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Home > For Libraries > Learning & Technology > Ed. Video Library > Foreign Studies/Culture Videos

Foreign Studies/Culture Videos

Behind the Curtains: Mainers in Russia & China

2 programs - 30 min. each; 7-12; Agriculture, Foreign Countries, Maine Studie; Produced by: Maine Public Broadcasting Network (1984)

Behind The Curtains: Mainers In Russia & China follows a group of 23 Mainers through Russia and China on an agricultural tour that is more than a travelogue while avoiding the pitfalls of propaganda.

  1. Part 1 - Provides a cultural overview of the two countries, following the group from Leningrad , across the Soviet Union and to China .
  2. Part 2 - Is a more specialized look at farming practices in both countries.

Central America : The Search for Peace

30 min.; 9-12; Foreign Countries; Distributed by: US Dept. of State (1985)

The economic, political, and military situation in Central America is described along with US strategies for helping the region move toward greater social stability, economic independence, and self-determination by the people.

Copper Kettle

30 min.; 7-12; Foreign Countries, Maine Studies; Produced by: Brenda Nasberg (1985)

The Copper Kettle is about a Maine woman's search for her roots. On a trip to Sweden to research her ancestry, she retraces part of the journey made by Scandinavian immigrants enroute to the United States at the turn of the century. By searching through 500-year-old records at a Swedish archive, she makes many discoveries about her great-grandfather including the fact that he had brothers and sisters. With this information, she travels to his home town near the Arctic Circle and finds relatives living there today.

Europe & America

30 min.; 9-12; Foreign Countries, History; Produced by: NATO (1981)

The history of the United States from pre-Revolutionary days to the present and events which led to the development of foreign policy, NATO, and the Marshall Plan. Narrated by Anthony Quayle.

Faces of Japan

10 - 15 min. programs; 7-12; Foreign Countries, Geography; International Telecommunication Services (1989)

Japan has become an increasingly important player on the world stage, exposing its unique culture to international study. Faces of Japan , hosted by Dick Cavett, provides in-depth portraits of life in Japan .

  1. The New Generation - A Tokyo teenager tries to adhere to academic standards while pursuing his true interest, a career in music.
  2. The Story of Noriko - A young woman finds it difficult to gain meaningful work in a country where women are low on the economic totem pole.
  3. Young Baseball Heroes - A high school baseball team incorporates traditional Japanese values into this Western sport.
  4. A Small Business - While large Japanese companies dominate international markets, this small family-owned business struggles to keep going.
  5. The Salaryman - This businessman has pursued a successful career at Univac while refusing to work 12-hour days, opposing the strict Japanese work ethic
  6. Puppeteer's Apprentice (Bunraku Puppeteer) - A college graduate spends years training to become a master in bunraku, a Japanese puppeteering art form that dates from the 16th century
  7. An American Portrait (Sumo Wrestler) - At 535 pounds, Hawaiian-bom Konishiki is the largest wrestler in sumo history and the first foreigner to gain the second-highest rank in the sport.
  8. Frontier Fisherman - Asao Hamamatsu has worked in this profession for 35 years, crossing into foreign waters to ply his trade and depending on his entire family to help with business.
  9. Woman Soldier - A 20-year old woman joins Japan 's Self Defense League, in search of a career opportunity and a dependable income to help her parents.
  10. Cram School - Only a fraction of Japan 's high school students go on to college, because many of them fail the entrance exams. This program follows two young men enrolled full-time in cram schools, hoping to pass this time around.

Mi'Kmaq (English)

5 programs - 120 min. total; 6-12; Anthropology, Foreign Countries, Maine Studies, Native Americans; Produced by: CBC Halifax & the Nova Scotial Dept. of Education (1986)

Depicts the material culture of Micmac Indians before the arrival of Europeans in Nova Scotia by dramatizing the seasonal round of an ancient Micmac family.

PLEASE NOTE: There are 2 versions of each Mi'Kmaq program. When ordering videotapes, please specify which version you want: English version or Micmac version.

  1. Arrival
  2. Summer Encampment
  3. The Wedding
  4. The Eel Weir
  5. Winter Encampment

NATO II

20 min.; 7-12; Foreign Countries, Government; Distributed by: US Dept. of State (1987)

A brief look at the 35 year history of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Peace Corps World Wise Schools

12 programs - 22 min. each; 3-12; Geography; Distributed by: Peace Corps (1997)

This series gives US students the chance to experience the world through the eyes of past and present Peace Corps Volunteers. Developed in accordance with the National Geography Standards, each video explores the daily lives of students in contrasting regions of the featured country, identifying the similarities and differences that exist between cultures and geographic regions.

  1. Destination: Cameroon
  2. Destination: Honduras
  3. Destination: Kyrgyzstan
  4. Destination: Lesotho
  5. Destination: Lithuania
  6. Destination: The Marshall Islands
  7. Destination: Nepal
  8. Destination: Paraguay
  9. Destination: Poland
  10. Destination: Senegal
  11. Destination: Sri Lanka
  12. To Touch the World: The Peace Corps Experience

Quittons Pour Mieux Vivre

30 min.; K-12; Anthropology, Fine Arts, Franco-Americans, History, Maine Studies; Produced by: Hyde School, Bath, ME (1981)

Quittons Pour Mieux Vivre depicts the reasons for the French-Canadian immigration to Maine, the contributions of the Franco-Americans, and the ethnic traditions of Franco-American families. Presented in dramatic musical form, each scene contains traditional, contemporary, and original songs and dances performed in both French and English.

Story of the Acadians

2 programs - 30 min. each; 9-12; Anthropology, Foreign Countries, Maine Studies; Produced by: Maine Public Broadcasting (1980)

  1. The Story Of The Acadians - The program centers on the enforced deportation of the French from British Canada in 1755, and traces the historic reasons for the deportation and includes interviews with contemporary historians and native Acadians. It also examines the current life styles of the present day Acadians with glimpses of traditional cooking, dancing, and music.
  2. The Madawaska People - The Madawaska People captures in vivid form the town's annual Acadian Festival, a celebration of their Franco-American heritage. The program also visits Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives John Martin, himself a Franco-American from Eagle Lake, to talk about the economy of the St. John Valley. (1985)

Vanished Vikings

2 programs - 15 min. each; 7-12; Anthropology, Archaeology, Foreign Countries; Distributed by: Journal Films (1982)

In 986 A.D. Erik the Red and his Viking followers left Iceland and established settlements on Greenland. The settlements were continuously occupied for 500 years, then suddenly they ceased to exist. What happened?

  1. Erik the Red
  2. Where Did They Go?