I made most of these films as a backpack video journalist, shooting, producing, and editing myself as a “one-man band.” This is true for most of the videos below for National Geographic, Time, the New York Times, and Current TV (RIP). The feature docs, Grassroots and Disengagement, were made with larger teams. The films I made in the early days of Storyhunter were the only ones I didn’t film myself in the field, and I played more of an executive producer role. Some of them were experimental global film collaborations, like We Are the Media, Portrait of a Pandemic, and our Storyhunter Explainer. And how can I forget the wonderful early days of Storyhunter, when I had the great fortune to create hundreds of short documentaries with an exceptional group of global video journalists? Those were off the internet for a while, but I tracked them all down, one by one, and made a Legacy Storyhunter docs playlist on my Youtube channel to view them all.
Inside the Struggle to Save an Endangered Grouper Species
(Belize, 2016)
Follow dedicated wildlife authorities in Belize as they use drone technology to protect the endangered Nassau grouper. Read more about this story in the National Geographic news article, "Watch How Drones Fight Pirate Fishing From the Sky."
Undaunted in Tahrir Square
(Egypt, 2011)
Op-ed columnist Nicholas D. Kristof encountered determination and one of his heroes among the protesters in Cairo on Thursday.
Israelis and Palestinians React to Egyptian Revolution
(Israel/Palestinian Territories, 2011)
The revolt in Egypt sparks debate and discussion across the region.
Turmoil in the Middle East
(Egypt/Jordan 2011)
The Op-Ed columnists Nicholas D. Kristof, in Cairo, and Thomas L. Friedman, in Amman, on the growing unrest across the Middle East.
An Interview with ElBaradei
(Egypt, 2011)
The Op-Ed columnist Roger Cohen speaks with Mohamed ElBaradei, the Nobel laureate and opposition leader, about democracy in Egypt.
Meeting Mubarak’s Supporters
(Egypt, 2011)
The Op-Ed columnist Nicholas D. Kristof spoke to President Hosni Mubarak's supporters in Tahrir Square, Cairo, on Wednesday.
On the Ground After Mubarak's Speech
(Egypt, 2011)
The Op-Ed columnist Nicholas D. Kristof reported from Cairo immediately after Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak announced that he wouldn't seek a new term.
Dispute in the Negev
(Israel, 2010)
Bedouins, members of Israel's Arab minority who are settled in the Negev Desert in southern Israel, are fighting government plans to relocate them from their traditional homes.
The Spectacle of Protests in The West Bank
(Palestinian Territories, 2010)
With a stalled peace process, Israeli soldiers and Palestinian protesters clash violently each Friday. The skirmishes are a combination of desperate activism and staged theater.
The Gaza Tunnel Economy
(with Zouheir Alnajjar and Nadim Audi)
(Israel/Gaza Strip/Egypt, 2009)
A look inside the controversial underground tunnels that link Egypt and the Gaza Strip, where smugglers funnel fuel, food, and potentially weapons into the isolated territory.
Ultra-Orthodox Settlers in the West Bank
(Israel, 2009)
A look at the growing population inside the West Bank's Ultra-Orthodox settlements of Modiin Illit and Beitar Illit.
Palestinian Women’s Soccer
(with Isabel Kershner)
(Palestinian Territories, 2009)
A women's soccer match - the first international match played at home for the Palestinian side - turned into a carnival of social liberation and national pride.
Keeping the Faith in Homesh
(with Ethan Bronner, Israel/Palestinian Territories, 2009)
The story of a group trying to keep a West Bank settlement alive despite the pressure to remove them
Left Faces Tough Test in Israeli Poll
(Israel, 2009)
Parties on the political left were facing a tough time at the polls in Israel's general election.
Israelis Feel Little Sense of Triumph
(Israel, 2009)
Israel's offensive in Hamas-run Gaza may be over, but there is little sense of triumph.
Facing Rocket Attacks in Southern Israel
(Israel, 2009)
Residents of southern Israel reflect upon the latest conflict with Gaza.
Jerusalem Journal
(with Isabel Kershner, Israel/Palestinian Territories, 2008)
Teen concerts combat animosity between Arab and Jewish youth in Jerusalem amid recent violence.
The Kosher Economy
(with Steven Erlanger, Israel, 2007)
Businesses in Israel, including cellphone companies and pizza parlors, are adapting to cater to the country's ultra-Orthodox community.
The Freedom Motel
(Egypt, 2011)
As the demonstrations continued in Tahrir Square, Egyptian protesters settled in for the long haul, building tent cities to hold onto the symbolic piece of turf.
Inside the West Bank Building Freeze
(Israel, 2011)
The Israeli government's freeze on the building of settlements in the West Bank ended, but building was going on in spite of the freeze because of a loophole in the agreement
The Dwindling Dead Sea
(Israel/Palestinian Territories, 2010)
The Dead Sea has long attracted tourists for its mineral-rich waters. But now, man-made problems are shrinking the sea.
