As we consider the past year, a assortment of outstanding feature-length pieces stands out. These pieces probe multifaceted topics ranging from geopolitical machinations and historical discoveries to deeply human stories.
A Mysterious Author and the Moral Fabric of a Nation
An author rose to fame in the nineties with scathing commentaries on autocratic rule. Although many of his writer contemporaries have faced censorship or left the nation, he still sell vast numbers of copies. It prompts a key question: Has he turned into an apologist for the regime?
Survival and Complicity in Syria's Devastating Civil War
The story of Mustafa, who at eighteen was informed that his only path to escape incarceration was to enlist in the regime forces. Following fourteen years, his former role as one of Assad's soldiers could now get him killed.
A Fierce Argument Over Humanity's Earliest Beginnings
The unearthing of fossilised bones in the Djurab sands in the early 2000s was hailed as fundamentally rewriting the story of our human race. Yet, not everyone was persuaded. The ensuing bitter controversy has dominated the lives of scholars ever since.
The UK Religious Group That Hid in Plain Sight
One woman was only a young girl when her household became part of the Jesus Fellowship. As an grown woman, she helped uncover the appalling extent of abuse it had carried out.
A Prime Minister's Puzzling Stance on Human Rights
A great many voters anticipated that the prime minister would reaffirm the UK's commitment to human rights. Yet, the record over the first year in office has been curiously inconsistent.
Breaking a Nation's Self-Image
A documentary following a repentant fraudster as she sets up corrupt individuals with hidden cameras raises thorny questions: Is this person truly reformed, and what are the filmmaker's own motives?
A Person Who Decontaminates the UK's Darkest Stains
From homicide sites to biological waste, an extreme cleaner has encountered – and cleaned – it all. In their darkest times, individuals turn to him to restore order.
Will an Famous Museum Survive an "Multifaceted Crisis"?
Plagued by debates over its collection, precarious finances and the discovery of an internal thief, Britain's leading cultural institution is in deep trouble. The challenge remains: Can it salvage its standing?
More Than "Morning Sickness": The Agony of Extreme Pregnancy
Called a severe form of pregnancy sickness and once termed 'dangerous sickness' by the 19th century, this condition has long been without an reliable treatment solution – until perhaps now.
A Legacy of Extremism in Contemporary Government
A militant extremist and pioneer of hate, Meir Kahane died a marginalized pariah 35 years ago. Today, his ideology influence the uppermost echelons of government.
An English Professional With a Crooked Secret
With his keen mind and impeccable background, it's understandable that affluent individuals trusted him with their fortunes. Then they began to become suspicious.
The Small Nation That Emerged as the World's Mediation Center
An astonishingly wealthy country has risen as a key actor on the international scene, striving to solve some of the most long-standing disputes. What are driving this ambitious endeavor?
A Inside View at a President Gearing Up for International Summitry
Deeply disliked at domestically, President Macron enjoys the international arena, where he presents himself as the statesman best placed to manage a certain sitting American leader. Seven years after their previous meeting, a journalist joined him as he readied himself for the fray.
Inside the Trial of a Heartbreaking Story
How did the child of an aristocrat find herself at the Old Bailey with her companion, charged with the death of their two-week-old baby?
An End of a Major Aid Agency: Not Universal Mourning
When efforts were made to drastically cut a major US development organization, many around the globe were surprised. But on the front lines in Sierra Leone, this most recent letdown was not unexpected.
A Shocking 1960s Experiment on South Asian Mothers
When information about a medical study in the sixties came to light, there was immense anxiety. But the exact truth of the events is still somewhat contested.
A "Genius" of the Online Economy
He's endured a full day in slime, 48 hours underground – and showered enormous amounts of money to lucky participants. But are these videos simply incredibly clever clickbait – or works of avant garde brilliance?
Life in a Nation Endangered by the Rising Ocean
With the ocean rising, much of Tuvalu's residents is facing the possibility that their homeland may soon cease to exist. The critical issue is: Where are they supposed to go?
One Heartbreaking Story of Childhood Destitution
As I encountered a young boy he was thirteen and homeless. Even then believed his life could improve. That hope was tragically misplaced.
A Global AI Competition and a Pivotal Defection
In the recent past, after spending half his life in the United States, a leading AI scientist took a permanent move to China. Today, he might hold the answers to which nation wins the global technological rivalry.
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