Hunting For Hedonia

An exploration of the human brain, science and the mysteries of our minds

What if tiny pulsing electrodes in your head could manipulate your mind? A revolutionary technique called Deep Brain Stimulation, first explored by pioneers in the 1960s, is doing just that. The treatment has led to incredible progress in treating illnesses such as Parkinson’s disease, severe depression and eating disorders. But what future lies ahead for the human mind when we start tampering with our brain and emotions?

Iraq's Secret Sex Trade

Uncovering Iraq's religious front for child prostitution

This powerful investigation into Shia clerics in some of Iraq's holiest shrines uncovers a network of exploitation of young women and girls, trapped into prostitution and pimped out by a religious elite. For the first time the clerics' secret sex trade has been captured on camera. Undercover filming and victim testimony reveal how they procure young women for male clients, and are prepared to conduct ‘pleasure marriages’ with children.

Daddy and the Warlord

What if your dad wasn't the hero you always imagined?

Clarice Gargard grew up with an idealised image of her father, but unresolved questions about his past now haunt her. Why did he choose to work for Charles Taylor, a ruthless dictator and infamous war criminal? In post-war-torn Liberia, Clarice investigates her father’s political legacy and becomes entangled in a web where good and evil, truth and lies are desperately interwoven. Her captivating quest exposes how ideals fade in times of war.

Rebellion

On the frontline of Hong Kong's fight for democracy

As the 'one country two systems' policy in Hong Kong has slowly eroded, resentment among the territory's citizens has steadily grown. What began as a series of spontaneous protests against an extradition law in March 2019 has now escalated in to a full-blown popular uprising that shows no signs of abating. ABC Four Corners reports from the frontline of the action, capturing extraordinary footage of the growing tension and violence.

Where the Light Shines

Afghanistan's first ski team reach for a brighter future

From their amateur efforts at home in the Bamyan peaks, Sajjad and Alishah have the chance to ski for Afghanistan in the Winter Olympics. As local kids strap wood to their feet and imitate their heroes, the men face up to the difficulty of creating opportunities in a country that for generations has only seen war. Filmed over four years, this beautiful film paints an uplifting and refreshing portrait of Afghanistan as you haven't seen it before.

Radio Kobani

The extraordinary story of a young reporter in war-torn Kobanî.

Out of the smoke and dust of battle came Radio Kobanî, the brainchild of 20-year-old Dilovan. A young Kurdish woman, Dilovan took it upon herself to document the final days of IS control, and the stories of refugees returning to their flattened homes. Despite her harrowing experiences, Dilovan’s positivity is resilient. Her belief is vindicated by the strength of Kobanî’s citizens and their capacity to collaborate in the face of destruction.

Cooked: Survival by Zip Code

A provocative exploration of how race and class impact your chances of surviving a natural disaster

In 1995 Chicago was hit by a record-breaking heat wave, so hot that roads melted and the lives of 739 residents were lost in a single week; mostly poor, African-American and elderly residents. Using this tragedy as a springboard, this searing doc connects the dots to more recent natural disasters, provocatively exploring the ways in which class, race and zip code predetermine our chances of survival during environmental crises.

Silent Forests

A rare glimpse inside the forest elephant poaching crisis

More than half of the Central-African forest elephant population has been decimated by poachers in the last decade. Following one of Cameroon’s first female eco-guards, a grassroots law enforcement group, a Congolese biologist, a reformed poacher and a Czech activist, this intimate, character-driven portrait gains remarkable access to an under-reported region, the Congo Basin, to understand the global poaching and ivory trade crises we face.

Who Let the Dogs Out

Who really came up with that song you can never get out of your head?

You thought the answer to the question was obvious, right? The Baha Men. In fact, the origin story of the smash hit is murkier than anyone could imagine. When artist and curator Ben Sisto embarks upon an obsessive eight-year quest in search of the answer, he uncovers a deep well of controversy and legal battles. His pursuit of the truth is relentless, and the result is an engrossing and entertaining meditation on copyright and originality in art.