Valentin Thurn

Lebenslauf Valentin Thurn (english CV see below)
• Autor und Regisseur von Fernsehdokumentationen für die Fernsehsender: WDR („Die Story“, „Menschen hautnah“, „Weltweit“), ZDF („37 Grad“), SWR („Zeichen der Zeit“), Arte („Reportages“) sowie für mehrere Wirtschafts-, Politik- und Umweltmagazine (Markt, Report Mainz, Globus) bei den Sendern ARD, NDR, BR, ORB, HR, ZDF, Deutsche Welle TV, Transtel und dem Schweizer Fernsehen DRS.
• Autor von Hörfunk-Features (ARD-Sender und Deutschlandradio, z.B. WDR Politisches Feature), für Zeitschriften wie Die Zeit, Die Woche, Natur & Kosmos und Merian.
Herausgeber der Sachbücher „WüstenErde“ (über Desertifikation), „Klassenfeind Natur“ (über Umwelt in Osteuropa) und „Adressbuch Umweltverbände Osteuropa“.
• TV-Produzent (Inhaber der Valentin Thurn Filmproduktion / THURNFILM seit 1994).
• Lehrtätigkeit auf internationalen Tagungen und Workshops: Goethe-Institut in Bombay, Indien, Stiftung Miguel Alemán in Mexiko, Ökotourismus-Kongresse in Johannesburg/ Südafrika und Guayaquil/Ecuador, Netzwerk Recherche, RTL Journalistenschule in Köln, Umwelt-Medienzentrum Mazedonien, Dritte Welt Journalisten Netz, Netzwerk Wirtschaftsethik, Dozent an der Fachhochschule Köln.
• Generalsekretär der International Federation of Environmental Journalists (1993 – 2001).
Mitglieds des Beirats der Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung für Umweltprojekte in Osteuropa (1994 – 97). Sprecher des bundesweiten Arbeitskreises „Umweltkooperation mit Osteuropa“ im Bund für Umwelt- und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND, 1990 - 94).
• Jury-Mitglied des Biodiversity Reporting Award für Journalisten aus Kolumbien, Bolivien und Guatemala (1999 – 2002). Jury-Mitglied des « Festival Vert » Meaux (Frankreich 1995).
• Studium der Geographie (Abschluss als Diplom-Geograph), Ethnologie und Politik in Aix-en-Provence (Frankreich), Frankfurt und Köln. Stipendiat der Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung (Studium 1984-91), Karl-Gerold-Stiftung (Spanien 1987) und Heinz Kühn (Mexiko 1999).
Ausbildung zum Redakteur an der Deutschen Journalistenschule in München (1985/86).



Journalistenpreise
• Nominierung zum Deutschen Fernsehpreis 2006 in der Kategorie „Beste Reportage“, für den Film „Ich bin Al Kaida“.
• Auszeichnung als „Beste Dokumentation“ im Internationalen Wettbewerb beim Eberswalder Filmfest 2007 für den Film „Mit meiner Tochter nicht!“
• Europäischer Fernsehpreis der ÖKOMEDIA, verliehen auf dem Ökomedia Filmfestival 2004 für den Film „Der Arzt und die verstrahlten Kinder von Basra“.
• Felix-Rexhausen-Preis des Bundes lesbischer und schwuler JournalistInnen 2003 für den Film „Papa liebt einen Mann“.
• Medienpreis Entwicklungspolitik des Bundesministeriums für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung 2003 (erster Preis, Kategorie Hörfunk).
• Journalistenpreis der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Geographie 2001.
• International Green Pen Award des Asia-Pacific Forum of Environmental Journalists 1998.
• ”Preis für den mutigsten Film” beim Umweltfilmfestival Green Vision in St. Petersburg 1997, Russland für den Film “Kahlschlag in der Taiga”.
• ”Prix Leonardo” für die Filme „Das radioaktive Erbe der Wismut AG“ und „Smog in Nordböhmen“ (internationales Filmfestival Medikinale in Parma, Italien) 1995.


