PRESALES / SPRING 2019

CONTENTS

HISTORY & CIVILIZATIONS 4SCIENCE & KNOWLEDGE 14NATURAL HISTORY 20DISCOVERY 23INVESTIGATION & POLITICS 25 ART & CULTURE 26

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BRINGING THE GREATEST CITIES OF THE ANCIENT WORLD BACK TO LIFE.

Athens, Alexandria, Tikal and Rome: these legendary cities are some of the world’s most famous archaeological sites. And yet, they still have not revealed all their secrets. Built as temples of knowledge, these extraordinary cities were the beating heart of the ancient world. How did they come up to life? What was it like to live there?How did they become such centers of learning and invention? From the 5th century BC to the Roman Empire, this compelling documentary series will bring back to life the greatest ancient cities at the height of their powers. Combining stunning CGI reconstructions with contemporary footage of the vestiges of these sites, and with the contribution of renowned experts, this series will shed a new light on these architectural treasures and lost civilizations that laid the foundations of our modern world.

HISTORY & CIVILIZATIONS

MEGAPOLIS, THE ANCIENT WORLD REVEALED

Documentary Series 4x52’Directed by Fabrice Hourlier

Produced by Indigènes Productions for RMC DécouverteDelivery: Spring 2020

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A LANDMARK SERIES THAT TELLS THE ENTIRE STORY THAT LED IRAQ TO CHAOS.

After years of war and chaos, Iraq has been destroyed materially and culturally. Almost two million Iraqis have died since 1980. How could this happen?

From the very first days of the Iran-Iraq War in 1980, the war in 2003 to the fall of Daesh, this compelling series retraces the destruction of Iraq over the past 40 years. To understand what lies behind such a tragedy, one has to go back to the start, in the early 1980s, and examines geopolitical relations between Iraq, the United States and the major international powers who clashed due to national interests. Lies, betrayal, manipulation, and fabricated information all played a part in the downfall of this nation.

Through the testimonies of some key figures – high ranked politicians, historians, civilians – the downfall of Iraq will be entirely told for the first time. Thanks to some exclusive access and recently declassified documents, this geopolitical thriller will throw a fresh light on a tragedy that reshaped the world we live in.

HISTORY & CIVILIZATIONS

IRAQ, DESTRUCTION OF A NATION

Documentary Series 4x52’ By Jean-Pierre Canet

Produced by Tohubohu & Slug News for France TélévisionsDelivery: November 2020

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A GRIPPING HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION ON THE EXERCISE OF POWER TO MARK THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF JFK’S HISTORIC 1960 ELECTION.

The Vietnam War forever changed the image of America. When one looks for those responsible for this debacle, one name often comes up: President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, accused of leading his country into disaster.

Yet initially, he firmly believed that American intervention in Vietnam would be a mistake. He knew that war was lost in advance. But he let it happen…

What made the 35th President of the United States engage his country in an interminable conflict?

How did JFK become one of the main politicians responsible for American troops becoming bogged down in Vietnam?

Like a political thriller, thanks to unique footage, audio, stills, and excerpts from diaries, declassified documents and other correspondences, this film offers an immersion into the mind of John F. Kennedy and the inner workings of the White House, to understand one of the most terrible conflict of the Cold War.

HISTORY & CIVILIZATIONS

WHAT HAPPENED MR. KENNEDY?

Documentary Film 2x52’ & 90’Directed by John Maggio

Produced by ZED & Ark MediaDelivery: November 2020

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HISTORY & CIVILIZATIONS

RELIVE THE THREE DAYS THAT PLUNGED GERMANY INTO ONE OF THE MOST TERRIFYING DICTATORSHIP OF THE 20TH CENTURY.

1934: From June 29 to July 2, Hitler achieved a wave of killings within his own camp, and even eliminated his only real friend, the SA emblematic leader Ernst Röhm.

But what really happened during «The Night of the Long Knives»?

