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A mesmerising look at a rare form of entertainment, Motodrom by the German director Jörg Wagner takes viewers into the midst of a visceral fairground attraction as fate-tempting, gravity-defying ‘hellriders’ race round and round the the ‘wall of death’ on antique motorbikes. Stylishly shot in stark black and white, Motodrom was a festival favourite in 2006 and 2007, appearing at the Sundance Film Festival and International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, among others.
Director: Jörg Wagner
Producer: Dirk Manthey
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Music
The peculiar beauty of a song caught between composition and improvisation
3 minutes
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Rituals and celebrations
A beginner’s guide to a joyful Persian tradition of spring renewal and rebirth
3 minutes
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Love and friendship
Love looks a bit different for a chain-smoking couple in a small apartment
11 minutes
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Biography and memoir
Passed over as the first Black astronaut, Ed Dwight carved out an impressive second act
13 minutes
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Engineering
A close-up look at electronic paper reveals its exquisite patterns – and limitations
9 minutes
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Architecture
West Africa was once an architectural laboratory. Is it time for a revival?
12 minutes
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Work
A Swedish expat in the Philippines wonders: what’s up with people sleeping at work?
14 minutes
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Biography and memoir
The unique life philosophy of Abdi, born in Somalia, living in the Netherlands
29 minutes
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Cognition and intelligence
What’s this buzz about bees having culture? Inside a groundbreaking experiment
8 minutes