documentary
On airHot Roads
In the far north-east of Georgia, on the border with Russia, the Abano Pass leads to lofty heights. At almost 3000 metres it is the highest passable road in the Great Caucasus. It winds its way up dizzyingly steep slopes. On wild paths, it leads through a fascinating landscape.
The Green Heart of Croatia
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.
Wild River Rhine
Alluvial forests, roaring waterfalls, steep canyons and sunny slopes flank the river Rhine. The variety of habitats is the reason for the large biodiversity along the stream.There is hardly any other river in Germany that is surrounded by as many myths and legends as the river Rhine. No other river has been the topic of songs, has been painted and travelled equally frequently. Despite this it still seems to be true today what the French poet Victor Hugo once said about this river – the Rhine is a river everybody talks about, nobody explores, everybody visits but no one really knows. The film follows the water against the stream. It starts at the river's delta in the Netherlands, flows through six countries and ends in the Swiss Alps.