The Name of Action

This Is Hamlet

A mockumentary examination of Shakespeare's greatest tragedy using "breaking news" style interviews and commentary.

Ahab Was Here: Reflections on Moby Dick

A Bulgarian theater company struggles to adapt Herman Melville's epic "Moby Dick" for the stage, revealing the obsessive dedication and creative challenges faced by cast and crew in their quest to bring an unfilmable masterpiece to life.

Mulheres de Barba Rija

Call it the burning

One night, nine children from the same Tunisian village attempt the deadly crossing. Like a poem or a prayer, this film welcomes the words of bereaved mothers and gives dignity to their grief.

Člověk si sám se sebou vystačí, respektive nevystačí

Hamlet Within

A radical cinematic investigation into the myth of Hamlet, the avenging prince of Denmark, William Shakespeare's creature; his origins and his unending influence on many diverse cultures.

Youth (Spring)

This film was shot between 2014 and 2019 in the town of Zhili, a district of Huzhou City in Zhejiang province, China. Zhili is home to over 18,000 privately-run workshops producing children's clothes, mostly for the domestic market, but some also for export. The workshops employ around 300,000 migrant workers, chiefly from the rural provinces of Yunnan, Guizhou, Anhui, Jiangxi, Henan and Jiangsu.

The Shaw Festival: Behind the Curtain

From PBS - With unprecedented access, The Shaw Festival: Behind the Curtain captures the unique creative process of one of North America's longest running, most distinctive and exciting theatre experiences. Each year between April and October, the Shaw Festival--which began in 1962 with the mandate on works by George Bernard Shaw--presents around 10 plays on four stages that attract patrons from all over the world. Located in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada--the Shaw's one-of-a-kind schedule has actors and directors working on several plays at once. Over eight months, crews design and build sets on a finely honed schedule that is both frenetic, creative, and amazingly well planned and executed. Follow the process of getting the play from the page to the stage as The Shaw Festival: Behind the Curtain provides insight into every aspect of production at a summer theatre festival.

The Black Contribution: Literature and Theatre

The Black Contribution – Literature and Theater 1978 is a rare documentary highlighting the voices and cultural impact of African American writers and performers during the civil rights era. Introduced by NAACP leader Benjamin Hooks and narrated by Roscoe Lee Brown, the film weaves together dramatic readings, theatrical excerpts, and candid urban street footage. Margaret Walker’s poem For My People is performed alongside scenes of daily Black life in New York City — children playing, families on stoops, open fire hydrants, and the realities of poverty in 1970s neighborhoods. James Baldwin appears in interview footage, while signs for his play The Amen Corner and stage excerpts from Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun underscore the powerful presence of Black voices in American theater. With rare shots of Harlem life, literature, and performance, this film documents the enduring contributions of African American artists to U.S. culture and history.

The Blu-ray Experience II: Opera, Ballet & theatre

The Hobart Shakespeareans

Rafe Esquith, 1992 American Teacher of the Year and National Medal of Arts recipient, teaches 5th-grade children whose parents don't speak English at a school in a dangerous, poor, drug-infested 100% Latino/Asian neighborhood in Los Angeles.

Bunk #7

Documentary about the production of Bunk #7.

Machine Plate

Safety in the Shop: Power Tools

The film emphasizes the importance of safety when using power tools in a workshop. It outlines key safety practices, such as using guards, securing materials, and wearing protective gear like safety glasses. The film also covers specific tool usage tips, including the correct handling of cutting machines, drills, grinders, and lathes, stressing that safety precautions should never be neglected. Proper maintenance and awareness of tool settings are crucial to prevent accidents.

Safety in the Shop: Hand Tools

The film emphasizes the importance of safety when using hand tools in a workshop. It discusses the significance of keeping tools sharp and in good condition, proper handling techniques, and the need for safe storage. The film also covers guidelines for using specific tools like saws, chisels, screwdrivers, and wrenches, highlighting the dangers of using dull or damaged tools. Additionally, it stresses the importance of maintaining a clean and organized workspace, wearing appropriate protective gear, and being aware of one’s surroundings to prevent accidents.

Theatre from Mud

On the 45th anniversary of the Grange Theatre in Vojvodina, its two legendary founders - director György Hernyák and actor Frigyes Kovács - have reunited. It was a unique occasion seeing these two masters create art under the open sky once again. Through this rehearsal process, the documentary draws a vivid portrait of the Grange Theatre’s past and present, the community built around it, and the unique energy that binds Vojvodina Hungarian identity with the troupe’s history. The film is not merely a retrospective; it reveals how liberating and life-affirming theater-making can be, and how the joy of free creation remains indispensable today.

Noi siamo gli errori che permettono la vostra intelligenza

Grand Theft Hamlet

Two unemployed friends have a fresh idea: they want to stage Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' in Grand Theft Auto. But even in a virtual world, reality intrudes in a wild and trippy film shot entirely inside the ultra-violent video game.

National Theatre Live: 50 Years on Stage

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, the National Theatre of Great Britain presents National Theatre: 50 Years on Stage, bringing together the best British actors for a unique evening of unforgettable performances, broadcast live from London to cinemas around the world.

To Be or Not to Be: Klingons and Shakespeare

The story behind the translation and performance of Shakespeare's "Hamlet" in Klingon.