Opening Frontline Club Romania

Wotienke Vermeer — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 12:57:59 +0000

On Tuesday 18 February Vaughan Smith will attend the official opening of Frontline Club Romania in The Institute Cafe, which will serve as a home for upcoming debates and screenings in Romania.

Over the course of three evenings, an impressive and challenging line up of speakers will debate issues ranging from the current situation in Ukraine to the role of social media in journalism. These first events mark the start of regular discussions and screenings that will take place in Bucharest as part of the Frontline Club’s International Parters programme.

Full line-up of events and speakers:

Screening: Ukraine – From Democracy to Chaos + Q&A with Jill Emery
Tuesday 18 February, 6:30PM
Ukraine – From Democracy to Chaos explores this complex country, its geopolitical importance in Europe and its unfinished struggle for democracy. The film explores the political divisions between east and west Ukraine that gave rise to the Orange Revolution in 2004 and still have deep roots in dictating today’s political reality.

The screening will be followed by discussion about the recent developments in Ukraine, moderated by Stefan Candea, co-founder and director of the Romanian Centre for Investigative Journalism. He will be joined by: Vlad Mixich, journalist and senior editor of HotNews.ro; multimedia journalist, Laurentiu Diaconu-Colintineanu; and Paul Radu, investigative journalist and director of Rise Project.

Screening: Fortress + Debate
Wednesday 19 February, 6:30PM
Over 20 years after the collapse of the Soviet Union directors Klára Tasovská and Lukáš Kokeš travel back in time on their visit to the unrecognised Pridnestrovian Moldovian Republic. A separatist region within Moldova, it has its own passports and stamps, an elected president and a legal system.

The screening will be followed by a debate with: Marian Voicu, producer Romanian Public Television; Michael Bird, journalist and editor of The Black Sea; and Lina Vdovîi, online editor at TVR and member of the Romanian Centre for Independent Journalism.

One World Romania Preview Screening: High Tech, Low Life + Debate
Thursday 20 February, 6:30PM
High Tech, Low Life follows Zola, a smart, tech-savvy and playful youngster, and Tiger Temple, a 50-something citizen reporter, as they each travel the country to report stories that would otherwise remain unknown. A unique peek behind the notorious Great Firewall of China that captures the fearlessness of a new digital generation.

The screening will be followed by a debate moderated by multi media journalist Brăduț Ulmanu. He will be joined by: independent journalist, Radu Ciorniciuc; human rights activist and coordinator of the FreeEx program of ActiveWatch, Liana Ganea; and journalist Ioana Moldoveanu.

Ukraine: From Democracy to Chaos

Flora Carmichael — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:56:13 +0000

By Jim Treadway

After a riveting portrait of Ukrainian politics in the documentary Ukraine: From Democracy to Chaos, director Jill Emery engaged in a lengthy conversation with Orysia Lutsevych researcher of civil society and democratisation in Ukraine and Georgia at the Russia and Eurasia Programme of Chatham House; and Neil Pattie, former PR adviser to the party of the Ukrainian opposition leader and former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko.

Emery chose to focus on Ukraine after working on a previous film about Russia. The Putin System, inspired in her a particular affection for Moscow’s southwestern neighbors. Ukrainians, she said, seemed, "different," "fun," "open-hearted," "open-minded," and "believing."

The documentary features poignant interviews that range from everyday people to the country’s top political players. Lutsevych relished the light that Emery’s film shined on her country:

"There are not many films about Ukraine," she said, "It’s an unknown country."

Ukraine received greatest attention, perhaps, during its Orange Revolution of 2004-5 when Presidential candidate Viktor Yuschenko survived an assassination attempt by poison. With Tymoshenko at his side, he framed his victory in the election at the country’s moment of change toward democracy, independence, and fairness. He was wildly persuasive, but as Pattie regretted:

"History will judge Yuschenko most harshly [as] a huge disappointment."

"His speeches were still as brilliant," an analyst recounted in Emery’s film, "but his actions dwindled to nothing."

Oligarchs who fled the country in fear have since returned, their power now multiplying as the economy has been handed over to their monpolies. Under current President Viktor Yanukovych, Ukraine has devolved, in the words of one commentator in the film, to an increasing "Putinization," in which secret services increasingly penetrate society:

"That is the main danger of Ukraine," Lutsevych said, "if we don’t have rule of law."

Nonetheless, Ukrainians themselves seemed the most optimistic. An interviewee in the film emphasized that only through the greatest sufferings can people ultimately shine the brightest.

Lusevych called Ukraine’s suffering today "painful" but added, "maybe this is a process of purification."

Emery found the young Ukrainians’ political engagement to be exceptional:

"They all know about politics [Compared to British youth who seem to know less about politics]. They all have great English […] in Ukraine, they all know about it. It’s incredible!"

While Pattie argued for sanctions on Western perks for Ukraine’s oligarchs, such as places for their children at elite universities, a member of the audience shook his head fiercely:

"That hasn’t worked in Belarus!" He added, "democratization can only happen by Ukrainians."

Lutsevych agreed. Ukrainians have to learn that democracy is about more than elections, she said. It’s about civil society, which Ukrainians have to take and build themselves. "It won’t just be given to them."

She also asked for an end to Western intrusion in Ukraine’s affairs, but wanted badly to see more cross-cultural interaction, through joint university programs and similar types of organizational cooperation. For both the West and Ukraine, she emphasized, "That’s the best investment you can do!"

Ukraine: From Democracy to Chaos – Frontline Club

Opening Frontline Club Romania

Ukraine: From Democracy to Chaos