Why Democracy? film festival in Bucharest aims to raise debate

The “Why democracy?” film festival organized by the British Council and Pro Democracy Association, will show 22 documentary films between August 3 and 8 at the Romanian National Peasant Museum in Bucharest. The topics covered by the films are diverse: methods of torture in American prisons, the democratic choice of a head of class in Communist China, Danish cartoons angering the Muslim community. Plots are based in different countries: United Kingdom, Bolivia, China, Croatia, Cuba, Denmark, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, India, Iran, Italy, Kenya, Republic of Liberia, Pakistan, Russia, South Africa, Spain and the United States of America. The “Why Democracy” films are the starting point of many discussions throughout the world, reaching impressive audiences, which engage in a global debate about democracy and human rights. “Please Vote Me” is about a democracy experiment in China, “Bloody Cartoons”- a story about how and why 12 cartoons in Denmark caused outrage among the Muslim community or “Taxi to the Dark Side”- a story about the growing disparities in human rights, are just a few titles that will be presented. The films are in English without Romanian subtitles and entry to the festival is free. More details can be found on www.whydemocracy.net . Ioana Toader, ioana.toader@romania-insider.com