The Documentary Podcast

In 2014, Tareena Shakil, then 24, made a decision that would change her life forever. She secretly left the UK, telling her family she was on holiday, and travelled with her young son to Syria to join the Islamic State group. Within months she found herself in the heart of the extremist stronghold and later fled to Turkey before returning to the UK, where she was arrested and became one of the first British women to be convicted for membership of Isis and encouraging terrorism. Shakil was sentenced to six years in prison but was released after serving half her term. In the years since, she has publicly expressed regret for her actions, accepted responsibility for lying about her journey when first questioned by police, and described her experience as a time when she “lost her way”. Rajeev Gupta meets Tareena in Birmingham as she reflects on a path that took her from belief to extremism.
This episode of The Documentary, comes to you from Heart and Soul, exploring personal approaches to spirituality from around the world.

*** This episode contains scenes of violence and descriptions you may find upsetting ***
Eyewitnesses from a city in Iran describe how armed forces loyal to the Islamic regime killed countless protesters in a lethal crackdown on demonstrations earlier this year. Seen through the eyes of people who were in Isfahan, this programme pieces together a snapshot of events from the 8-9 January. That is when huge numbers of people took to the streets to protest decades of oppression and call for an end to the Islamic Republic. Thousands of people across the country were killed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's armed forces. The regime blamed the bloodshed on what it called rioters and street terrorists backed by the country's enemies. The UN has called for an independent investigation. However, any prospect of clarity about what happened is at risk of being overshadowed by the current conflict engulfing Iran. The first waves of US and Israeli military strikes on Iran killed Ali Khamenei. There are reports of hundreds of civilian casualties too on a population that’s already paid a heavy human price for standing up to the regime.

A near-pristine desert wilderness on southern Africa’s remote Atlantic coast in Namibia could host a huge green hydrogen development, raising hope for wealth and desperately needed jobs. Supporters say it could help tackle youth unemployment, which is among the highest in the world. But there are big questions about what the plan will mean for people and wildlife living nearby. The development would take place next to a national park that is home to rare plants and animals. Conservationists warn it could damage fragile desert habitats and put pressure on the coastal ecosystem. Johannes Dell travels to the port town of Lüderitz and the surrounding desert to hear from the people who would live with the changes.

For 14 years, while Syria was divided by civil war, Kurds in the north-east of the country tried to build a new democratic society, with equality for men and women – an inspiration for feminists around the world. But now, the Kurdish autonomous area, Rojava, is coming back under the control of a central government that’s now run by former Islamists.
Reporter Tim Whewell asks whether Rojava’s rare social experiment - including all-women fighting units – will survive? He interviews Kurdish women, including the young co-mayor of one of the area’s main cities, who’s determined to continue her work, and learns about the origins of Rojava’s unusual system. He also talks to a woman who says she and her family witnessed the killing in January this year of unarmed Kurdish men, by fighters supporting the central government. As such allegations multiply, many Kurds are nervous about their future in a united Syria.
This episode of The Documentary comes to you from Assignment, investigations and journeys into the heart of global events.

Shan Ng follows acclaimed Hong Kong and Taiwan cinematographer Kwan Pun Leung as he creates a new music video, Fragile Love. Known for his work on landmark films including In the Mood for Love and 2046, Kwan has built a reputation for crafting deeply poetic and emotionally resonant images. Across a career spanning decades, Kwan has developed a distinctive creative philosophy that places intuition and responsiveness at the centre of cinematography. Rather than focusing solely on the technical, he views film-making as a collaborative process with actors, directors and the natural environment. Light, movement and atmosphere are not simply tools but his partners in shaping meaning. For him, cinematography is not simply about capturing reality, but allowing unexpected moments to shape the emotional language of the frame.