English CV:
• Director and author of TV documentaries with the national german channels ARD and ZDF, the French-German channel Arte, the international channels Deutsche Welle TV and Transtel, the regional channels SWR, WDR, NDR, BR, ORB and HR and the Swiss Television DRS. 2003: Foundation of the film production company THURN FILM, based in Cologne / Germany.
• Author of radio features and articles for magazines such as Die Woche, Die Zeit, Natur & Kosmos, Merian. Publishing the books „WüstenErde“ on desertification, „Klassenfeind Natur“ on environment in Eastern Europe and the „Directory of Environmental NGO’s in Central and Eastern Europe“.
• Studies of geography, anthropology and political science in Aix-en-Provence (France), Frankfurt and Köln (Germany). Diplom-Geograph (equivalent to Master of Science).
Fellow of the foundations Friedrich-Naumann (university 1984 - 1991), Karl Gerold (research in Spain 1987) and Heinz Kühn (research in Mexico 1999).
Studies of journalism at the „Deutsche Journalistenschule“ in Munich (Germany).
• Teaching at international congresses and workshops: Goethe Institute in Bombay / India, Foundation Miguel Alemán in Mexico City, Ecotourism congresses in Johannesburg / South Africa and Guayaquil / Ecuador, RTL Journalistenschule in Germany, Ecopresscenter in Macedonia, Third World Journalists Network in Germany, The Ethics in Economy Network of Germany, Fachhochschule Köln (University Cologne, Germany), International Congress of Investigative Journalists 2008 (Lillehammer/Norway).
• Jury member of the Biodiversity Reporting Award for Latin America.
Jury member of the „Festival Vert - Rencontres de Meaux“ (France).
Consultant of the foundation Heinrich Boell on ecological projects in Eastern Europe.
• Member of the founding board of the International Federation of Environmental Journalists (IFEJ) and Secretary General from 1993 until 2001. Member of Reporters without borders, Netzwerk Recherche (investigative reporter’s network), AGDOK (German association of documentary filmmakers).

Journalism Awards
• The film “I am Al Qaeda” is nominated for the German TV Award (Deutscher Fernsehpreis 2006) in the category “best reportage”, the ceremony will be broadcasted on october 20th during primetime in the First National Channel ARD.
• The film “Not with my daughter!” has been awarded as “Best documentary” at the 2007 Filmfest Ebenswalde, Germany, and with the “Gold Panda” at the 2007 Sichuan TV Festival in China.
• The film „The Doctor, The Depleted Uranium And The Dying Children“ is awarded the “European Television Prize” at the 21st International Environmental Film Festival “Ökomedia 2004”.
• The film „Papa loves a man“ is awarded the „Felix-Rexhausen-Preis” of the German Union of Lesbian and Gay Journalists 2003.
• The radio feature „Genes against hunger?” is awarded the „2003 Medienpreis Entwicklungspolitik“ of the German Federal Ministry of Cooperation and Development Aid.
• Geographical Journalism Award of the German Society of Geography in 2001 for reaching a broad audience with my films.
• International Green Pen Award of the Asia-Pacific Forum of Environmental Journalists 1998.
• The film „Clearcut in the taiga“ is awarded as the „most courageous film“ at the environmental film festival „Green Vision ‘97“ in St. Petersburg, Russia.
• The films „Wismut: The radiating legacy“ and „Smog in Bohemia“ are awarded the „Prix Leonardo“ 1995 at the international film festival „Medikinale“ 1995 in Parma, Italy.

Filmography (documentaries):
• „Battling the Superbugs“ (German, French, English)
The worldwide spread of new superbugs in hospitals is causing alarm among doctors. The most common of them is called MRSA, resistant to current antibiotics and is becoming increasingly aggressive: the number of medicaments which can be deployed against it is falling year by year. Every year, around 50,000 people in Europe die from this killer germ.
43 mn., 2008, authors: Valentin Thurn and Sabine Goette, director: Valentin Thurn, financed by ZDF, broadcasted on primetime ARTE, produced by Bitcom.
