S45.E3 ∙ Taiwan - Prepping for War

The acute man is a film about hope and despair. It is the story of idealism and arrogance of power, a story of friendship across borders and religions. But above all it is the story of a person who refuses to give in, a doctor who has a goal to work for. The film takes us on a journey that ranges from scenic trout fishing in North Norway, through a hectic schedule at the University Hospital of Tromso to the bomb rain in Gaza in 2009. For nearly 40 years, Mads Gilbert has been fighting to save lives and create a better world. He is known worldwide as The Gaza Doctor and has been holding more than 100 lectures at universities in North America.

Since the 1967 six day war, and the annexing of East Jerusalem to Israel, its Arab population has lived in a sort of limbo, being recognized as Israeli residents but not as Israeli citizens. This film explores this state of perpetual limbo through the lives of three East Jerusalem inhabitants; a sick man in need of medical treatment, a girl seeking recognition by Israel and a man attempting to re-build his demolished home. All are forced to grapple with Kafkaesque bureaucratic reality marked by standing in a single line outside the office of the Israeli Interior Ministry in East Jerusalem. Through its heroes, the film offers an understanding of the impact the Israeli-Palestinian conflict has on regular people striving to lead lives under extraordinary circumstances.

In 2001, international forces invaded Afghanistan to topple the Taliban regime. Substantial financial support and 'expertise' has been dedicated to re-build this war-torn country. Despite some improvements, Afghanistan still has world's second highest maternal mortality rate. Afghanistan is a strongly male-dominated society. Many women suffer abuse, most need their husband's permission to leave the house, use health services or contraceptives. Since men are the decision makers at all levels, educating and involving Afghan men is vital for women's access to health services and reducing maternal and child mortality. Deteriorating security has also become a major problem in women's access to health. 'Where are the men?' is a short documentary about how ordinary Afghan men are an asset and could contribute to women's health in Afghanistan.

In 2013, Hezbollah entered Syria's war to defend President Bashar Al-Assad. Dawn at Midnight recounts Hezbollah's beginnings from a murky fringe group to the most powerful militia in their country and revisits the Lebanese Hostage Crisis, a period which saw 96 Westerners kidnapped and 9 killed during Lebanon's Civil War.