whose ideas sparked a revolution in the coffee growing world.
There is a beach in Costa Rica that challenges what we think we know about big cats. Americas largest cat, the jaguar, is hunting an unusual prey; sea turtles.
In a remote region on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, a lush landscape characterized by volcanoes meets tropical dry forest. Right there is a very special beach where two completely different species meet: sea turtles and jaguars. This has spectacular consequences for both sides and their environment. The two animals form an alliance that is as surprising as it is unintentional. The predator suddenly becomes a protector.
This is the story of a tiny country that made a decision to do something that no other country had ever done -- it decided to abolish its army and declare peace to the world. And this is the story of a young boy who grew up in that country, and how he ended up challenging -- and sometimes even convincing -- the greatest powers in the world to follow Costa Rica's example. "Oscar Arias: Without a Shot Fired" is a Don Quixote-like saga with great historical touchstones -- Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev, Cold War politics and Communism, Central American War and Peace. It follows a slight, academic, and most unlikely hero over the course of more than fifty years, as he travels the world in a quest to stop the spread of the weapons of war. In the end, it is a story about the triumph of reason, of the sparrow triumphing over the eagle, and how the impossible dream can sometimes come true.
Half of the species of Hummingbirds of Costa Rica assembled with direct sounds, comments on varied features of the birds, leading to their identification, enjoyable entertainment, and educational video for the amateur and the connoisseur.
Descend into the mists of Costa Rica's cloud forest. Feel the swirling moisture nourish this lush ecosystem as a surround sound symphony of life fills the room. Experience the Oso Peninsula's lowland Rainforest where brillant scarlet macaws and sleeoy sloths dwell in on the the most bio-diverse places on Earth. Feast your eyes on brilliant golds and reds against an infinite backdrop of lush green. Your senses become intoxicated with the sweet, heady nectar of the jungle. Catch bright strokes of color streaking across tropical skies! Iridescent butterflies flit through the air like flowers on wings.
Golden Eyes is a passion project that seeks to reveal the secret life of an endangered Tree Frog species, that not long ago was believed to be extinct. With its distribution limited to Costa Rica and a Western Panama, Agalycnnis annae Golden-Eyed Tree Frog, is highly endangered. This species conservation is directly related human action to protect its habitat. This happens because the little corners this species historically inhabited are the same where humans have developed as cities in Costa Rica’s Central Valley.
What motivates a cock-fighter to fight a rooster he loves? In Costa Rica, cockfighting is considered a crime and has been banned for 99 years. A large part of society rejects this tradition and those who practice it, but is it fair to morally judge a cock-fighter as a criminal? We will get to know the other side of the coin through the gaze of the cock-fighter.
Only Saprissa could do it: four back-to-back titles. Get inside the locker room, and relive the amazing games, goodbyes, reunions, and the best fandom in all of Central America.
An Independent Film in Costa Rica
One hundred years of the cinematic memory of a small country told through motion graphics. A brief tour of previously unseen images and forgotten fragments of Costa Rican cinema, which, amid state efforts and industrial ambitions, prevailed throughout the 20th century.
Leaf Architects unveils bats as you’ve never seen them before—tiny, furry, bright-white creatures that transform rainforest leaves into extraordinary living architectural designs. Through the eyes of biologist Bernal Rodríguez, who has dedicated decades to studying these hidden home builders, the film reveals astonishing behaviors captured on camera for the very first time: from delicate construction techniques to the vital role bats play in regenerating tropical forests. Blending breathtaking imagery with a story of passion and discovery, Leaf Architects invites audiences to witness the secret lives of bats and the wonders of nature they sustain.
Costa Rica's motto is Pura Vida - Pure Life - and this deceptively small country is bursting with some of the most spectacular wildlife and pristine ecosystems in the world. All this diversity thrives, in part, thanks to one surprising little creature: hummingbirds. Venture across Costa Rica's wild and rugged landscapes, from volcanic peaks to coastal jungle to misty cloud forests and discover the nation's dazzling diversity of hummingbirds. Watch how these tiny birds play an outsize role in maintaining some of the richest and wildest environments on Earth, where a whole community of creatures, such as macaws and monkeys, enjoys The Hummingbird Effect.
A 1993 documentary film about Bruce Lee. The film includes interviews from some of his fellow students and opponents who worked alongside him in his movies.
A documentary about how a dominant cultural and demographic institution both sustains their traditional activities and adapts to the digital revolution.
A woman narrates the thoughts of a world traveler, meditations on time and memory expressed in words and images from places as far-flung as Japan, Guinea-Bissau, Iceland, and San Francisco.
Through deeply personal interviews with her siblings and an examination of the photographs, letters, and belongings left behind, Mariska assembles a new portrait of her mother Jayne Mansfield, an extraordinary and complex woman.
In an intimate and joyful story of love in the face of loss, celebrated poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley find strength—and unexpected hilarity—in what might be their final year together.
The life of Mr. Spock, as well as that of Leonard Nimoy, the actor who played him for almost fifty years, written and directed by his son: Adam.
A documentary about the making of season five of the acclaimed AMC series Breaking Bad.
Go behind the scenes with stars, puppeteers and creators as they bring Jim Henson's magical world of Thra back to life in a sweeping fantasy series.
Join the likes of Jeremy Renner, Hailee Steinfeld, Florence Pugh, and Vincent D’Onofrio as they reveal how Marvel Studios’ “Hawkeye” was conceived and created. Witness firsthand what it took to pull off the show’s pulse-pounding action set pieces, and discover how iconic characters from the pages of Marvel Comics such as Kate Bishop were adapted and brought to life for the six-episode series.
A tribute to Chadwick Boseman, celebrating his life and legacy.
A visual montage portrait of our contemporary world dominated by globalized technology and violence.
Al Pacino's deeply-felt rumination on Shakespeare's significance and relevance to the modern world through interviews and an in-depth analysis of "Richard III."
Alex Gibney explores the charged issue of pedophilia in the Catholic Church, following a trail from the first known protest against clerical sexual abuse in the United States and all way to the Vatican.
A detailing of the rise to prominence and global sporting superstardom of six supremely talented young Manchester United football players (David Beckham, Nicky Butt, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Phil and Gary Neville). The film covers the period 1992-1999, culminating in Manchester United's European Cup triumph.
Explores the true story of the notorious Jesse James, how the myth developed during his lifetime, and how the legends have persisted over 100 years after his death at the hands of his former friend, Robert Ford.
Film adaptation of French economist Thomas Piketty's ground-breaking global bestseller of the same name: an eye-opening journey through wealth and power.
Delve into the world of Batman and the vigilante justice that he brought to the city of Gotham. Batman is a man who, after experiencing great tragedy, devotes his life to an ideal--but what happens when one man takes on the evil underworld alone? Examine why Batman is who he is--and explore how a boy scarred by tragedy becomes a symbol of hope to everyone else.
This documentary focuses on the actors and their journey over two summers to create the remake to the original IT, by Stephen King. The documentary originally released as bonus material, bundled with IT: Chapter Two.
“Showrunners” is the first ever feature length documentary film to explore the fascinating world of US television showrunners and the creative forces aligned around them. These are the people responsible for creating, writing and overseeing every element of production on one of the United State’s biggest exports – television drama and comedy series. Often described as the most complex job in the entertainment business, a showrunner is the chief writer / producer on a TV series and, in most instances, the show’s creator. Battling daily between art and commerce, showrunners manage every aspect of a TV show’s development and production: creative, financial and logistical.
The life and career of an actor, artist, and icon. His own journey through his own camera.