• „Food for thought” – Living from rubbish (German)
A third of the food production in Germany is being thrown away – just because the supermarkets have to offer anything at any time, and have to sort out food that is near the expiry date. Young activists go “dumpster diving” to protest against this waste of still consumable food. And to find more freedom for their lifestyle, to avoid dependence on full time jobs and instead getting time for political or artistic activities.
28 mn., 2008, authors: Britta Dombrowe and Valentin Thurn, financed by WDR, broadcasted on WDR and other ARD channels, produced by Valentin Thurn and Schnittstelle.
• „Sperm donor unknown” – Anna is searching her father (German)
Anna’s mother told her when she was 20 that she has been conceived by sperm donation in Boston, USA. Five years later she travels with her mother from Germany to Boston to find her donor. With the help of a US website she finally contacts Randy, living in Provincetown that matches all her criteria: Tall, blue eyed and active as a donor in the beginning of the 80’s in Western Boston. She travels with her mother to see Randy, and brings a gene probe back to Germany. In a genetical laboratory she finally gets to know if he is her father.
43 mn., 2008, author: Valentin Thurn, financed and produced by WDR, broadcasted on primetime WDR.
• „The pros and cons of vaccination“
Vaccinations saved the lives of Millions of people. But this groundbreaking medical innovation of the 20th century also has its risks – in some cases the immune system reacts heavily, scientists suspect vaccinations could be responsible for sudden infant deaths. How can we outweigh the benefits and the risks of vaccinations?
60 mn., 2007, authors: Valentin Thurn and Sabine Goette, director: Valentin Thurn, financed by ZDF, broadcasted on primetime ARTE, produced by Telekult.
• “Not with my daughter!” – Female Genital Circumcision in Europe (German, French, English)
Migration brought Female Genital Circumcision from Africa to Europe. But more and more black women decide: “Don’t touch my daughter!” Three women from Germany, England and France speak about their circumcision day, about problems with urinating, pain during menstruation and their fear of sexual intercourse and giving birth. A French doctor now developed a technique to reconstruct the clitoris.
41 mn., 2007, author and director: Valentin Thurn, financed by ZDF, broadcasted on primetime ARTE, produced by Valentin Thurn.
“Best Documentary” Award at Filmfest Eberswalde. Gold Panda Awards 2007 , International Sichuan TV Festival, China and E. Desmond Lee Africa World Festival 2007, St. Louis, USA und Lagos, Nigeria. 1001 International Film Festival in Istanbul, Turkey.
• „Violence in prison“ – Youngsters behind bars
Three prisoners of the Siegburg juvenile jail are torturing a fourth inmate to death. Such cruelties are common in prisons, especially among youngsters. Why is it so, and are there ways to combat violence?
28 mn., 2007, authors: Valentin Thurn and Britta Dombrowe, financed by WDR, broadcasted on WDR, produced by Valentin Thurn.
· “I am Al Qaeda” – The Life Of Zacarias Moussaoui (German, French, English subtitles)
In the US he is considered the “20th hijacker”, chosen by Usama Bin Laden to fly another airplane into the White House. He has been captured four weeks before the attacks of 9/11. At the end of his four-year-long trial in may 2006 Zacarias Moussaoui has been sentenced to life-long prison. How did this Frenchman of Morrocan background decide to become a suicide bomber? Valentin Thurn asked his family, his friends and pictures his way from his cozy hometown in Southern France to the terrorist training camps of Al Qaeda in Afghanistan.
54 mn., 2006, author and director: Valentin Thurn, co-author: Stephan Mueller, financed by NDR, broadcasted on primetime ARTE and ARD, produced by Valentin Thurn. Nominated for the German TV Award.
· “My Baby in your Belly - The shady Surrogate-Business” (German)
The German law is clear: Surrogacy is illegal! But in the anonymous internet exists a vivid black market. Here Hildegard and Anton met Sarah. The procreation of the child took place in a bathroom - by using an enema syringe. They told nobody about it. The child should be born secretly. Diana and Steffen choose a different way: They found a young woman, who is willing to give birth to their child in South Africa, where surrogacy is legal. The fertilization is done in a clinic. Diana and Steffen already talked about their plans with their family, neighbours and friends. They are sure: German youth welfare departments will not be able to forbid their actions, if they adopt the child by South African law.
