Live & Upcoming Programmes

Germany's Mystic Forest

2.000 rivers and streams dig deep into the underground and transport their water into reservoirs or "Germany's Wild Amazon", the Wupper. These forests and rivers, together with heathlands and moors, are home to a diverse fauna. Martens, badgers, wild boars, hares, roe deer, and red deer, even black grouse and hazel deer find shelter in these parts. Wolves also have a dominant presence, not to mention those who live underground, such as lizards, bats, and snakes. Accompany us on a journey where we explore every corner of this rugged land. Climb underground into the Bergisches Land, through the vast hidden cave systems that sprawl far beneath the forests. There is also much to be discovered in the water, dive with us in crystal clear streams and rivers with their diverse flora and fauna.

2026-05-05 19:50:59 +0000 UTC→2026-05-05 20:51:30 +0000 UTC(1h)

World's Most Dangerous Railway Lines

The Pamban Railway crosses the tropical landscape of Tamil Nadu, the former Madras, for around 600 kilometers. Heavy storms and rain showers make the route a challenge for Indian Railways to this day. The film accompanies the "Rameswaram Express" over the notorious Pamban Bridge, the first bridge across the Indian Ocean.

2026-05-05 13:15:54 +0000 UTC→2026-05-05 14:16:38 +0000 UTC(1h)

World's Most Dangerous Railway Lines

The Tanzania-Zambia-Railway (Tazara) is one of Africa's most ambitious infrastructure projects. It connects the inland with the coast of East Africa and meant independence from the surrounding apartheid-ruled countries of East Africa. The film accompanies the Tazara on its 52-hour journey through Tanzania and Zambia and uses spectacular aerial shots to show not only the architectural monuments but also the unknown sides of the previously hidden landscapes of Tanzania and Zambia.

2026-05-05 12:14:57 +0000 UTC→2026-05-05 13:15:54 +0000 UTC(1h)

World's Most Dangerous Railway Lines

Over 196 bridges and through 55 tunnels, the Bernina Express fights its way from Switzerland to Italy. Powerful forces of nature make the railyway line a dangerous route over the Grisons Alps to this day. The film accompanies the Bernina Express in winter over the highest rail route across the Alps.

2026-05-05 11:14:08 +0000 UTC→2026-05-05 12:14:57 +0000 UTC(1h)

Hot Roads

They run through deserts, through ice and snow, deep into the jungle, along the water and over the mountains. The landscapes through which these routes wind are unique and exert their never-ending fascination even on regular travellers. In our documentary “Hot Roads – An Icebound Road” which is part of the five-part film series “Hot Roads” we want to tell the stories that take place along the route itself, of the people who live along it and for whom the road is part and parcel of their personal destiny.

2026-05-05 10:24:36 +0000 UTC→2026-05-05 11:14:08 +0000 UTC(49m)

Hot Roads

The air wants to flee the heat, but is too weak. It hovers just above the ground, heavy and weighed down by the oven-like heat. It turns wanly around itself, and tries to cool off by liquefying itself. It vibrates, it oscillates – but there is no escape. This is West Africa in late March. The Harmattan, the hot desert wind of the Sahara, is blowing without respite. It has no pity with the people who live here. Whoever wants to go from one place to another has to travel on roads that hardly deserve this name. They are dusty paths that don't appear on any map. They are maneuverable only with great effort and for a few months of the year. They are impassable during the rainy season, since they are washed over by the Niger River, one of the mightiest rivers in the world. When it starts to rain, the roads turn into muddy paths. Every journey is a trip into uncertainty.

