Wednesday Special: The Gadfly — This dramatised documentary is the story of Francis James, one of the most colourful and mysterious figures in Australia's recent history: air ace, journalist, publisher, agitator (an early and vocal opponent of the Vietnam War) and possibly spy. A Walter Mitty-type character, wearing a cape and wide-brimmed hat, James told wild and exaggerated stories and quoted from Keats and Plato. ABC, 9.30pm, Wednesday, July 6.
As It Happened: The eye of Vichy — A documentary directed by Claude Chabrol, based on propaganda films produced by the Vichy government during the German occupation of France from 1940 to 1944. SBS, 8.30pm, Thursday, July 7.
Movie Matinee: Manganinnie — The poignant story of a white child and an Aboriginal woman drawn together on a journey for survival during a violent chapter in Australian history. Stars Mawuyul Yathalawuy, Anna Ralph and Phillip Hinton. SBS, 12.30pm, Saturday, July 9.
Great Railway Journeys of the World: Hong Kong to Ulaanbaatar — Another series of rail adventures along some of the most spectacular lines in the world, as six celebrities indulge in their passion for train travel. ABC, 7.30pm, Saturday, July 9.
Our Stories (Nganaampa Anwernekenhe) — This week's program focuses on Arrernte life before white settlement, and on a Pitjantjatjarra elder who relates the Witchetty Grub Dreaming. SBS, 10.30am, Sunday, July 10.
A Most Remarkable Planet: Vietnam — The Country not the War — For 20 years, Vietnam suffered an unprecedented ecological battering. Agent Orange, napalm and bombing entered the vocabulary as "ecocide". This program takes a comprehensive look at the state of natural habitats and wildlife. Producer Richard Brook says: "The Vietnamese people's ingenuity, determination and undemanding way of life have served them well in the past. Will those same characteristics enable them to succeed with the conservation of their country? If so, they could teach a lesson to other countries." ABC, 6pm, Sunday, July 10.
The Dispossessed — No Going Back: this program examines the plight of Afghan refugees, and Fortress Europe shows how western governments keep refugees out. SBS, 5pm, Monday, July 11.
Masterpiece: Woody Allen — Melvyn Bragg was recently granted this rare interview with film maker Woody Allen. Allen talks frankly about his personal life and answers charges that his films are only autobiographical. Allen's love affair with Manhattan is explored, along with his use of jazz in his movies. The program includes discussion about and clips from many of his best-known works. SBS, 8.30pm, Monday, July 11.
The Cutting Edge: The Kevorkian File — A look at Dr Jack Kevorkian, the inventor of the controversial "suicide machine". Kevorkian is celebrated by his supporters as a merciful angel of death, one of the few courageous enough to help those suffering needlessly at the end of life — the champion of a new civil rights issue. This program presents an in-depth examination of Kevorkian's record — exploring the man, his cases and the issue he has come to personify. SBS, 8.30pm, Tuesday, July 12.
(Times are AEST.)