How does one organize digital elections in an African nation where voting has never occurred before? In *Tegenlicht*, a portrait of the desperate efforts by Belgium, the European Union, the United Nations, and the people of the Democratic R…

On December 14, 2004, George Tenet, the former director of the CIA, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom directly from President Bush. The gesture drew surprised reactions from many within the agency; only recently, Tenet had been exp…

Six o'clock. Othman Amarnis, twenty-seven years old, enters the service entrance of a large office building in The Hague's city center. He informs the guard that he has an appointment with the cleaning company and proceeds. He boards a rand…

The Jongerenloket Rotterdam is situated in the heart of the city, amidst the bustling Westblaak. Outside, young people practice their skills on a skate park, dreaming of fame. Inside, the Jongerenloket serves as a collaborative space, where…

The border between Mexico and the United States is likely the most fortified and heavily guarded in the world. Thousands of kilometers of barbed wire, concrete barriers, cameras, fencing, watchtowers, all-terrain vehicles, binoculars, and f…

Mussolini once described fascism as the fusion of capitalistic power and political authority. In contemporary America, one might add the influence of evangelical Christians and the power of the media. These forces converge there, all workin…

The 1970s witnessed a decline in the influence of critical left-wing thought; the promise of revolution had largely faded. Instead of traditional party structures like Maoists, Leninists, and Marxists, new activist movements emerged, champ…

When American journalist Thomas Friedman heard Iranian President Ahmadinejad declare the Holocaust a fabrication, he wondered if Ahmadinejad would utter such a statement if the price of oil were twenty dollars a barrel instead of sixty. He …

The second part of the Energy War saga turns its gaze toward the future. What will the global landscape look like around 2020, after oil has passed its peak? *Tegenlicht* ventures into the heart of the matter, focusing on Saudi Arabia, the …

There seems to be a fundamental flaw with the 2006 parliamentary elections. A growing number of critics argue that the campaign was devoid of substance. What should have been a celebration of democracy is, for many, met with a sense of Calv…

Hugo Chávez, the Venezuelan president, has died at the age of 58. In 2006, the Dutch program Tegenlicht featured an episode exploring the ideas of the self-proclaimed originator of the '21st-century socialism'.

The documentary *Tegenlicht* offers a stark account of life within the primary American military hospital in Iraq. Deep within Baghdad's heavily fortified green zone, dozens of severely wounded American soldiers arrive daily. Doctors, nurse…

Several years ago, Leonard Retel Helmrich was commissioned by Tegenlicht to film in Indonesia, a nation then reeling from a series of terrorist attacks. In *Flight from Heaven*, he painted a portrait of a ‘pesantren,’ an Islamic boys’ board…

Unusually for its kind, the New Year's Eve edition of Tegenlicht in 2007 took the form of a magazine.

In January 2002, American Wall Street Journal correspondent Daniel Pearl was abducted in Karachi, Pakistan. *The Journalist and the Jihadi - The Murder of Daniel Pearl* traces the path back through the final years of Pearl’s life and the ra…

What began as a suspected case of food poisoning rapidly escalated into a brutal spectacle of considerable political significance. Aleksander Litvinenko, a former officer of the Russian security service, died in London in November from a po…

Nearly a year ago, the municipality of Rotterdam shut down the red-light district on Keileweg. The city's prior tolerance of street prostitution had become an indication of complacency rather than the open-mindedness it was often portrayed …

Tegenlicht examines the pervasive influence of religion on American life. The program reveals not only the visible presence of faith in everyday routines, but also its deeper impact on academia and politics, where belief plays an even more …

Rudi Boon and Shu Chen Tan, the creators of the Dutch program *Tegenlicht*, examine the growing influence of conservative Christians in the United States on both politics and academia. The religious convictions of these fundamentalist belie…

Even as the images of Saddam Hussein's execution remain vividly imprinted, Tegenlicht presents the documentary 'Saddams proces'. For three years, a camera crew followed the trial up close, aiming to provide a clear portrayal of one of the c…

*Enemies of Fortune* stands as a testament to personal courage: the courage to strive for change in the world and to meet opposition head-on. The novel centers on Malalai Joya, a 28-year-old Afghan woman who embarks on an election campaign …

Can a nation thrive without understanding its past? In April, twenty-five years after the fact, the long-awaited trial concerning the circumstances of the December Murders will commence, a tragedy in which fifteen prominent Surinamese citiz…

The Spanish election campaign was in full swing when, on the morning of March 11, 2004, eleven backpack bombs detonated on packed commuter trains between Alcalá de Henares and Atocha in Madrid. Prime Minister Aznar immediately blamed the ET…

Old wounds have a way of silencing dialogue. Years of ethnic tension on the Balkan Peninsula, followed by a war that captivated global attention, have made communication between communities increasingly difficult. Yet, the creators of 'Vide…

A Portrait of a Significant Taboo: The Influence of the Israel Lobby in the United States. This title suggests a complex and often unspoken power dynamic. It speaks to a deeply ingrained subject of controversy, hinting at a considerable…

In this week’s second installment, former foreign correspondent Joris Luyendijk examines the mechanisms underlying television coverage of the Middle East. The cycle of dramatic bombings, suicide videos, stone-throwing Palestinians, and squa…

In a conversation with Israeli author Amos Oz, Chris Kijne explores the essence of Israel, considering the country's current mood, particularly in light of the looming nuclear threat from Iran.

Part five of the six-part series, *Place of Judgment*, is a relentlessly probing examination of Israeli society. Director David Benchetrit uses testimonies from conscientious objectors – both soldiers and civilians – to dissect the nation's…

The largest migration in human history is unfolding now. Over 130 million Chinese farmers, predominantly young women, are leaving their villages in search of work within the global economy. They constitute the world's largest pool of inexpe…

In Caracas, Rob Schröder’s *De Informele Stad* offers a portrait of a city that exemplifies the rapid urbanization sweeping across continents like Africa and South America. This past spring, Schröder journeyed through the barrios of Caracas…

Given the ongoing developments surrounding the Litvinenko case, Tegenlicht this week presents an update to its previous program, 'In Memoriam Aleksander Litvinenko.' This new broadcast features an interview with Marina Litvinenko, the decea…

Indian economist Prahalad argues for a fundamental shift in how we perceive global poverty. "If we cease to view the poor as victims or burdens," he suggests, "and instead recognize them as discerning consumers, a realm of fresh possibiliti…

Last week, the Indian economist Prahalad argued that the business sector has a crucial role to play in combating poverty. Next Monday, the program *Tegenlicht* will feature the Peruvian economist Hernando De Soto.

The waste we release does not simply vanish; it cannot, because the Earth is a closed system. It seems to disappear only because we disperse it with water, cover it with soil, or allow it to be carried away by the wind. But ultimately, we i…