2026-05-05 09:35:09 +0000 UTC→2026-05-05 10:24:36 +0000 UTC(49m)

Hot Roads

The “Adriatic Highway” is one of the most beautiful coastal roads in the world. The “technical masterwork” was built in the 1950s and 60s, at the time of Yugoslavian President Tito. Abounding in curves, the asphalt road stretches from Ankaran in Slovenia to Ulcinj in Montenegro. More than half of the road is in Croatia (659 km) and a quarter in Montenegro (125 km). Shorter segments lead through Slovenia only nine kilometers are in Bosnia and Herzegovina. For all four countries of the former Yugoslavian Federation, the 1,200-kilometer-long highway remains the main thoroughfare of Adriatic tourism. For many travelers, the highway is the absolute dream road. In dizzying heights, it hugs the steep cliffs lining the Adriatic Sea, winds through coves and bays, gardens and stony fields. Wonderful views of the blue sea, green islands, bizarre cliffs and Mediterranean cities and towns are typical of the highway. But with its numerous curves, the dream road also harbors many dangers.

2026-05-05 08:45:29 +0000 UTC→2026-05-05 09:35:09 +0000 UTC(49m)

Hot Roads

In Bangladesh, the land with the highest density of population in the world (and the highest amount of corruption), the daily struggle to survive is fought everywhere, including the streets. Nowhere do people drive as brutally and recklessly as here. In Bangladesh you drive on the road like others drive with a bumper car: if you need space, you simply ram the car driving next to you. The police only came if there are fatalities. The biggest bottleneck in the transport system is the historical old town of Dhaka. Old Dhaka is a universe of its own, a world of bazaars in which every trade has its own quarter: there are streets of jewelers, sweets makers and fashionable tailors, and the vegetable wholesalers have their warehouses down at the port. The deliveries take place mostly on the river, the Buriganga River, a stinking cesspool. But the sold goods usually leave by land, and the customers also come by the land route – the Nawabpur Road. They generally come in buses or by rickshaw, where too many people are crammed into too little space. The traffic in Dhaka is everyday, normal madness. The film accompanies a rickshaw, a bus and a truck on their dangerous way through the streets of Dhaka and shows how it is possible to survive in what seems to be an incontrollable chaos.

2026-05-05 07:55:51 +0000 UTC→2026-05-05 08:45:29 +0000 UTC(49m)

Fertile Floods

Every year, in the middle of Croatia, it's the same story: after the annual snowmelt, a huge flood wave spills out of the Alps toward Zagreb and Belgrade. This leads to an increase in the River Sava's water levels of some ten metres. The contents of more than ten billion bathtubs floods an area the size of Lake Constance, often for months on end, yet still the Croatian and Serbian capital is spared a flood disaster. One of the reasons for this is the fact that the Sava is able to flow unhindered. The annual floods not only create a natural retention reservoir for flood control: alongside the Sava lies a natural paradise, unique in Central Europe. In the species-rich, alluvial flood forests of the last major meadow landscapes of the continent, enormous predatory fish like the catfish lie in wait for prey. The fertile floodplains of the Sava are an important resting place for more than 240 bird species, including Hoopoe, great crested Grebe, little Egret, common snipe and pied Avocet. Old, domestic livestock breeds like the Turopolje pig and Posavina horse spend almost the entire year in the floodplains. They appreciate the alluvial meadows, keep puddles and mudholes open whilst wallowing and, as living lawnmowers, they ensure that the moist meadows aren't transformed into dense oak forests. Thanks to this traditional pasture farming, more than 700 pairs of white stork alone breed in the Lonjsko Polje National Park. The Sava Floodplains allow us to glance into the past of our continent and at the same time, illustrate just how flood protection for major towns can be perfected.

2026-05-05 02:09:57 +0000 UTC→2026-05-05 03:09:21 +0000 UTC(59m)

Wild Moments

In accordance with the seasons and with deep respect of nature, people all over the world celebrate their long-standing traditions. In Japan the first picnics at the cherry blossom festival kick off the long-awaited outdoor season, while the Scots perform their Highland Games. In the summer the Latvians celebrate the biggest party of the year: midsummer night. The vast wildflower meadows provide them with wreathes of flowers which have magical healing powers animals are provided with an abundance of insects. This enables the rare hoopoe to breed in Latvia. In the Spree forest region, an enchanting river landscape south-east of Berlin, farmers still harvest the famous Spreeforest Cucumber. "Four seasons - Many traditions" is a visual journey around the globe meeting people who are passionate and dedicated at keeping old traditions alive.

