Summer 2008

SEMINAR
BBC producer Nick Fraser – Documentary Cinema Seminar

12 -  13 July 2008

"WHY DEMOCRACY?"

The "Why Democracy?" project is one of the most ambitious documentary series ever undertaken. It encompasses ten documentaries by ten directors from ten countries (China, India, Japan, Pakistan, Liberia, Egypt, Denmark, Russia, Bolivia and the USA.) The films vary widely in their subject matter and style, but they’re united by the theme of democracy, exploring its trials and tribulations. Apart from BBC, the project has over 30 broadcast partners from all around the globe. It was put on air in October 2007 in 200 countries at the same time and caused a great stirring worldwide.

In his masterclass on the 12th and 13th of July, Fraser presented a section of the films in question to the participants and talked about the making of the films, starting from the conception of the ideas, to the difficulties encountered in various countries where productions took place. This presentation was first realized in the Toronto Film Festival last autumn. It has been a memorable event for documentary enthusiasts and filmmakers.

For more information on the project:
http://www.whydemocracy.net