Global Affairs Documentaries
Boxing Day Tsunami
First came an earthquake deep below the Indian Ocean. Minutes later, in the early hours of Boxing Day 2004, a 100-foot wall of water ripped through Indonesia. Then the tsunami reached Thailand, leaving unimaginable devastation in its wake. Using eye-witness accounts, BBC Select presents this gripping documentary investigating this horrific natural disaster. Could the catastrophe have been averted?
India's Partition The Forgotten Story
The Partition of India was one of the most seismic events of the 20th century. In 1947, the country was divided into two new nations, independent India, and Pakistan. The split led to violence, disruption, and death. Filmmaker Gurinder Chadha, director of Bend It Like Beckham, travels from London to Delhi meeting people whose lives were torn apart by Partition.
The Shamima Begum Story: The Girl Who Joined ISIS
Shamima Begum left London aged just 15 and disappeared inside the Islamic State group. She emerged four years later in 2019, a vilified figure who had her British citizenship revoked. Now Shamima gives the definitive account of everything that happened to her. In this exclusive interview she explains how she was radicalized, what life in ISIS was like and her hopes for the future.
Putin vs The West
Throughout the two decades that Vladimir Putin has controlled Russia, global leaders have tried various tactics to keep him in line. Now, as war rages in Ukraine and the world faces one of its greatest tests to peace since the Cold War, this documentary attempts to identify where these leaders went wrong and tries to understand how we have reached this point of no return with Putin.
Mariupol: The People's Story
In a little under three months, residents of what was a thriving Ukrainian city witnessed the deaths of women and children in a maternity hospital and bodies left abandoned on the streets. This powerful documentary filmed and told by many of the citizens of Mariupol, records the deaths of thousands and daring escapes by survivors. It’s a story of their loss, bravery, and determination.
This 2023 International Emmy Award, 2022 Peabody, and 2023 IDA Documentary Awards-winning documentary is available to watch on BBC Select.