THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE

This screening is part of THE PANEL NIGHT and the film screening will be followed by a discussion with guests and the audience around the issue of the protest in Seattle in 1999.

Simply amazing! A defining moment in our recent history, seen from street level.
Out of a sea of footage and multiple narratives, THIS IS WHAT DEMOCRACY LOOKS LIKE weaves an elegant, powerful story that leaves the viewer feeling hope. "We set out to tell a story of empowerment and resistance," says Rowley. "We've all heard again and again about random violence and broken windows, about protectionist trade unions and naive hippies. Even as activists, we turned Seattle into a story about repression and police violence. With 'Democracy' we wanted to tell a story of the power we have when we come together, a story of people standing up against the repressive machinery of the system�and winning."

But 'Democracy' is hardly a sugar-coated trip down memory lane. Interviews with a cross-section of Seattle participants reveal fundamental differences in tactics and ideologies. "People felt powerful in Seattle, because they witnessed a kind of unity and solidarity that we don't often see in this country" explains Freidberg. "There's a reason for that, there are reasons why people have a hard time coming together, and we felt it was very important to shed light on the tensions and divisions that surfaced between the different groups protesting in Seattle. Only with an understanding of those divisions can people start to understand the complexities of solidarity and really begin to build a movement for social and economic justice."

USA / 2000 / 68 min

Directed by: Rick Rowley and Jill Friedberg

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