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 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

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.

Buiten adem

Five years ago we were confronted with unprecedented times. Corona brought our world to a standstill. A triptych about the personal stories behind the pandemic. About panic, sadness and the resilience of the Netherlands. Main characters reflect on moments they never want to forget.

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?

Rubio in Search of the Lost Taste

Chef Rubio's journey in search of the real ones flavors of the Far East will affect Thailand, China and Vietnam. As always, the chef will alternate stages in large cities with stages in small country villages, in order to show the public what the real local gastronomy is.

Untamed China

In new six-part series Untamed China, wildlife adventurer Nigel Marven explores the country's mountains and grasslands, crosses its greatest deserts and treks through its deepest jungles in search of the rare, little-known and extraordinary creatures that live there. Over half of China's plant and animal species live in Yunnan Province in the far southwest of the country. In episode one, Nigel goes there to explore the ancient city of Dali and the surrounding mountains and forests. He meets some bizarre and deadly reptiles and amphibians, goes on a very unusual fishing trip, enjoys the fairy-tale lifecycle of butterflies and gets up close to highly endangered Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys.

China Lighthouses

De Battle naar Parijs

The street dance 'breaking', which originated in the 1970s, is becoming an Olympic sport for the first time. The Dutch breakers are among the top in the world. Can they qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris? And can breaking maintain its bravado in the strictly defined world of top sport?

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?

Droomdorp

After the holidays, do you sometimes get the feeling that you would like to change course? For example, spend more time in nature, live more sustainably, grow your own food and care more about each other? A group of people from all corners of the Netherlands didn't think about it, but decided to do it. Their ideal village had to be built in the Oosterwold district of Almere. Documentary series 'Droomdorp' followed the group for four years and shows how the residents try to uphold their ideals and dreams together.

Vaarwel Vaderland

What drives people to start a new life thousands of kilometers from their homeland? Some follow their dreams, others came out of necessity. They have one thing in common: they all leave their homeland. What does that do to a person? Various immigrants tell their stories.

老广的味道

In de TBS

Hans Faber spends a year in a TBS clinic. The death of his niece, Anne Faber, in 2017 marked a turning point in forensic care. What has changed since then? And what actually goes on within the walls of a TBS clinic? What dilemmas do employees face?

Mallorca: de nacht en de nasleep

In the summer of 2021, several groups of friends set off for Mallorca. They don't know each other, until one night when an innocent boy dies in a fight. Documentary filmmaker Jessica Villerius speaks with everyone involved and explores this night from all angles.

Art of China

Andrew Graham-Dixon undertakes an epic journey to uncover the art of China.

Het Complot

Joost Engelberts investigates how a conspiracy about satanic ritual abuse can escalate into a socially explosive story. Who are the people involved? What exactly is being alleged? And how can a local event grow into a national phenomenon?

THE SECOND BIRTH OF THE CENTRAL EMPIRE