Was Hitler in full control of the destructive power he personified?

Through the historical reconstruction of the three nights that marked Hitler’s final steps to absolute power, this film sheds light on a major turning point in the history of Nazi Germany, documenting how events unfolded, with the help of historians, archive footage and motion graphic design.

Contributors: Ian Kershaw & Richard J. Evans (UK), Volker Ullrich, Peter Longerich & Götz Aly (Germany)

HISTORY & CIVILIZATIONS

THE NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES: HITLER’S

FIRST CRIMEDocumentary Film 52’ & 90’

By Gérard PuechmorelProduced by Les Films en Vrac for ARTE France

Delivery: Early 2020

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WHAT ROLE DID ANIMALS PLAY AT THE FRONT? THE LITTLE-KNOWN STORY OF ANIMAL SOLDIERS WHO SERVED IN WWII.

Fifty million people died in the Second World War, the biggest massacre in the history of humanity. But the animal kingdom also paid a heavy toll, despite no official numbers being compiled for the victims. This included combat animals, animals that backed up humans, those that entertained or consoled them, some that fed people, and other animals that were symbols.

On all fronts and on all continents, at all points of the compass, beasts accompanied mankind in this global conflict.

This full archive documentary - partly colorized - shows how dogs, horses, elephants and pigeons became WW2 soldiers’ best friends in battle.

HISTORY & CIVILIZATIONS

ANIMALS AT WAR, WILD HEROES OF WORLD WAR II

Documentary Film 2x45’ & 90’By Jean-Christophe Rosé

Produced by Kuiv Productions for France TélévisionsDelivery: August 2019

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A LANDMARK SERIES THAT TELLS THE STORY OF THE GULAG THANKS TO PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED DOCUMENTARY SOURCES.

A major political, historical, human and economic fact of the 20th century, the Gulag, the extremely punitive Soviet concentration camp system, remains largely unknown.

The history of the Gulag is long, complex and in many ways out of the ordinary. From the Revolution of 1917 to Gorbachev, touching on the civil war, the Great Terror, World War II, the Cold War and the death of Stalin, this series describes the workings of the Gulag.

How and why did the USSR create this system of forced-labour camps in which 20 million prisoners were exploited and worked to the bone?

Through the exceptional fates of numerous protagonists, both executioners and victims, the history of the Gulag is deciphered with previously-unreleased documentary sources and the help of renowned historians and Gulag experts (Nicolas Werth,..).

HISTORY & CIVILIZATIONS

GULAG, THE STORYDocumentary Series 3x52’

By Patrick Rotman Produced by KUIV Productions for ARTE France

Delivery: Fall 2019

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THE EPIC STORY OF THE HOUSE OF FABERGÉ, FROM THE RISE OF AN ‘ARTIST JEWELLER’ IN 19TH CENTURY IMPERIAL RUSSIA TO THE ENDURING LEGACY OF FABERGÉ TODAY.

For over a century, the name Fabergé has evoked the world’s most extravagant Easter eggs. Today, the Imperial Eggs, as they came to be called, continue to enjoy an unmatched position in the history of the decorative arts. But the work of Fabergé goes well beyond that.

He designed a range of other work of high quality and intricate details, that took the art world by storm, provoking the passion of thousands of collectors across the planet. Fabergé broke the codes of traditional jewellery and created an exceptional industry.

To mark the 100th anniversary of his death, this film immerses us into the incredible universe the House of Fabergé invented. Above the eggs, it retraces the destiny of the Fabergé Clan, and explores its entire work. An exceptional human adventure that took place in a declining Russian Empire about to be swept away by the revolution.

