Orange Revolution
Orange Revolution is a relatively traditional documentary about the Ukranian popular uprising in 2004, that tracks the ascension of Victor Yushchenko and his/the people’s battle against the corrupt regime that suppressed his election.
As with any movement that is popularly successful, the specifics of the politics really bog down the popular sentiment – as a result, we don’t hear much about the beliefs of the presidential elect, outside of his position of opposition to the regime. Journalists helpfully explain that bribes were the currency of the regime: you could bribe your way out of jail, bribe your way into college, bribe your way out of prior convictions. The regime’s supported candidate proved this last note as he had two convictions on his record but still considered himself “cleansed in the eyes of the law.”
This doc proves that popular political sentiments, no matter how powerful can’t be more widespread than they are broad. At the same time it’s made by an American and one can’t help feel the pangs of familiarity in the circumstances of the 2004 Ukrane election and the US 2004 election…A regime supporter even raised the question “And then did Bush get elected fairly?!” as if to suggest that one election (or fraud) somehow legitimizes the other. It’s worth mentioning that there was a good laugh at that line since the supporter was slurring and drunk. Regardless of our nation’s apparent similarities or differences, stories of such powerfully unifying belief are always inspiring and that alone justifies the efforts put forth in this film. To an extent Orange Revolution, which does make mention of the censorship and restraining of information of the press during the elections, seems to be acting as sort of proxy to the news. Not a bad proxy – there is a basic neutrality to the information though it all comes from one side of the battlefield, but the representations are largely quite neutral. Even at the end when a note alerts us that, now that the news agencies are independent, they blast all the candidates equally. À nous la liberté.
May 11th, 2007 at 6:07 am
Thanks for the review. Our film is about the Orange Revolution which place in Ukraine. The Czech revolution you seem to be referring to was known as the Velvet Revolution and took place in 1989.
May 11th, 2007 at 2:48 pm
Ak! And I wrote that while looking directly at the Press Kit. I’m sorry! I’ve changed all the references to Czekloslovakia into references to the Ukrane. Thanks for that and aplogies for the lame error!
May 12th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
Great. You might want to correct the spelling of Ukraine, too. It has an “i” in it. Also, I think the pangs one feels in watching this film is to the 2000 election in America, rather than the 2004 election, don’t you? That’s certainly what the Ukrainian supporter was talking about… I guess one could argue that the screw-ups in Ohio were just as quesitonable as the ones in Florida but they didn’t get the same kind of gobal attention in 2004 as they did in 2000.
May 12th, 2007 at 12:29 pm
Sorry about my typos: questionable, global. Too bad spell check doesn’t work here!
May 13th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Hey, I hear you. I spelled Ukraine with out an “i.” Twice. And I think you’re right about the 2000 election. It’s clear the 2000 election was the one considered by the drunk regime supporter, and it’s pretty telling that 2004 didn’t get the same global attention but I can’t help believing 2004 was a more obvious dive than 2000. Call me childish. So it goes. Poo tee weet. I love that you’re commenting! thank you!