2026-05-05 01:11:01 +0000 UTC→2026-05-05 02:09:57 +0000 UTC(58m)

Wild Moments

In accordance with the seasons and with deep respect of nature, people all over the world celebrate their long-standing traditions. Near the outermost border of Europe, in Bashkiria, generations of bee keepers have collected honey from rare wild bees, the Burzyan bees. In Japan the last of the Usho catch fish with "living fishing rods": trained cormorants. Traditionally, they provided the Emperor's family with fresh fish. In Poland carp are fished from the ponds to provide everybody with carp for Christmas dinner - this is an old Polish tradition. In Frisia winter is driven out by fires at what is known as "Biikebrennen", and in Hungary the "Busho" - frightening characters wearing wooden masks - do a similar job. "Four seasons - Many traditions" is a journey, meeting people who are passionate at keeping old traditions alive.

2026-05-05 00:12:13 +0000 UTC→2026-05-05 01:11:01 +0000 UTC(58m)

Wild Moments

When humans and wild animals live next door to one another, things can sometimes be a little hairy. Some organise themselves in impertinent gangs, others mutually cultivate their own friendships. In New Zealand, keas organise themselves into gangs and obviously have it in for all the rubber seals belonging to winter sports enthusiasts. Their motto: nibble all you can. In Australia, Klaus Weißmann and Rolf Sziringer struggle with a huge invasion. Thousands of flies have taken a liking to the two men. This causes frayed nerves. And in Zambia, Jens Westphalen and Thoralf Grospitz capture a veritable display of elephants with the camera. Every year, their fine noses lead them into a hotel garden - in which the fruits on the wild mango tree are ripe. But, there is a catch: To get to their picnic, they have to walk through the lobby. This is what happens when buildings are erected around even older premises.

2026-05-04 23:11:48 +0000 UTC→2026-05-05 00:12:13 +0000 UTC(1h)

Wild Moments

As an animal filmmaker, one often deals with lots of strange old birds. No wonder, that so much can go wrong. After a long day of filming, a surprise awaits at the camp: Wolves have been looking for chocolate biscuits! Yet these are not the only things that can happen in the Arctic. Yann Sochaczewski is out and about in the magnificent Grand Canyon. On his raft on the Colorado River, he risks life and limb in doing so. In Australia, Thoralf Grospitz and Jens Westphalen play cat and mouse with an odd bird, that turns out to be a real entertainer. In the Serengeti, Reinhard Radke despairs of the many tourists who constantly walk in front of his lens. Wildlife filmmakers travel around the world for these very encounters. They bring nature into our living rooms, experience the beautiful, the saddest and the most poignant moments. And many funny ones.

2026-05-04 22:11:33 +0000 UTC→2026-05-04 23:11:48 +0000 UTC(1h)

Wild Moments

All over the world men and women fight for the protection of nature reserves and endangered species. This is their story, a story of bravery and stamina. We visit scientists in Central Europe who monitor the offspring of the rare lynx nearly 200 years after these elusive cats were extinct in the wild. We follow the work of the moose detective in Sweden on the island of Oland who tries to solve the riddle of increasing numbers of dead moose calves. In the heart of Africa one woman and her guards try to protect rare lowland gorillas and forest elephants but the increasing bush meat trade and the ongoing ivory smuggling makes their work extremely dangerous. Last but not least we meet US conservationists who rescue manatees in Florida - they have all dedicated their life to make a change. Without their work our world would be poorer.

