Rio 2016 Olympic Opening Ceremony: A New World

Praia da Saudade

January 2024 •Portuguese

A documentary about climate change in Brazil, especially at Atafona Beach (in the Campos de Goytacazes region), which is being swallowed up by the sea. Narrated by Sonia Guajajara and Sidarta Ribeiro, the film deals with the genocide of the native people of Goytacazes.

Olympia: Part One – Festival of the Nations

April 1938 •German

Commissioned to make a propaganda film about the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany, director Leni Riefenstahl created a celebration of the human form. This first half of her two-part film opens with a renowned introduction that compares modern Olympians to classical Greek heroes, then goes on to provide thrilling in-the-moment coverage of some of the games' most celebrated moments, including African-American athlete Jesse Owens winning a then-unprecedented four gold medals.

Olympia: Part Two – Festival of Beauty

June 1938 •German

Commissioned to make a propaganda film about the 1936 Olympic Games in Germany, director Leni Riefenstahl created a celebration of the human form. Where the two-part epic's first half, Festival of the Nations, focused on the international aspects of the 1936 Olympic Games held in Berlin, part two, The Festival of Beauty, concentrates on individual athletes such as equestrians, gymnasts, and swimmers, climaxing with American Glenn Morris' performance in the decathalon and the games' majestic closing ceremonies.

Putin's Games

December 2013 •English

The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia will be the first ever to be held in a subtropical resort. The most expensive games ever break all records when it comes to corruption and megalomania. Putin's administration has everyone at its beck and call, from oligarchs down to the ordinary people who have to pay the Olympic bill. Both the powerful and the weak speak out in this investigative documentary, which unveils the hidden story behind Putin's games. Government critic Garry Kasparov says that Putin's Olympic propaganda is really all about speeding up the privatization of land in Sochi. Many inhabitants have had to make way for hotels, ski jumps and a large harbor, which were subsequently swept away by storms and landslides – the Olympic village was built on a swamp in the hottest region of Russia. To a large extent, the story of these environmentally unfriendly Olympic Games is one of threats and enormous misappropriations of money.

Olympic Pride, American Prejudice

August 2016 •English

In 1936, 18 African American athletes dubbed the "black auxiliary" by Hitler defied Nazi Aryan Supremacy and Jim Crow Racism to win hearts and medals at the 1936 Summer Olympic Games in Berlin. The world remembers Jesse Owens. But, Olympic Pride American Prejudice shows how all 18 are a seminal precursor to the modern Civil Rights Movement.

Home-Daycare

January 1978 •Portuguese

A community daycare experience in Vila Kennedy, Rio de Janeiro, where resident mothers works in the neighborhood.

Karolyi

August 2016 •English

A look at Martha and Bela Karolyi's remarkable story that traces generations of gymnastics' most memorable tales, moments and champions.

Mountain Lake PBS Celebrates Lake Placid and the Winter Games

February 2014 •English

It's an all-access pass into the winter Olympic spirit of Lake Placid, NY. Rich in history, this little Adirondack village has played host to some of the biggest events and moments in Olympic history.

Hitler's Olympics

July 2016 •English

Hitler, Nazi propaganda and 1936 Berlin Olympics are put under the microscope to uncover hidden truths and the historical legacy of those games.

Alain Vastine, les combats d'un père

April 2024 •French

Fidel Castro no Rio de Janeiro, 1959

Invalid date •Portuguese

Fists of Freedom: The Story of the '68 Summer Games

August 1999 •English

Fists of Freedom examines one of the 20th century’s most memorable moments — the dramatic “Black Power” demonstration of American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos on the victory stand at the 1968 Summer games in Mexico City. Using rare footage, archival photos and interviews with key figures from the era, revisit a pivotal event in American history.

Bus 174

October 2002 •Portuguese

Documentary depicts what happened in Rio de Janeiro on June 12th 2000, when bus 174 was taken by an armed young man, threatening to shoot all the passengers. Transmitted live on all Brazilian TV networks, this shocking and tragic-ending event became one of violence's most shocking portraits, and one of the scariest examples of police incompetence and abuse in recent years.

The Fall

July 2016 •English

The Fall tells the remarkable story of a South African barefoot runner, an American track-and-field prodigy, and the events behind one of the most memorable moments in sporting history – the 1984 LA Olympics. The film charts two journeys, from rural South Africa under apartheid and the rolling hills of Southern California, to the starting line of the women’s 3,000 metres. It uncovers a tale of betrayal and exploitation, of the blurred lines between politics, media and sport, and of the dedication and sacrifice required to compete at the highest level. It’s a story that split governments and divided nations, but at its heart is a tale of two young women who, despite the turmoil in their lives, just wanted to run.

Public Domain

June 2014 •Portuguese

Between 2011 and 2014, the documentary investigated the changes in Rio de Janeiro on behalf of mega-events: UPPs in slums, forced evictions, public spaces privatization and popular uprisings.

Olympic Cavalcade

December 1948 •English

Documentary footage recaptures the excitement of the 1948 London Olympics, the first games since 1936.

The Conclave and Election of Pope Pius XII

December 1939 •Italian

A short documentary covering the conclave and election of Pope Pius XII.

Official Film of the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 Side A

June 2022 •Japanese

Follows Japanese director Naomi Kawase as she directs the official film of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, giving a message that goes beyond the physical exploit to mark souls, with her style and all her subtlety.

Freeman

September 2020 •English

The story of a nation coming together around Indigenous athlete Cathy Freeman who delivered when it mattered on the greatest stage on earth. 20 years on, Freeman sheds light on one of Australia's proudest moments. In 49.11 seconds, Cathy Freeman's win at the 2000 Sydney Olympics brought Australia together as a nation.

Shipibo Konibo: A Rite of Passage

October 2005 •English

In Peruvian Amazonia, for the first time in many years, a Shipibo–Konibo community prepare to perform the Aneshiati ceremony: a time of dance, song, festive clothing, and drink—including the sacred tea ayahuasca.