UNIVERSUM cameraman Wolfgang Thaler and Bert Hoelldobler, a leading authority on ants, bring us face-to-face with the mysterious world of these social insects.
Social & External
A Documentary on the Creation of OVO, by Cirque du Soleil
A scientist explains how the savagery and efficiency of the insect world could result in their taking over the world.
A documentary of insect life in meadows and ponds, using incredible close-ups, slow motion, and time-lapse photography. It includes bees collecting nectar, ladybugs eating mites, snails mating, spiders wrapping their catch, a scarab beetle relentlessly pushing its ball of dung uphill, endless lines of caterpillars, an underwater spider creating an air bubble to live in, and a mosquito hatching.
In 1908, amateur naturalist and pioneering filmmaker Percy Smith stunned early cinema goers with his footage of the juggling fly. Hailed as the father of Natural History film, Smith was a hugely influential visual pioneer, inventing many techniques that are still used today. Being both a genius and an eccentric, we follow his life from his earliest films, to the collapse of his house from his mould experiment to his ultimate suicide. We also meet Natural History icon Sir David Attenborough, who was so amazed by Smith’s films in the 1930s that they inspired him to get into natural history.
Untangling the web of cultural and historical ties underlying Japan's deep fascination with insects.
Sir David Attenborough is in the Swiss Jura Mountains to discover the secrets of a giant. Beneath his feet lies a vast network of tunnels and chambers, home to a huge empire of ants. It is believed to be one of the largest animal societies in the world, where over a billion ants from rival colonies live in peace.
Struggling with a mid-life crisis, Robert Oelman leaves his psychology career in the early 1990s to photograph rare and exotic insects. After moving from the United States to Colombia, he forms a special bond with his subjects in the Amazon rainforest. This connection enables him to make striking photographic images of new and undocumented species. After more than 20 years of traveling, searching, and photographing, his quest culminates with a New York City gallery show where he finally shares his images with the public.
Satoshi Kuribayashi and his team filmed the insects for over an astonishing 430 days, resulting in breathtaking images and scenes from a still fairly unknown world. Watch a mantis sneak up on its prey and catch it with its razor sharp claws. Experience a deadly, thrilling wasp fight. Sit back and watch the world of the insects unfold before you like you have never experienced it before.
"Incredible," "beautiful" and "exotic" are only a few of the words (besides "eek!") that describe Bugz. Everything from bugs you'd recognize to bugs you've never seen before (thank goodness!) creeping, jumping, fluttering, squirming and scurrying across your TV screen.
With Once Upon a Forest, Luc Jacquet invites the spectator into a never-before-seen world of natural wonder and staggering beauty. “For the first time, we will be able to watch a rain forest growing before our eyes…Only cinema can offer this unique voyage into a completely untamed universe, a world of perfect balance in which each living thing – from the smallest to the largest – plays an essential role. The film will deliver a complete sensory immersion in the primaeval splendor of one of nature’s richest mysteries, inviting the audience to enter, discover and marvel at a universe of untold treasures while joining its voice to the ever-growing awareness of the need to preserve our world.”
We all have hobbies regarding the world of insects, they are very annoying with their buzzing, their pecking and even their horrifying appearance, but without these invertebrates man would have problems.
The World's Biggest and Baddest Bugs, follows host Ruud Kleinpaste, as he embarks on an entomological odyssey around the globe in search of the ultimate biggest and "baddest" creepy crawlies. The World's Biggest and Baddest Bugs will then profile the "stars" of the show, with Ruud explaining in his audience-friendly style exactly what makes them so amazing.
In this playful essay film, the filmmaker investigates our culture's discomfort with all things many-legged.
Ant colonies are one of the wonders of nature: complex, organised… and mysterious. This programme reveals the secret, underground world of the ant colony, in a way that’s never been seen before. At its heart is a massive, full-scale ant nest, specially designed and built to allow cameras to see its inner workings. The nest is a new home for a million-strong colony of leafcutter ants from Trinidad. For a month, entomologist Dr George McGavin and leafcutter expert Prof Adam Hart capture every aspect of the life of the colony, using time-lapse cameras, microscopes, microphones and radio tracking technology. The programme explores how these tiny insects can achieve such spectacular feats of collective organisation. It also reveals the workings of one of the most complex and mysterious societies in the natural world – and shows the surprising ways in which ants are helping us solve global problems.
Propped upon the tail-end of a match, a housefly performs astonishing feats, alternately juggling a series of objects - a blade of grass, a cork, a miniature dumbbell… Most extraordinary of all is the sequence in which the fly spins a ball twice its own size, while a second fly perches on top. In the final sequence, the fly repeats some of its earlier tricks while apparently seated on a tiny chair.
A documentary showing the lives of an worker ant colony.