HISTORY & CIVILIZATIONS

FABERGÉ, THE MAKING OF A LEGEND

Documentary Film 52’ 4KBy Jean-Pierre Cottet

Produced by Martange Production for ARTE FranceDelivery: Early 2020

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HISTORY & CIVILIZATIONS

THE DEATH OF A QUEEN. THE BIRTH OF A LEGEND: PLUNGE BEHIND THE SCENE OF A FASCINATING TRIAL, WHICH LED THE LAST QUEEN OF FRANCE TO HER INEXORABLE FATE.

It only took three days and two nights to convict the last Queen of France. But the outcome was known in advance, the result of political wrangling and power struggles. Previously unseen documents have revealed a shocking truth about the trial: It was rigged. When, Marie Antoinette was led to the Tribunal, her fate was already sealed.

While France was surrounded by hostile foreign powers, threatened by civil uprising, and sinking into a climate of fear and hatred, conspirators firmly believed that killing the Queen was the only way to save their Revolution. And yet, barely two years later, all Marie Antoinette’s tormentors followed her to the scaffold.

To Kill a Queen decodes the fateful years in which the Revolution spiraled inexorably to its tragic fate. An ambitious film that unveils how Marie Antoinette was transformed into one of the greatest symbols of France.

HISTORY & CIVILIZATIONS

TO KILL A QUEEN Fiction 110’ & Docudrama 52’ 4K

By Alain BrunardCo-produced by ZED & Be-FILMS for ARTE FranceWith the support of the Creative Europe program

of the European UnionDelivery: June 2019

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A NEW SCIENTIFIC DOCUMENTARY THAT TACKLES THE ISSUE OF ASTEROIDS’ IMPACT ON OUR PLANET.

65 million years ago, asteroids contributed to the disappearance of 80% of animals on Earth, including the dinosaurs. Today, they pose a real threat. In 2019, NASA has an inventory of more than 20,000 asteroids larger than 140 meters across. Every day, an average of 230 asteroids are on a collision course with our planet and are undetected by radars.

Are we prepared for asteroids? How can we prevent future disasters?

Today, scientists around the world try to map space in order to catalogue the most dangerous asteroids. For the first time in our history, mankind is taking samples from asteroids and even moving them off course. In 2020, human beings will interfere with the cosmos by intentionally shifting the trajectory of one of these rocks in order to protect the Earth.

Thanks to reconstructions and breathtaking computer graphics, this Ultra High Definition film will allow us to understand asteroids and predict their trajectories in order to avoid a new catastrophe.

SCIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

ASTEROID RUSHDocumentary Film 52’ 4K & 8K

By Bertrand LoyerProduced by Saint Thomas Productions for ARTE

Delivery: End of 2020

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SCIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

A PRIME TIME PRODUCTION THAT TRAVELS BACK IN TIME TO VISIT THE FIVE MOST POWERFUL EXTINCTION EVENTS IN EARTH’S HISTORY.

Today, 10 million species are living on the planet. But they represent only 4% of all the species that have inhabited Earth since its creation. What happened to the remaining 96%? Who were these species? Why did they vanish forever?

At least five times in history, our planet has suffered from what we call “mass extinctions”. This documentary sheds new light on the kind of life that existed on five of the prior Earth Periods. Like a journey back in time starting 250 million years ago, revisit the extraordinary lifeforms that evolved during Earth’s most significant geologic periods, and the cataclysmic events that resulted in their demise.

A scientific investigation featuring spectacular CGI and VFX that will recreate the creatures that lived at that time to bring this ancient world back to life.

SCIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

PREHISTORIC WORLDS(Previously known as ANCIENT EARTH)

Documentary Film 52’ & 90’ 4KBy Jonas Rosales & Alexis De Favitski

Co-produced by ZED & CuriosityStream for France TélévisionsDelivery: November 2019

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HOW DOES SNOW FORM? THE SECRETS OF SNOWFLAKES, FROM FORMATION TO MELTING.

Tracking a winter storm from the East Coast of the USA, across the Atlantic, Iceland, Belarus and the Alps, this series explores how the crystal form of snowflakes directly determines life and landscapes in the winter.