29 mn., 2006, author and director: Valentin Thurn, financed by and broadcasted on primetime ZDF, produced by Valentin Thurn.
· “Without Papers” (German)
Abelardo lives in Germany illegally. He has no residence permit and is always on guard against the police. Abelardo does not want to go back to the slums of the seaport Guayaquil, Ecuador, where his mother lives. She is sick but has no health insurance. Abelardo sends her money for medicine. For the last six years he is struggling to make his way in Germany. It is a life in the shadows, dominated by searching for low paid jobs, where nobody asks for identity papers. Then he meets Ines, they dance and Abelardo falls in love with the German woman - the most normal thing to happen. But will Ines trust him, or will she think that he might try to take advantage out of their relationship? Does he love her only to get a residence permit? More than one million foreigners are living illegally in Germany like Abelardo. Over a year Mauricio Estrella, Antonio Uscátegui und Valentin Thurn observed two families, whose daily game of hide-and-seek in fear of deportation has become almost routine. They live their lives as so called ‘economic refugees’ brave and surprisingly normal. A life that seems to offer everything but safety and security.
29 mn., 2006, authors and directors: Mauricio Estrella, Antonio Uscátegui and Valentin Thurn, financed by WDR, broadcasted on ARD and WDR, produced by Valentin Thurn.
· “Poor Children in Rich Europe ” (German, French)
Childhood poverty hast its highest rates in Britain and its lowest in Denmark. The efforts there and in France and Germany are proving that the key tool to overcome social exclusion is early education.
55 mn., 2006, author and director: Valentin Thurn, financed by ZDF, broadcasted on primetime Arte, produced by Medienkontor.
· „My Father wants to kill me“ (German, French, English subtitles)
Crimes of honor in Turkey and among the turkish minority in Germany and France.
53 mn., 2005, authors and directors: Valentin Thurn and Kadriye Acar, financed by NDR, broadcasted on primetime Arte, produced by Telekult.
· „Bitter Pills“ (German, French)
The unknown but widespread misuse of sleeping pills, causing addiction, malformations in newborn babies, criminal use, played down by the pharmaceutic industry.
58 mn., 2005, author and director: Valentin Thurn, financed by ZDF, broadcasted on primetime Arte, produced by Bitcom International.
· „A Child by every mean“ (German, French)
Fertility tourism and the despair of childless couples urgently looking for a baby: German couples travel to foreign clinics in order to use fertility techniques not allowed under German law, to enhance their chances to get pregnant.
60 mn., 2005, author and director: Valentin Thurn, financed by ZDF, broadcasted on primetime Arte, produced by Telekult.
· „Where Have All The Children Gone?”(German, English, French, Spanish)
Several european countries are going to lose more than half of their populace within a few decades. In eastern Germany, the demolition of entire high-rise districts has already begun. What are France or Sweden doing that convinces young families to have children?
45 and 27 mn., 2004, author and director: Valentin Thurn, financed by ZDF, broadcasted on primetime Arte, Deutsche Welle and various foreign channels e.g. in Austria, Corea and Taiwan, produced by Valentin Thurn Filmproduktion.
· „The Doctor, The Depleted Uranium And The Dying Children” (German, English)
It was Professor Günther who was the first to point out the dangerous late effects of uranium-mantled projectiles. Tons of this ammunition were shelled out by the US army. The film follows him and his American colleagues during their investigations in Kosovo, Bosnia and Iraq.
43 / 52 mn., 2004, authors and directors: Frieder Wagner and Valentin Thurn, financed by WDR and Telepool, broadcasted on primetime WDR (Die Story) and a dozen of foreign channels e.g. in Canada and Australia, produced by Ochowa Film, distributed by Telepool.
