Filmoption International (Firm).

The first step toward diagnosing and treating mental illnesses is to understand them. This classic program introduces three fundamental types of abnormal psychology: severe anxiety, clinical depression, and schizophrenia. Although there is much yet to learn about these conditions, their complexities are steadily yielding to scientific and medical research.

Chinese Christians are growing in number-but are their beliefs compatible with Western teachings? Why does the Communist government look so favorably on a "foreign" faith? Has the Gospel become a tool of authoritarianism? This program searches for answers as it explores the startling ascent of Christianity in China. Outlining the persecution of Christians under Mao, the film studies a past split between nationalist Catholics and those who obeyed Rome;...

The diagnosis of celebrities such as Rita Hayworth and Ronald Reagan has brought Alzheimer's disease out of the closet and into the national spotlight. This program traces the century-long initiative to understand the disease first described by Dr. Alois Alzheimer. Patients in the early stages of Alzheimer's and family members discuss how they cope with the illness, while medical professionals address the disease's pathology, research toward a cure,...

Packing the trunk, finding the right road, parking in a tight spot-are these masculine tasks, best accomplished with a man's mechanical aptitude and spatial reasoning? This program resists broadly brushed stereotypes, but does identify disparities in the ways men and women operate machines, manipulate tools, focus on tasks, and navigate. Accompanying two teams as they race to organize and complete an extended car trip, the program juxtaposes a woman's...

After decades of Communist oppression and neglect, Buddhist temples are now thriving across China. But are Buddhism and Taoism even relevant in a country that has thoroughly embraced materialism? How does government bureaucracy affect those religions? And can far older spiritual traditions survive in such a rapidly evolving society? This program addresses those questions as it visits monasteries and temples in Shanghai and in rural, economically disadvantaged...

A veritable army of cells is constantly on the alert in our bodies. Its mission is to destroy any foreign cells, viruses, or bacteria that attack the fortress they are protecting, the human body. This program uses stunning imagery to describe the battles our immune system wages inside our bodies, showing how it sets up defenses against viral invasion. It explains how, by means of vaccination, we can use the functions of the immune system to prevent...

Sex parties, drugs, eating disorders, suicide...It seems everywhere you turn there's another report of teenage girls gone bad. This program follows one mother's investigation into the lives of young women and the mixed messages that girls receive about conforming to specific behavioral or beauty ideals. "Media feeds girls a constant diet of provocative images and then calls them sluts or skanks when they achieve that look," says Dr. Lyn Mikel Brown,...

Music is an art that depends greatly on the quality of the instrument as well as the skill and talent of the performer, the nature of the music itself, and the perceptions of the listener. This program explains how the brain perceives music and why certain melodies seem more appealing than others. The flute is used to show how this instrument has been adapted to different music and musicians at different times. Lute-making illustrates how music and...

Not so long ago it was fashionable to think of the arts and sciences as opposites, but recent developments are casting doubt on this point of view. Today's artists utilize a multitude of sophisticated technologies based on scientific principles. Cameras, for example, are much-simplified replicas of the human eye. Other artists make use of everyday, but nevertheless captivating, technology. Examples include neon lighting and even copy-art, which uses...

This program describes three practical applications of DNA technology: the use of gene transfer to improve plant species, the use of molecular probes to quickly identify disease-causing organisms, and the development of antigen vaccines. The program makes very effective use of live video action, animation, and narration to explain and summarize these practical applications in the fast-moving field of genetic engineering.