Fearing for their lives because they seek to tell the truth

Journalists, a documentary airing during Montreal’s Human Rights Film Festival, explores the surface of how reporters in the European country of Belarus must defend democracy, while fearing for their lives. Director Aleh Dashkevich successfully portrays that democratic freedom is not something that can be established in any country overnight.

Journalists, a documentary airing during Montreal’s Human Rights Film Festival, explores the surface of how reporters in the European country of Belarus must defend democracy, while fearing for their lives. Director Aleh Dashkevich successfully portrays that democratic freedom is not something that can be established in any country overnight.
Belarus was the last European country to be led by a dictator. While the country is in its early stages of democracy, it remains torn by authoritative corruption and a weak political stance.
Dashkevich shows how independent journalists must secretly distribute their publications to avoid being arrested. This secret distribution of news draws similarities to that which occurred during the dictatorial government of Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945.
This subtitled documentary has many interesting stories. However, the poor translation to English text proves to be a true distraction. You almost have to read the subtitle twice to completely understand the translation. This leaves the viewer trailing behind from the story on-screen.
While Journalists is a well-directed film, there is a serious lack of balance, as there is no discourse with any politician as to why the situation has not yet been resolved or at the very least been acknowledged. The one-sidedness of the film seems to identify reluctance on the part of politicians to stand apart from the status quo and take charge for a fairer political exchange.
Some techniques and shots used were inefficient and proved to be distracting; like going from a crisp medium-shot to a fuzzy close-up. However the film’s greyish tone is fitting with the sentiment of tyrannical authority over the country desperately trying to free itself.

Journalists is airing as part of the Montreal Human Rights Film Festival. Check it out at the Cinema du Parc on March 18 at 9:30 p.m. Admission is $7.

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