Under the Sun

Under the Sun Season 1

TV Show

Season 1 Episodes

1. Olongapo Rose

May 25th, 198950 min

Olongapo City in the Philippines is bounded on one end by the US naval base on Subic Bay, and on the other by a line of massage parlours, bars, discos, pool-halls, and short-time hotels where 15,000 young and pretty Filipinas cater to the base's 'rest and recreation' needs. Rose is one of the bar-girls who dreams of marrying an American sailor. The dream comes true for over 1,000 Filipinas every year, but for many the way they earn their living has disastrous consequences. 1/10.

2. Four Days in Summer

June 1st, 198957 min

The Palio di Siena is the most dangerous horse race in the world. It is the culmination of the Sienese year, where ancient rivalries between districts come to a head. This film goes behind the scenes to show the lives of two enemy districts as they try to make their dream come true.

3. Spirits of Defiance

June 8th, 198958 min

Once feared by explorers as fierce cannibals, the Mangbetu tribe inhabit the edge of the Zaire rainforest in the heart of Africa. Although they don't eat people any more, they still cling to their traditions of hallucinogenic rituals and retain a deep faith in magic and sorcery, despite the efforts of missionaries to change them.

4. Masks of Arcadia

June 15th, 198951 min

In the rice village of Kurokawa, the contradictions of rural life in Japan are particularly evident. Tradition appears strong, but this close-knit community is living through a time of enormous change. Today, Gonjiro, the grandson of a prosperous farmer and master of the Noh theatre, keeps his house and land by dividing his time between farming, construction work and the Tokyo railway. His predicament is to find a balance between the practical and the ideal.

5. Dust and Ashes

June 22nd, 198950 min

The pilgrimage to Kumbh Mela is the largest gathering of people in the world. Every 12 years, millions come to the holiest place in India - where two great rivers meet. Discover how and why it happens through the eyes of three people: one of Hinduism's five pontiffs, a rupee billionaire pilgrim, and the man who organises this mega-event.

6. Voice of the Whip

July 6th, 198951 min

For centuries, semi-nomadic Arabs have brought camels along the '40-day road' from central Sudan to the camel markets of Egypt. Follow one group as they make the arduous 800-mile trip across great stretches of desert, evading thieves and battling sandstorms to reach the Nile.

7. The Shaman and His Apprentice

July 20th, 198950 min

In a world where there are no hospitals or doctors, the medicine man or shaman cures the sick using purely supernatural powers. Jose is a master shaman of the Yaminahua tribe in the Peruvian Amazon. His young apprentice Curaka only came into contact with the outside world five years ago, when his group of Yaminahua were decimated by a flu epidemic. Does Curaka have the strength and determination to learn how to cure?

8. Celso and Cora

July 27th, 19891 hr 30 min

An intimate and moving portrait of a young Filipino couple trying to survive in the slums of Manila. Celso and Cora are sharply aware of the injustices they have to suffer, but there is no self pity as they describe the problems they face bringing up two young children on what little they make selling cigarettes outside hotels and discos. They provide a glimpse of a side of Manila tourists rarely see, navigating extreme poverty with dignity and humour. (TV edit of feature film)

9. One Generation More

August 3rd, 198950 min

Estonia is in the forefront of Soviet nationalist movements awakened by glasnost. As Estonian Jews celebrate their new freedom, they remain fearful and contemplate emigration. The film focuses on a four-generation family as they go about their daily lives and try to act as if the new freedoms in the Soviet Union are here to stay.

10. Adios General

August 10th, 198951 min

General Pinochet's violent military coup ended a long tradition of democracy in Chile. For the Santiago shanty town of La Victoria this has meant years of brutal repression, husbands slaughtered, and women taking the lead in organising the community. This is the story of one such brave woman, her fears for the future and her struggle to survive and bring up her son.

All Seasons

Season 11

Season 11

May 18, 2000
Season 10

Season 10

Jun 1, 1999
Season 9

Season 9

Jan 7, 1998
Season 8

Season 8

Aug 14, 1997
Season 7

Season 7

Jan 10, 1996
Season 6

Season 6

Jun 26, 1994
Season 5

Season 5

May 13, 1993
Season 4

Season 4

Sep 18, 1992
Season 3

Season 3

Jun 27, 1991
Season 2

Season 2

May 17, 1990
Season 1

Season 1

May 25, 1989
Specials

Specials

Mar 22, 2002