2026-05-04 21:10:43 +0000 UTC→2026-05-04 22:11:33 +0000 UTC(1h)

Spectacular wildlife in the forests around the globe

A forest is like an organism, ancient and full of complex mechanics at work. Its plants need water and a specific range of temperature. And still, it can be found in the most variable places of the world. But how does it manage to adapt to the most adverse condition and still thrive? “Forests of this earth” uncovers the forest's amazing strategies of survival, the strange phenomena that allow them to strive in varied biotopes and under different environmental conditions, and the interplay they have with the fascinating animals living in them.

2026-05-04 20:09:53 +0000 UTC→2026-05-04 21:10:43 +0000 UTC(1h)

mareTV: Hong Kong

Hong Kong translated means "fragrant harbour". The days of the spicy smoking ceremonies have passed, but MareTV has discovered many delightful contrasts between the metropolis and Mother Nature. In for-mer times, the rare eagle wood tree grew here. Its wood put the spice into the Taoist smoking ceremonies. The fragrant harbour: what sounds so charming is today a huge metropolis in the sea. No other tiny piece of land is more densely populated. Star Ferries have been commuting between the Kowloon Peninsula and central Hong Kong for the past 125 years. The British colonial masters are long gone, but on the ancient ferries, virtually nothing has changed. Most of the ships are still clad in British Racing Green and the crew still wears the old, decorative uniforms.

2026-05-04 12:35:35 +0000 UTC→2026-05-04 13:25:39 +0000 UTC(50m)

Hunters of the Skies

Birds of prey are symbols of power, speed and splendour. In fact, there are very few species in the animal kingdom that can be described in as many superlatives. Their amazing use of different senses, their incredible feats of flight as well as their multitude of different hunting strategies are simply astounding. Hawks, buzzards and eagles have conquered every habitat on earth - from the dry arid south, to the cool and moist river valleys, to the coasts of Norway, all the way up to the sparse high mountains. Some of them, like the incredibly versatile hawk, can even hunt in the forest. Their literal eagle eye vision is unrivaled in the animal kingdom. All birds of prey sustain themselves through hunting, and they do so elegantly and, it seems, with effortless beauty and efficiency. This is one of many reasons why they are much admired, even romanticised, by many cultures. Buckle up and join us on this aerial adventure with spectacular insights into this amazing world of birds of prey.

2026-05-04 11:36:32 +0000 UTC→2026-05-04 12:35:35 +0000 UTC(59m)

Down to Earth

They've given up the wonderful art of flying. Or was it an art they never possessed? The brain structure and anatomy of flightless birds indicate that they descended from "flyers" – so, why don't they fly?

2026-05-04 10:35:18 +0000 UTC→2026-05-04 11:36:32 +0000 UTC(1h1m)

Poppy's Promise

The cornfield - just an area for producing food… or a land full of secrets? This doc portrays a little recognized habitat right next door. The spectacular visuals filmed with state of the art equipment introduce the surprisingly large diversity of field inhabitants. We follow a hamster family through a season full of adventures and are drawn into an unknown world – a world of which we thought we knew everything about. In the western industrial nations cornfields and woods take up the greatest proportion of rural land. But how much natural life dwells in a cornfield? Why are some cornfield inhabitants harmful and others useful and what do the colourful flowers at the edge of the field promise us? We follow a hamster family through a season full of adventures and are drawn into an unknown world – a world of which we thought we knew everything about.

2026-05-04 09:44:25 +0000 UTC→2026-05-04 10:35:18 +0000 UTC(50m)

Hoanib

The Namib, one of the most hostile deserts on Earth. Without a firm survival strategy, no living soul will make it here. Yet, surprisingly, some species have adapted their lifestyles to these extreme conditions: chameleons, beetles, snakes and mammals are all at home here. The film follows a family of desert elephants that has also adapted to this habitat.

2026-05-04 08:44:45 +0000 UTC→2026-05-04 09:44:25 +0000 UTC(59m)