Water Crisis in the West Bank
(Israel/Palestinian Territories, 2010)
Unsustainable agriculture, overconsumption, and a battle over water rights between Israel and the Palestinian territories are depleting the Sea of Galilee, the region's main water source, and its tributary, the biblical Jordan River
Palestinian Fatah Fighters Rehabilitate in Israel
(Israel/Palestinian Territories, 2010)
Palestinians from the Fatah organization, whose legs were shot off by Hamas in Gaza battles, learn to walk again in an Israeli hospital.
Californians Bring Passion to Jerusalem’s Old City
(Israel, 2010)
For more than 30 years, Joanne Petronella of the Christ in You Ministry has brought a group of pilgrims to Jerusalem's Old City to perform a Passion Play on Good Friday
Archaeology Digs Up Controversy in Jerusalem
(Israel/Palestinian Territories, 2010)
The controversial history of an area called the City of David in East Jerusalem fuels tempers between Israelis and Palestinians
West Bank Brew: The Beer that Made Taybeh Famous
(Palestinian Territories, 2009)
The mayor's family owns the town brewery, but not everyone is happy about Taybeh's successful annual Oktoberfest and local beer
Mike Huckabee’s Israel Tour
(Israel, 2009)
The former Arkansas governor toured Israel and the West Bank as the guest of a controversial group that advocates Jewish settlements
Gay Pride in Jerusalem
(Israel, 2009)
Nitzhan Horowitz, an openly gay member of Israel's parliament, led songs in Jerusalem's gay pride parade as protestors yelled anti-gay epithets
Graffiti for Hire in West Bank
(Palestinian Territories, 2009)
For 30 Euros, a group of Palestinian peace activists will paint your message on the Israeli-built separation wall in the West Bank
The Pope Visits the Holy Land
(Israel/Palestinian Territories, 2009)
The Pope visits Israel at an especially sensitive time in the Middle East, and security is tight
Perspectives on a Cold Peace
(Israel, 2009)
On the Tel Aviv block where the Egyptian Embassy flies its flag, Israelis are vocal about the 30th anniversary of the peace treaty with Egypt
In Israel, a Family's Plea Running out of Time
(Israel, 2009)
The family of captured soldier Gilad Shalit beseeches outgoing prime minister Ehud Olmert to negotiate his release with Hamas before leaving office.
Israel's Kingmaker
(Israel, 2009)
With no clear mandate for party leaders after Israel's election, right-winger Avigdor Lieberman may determine who the next Prime Minister will be
Israel’s Lonesome Doves
(Israel, 2009)
Though an overwhelming majority of Israelis support the recent attacks in Gaza, a small minority of peaceniks protest their country's actions
Protesting Gaza, Carefully, in the West Bank
(with Tim McGirk, Palestinian Territories, 2009)
Palestinians in the Fatah-controlled West Bank protest Israeli actions in Gaza but cannot mention rival Hamas.
Bethlehem’s Complicated Christmas
(Israel/Palestinian Territories, 2008)
The city where Christians believe Jesus was born is a complicated place where Christians, Jews, Muslims, and tourists all maneuver to worship at the holy sites
Jerusalem’s New Secular Mayor
(Israel, 2008)
The new mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, campaigned on a secular platform, while some voting blocs boycotted the vote
The Rocket Hunter
(Israel, 2008)
When rockets from Gaza land in Sha'ar HaNegev in southern Israel, the man known as the Qassam Hunter hurries to the scene.
Going After Hamas
(Israel/Palestinian Territories, 2008)
After 6 days of Israeli military retaliation in Gaza for Hamas-launched rocket attacks and subsequent increased rocket attacks on Israeli cities, the IDF pulled out, and the violence paused. We see reports from both the Israeli and Palestinian sides.
City in the Crosshairs
(Israel, 2008)
The city of Sderot lies just a short rocket flight from the border with Gaza
Victims of Peace?
(Israel, 2008)
This piece takes a look at different people who were relocated from the Gaza Strip two years ago during the Disengagement, and are now living in Israel.
Green Mideast Peace
(Israel, 2008)
A non-profit that brings together young people of different faiths and backgrounds to work on environmental projects. This helps the community and fosters understanding between these young people.
Shark Fin Soup Story
(Mozambique, 2007)
Whale sharks off the coast of Mozambique aren't dangerous to humans, but humans are becoming increasingly dangerous to whale sharks. The whale shark is coveted for its large dorsal fin, which is often sold in Asian markets to advertise the sale of shark fin soup.
Escaping Zimbabwe
(South Africa, 2007)
Documentary on the plight of 3 outspoken Zimbabwean refugees who have fled the Mugabe regime. Featuring Roy Bennet, Savious Kwinika, and Nicholas Mkaronda.
