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A geopolitical journey to the heart of a monumental project, the “Five Seas System”, a network of Russian waterways designed by Putin and based on Russian imperialism, linking Russia to five seas: the Black Sea, the Sea of Azov, the Caspian Sea, the Baltic Sea and the White Sea.

Since coming to power, Vladimir Putin has pursued an ambitious yet little-known goal: restoring Russia’s greatness by reclaiming control over the “Five Seas.” Inspired by Peter the Great and Stalin, this vision aims to make Moscow a maritime power. From the 2008 war in Georgia to the 2014 annexation of Crimea, the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, and recent tensions in Nagorno-Karabakh, each conflict follows the same pattern: using maritime regions as tools of reconquest and influence. Putin wages military actions and a hybrid war — blending military action, political and economic control, and digital interference. With exclusive archives, testimonies from experts, and on-the-ground footage from Georgia, Estonia, and Finland, Putin and the Five Seas War unveils a neo-imperial project long underestimated by the West.
 
A crucial documentary for understanding a geopolitical strategy driven by nationalism, trade routes, energy ambitions, and imperial memory.

By promising to colonize the cosmos, the space industry is fueling dangerous illusions that accelerate the destruction of the only habitable planet we know of: Earth. Scientists, climate activists, and Indigenous peoples are speaking out against this new vision of space exploration, and calling for space to remain the shared domain of all humanity. What are the consequences of this new space conquest? Are we really on the path to becoming a multi-planetary civilization, or is this just a fantasy shaped by our cultural and historical narratives? And if it is all just a lie, who stands to win and who stands to lose?

By the end of the century, humanity will become an interplanetary civilization, with millions living in autonomous colonies on the Moon, Mars, and massive orbiting space stations, while pioneers journey toward distant stars. Once pure science fiction, these ambitions are now promoted by wealthy entrepreneurs, governments, and powerful networks who see space as both humanity’s next frontier and a lucrative solution to Earth’s limited resources. This vision fuels the booming “New Space” industry, driven by dreams of astronomical profits and fears about our planet’s future.
But for a growing number of space professionals, these projects are nothing more than dangerous illusions. Human biology is deeply tied to Earth’s atmosphere, gravity, and magnetic field, while space remains a hostile and deadly environment. Even in the face of climate catastrophe, overpopulation, and resource depletion, Earth is far more hospitable than any other place in the solar system. There is no Planet B, they insist. Instead of chasing fantasies of distant colonization, humanity should focus on making Earth livable again.
Yet in pursuit of these illusions, the New Space industry contributes to its own doomsday narratives by damaging the atmosphere, disrupting astronomy with satellite pollution, and threatening ecosystems and communities near launch sites.
Resistance is growing. Activists, astronomers, and scientists are working to reframe space exploration within a broader cultural, ecological, and scientific context, and to remind us that, ultimately, we are just a tiny speck in the vast universe whose survival depends on caring for the one fragile planet we already call home.
 

How did a failed coup d’état carried out by a handful of generals in July 1936 turn into one of the most brutal civil wars in history? Largely because of General Franco’s rallying who joined the insurgents with Hitler’s support.
For its part, the Republic realized that it was being abandoned by the Western democracies and could only count on the International Brigades - and on the limited, yet very interventionist, support of the USSR. 

Brazil, 1964. With support from the United States government, the first military dictatorship, also referred to as the Fifth Brazilian Republic, was established. Many opponents of the regime fled to Chile. But in 1973, with the support of President Nixon, General Pinochet overthrew Salvador Allende. Right-wing dictatorships across South America launched Operation Condor to coordinate their repression. Carter’s rise to power brought hope: he returned control of the Panama Canal to Panama and allowed the Sandinistas to take power in Nicaragua. But Reagan being elected in 1980, marked the beginning of a new era.

Dominating the Romanian Carpathians, Bran Castle stands guard over a land of legends. Associated with the most famous of vampires, Dracula, it attracts crowds in search of artificial thrills. But in the dark woods surrounding the fortress, other wild creatures lurk, far more real than the old count... Bears, lynx and wolves have made these ancient forests their main refuge in Europe. In the shadow of the castle, between flourishing tourism and the need for preservation, a new cohabitation between humans and beasts is taking shape.

China maintains that it is a peaceful power and neutral in other countries’ conflicts. But the country has a long history of aggressive expansion and has also suffered from the belligerence of European powers.

Spring 1939. After 1,000 days of fighting, 400 000 deaths, the guns finally fell silent. But that didn’t mean peace was back in the country. Franco continued his crusade against the Republicans who had dared to oppose his coup. By 1940, over 240 000 prisoners were crammed in concentration camps and between 150 000 and 200 000 people were missing. From then on, state Catholicism governed every aspect of Spanish life. Women were reduced to the roles of wives and mothers, and the babies of Republican women were taken from them. The resistance fighters who had continued the armed struggle against Franco never managed to overthrow him. Franco outlived his allies, Hitler and Mussolini.

In a garrigue bathed in sunshine, the Gardon shapes a wild landscape where life adapts to its whims. 2,000 years ago, the Romans defied this indomitable river by building the Pont du Gard, a veritable masterpiece of engineering. A symbol of human mastery over nature, the edifice has nevertheless blended into its surroundings over time. Little by little, plants and animals have colonized its stones, transforming this ancient monument into an incredible refuge for Mediterranean biodiversity.

Nicaragua then went through a bloody civil war where the Sandinistas and the “Contras”, who were backed by the United States, were opposed. In Panama, Manuel Noriega, a longtime ally of the CIA, turned his country into a drug hub before being overthrown during a US invasion. In Chile, the United States eventually turned its back on General Pinochet. While democracy was gaining ground across the continent, Venezuela was hit by a crisis. In 1992, Hugo Chávez attempted to carry out a coup d’état. Although he failed, he became a popular hero.