Documentaries

Matière à réflexion · Documentaire · France · 1999 · 52'
Commentaire: français · Réalisateur: Philippe Truffault · Production: Dune, Paris

Matter is everywhere, but what is it really made of? In the Kastler Brossel laboratory, young physicists from all over Europe study the atom and attempt to obtain images of this invisible matter, by lowering its temperature using various systems based on optical mechanics, laser technology and cryogenics. The film shows the astonishing everyday life of these high-tech researchers who mix the latest technologies with minute handy work.

The Electric Detective · Documentaire · Grande-Bretagne · 1997 · 12'
Commentaire: anglais · Réalisateur: Robert Vincent · Production: The Electricity Association, Londres

Max Wattage is a special "electric detective" on an important mission to track down bad users of electricity and make them aware of the dangers they run through their irresponsible behaviour. While out on patrol, he drops in on the Ollie family, and like a guardian angel, rescues them from the worst.

A Sustainable Car · Documentaire · Suisse · 2000 · 24'
Commentaire: italien (s.-t. français) · Réalisateur: Renato de Lorenzi · Production: Télévision Suisse Italienne

The electric car certainly has the wind in its sails. The film is a plea for this type of vehicle made in the town of Mendrisio, where pilot schemes are in operation and where the people are pioneers in the development and promotion of electric vehicles, a reference to the whole world. Accounts are given by individuals as to their conviction on the matter and the pertinence of their choice. The film is a mixture of recent interviews and archive material, tracing the development of the car in modern society.

Between Push and Pull · Documentaire · Pays-Bas · 2000 · 7'
Commentaire: anglais · Réalisateur: Alewijn Dekker · Production: Carillon Projects, Amsterdam

As soon as it is produced, electric energy has to be used. Using the example of Holland, this documentary offers the public an inside view of the electricity world: the problems involved in management of demand or maintaining electricity supply at 50 Herz are not ignored and the spectator can grasp more clearly the intricacies of the distribution process.

Gaz naturel: L'énergie du XXIe siècle · Documentaire · France · 1999 · 11'
Commentaire: français · Réalisateur: Fabienne Le Loher · Production: Gaz de France, Paris

All you needed to know about gas! This film is a general review of this type of energy, seen through the activities of Gaz de France. All aspects of gas are revealed from production to distribution, including its various fields of application and transport. This is done with clarity and concision and using images which are as high in quality as the commentary itself.

Follow the Sun · Fiction · Allemagne · 1997 · 8'30''
Commentaire: marocain (s.-t. anglais) · Réalisateur: Peter Ladkani · Production: Wolff Brothers GmbH, Munich

In the desert, a young Moroccan will do anything to save his sick father suffering after drinking polluted water. The son goes in search of help from an engineer, who, using the electricity supplied by a solar generator, manages to contact an area doctor. His solar unit also keeps a refrigerator going to store the vital medicines needed by his father.

Umweltkontor · Documentaire · Allemagne · 2000 · 3'
Commentaire: allemand · Réalisateur: Peter Ladkani · Production: Production International, Munich

Using dreamlike images set to original music, this documentary presents the philosophy of two pioneers in pursuit of their ideal. Having founded Umweltkontor, they have specialised in the design and the realisation of new concepts in the field of renewable forms of energy. The images are inspired by poetry and will move anybody's heart to appreciate the importance we must attach to our environment.

Electrum · Documentaire · Etats-Unis · 2000 · 28'
Commentaire: anglais · Réalisateur: Alberta Chu · Production: Alberta Chu, Pacific Palisades

The film focuses on a breathtaking piece of work designed by a group of artists and technicians who have embarked on the construction of the biggest "Tesla" type coil in the world. The result is totally fascinating: the machine generates electric arcs of up to 15 meters using a current of 3 million Volts. The complicity between the artist Eric Orr and the engineer specialised in very high voltage Greg Leyh, gives birth to the impressive luminous sculpture Electrum.

Solutions douces pour un monde brut · Documentaire · Suisse · 2000 · 19'
Commentaire : français · Réalisateur : Pascal Magnin · Production : R. Grg, D. Clément, TSR, Genève

In Guadeloupe, electricity costs as much as in France. That is why this country tries to diversify it's energy production by exploiting one of it's own natural resources which is the wind. Windpower plants have been built with success in many places and many projects are on the way.

Die Mühle · Documentaire · Allemagne · 2000 · 9'
Sans paroles · Réalisateurs: Bernd A. Kaiser · Production: junglefilm, Weiterstadt

As the seasons pass by, the public watches the daily work of Manfred Killinger. With the help of his father, he runs a sawmill in which the machines are worked with electricity produced by the mill which has belonged to his family for over 200 years. In this film, time seems to stop, offering a welcome moment of peace to counteract the furious rhythm of modern society.

Hot Dry Rock II · Documentaire · Allemagne · 1998 ·19'20''
Commentaire : anglais · Réalisateur : Helmut Tenzer · Production : Helmut Tenzer, Bad Urach

Our planet abounds in an inexhaustible form of energy: geothermal energy. The use of explicit images and clear diagrammes familiarises us with this energy form which is destined for a bright future. This is illustrated by the unique research carried out at Soultz-sous-Forêts in Alsace. Whereas the norm for rocks is to increase about 2°C in temperature for every 100 meters in depth, here the increase is 4°C, making it possible to reach temperatures higher than 200°C at 4500m depth.

Refining and Products From Oil · Documentaire · Grande-Bretagne · 2000 · 15'
Commentaire: anglais · Réalisateur: Richard Smith · Production: Take 3 Productions, Londres

This instructive film describes synthetically the different stages in the processing of crude oil into its many by-products. Full of images from the film archives, and particularly advertising spots, it sets out to make us familiar in the space of a few minutes with the many notions and processes involved in the transformation of black gold.

Le bois énergie...maintenant · Documentaire · France · 1999 · 18'
Commentaire: français · Réalisateur: Eric Simbard · Production: Jonathan communications, Besançon

Wood is a clean form of energy and easy to use. Nowadays, it is widely used again particularly for heating purposes. The film presents the various techniques of wood heating and the latest technical developments in the field with their relative advantages: indigenous energy form, job creation, aid available for the maintenance of forests, etc The technical progress made ensures that wood has reached the maturity needed to become a modern and friendly form of energy.