Saving Us From a Tyrant
(South Africa, 2007)
As refugees stream south out of Zimbabwe to South Africa, they struggle to survive in their new home. This church in Johannesburg, run by bishop Paul Verryn, offers them a helping hand.
Polygamy and HIV
(Swaziland 2007)
Part one of a four-part series on how the Aids pandemic has ravaged the tiny African kingdom of Swaziland. Here, two age-old practices are still around: polygamy and monarchy. But in a country with such a high rate of HIV infection, critics wonder if the king should be setting an example by taking so many wives.
Aids Ravishes Candle Factory
(Swaziland 2007)
The AIDS epidemic has hit the tiny kingdom of Swaziland particularly hard. At one candle factory, turnover has been especially bad primarily because of the disease.
Teach Kids About Aids
(Swaziland, 2007)
In HIV-stricken Swaziland, a school for orphans endeavors to teach their kids the truth about the killer disease.
Witch Doctors Versus MDs
(Swaziland, 2007)
As the African nation of Swaziland suffers under the scourge of the AIDS pandemic, traditional methods of healthcare clash with modern techniques.
Lesotho DIY Solar Power
(Lesotho, 2007)
Story of a group of MIT students trying to bring solar thermal power to the most isolated places in Sub-Saharan Africa.
The Block
(Australia, 2007)
Documentary on an aboriginal community plagued by drug abuse in the heart of Sydney.
Monster Truckin' in Israel
(Israel, 2007)
Story on the first monster truck rally in the Middle East.
800 Meters from Gaza
(Israel, 2007)
Profile of Benny Sela, the security chief of a kibbutz in Israel, just 800 meters from the border with Gaza.
Fidel’s World
(Cuba, 2006)
Jaron Gilinsky travels to Cuba to check out what life is like in one of the last remaining communist states that is a mere 90 miles from the US.
Dodging Katyushas
(Israel, 2006)
Investigation of a rocket attack in Northern Israel is interrupted by another attack, with the reporter (me) in the line of fire.
Two Fronts Collide
(Israel, 2006)
Jaron Gilinsky debriefs on the latest events in the Middle East.
Hamas Reactions
(Israel/Palestinian Territories, 2006)
Jaron Gilinsky and Adrian Baschuk speak to Israelis and Palestinians about the victory of the militant Islamic group Hamas in the recent Palestinian parliamentary election.
The New Tibet
(Tibet/China 2006)
A look at how China's influence over this remote mountainous region is creating a new Tibet.
Off-Roading in Tibet
(Tibet/China/Nepal 2006)
Jaron Gilinsky and Adrian Baschuk go on an off-roading adventure from Lhasa, Tibet, to Mt. Everest.
Gator Trapping
(USA, 2006)
Profile of an American alligator trapper, Todd Hardwick.
Razing Amona
(Israel/West Bank, 2006)
Jaron Gilinsky captures dramatic raw footage of Israel's recent dismantling of a Jewish settlement in the West Bank when authorities clashed violently with angry youths.
Gay Pride Rally in Jerusalem
(Israel, 2006)
Report on the controversial annual gay rights rally in Jerusalem
Soccer Elvii
(Germany, 2006)
There are at least two confirmed Soccer Elvises at the World Cup in Germany this year. They are reported to be rabid fans of the US soccer team. One of them is tall and has lots of chest hair, and the other claims to be the Indian reincarnation of Elvis. Please be on the lookout for these Elvii. Beware of the many impersonators
Sulha
(Israel, 2006)
While most of the news out of the Middle East is focused on violence and conflict, some are working to foster peace between warring factions.
Last Day of Neve Dekalim Synagogue
(The Gaza Strip, 2005)
Jaron Gilinsky explains this raw footage he captured during the last day of the evacuation of the Neve Dekalim synagogue.
3 Days in North Korea
(North Korea, 2005)
An inside look at the most secretive country on the planet.
The Mass Games
(North Korea, 2005)
Jaron Gilinsky and Adrian Baschuk view an amazing communist-inspired choreographed spectacle
Searching for the Maoist Rebels
(Nepal, 2005)
Jaron Gilinsky and Adrian Baschuk go on a grueling and dangerous trek from Katmandu to Thabang, the remote capital of the Maoist rebel insurgency in Western Nepal.
Pakistan Earthquake: Preparing for Winter
(Pakistan, 2005)
Report on the plight of earthquake survivors in Kashmir
Crashing the Elections in Kurdistan
(Iraq/Turkey, 2005)
Jaron Gilinsky travels to the Kurdish region in Iraq to see how things have changed since the fall of Saddam Hussein.
Smuggling to Survive
(Iraq/Iran, 2005)
Investigative report on Kurdish oil smuggling operations benefiting from a porous border and corrupt officials.