· „A Family in the Limelight “ (German, French)
Portrait of Meret and Ben Becker, two distinguished German actors and musicians, and their mother Monika Hauser, the social father Otto Sander and the father Rolf Becker, all of them actors as well. It has not been easy for Meret and Ben to find their way in the big footsteps of their famous parents.
30 mn., 2004, author and director: Valentin Thurn, financed by ZDF, broadcasted on Arte, produced by Bitcom International.
· „Papa loves a Man – Children and their homosexual Fathers“ (German)
The difficult situation of children being raised by homosexual fathers – stigmatized by their classmates, loyal to their gay parents, but in the same time giving importance to the fact not being gay themselves.
27 mn., 2003, author and director: Valentin Thurn, financed by ZDF, broadcasted on primetime ZDF (37 Grad), produced by Valentin Thurn Filmproduktion.
· „The Trail of the Toros – fighting Bulls on the Move“ (German)
The last cowboys of Europe, guiding 300 cows of the dangerous corrida brand including some bulls, during three weeks from the drying grasslands in Andalusia, where the animals usually spend wintertime, to the green summer pasture grounds in the mountains of Central Spain.
28 mn., 2003, author and director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by WDR, broadcasted on primetime WDR (Weltweit).
· „Champion for a Day – Winners and Loosers“ (German, French)
A young lady and an old man participate at the famous french Quiz show “Question pour un champion” – they are preparing during weeks, one of them will be winning, the other losing.
32 mn., 2002, author and director: Valentin Thurn, financed by ZDF, broadcasted on Arte, produced by Telekult.
· „Death on the Glacier – The Kaprun Tunnel Fire“ (German)
Who is responsible for the death of 155 people burnt in an Austrian train tunnel? The managers of the ski resort where the train is running decline all responsibility and so do the manufacturers of the train pieces who caused the fire.
43 mn., 2002, author and director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by WDR, broadcasted on primetime WDR.
· „Two Mamas and no Papa“ (German)
Two lesbian women drive to Holland to fulfill their wish to get a baby. With the help of a sperm bank they realize the fertilization at home and eventually get their baby.
44 mn., 2001, authors and directors: Valentin Thurn and Ursula Ott, financed by SWR, broadcasted on ARD, produced by Gruppe 5.
· „No entry during Shabbat – The Jewish Quarter of Haigerloch“ (German)
A third of the population of the small town of Haigerloch in the South of Germany once was jewish, and some of the most important figures in social life were jews. But then came World War II. and Hitler ordered the jews to be deported.
53 mn., 2000, author and director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by SWR, broadcasted on SWR.
· „The Lord Of The Wolves” (German, English, French)
Wildlife biologist Christoph Promberger manages to attach a radio collar to an anaesthetized she-wolf so that he can track her movements. The wolves' traditional hunting grounds in the Carpathian mountains in Romania have increasingly been encroached upon by urban development. The wolves have adapted by including the nightime streets in their forays for food. With the help of remote cameras filmmakers Valentin Thurn and Markus Zeugin have succeeded in filming the she-wolf with her pups at the den, a scene never before captured in the wild.
53 / 27 mn., 2000, author and director: Valentin Thurn, financed by SWR and Markus Zeugin, broadcasted on Arte and SWR, produced by Markus Zeugin Filmproduktionen, distributed by Valentin Thurn Filmproduktion.
· „Help we are shrinking – Germany needs Immigration“ (German)
German companies need foreign labour, but in the same time a lot of well-integrated foreigners are being expulsed to their homecountries.
43 mn., 2000, author and director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by WDR, broadcasted on primetime WDR (Die Story).
· „The Mountain Children – Childhood labor in Southern Germany“ (German)
Until the beginning of the 20th century Thousands of children from Austria and even Southern Tyrolia walked through the snowy mountain passes of the Alps to work on southern German farms during the summer months – payed with only with food, but that was essential, because in their mountain villages hunger was epidemic.
28 mn., 2000, author and Director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by SWR, broadcasted on primetime SWR.