With global warming the influence of snow type is even more unpredictable, causing major changes to the frozen regions of the planet. With snowfall in decline, by the year 2100 between 50% to 90% of mountain glaciers are predicted to disappear. Changes that will cause chaos to the normal order.

Gritty imagery follows high adventure science in extreme environments in an Ultra High Definition series that explores how life in the snow is changing in the era of global warming. Advances in modeling of snowflakes and 3D photogrammetry of snow covered landscapes, alongside (breath-taking) stunning computer graphics, allow us to see snow in an entirely new light, witnessing for the first time how crystal structure shapes the winter.

SCIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

WINTER STORM: THE SHAPE OF SNOW

Documentary Film 52’ & 90’ 4K & 8KBy Andy Byatt & Cyril Barbançon

Produced by Saint Thomas Productions for France TélévisionsDelivery: November 2019

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SCIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

A WORLDWIDE SCIENCE INVESTIGATION ON TSUNAMIS. WHERE DO THEY STRIKE, HOW DO THEY SUBMERGE US... AND WHAT CAN WE DO TO SURVIVE THEM?

Using cutting edge science, 3D mapping of the Earth, and CGI reconstruction of past disasters, this captivating documentary unveils tsunamis’ complex mechanics in an attempt to predict the future ones.

Thanks to exclusive access in Palu, Indonesia - where a violent and very unusual tsunami recently occurred -, we follow the UN’s hand-picked scientific team of ‘tsunamis hunters’ on restricted areas and into their labs, to determine what exactly caused this tsunami, and why it was so deadly.

With the help of a team of expert (Sendai - Japan, Southern Europe and Pacific Northwest - USA), this international prime-time investigation exposes their incredible work against the clock and immerses us into scenarios of a spectacular - yet threatening - future.

SCIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

TSUNAMISDocumentary Film 52’ 4K

By Pascal GuérinProduced by ZED for ARTE France

Delivery: Early 2020

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THE LITTLE-KNOWN NATURAL PHENOMENON OF THE FLYING RIVERS REVEALED.

Often considered as the «beating heart of the Earth», the trees in the Amazon absorb water from the ground and pump out billion of tonnes of water vapour a day into vast «flying rivers», essential to the environmental balance.

But what if this natural phenomenon was to disappear?

What would be the ecological consequences on our planet ?

By following Antonio Donato Nobre - leader of the scientific research - in the field and into his labs, alongside Viktor Gorshkov and Anastassia Makarieva - who worked on the still little-known biotic pump theory - and thanks to animated 3D sequences, the film deciphers the mechanisms of this extraordinary phenomenon. A race against time to discover the Amazon rainforest from a climate perspective, questioning our planet’s biological equilibrium and human responsibility.

SCIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

RIVERS ABOVE THE CANOPY

Documentary Film 52’ By Pascal Cuissot

Co-produced by ZED & GRIFA Filmes for ARTE France Delivery: Early 2020

FLYING RIVERS

A 52 min Documentary Project by Pascal Cuissot

Produced by Tatiana Battaglia - GRIFA Filmes and Valérie Abita - ZED

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SCIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

EMBARK ON A WORLDWIDE POP SCIENCE INVESTIGATION AND FLUSH OLD HABITS AWAY!

While poor countries are sorely lacking of toilet facilities, rich countries are wasting water with each flush. In one year, we produce more than 720 million tons of solid excrements and 570 million liters of urine in the world. Thus, combining the disposal of our droppings and the water resource management is a major environmental challenge.

For a few years, renewed calls were launched by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to create the toilets of the future, and to provide sustainable sanitation solutions for the 2.3 billion of humans who are lacking water and have no access to proper facilities.

What will be the toilets of the future?

With humor and scientific rigor, this documentary lifts the veil on this eternal taboo and takes us all over the world to discover what the future holds for our toilets.

SCIENCE & KNOWLEDGE

TOILETS: THE GLOBAL TABOO

Documentary Film 52’ 4KBy Thierry Berrod

Produced by Mona Lisa Production for ARTE France Delivery: November 2019

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THE MOST SPECTACULAR HUNTING STRATEGIES OF MARINE ANIMALS DECODED.

We are only on the fringes of understanding how marine mammals hunt. We know they develop methods that are surprisingly sophisticated, and that leave scientists in awe with each new discovery.

How do animals of the same species come up with such astoundingly unique methods to find and kill their prey?

Thanks to some cutting-edge drone technology and a unique viewpoint from the sky, discover the wealth of tricks and tactics used by marine wildlife. Using 30% aerial footage from drones, 30% RED underwater footage, 20% «aero- submarine» footage and 20% regular 4K footage, this series offers an entirely new spectacle.

From the humpback whale in Alaska’s Glacier Bay trapping a school of sardines to the Patagonian orcas landing on the beach to catch sea lion cubs, and Namibian hyenas infiltrating colonies of sea lions once night has fallen, this blue-chip wildlife and scientific documentary series brings us previously unseen perspectives of the genius behind these great deep-sea hunters.

NATURAL HISTORY

GENIUS SEA HUNTERS, THE THIRD DIMENSION UNVEILED

Documentary Series 3x52’ & 52’ 4KBy Jérôme Julienne & John JacksonProduced by ZED for ARTE G.E.I.E.

Delivery: Summer 2020In association with CINEMAGE 14

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A BLUE-CHIP DOCUMENTARY FOLLOWING THE STEPS OF TWO YOUNG OTTER ABANDONED BY THEIR MOTHER.

We follow two young otters, Lenny and his sister, from the time they are born in the stunningly wild and remote Shetland Islands. We will witness how their mother teaches them how to swim, fish, catch crabs, brave storms and wash their precious fur in fresh water.

Together they form a tight-knit, intimate family and come to know the animals they can trust and those they can’t as they meet the local seals, arctic skuas, red throated divers, killer whales and members of their own extended family.

Lenny grows quickly in confidence and size, but just as he is beginning to feel like King of the Pile, his mother’s attitude towards him starts changing. She stops bringing him fish and sharing food with him, she pushes him away and even starts biting him when he tries to snuggle up to her.

The young male has no option, he must set off even though he has never been anywhere alone before. But predators and pitfalls are everywhere… Will he make it on his own?

NATURAL HISTORY

THE OTTER ISLANDDocumentary Film 52’ 4K

By Jacqueline FarmerProduced by Saint Thomas Productions for France Télévisions

Delivery: Summer 2019

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WHAT HAPPENS TO ANIMALS IN THE FACE OF NATURAL DISASTERS?

Every year, the Earth is hit by cyclones, earthquakes, volcanoes and floods. These events hit the front pages of newspapers with headlines documenting the human death toll. But how about animals? How do mountain goats know a volcano is about to erupt? What happens to birds that are trapped in the eye of massive cyclones? How do chamois survive an avalanche without an airbag?

In this one-hour special we will look at how animals cope with natural disasters – before, during and after the events themselves. Some animals are able to foretell coming disasters and make moves to avoid the impending problem. Other species have found ingenious ways of coping with fires, floods and storms and finally there are a number of animals that manage to adapt to the aftermath and turn disasters to their advantage.

We will learn what animals have done to make the most out of some very perilous predicaments. And look at how future climate change could force them to make more changes in order to survive.

NATURAL HISTORY

ANIMAL SURVIVORSDocumentary Film 52’ 4K

By Jacqueline Farmer & Keebe KennedyProduced by Saint Thomas Productions for ARTE G.E.I.E.

Delivery: Early 2020

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NATURAL HISTORY

AN EYE-OPENING SERIES THAT IMMERSES US IN ONE OF THE MOST MYSTERIOUS, RICH AND VULNERABLE ECOSYSTEMS ON THE PLANET. Mangroves are among the oldest and most productive wetland forests on our planet. Known as “hotspots of biodiversity”, they have uniquely adapted to survive highly saline conditions, and offer precious benefits to both humans and animals. But rising sea levels, climate change and the resultant increase in salinity, combined with over-exploitation all today pose a threat for these fragile ecosystems.

Alongside those who live there and protect these tidal forests, this series showcases the fascinating web of life that surrounds them. From Vietnam to Senegal through Madagascar, it reveals these complex and little-known biomes, to get a better understanding of their significant role.

DISCOVERY

THE SECRET LIFE OF MANGROVES

Documentary Series 3x52’ 4KBy Thierry Berrod, Pierre-François Gaudry and Christine Tournadre

Produced by Mona Lisa Production for ARTE FranceDelivery: March 2020

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WHAT IF OASES WERE ABLE TO ANSWER THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN CHALLENGES OF TOMORROW?

Oases are not just a haven of green coming straight out of a postcard. A complex and unique ecosystem, they were built by the genius of men and women, through the expert management of natural resources, based on traditional skills. But today’s challenging environmental conditions might jeopardize this fragile balance.

Embark on a journey to the most beautiful oases in the world, and meet the people who created these unique landscapes. Together, they join forces into these open-air laboratories to maintain the traditional oasis lifestyle and initiate new projects to preserve this unique ecosystem.

From Morocco to Mexico through the United Arab Emirates, each episode plunges us into a dream-like journey, to discover these changing ecosystems.

Episodes: Tafilalet (Marocco), Los Comondú (Mexico), Liwa (Abu Dhabi), Al-Ayn (Oman)

DISCOVERY

OASES: SENTINELS OF THE DESERT

Documentary Series 4x43’ 4KBy Benoit Laborde & Marie Alart

Produced by ZED for ARTE FranceDelivery: Spring 2021

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DISCOVERY

AN IN-DEPTH INVESTIGATION ON THE MAKING OF IGNORANCE.

Tobacco, climate change, pesticides,... Never has scientific knowledge seemed so vast, detailed and shared. And yet it appears to be increasingly challenged. It is no longer surprising to see private corporations put strategies in place to confuse the public debate and paralyze political decision-making. Overwhelmed by excess of information, how can we, as citizens, sort out fact from fiction? One by one, this film dismantles the workings of this clever manoeuvre that aims to turn science against itself. Thanks to never-before-seen archives, testimonies from repentants and graphic animations, this investigation plunges us into the science of doubt. Along with a team of experts (philosophers, economists, cognitive scientists, political men, or even agnotologists), we explore concrete examples of doubt making and try to understand the whole process and the issues behind it.

INVESTIGATION & POLITICS

THE DOUBT MAKERS Documentary Film 52’ & 90’

By Franck Cuveillier & Pascal VasselinProduced by ZED for ARTE France

Delivery: End 2019

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A FRESH LOOK AT DA VINCI’S PAINTINGS FOR THE COMMEMORATION OF THE 500TH ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH.

500 years after his death, Leonardo da Vinci’s painting is still just as fascinating. And yet, there are only 16 surviving canvasses attributed to him, some of which are unfinished.

To understand them, one must go back to how they were produced. Through sketches and notebooks, the comparison of paintings, and the analysis of infrared reflectography – an innovative technique which reveals the drawing beneath the layer of paint – the film underlines the technical and artistic prowess of da Vinci’s work and captures its meaning and emotion. It provides an original perspective on his canvasses, each an outstanding exploration of the real world and a moving testimony of a life spent trying to grasp the world through painting.

ART & CULTURE

DECODING DA VINCIDocumentary Film 52’ 4K

By Sandra PaugamWritten by Flore Kosinetz

Co-produced by ZED & the Louvre for ARTE FranceDelivery: Summer 2019

ART & CULTURE

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