Making documentary films and nurturing an ecosystem is not easy for most filmmakers, but in Belarus and Georgia, filmmakers encounter hurdles outside of the usual production/funding/distribution challenges.
Both countries have a growing documentary filmmaking communities and a mostly self-made industry infrastructure. Challenging political situations on the ground and increasingly restricted arts environments have closed screening venues, discouraged the use of public spaces and limited support to only «approved» topics.
As is often the case in countries facing challenges with freedom of expression, filmmakers are moved to make films about political and social issues. But the same society and environment they’re exploring makes it increasingly difficult to create and show those films. Both Belarus and Georgia are struggling with the tightening of civil society, diminishing funding, and straining democracy (along with protests in response). As countries on the periphery of the EU (and with Georgia on the EU accession path), issues of democracy are front and centre.
In this context, CPH:DOX piloted the DOX:EXCHANGE programme to foster conversations and share knowledge between film organisations in the two countries – CinéDOC-Tbilisi (Georgia) and Northern Lights Nordic-Baltic Film Festival (Belarus) – and the Danish festival. Funded by the New Democracy Fund, the programme was intended to strengthen the landscape of civil society participation and facilitate democratic dialogue through film.
originally published on Modern Times