· „Where the big ships are dying“ (German, French)
Most ocean ships of the world end up on the shores of India, where they are being cut into pieces by labourers. On the shipwrecking yards there are almost no security standards and ecological protection measures.
53 mn., 2000, author and director: Valentin Thurn, financed by Arte, broadcasted on primetime Arte, produced by Hans Hausmann and Valentin Thurn.
· „The Desert is menacing Europe“ (German)
Southern Spain is more and more drying, and the degradation of the vegetation has catastrophic consequences such as forest fires. Some people now try to get back to the arab roots of Andalusia, where the wise use of water had an old tradition.
2 x 27 mn., 1998, author and director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by SWR, broadcasted on SWR.
· „The last Concentration Camps“ (German)
In the last months of World War II. the SS built up new concentration camps in Southern Germany to produce crude oil from the Lias limestone. Thousands of prisoners died, and Hitler never reached his aim to create an energy production for his tanks and aeroplanes.
28 mn., 1999, author and director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by SWR, broadcasted on SWR.
· „Jurassic Alb“ (German)
The Lias limestone on the Alb mountain in Southern Germany is opening a window into the jurassic age – where marine dinosaurs travelled the seas and giant sea lilies floated on driftwood. Later this limestone is used as an energy source, and also has been considered by Hitler as a resource for World War II.
27 mn., 1998, author and director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by SWR, broadcasted on SWR.
· „Whistleblowers“ (German)
There is no German word for „whistleblowing“, and whistleblowers are not admired, though their role is important for democracy: For example the bank employee, who discloses that his chiefs illegaly hides big sums of German money in Luxemburg.
43 mn., 1997, author and director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by WDR, broadcasted on primetime WDR.
· „Tschernobyl – Death and Lies“ (German)
Ten years after the nuclear reactor in Tchernobyl exploded there are a lot of consequences throughout Europe coming up: For example highly contaminated areas in England and Wales, and an ongoing controversy about new nuclear power plants in Eastern Europe.
43 mn., 1996, co-author and co-director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by WDR, broadcasted on primetime ARD
· „Clearcut in the Siberian Taiga“ (German, French)
Since the breakdown of the Soviet Union the Russian Far East is exploited by japanese and corean timber companies, whose machines only leave blank soil. The forest-based economy of the local indigenous people is threatened.
15 mn., 1995, author and director: Valentin Thurn, financed by WDR, broadcasted on WDR and primetime Arte, produced by Markus Zeugin Filmproduktion.
· „The Desert is expanding“ (German)
The mediterranean vegetation is a unique ecosystem that accommodates animals such as tortoises, lezards and vultures. Though the brush forests are vulnerable to fires, they regenerate quickly.
43 mn., 1991, authors and directors: Valentin Thurn and Dirk Blumenberg, financed by NDR, broadcasted on ARD, produced by Dirk Blumenberg.
· „The Atlas Mountain“ (German)
The moroccan Atlas mountains are the last refuge of rare animals such as the bald ibis and the barbary macacqe, a monkey species.
3 x 43 mn., 1990, author: Valentin Thurn, director: Gert Wustig, financed by NDR, broadcasted on ARD, produced by Gert Wustig.
· „No entry during Shabbat – The Jewish Quarter of Haigerloch“ (German)
A third of the population of the small town of Haigerloch in the South of Germany once was jewish, and some of the most important figures in social life were jews. But then came World War II. and Hitler ordered the jews to be deported.
53 mn., 2000, author and director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by SWR, broadcasted on SWR.
· „The Lord Of The Wolves” (German, English, French)
Wildlife biologist Christoph Promberger manages to attach a radio collar to an anaesthetized she-wolf so that he can track her movements. The wolves' traditional hunting grounds in the Carpathian mountains in Romania have increasingly been encroached upon by urban development. The wolves have adapted by including the nightime streets in their forays for food. With the help of remote cameras filmmakers Valentin Thurn and Markus Zeugin have succeeded in filming the she-wolf with her pups at the den, a scene never before captured in the wild.
