Europe Conference - Resistance in times of repressive populism

These regimes have systematically sought to undermine cultural and journalistic institutions, stifling dissenting voices and curtailing freedom of speech and artistic expression. To address the shifting political and social paradigms and the far-reaching consequences of such policies on institutions, broadcasters, and filmmakers, the third edition of the Europe Conference was held on November 19, in collaboration with ARTE. The Industry Talk: Europe Conference - Independence and resistance in times of repressive populism was moderated by Claus Ladegaard (former CEO of the Danish Film Institute) and included Salomé Jashi (filmmaker and chairperson of the Documentary Association Georgia), Petra Costa (filmmaker), Osnat Trabelsi (filmmaker), Erika Dilday (POV executive producer), Eva Križkova (director of One World IDFF Slovakia), and Ahmet Polat (HUMAN editor-in-chief).

In his opening remarks, IDFA’s artistic director Orwa Nyrabia remarked on the increasingly restrictive conditions across nations, which raise urgent questions about our “responsibilities in a time of rising oppression.” ARTE’s head of Society and Culture department Fabrice Puchault joined Nyrabia in addressing the concerning developments across Europe, pointing out how far-right parties tend to follow “a blueprint” when eroding cultural institutions, which often starts with the removal of festival directors and film school heads. “This Conference is [about ensuring] that documentary stays a political [...] and critical object,” he stressed.

As the Europe Conference got underway, the filmmakers examined the current state of affairs in their respective countries. Jashi (Taming the Garden) drew attention to the “extreme politicization” of the Georgian Ministry of Culture, which has reformed the country's cultural institutions, “dismissing their previous heads and imposing a political agenda on them, including the only funding source for film, which is the Georgian National Film Center.” Amid the expanding ’red lines’, Jashi co-founded the Documentary Association Georgia (DOCA) in 2022. “When all this being taken away from us, it’s time to get together to not to lose our spirits; the power is in togetherness to sustain each other’s work,” Jashi said. Many Georgian filmmakers have boycotted the Georgian National Film Center (GNFC), which they have criticized for aligning with government policies under the ruling Georgian Dream party and failing to deliver promised funds, leaving a number of film projects effectively stalled. Some filmmakers have also boycotted state funding, refusing to collaborate with a government that “marginalizes” civil society, Jashi explained. Saying no, therefore, has become “a statement of unity,“ as collaboration risks “whitewashing” the regime. 

Costa, whose unflinchingly critical documentary The Edge of Democracy earned her both an Academy Award nomination and the accusation of being “a traitor to the Brazilian government,” argued that modern dictatorships no longer start with military tanks or the closing of Congress. Rather, they begin with “disrespecting the norms of democracy, [...] not accepting any election results when you’re not a winner, trying to get the Supreme Court completely align with conservative morals, and attacking all cultural institutions, artists, and the media,” Costa said. The election of Jair Bolsonaro in 2018 brought the military back to power in Brazil, plunging the filmmaker into a sense of suddenly being pulled into “the obscure rabbit hole of the past.” This left Costa feeling increasingly insecure about seeking state funding for future projects, in particular in light of the persecution of filmmakers who had received government funding for their films once the political tide shifted. For some filmmakers like Costa, this fear persists even under today’s democratic government. 

Israeli film producer Trabelsi (The 1957 Transcripts by Ayelet Heller) argued that creating politically critical films has become an increasingly difficult endeavor in the country as restrictions tighten under the current government. “We wake up every morning to new rules and attempts to control our films and creations,” she noted, adding, “But it’s a democracy in disguise because, in fact, along the years, it’s become more and more authoritarian.” Speaking of self-censorship, Trabelsi also noted the troubling rhetoric about Israel being “surrounded by enemies” and that they are expected to “protect the country [despite it being] an occupying power [...] since ’67, and even earlier, since ’48.”

Unpacking Slovakia’s sweeping changes under its newly elected government, Križkova, the director of One World IDFF Slovakia, noted the particularly concerning centralization of control over the country's Ministry of Culture, the appointment of boards overseeing cultural institutions, and the announced plans to cut funding for LGBTQIA+, environmental, and other “problematic” topics. Such steps taken by the Slovak government resemble those of Orbán's government in Hungary and the Russian government, Križkova observed, which is suggestive of a similar “playbook” in their approach to governance. The new government in Slovakia did not emerge suddenly, however. While the issues are “more visible and extreme now, in a way, they were already [present] in society and within the institutions,” she argued. Many LGBTQIA+ projects, for example, had struggled to secure approval from the film institute or film fund even before this government rose to power. “We [fear] that it will become stronger, but we are fighting the same enemies as before,” she said, stressing that “institutions are extremely important in keeping democracy alive.”

The panel also touched on various margins of defense in response to the rising pressures. The idea of bringing associations together was raised, albeit in passing, as part of a joint effort to open a dialogue with European institutions and raise issues collectively, including funding restrictions. The panel also discussed the need to reconnect with grassroots work, which could help reach groups vulnerable to populist influences. In this vein, POV executive producer Dilday spoke about her organization collaborating with over 18,000 community groups, noting, “That’s how we reach audiences we haven’t reached before: by making sure we go to them instead of having them come to us and providing content that will be important, relevant, and useful to them.” The key, she said, is to ensure that films are “not only viewed but are also used, and that they are reaching the people who can use them, [which] requires left and right.”