The World of the Chinese

China is playing an increasingly important role worldwide. Under President Xi Jinping, substantial investments are being made in communication and cooperation and industrious Chinese people are settling abroad in large numbers. Documentary maker and China expert Ruben Terlou visits them in the new VPRO travel series ‘The World of the Chinese’. Who are they, what do they want to achieve and what impact does their presence have on the local population?

The History of Food

Go back in time to our earliest hunter-gatherer beginnings all the way to the future of seed storage and food production.

The Mekong River with Sue Perkins

Sue Perkins embarks on a life-changing, 3,000-mile journey up the Mekong, South East Asia's greatest river, exploring lives and landscapes on the point of dramatic change.

China from the Inside

China is rapidly becoming a world power, but much of the country and its people remain hidden to those outside its borders. China from the Inside, provides a rare insider's view of China, her institutions and people. China is at a critical point in its history -- it is richer and stronger than ever, but the clash between economic policies and the Communist political agenda complicates the lives of many of its citizens. China from the Inside includes perspectives ranging from those of the powerful to the powerless, the scholars and the uneducated, and the supporters and detractors of today's China. It does not shy away from China's many contradictions, with scenes from some of the most breathtaking places on the planet as well as the most polluted. Across four extraordinary hours, the series explores a country of 1.3 billion people undergoing astonishing growth while facing prodigious obstacles.

天下一锅

Naiset Ensin

Joanna Lumley's Great Cities of the World

The nation’s favourite travel companion, Dame Joanna Lumley, is on an adventure to three of the world’s greatest cities, Berlin, Paris and Rome, for this brand-new ITV documentary series.

Inside the Forbidden City

The Forbidden City in the heart of Beijing was the home of the Chinese emperor and the seat of a vast bureaucracy ruling over what is now the world’s most populous state for 500 years. After falling into disrepair following World War II, the palace’s ancient wooden structures are undergoing extensive restoration works today. Inside the Forbidden City offers unprecedented access into the magnificent palace complex where access was once denied to all but the emperor, his family and his most senior retinue.

Sahara with Michael Palin

In this four-part BBC documentary, former Monty Python funnyman and renowned globe-trotter Michael Palin sets off from Gibraltar to travel across the Sahara, his witty humor downplaying the hardships he faces along the arduous journey. He travels to Morocco, Mauritania, Mali and beyond, across some of the harshest terrain on the planet.

Africa Rising with Afua Hirsch

Africa on its own terms and in full voice - across Morocco, Nigeria and South Africa. Uncovering the energy and ambition of creatives reinventing African music, fashion and film.

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

Bourdain travels across the globe to uncover little-known areas of the world and celebrate diverse cultures by exploring food and dining rituals. Known for his curiosity, candor, and acerbic wit, Bourdain takes viewers off the beaten path of tourist destinations – including some war-torn parts of the world – and meets with a variety of local citizens to offer a window into their lifestyles, and occasionally communes with an internationally lauded chef on his journeys.

Street Food: Asia

Embark on a global cultural journey into street food and discover the stories of the people who create the flavorful dishes.

China Lighthouses

Special Delivery

Our intrepid celebrity hosts endure physical and emotional battles, to make difficult and dangerous deliveries to the needy and underprivileged. Travelling by any means possible through inhospitable terrain, they tackle everything from a cow that won’t budge to mountain roads that have tragically disappeared. Their hope is to make a difference to communities lacking food, shelter, education and medicines. Join them as they go the extra mile in their extraordinary challenges!

Legend of Martial Arts

Wushu is one of the most representative symbols of Chinese culture. Today, hundreds of millions of people around the world are practicing martial arts, experiencing eastern wisdom and the true meaning of martial arts. So how did martial arts spread abroad? What opportunities and challenges do generations of martial artists face in their overseas promotion?

Les Musiciens de la pellicule

The Quest For Everest

Karl and Chris goon a 3 week trip, where they got to travel through China, Tibet & Nepal with the highlight of reaching Mount Everest base camp. However, their plans fall apart with Chris being hospitalised with severe altitude sickness. Will they succeed with our quest for Everest?

World Laughs

Laughter, and especially what makes people laugh, is highly revealing of the culture we live in. Each episode offers a rich journey through the global adventure of laugh.

Thailand. Adults only

Over six episodes, the film crew will delve into the nightlife of Bangkok and other cities to give viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the world's sex entertainment capital, giving them a glimpse into places that are carefully guarded from the camera to hide the dark side of the industry.

Voulez-vous fêter?

A journey of discovery through the ritual celebrations of Quebec’s various immigrant communities, as seen through the eyes of the local Greek, Portuguese, Lebanese, Moroccan, Chinese, Brazilian, Russian, Senegalese and other communities.