53 / 27 mn., 2000, author and director: Valentin Thurn, financed by SWR and Markus Zeugin, broadcasted on Arte and SWR, produced by Markus Zeugin Filmproduktionen, distributed by Valentin Thurn Filmproduktion.
· „Help we are shrinking – Germany needs Immigration“ (German)
German companies need foreign labour, but in the same time a lot of well-integrated foreigners are being expulsed to their homecountries.
43 mn., 2000, author and director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by WDR, broadcasted on primetime WDR (Die Story).
· „The Mountain Children – Childhood labor in Southern Germany“ (German)
Until the beginning of the 20th century Thousands of children from Austria and even Southern Tyrolia walked through the snowy mountain passes of the Alps to work on southern German farms during the summer months – payed with only with food, but that was essential, because in their mountain villages hunger was epidemic.
28 mn., 2000, author and Director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by SWR, broadcasted on primetime SWR.
· „Where the big ships are dying“ (German, French)
Most ocean ships of the world end up on the shores of India, where they are being cut into pieces by labourers. On the shipwrecking yards there are almost no security standards and ecological protection measures.
53 mn., 2000, author and director: Valentin Thurn, financed by Arte, broadcasted on primetime Arte, produced by Hans Hausmann and Valentin Thurn.
· „The Desert is menacing Europe“ (German)
Southern Spain is more and more drying, and the degradation of the vegetation has catastrophic consequences such as forest fires. Some people now try to get back to the arab roots of Andalusia, where the wise use of water had an old tradition.
2 x 27 mn., 1998, author and director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by SWR, broadcasted on SWR.
· „The last Concentration Camps“ (German)
In the last months of World War II. the SS built up new concentration camps in Southern Germany to produce crude oil from the Lias limestone. Thousands of prisoners died, and Hitler never reached his aim to create an energy production for his tanks and aeroplanes.
28 mn., 1999, author and director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by SWR, broadcasted on SWR.
· „Jurassic Alb“ (German)
The Lias limestone on the Alb mountain in Southern Germany is opening a window into the jurassic age – where marine dinosaurs travelled the seas and giant sea lilies floated on driftwood. Later this limestone is used as an energy source, and also has been considered by Hitler as a resource for World War II.
27 mn., 1998, author and director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by SWR, broadcasted on SWR.
· „Whistleblowers“ (German)
There is no German word for „whistleblowing“, and whistleblowers are not admired, though their role is important for democracy: For example the bank employee, who discloses that his chiefs illegaly hides big sums of German money in Luxemburg.
43 mn., 1997, author and director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by WDR, broadcasted on primetime WDR.
· „Tschernobyl – Death and Lies“ (German)
Ten years after the nuclear reactor in Tchernobyl exploded there are a lot of consequences throughout Europe coming up: For example highly contaminated areas in England and Wales, and an ongoing controversy about new nuclear power plants in Eastern Europe.
43 mn., 1996, co-author and co-director: Valentin Thurn, produced and financed by WDR, broadcasted on primetime ARD
· „Clearcut in the Siberian Taiga“ (German, French)
Since the breakdown of the Soviet Union the Russian Far East is exploited by japanese and corean timber companies, whose machines only leave blank soil. The forest-based economy of the local indigenous people is threatened.
15 mn., 1995, author and director: Valentin Thurn, financed by WDR, broadcasted on WDR and primetime Arte, produced by Markus Zeugin Filmproduktion.
· „The Desert is expanding“ (German)
The mediterranean vegetation is a unique ecosystem that accommodates animals such as tortoises, lezards and vultures. Though the brush forests are vulnerable to fires, they regenerate quickly.
43 mn., 1991, authors and directors: Dirk Blumenberg and Valentin Thurn, financed by NDR, broadcasted on ARD, produced by Dirk Blumenberg.
· „The Atlas Mountain“ (German)
The moroccan Atlas mountains are the last refuge of rare animals such as the bald ibis and the barbary macacqe, a monkey species.
3 x 43 mn., 1990, author: Valentin Thurn, director: Gert Wustig, financed by NDR, broadcasted on ARD, produced by Gert Wustig.