This documentary focuses specifically on insects. Giving you an unbelieveably up close and intimate view of the many unique secrets of the bug world. Answering scientific questions on how and why they have evolved certain bizarre adaptations, whilst using stunning imagery never seen before.
Groot investigates a spooky noise that’s been haunting the Quadrant, which leads to an intense dance off.
Groot sets out to paint a family portrait of himself and the Guardians, only to discover just how messy the artistic process can be.
Year three at Hogwarts means new fun and challenges as Harry learns the delicate art of approaching a Hippogriff, transforming shape-shifting Boggarts into hilarity and even turning back time. But the term also brings danger: soul-sucking Dementors hover over the school, an ally of the accursed He-Who-Cannot-Be-Named lurks within the castle walls, and fearsome wizard Sirius Black escapes Azkaban. And Harry will confront them all.
Everybody needs some alone time to relax and wash up, but things go quite differently when you’re a Flora Colossi toddler.
A decade after being nearly destroyed by Obi-Wan Kenobi, Maul is resurrected and joins forces with his Nightbrother brother, Savage Opress, seeking revenge. They form alliances, target Obi-Wan Kenobi, and spread terror across the galaxy. The story culminates in a confrontation with Obi-Wan, with Maul and Savage also recruiting Hondo Ohnaka and his pirates.
John tells the story of a young male, a psychiatric hospital patient who witnesses the death of another Black male patient at the hands of white staff. Blurring the boundaries between fact and fiction, this work draws from real life cases of mentally ill Black men who have died as a result of excessive force of the State.
Delves deep into the anxiety, thrill and uncertainty of six aspiring animation artists as they are plunged into the twelve-week trial-by-fire that is the NFB's Hothouse for animation filmmakers.
A turbulent day in a life, painted by air.
When Marty's car is stolen, he sets out on a mission to find it; however, he soon realizes that the person who stole it is much more dangerous than he thinks.
Scooby-Doo and the gang investigates a new ghost at a water park resort.
Scooby-Doo and friends are off on another adventure in this collection of 3 episodes from the various eras of Scooby-Doo TV shows.
Jay, Mia, and Pitar were three friends who loved exploring the beauty of nature, especially during the autumn season. Their story unfolds over three special journeys, each capturing the warmth of friendship and the beauty of autumn. Their first journey took Jay and Mia to Frensham Great Pond, a beloved spot surrounded by vibrant autumn trees. As they walked along the water's edge, the cool breeze and golden leaves filled them with joy. They laughed, skipped stones, and admired the reflections of amber and red across the pond. For their second adventure, Pitar joined Jay and Mia at Sandy Hill in Aldershot, one of the highest points in the area. From the top, they could see all of Aldershot and even Farnborough in the distance. Standing above it all, they felt a deep sense of freedom and awe as they looked out at the rolling autumn landscape below. Their third journey led them to Tice's Meadow Nature Reserve in Surrey. Known for its peaceful trails and abundant wildlife,
Groot discovers a miniature civilization that believes the seemingly enormous tree toddler is the hero they’ve been waiting for.
Red Riding Hood is training in the group of Sister Hoods, when she and the Wolf are called to examine the sudden mysterious disappearance of Hansel and Gretel.
Three years living in Sunset Park, living between the BQE and the Greenwood Cemetery, accumulating footage of junkyard cats, Park Slope strollers, burned out cars, flying birds.
Ten years after the first American Pie movie, three new hapless virgins discover the Bible hidden in the school library at East Great Falls High. Unfortunately for them, the book is ruined, and with incomplete advice, the Bible leads them on a hilarious journey to lose their virginity.
Two little league teams take on their coaches' sibling rivalry, and end up in battle in a place the baseball world never expected: in the outfield of the Home Run Derby.
Peter Parker is unmasked and no longer able to separate his normal life from the high-stakes of being a super-hero. When he asks for help from Doctor Strange the stakes become even more dangerous, forcing him to discover what it truly means to be Spider-Man.
Twins Phoebe and Max are enjoying their superhero lifestyle, but when one 'save' goes awry, the Thundermans are sent back to Hiddenville. While Hank and Barb enjoy their return, and Billy and Nora look forward to a normal high school life, Max and Phoebe are determined to regain their superhero status.
One day during summer vacation, a palm-sized alien named Papi appears from a small rocket that Nobita picks up. He is the president of Pirika, a small planet in outer space, and has come to Earth to escape the rebels. Doraemon and his friends are puzzled by Papi’s small size, but as they play together using the secret tool “Small Light”, they gradually become friends. However, a whale-shaped space battleship comes to earth and attacks Doraemon, Nobita and the others in order to capture Papi. Feeling responsible for getting everyone involved, Papi tries to stand up to the rebels. Doraemon and his friends leave for the planet Pirika to protect their dear friend and his home.