20th TDF: “’68 Beyond ’68” tribute

20^th THESSALONIKI DOCUMENTARY FESTIVAL [2-11/3/2018]

“’68 Beyond ’68” tribute

One of the major turning points in 20^th-century history, 1968 was the year that became a synonym of rebellion and struggle for change, spreading throughout the globe and giving inspiration and hope. The year’s key-moments were the uprising that took place in May 1968 in Paris, as well as the Prague Spring, but 1968 was more than that.

Half a century later, the 20^th anniversary edition of the Thessaloniki Documentary Festival revisits that critical year and invites us to reevaluate the legacy of 1968 in the tribute “’68 Beyond ’68”. 7 short and feature documentaries produced between 1968 and 2017 go beyond place and time and uncover less known aspects of this heritage in Central Europe, USA, Latin America and the Far East.

The films masterfully capture the vibe and repercussions of some of the most significant upheavals in recent history that embodied the revolutionary spirit of 1968:

The uprising of Japanese farmers who joined forces with students against the building of Narita Airport in 1968 (Summer in Narita by Shinsuke Ogawa)

The alliance between the Black Panthers and a group of young white radicals, following the 1968 Democratic National Convention riots in Chicago (American Revolution 2 by Howard Alk)

The powerful student protests that shook Belgrade in June 1968 (June Turmoil by Želimir Žilnik)

The brief period of liberalization in Czechoslovakia under Alexander Dubček, known as the Prague Spring, and the Soviet invasion that crushed it (Confusion by Evald Schorm and 1968-Hope by Viktor Polesný)

The brutal massacre that took place in October 1968, in Mexico, ending in more than 300 hundreds of dead demonstrators (Neither Forget Nor Forgive by Richard Dindo)

Fragments of the revolutionary movements and social upheaval in Paris, Prague and China take centre stage in an engaging film essay compiled by rare archival footage that explores the question “What was the spirit of 1968?” (In the Intense Now by João Moreira Salles)

*Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNtArvpjI2s

The films:

Summer in Narita / Nihon Kaiho sensen: Sanrizuka no natsu, Shinsuke Ogawa, Japan, 1968, 108’
American Revolution 2, Howard Alk, USA, 1969, 76’
June Turmoil / Lipanjska Gibing, Želimir Žilnik, Yugoslavia, 1969, 10’
Confusion / Zmatek, Evald Schorm, Czechoslovakia, 1969, 35’
Neither Forget Nor Forgive / Ni olvido ni perdón, Richard Dindo, Switzerland, 2003, 85’
1968 - Hope / Rok 68 - Nadeje, