James Bluemel

Accompanying the 4-part documentary series from multi-award-winning filmmaker, James Bluemel. It’s been 63 years since Yuri Gagarin became the first human to ever go into space. Since then, only 676 people have followed him up there. But now with huge technological advances bridging the gap between our planet and all that lies beyond, that number is about to rise dramatically. Once Upon a Time in Space is the human story of how we’ve made it this far – the remarkable achievements, tragic losses, left-field experiments, renegade characters and ever-shifting powerplay – and where we’re about to go. Featuring stunning full-colour photography from both personal collections of astronauts and NASA’s archives, the human story of space is told through intimate and powerful testimony from the astronauts, scientists, engineers and space tourists who have lived it. Looking ahead as we take the first steps towards becoming an interplanetary species, Once Upon a Time in Space brings you closer to the incredible story of our next stage of evolution as the human species. Life on Earth will never be the same again.

In war, there is no easy victory. When troops invaded Iraq in 2003 to topple Saddam Hussein’s regime, most people expected an easy victory. Instead, the gamble we took was a grave mistake, and its ramifications continue to reverberate through the lives of millions, in Iraq and the West. As we gain more distance from those events, it can be argued that many of the issues facing us today – the rise of the Islamic State, increased Islamic terrorism, intensified violence in the Middle East, mass migration, and more – can be traced back to the decision to invade Iraq. In The Iraq War, award-winning documentary maker James Bluemel collects first-hand testimony from those who lived through the horrors of the invasion and whose actions were dictated by such extreme circumstances. It takes in all sides of the conflict – working class Iraqi families watching their country erupt into civil war; soldiers and journalists on the ground; American families dealing with the grief of losing their son or daughter; parents of a suicide bomber coming to terms with unfathomable events – to create the most in-depth and multi-faceted portrait of the Iraq War to date. Accompanying a major BBC series, James Bluemel’s book is an essential account of a conflict that continues to shape our world, and a startling reminder of the consequences of our past decisions.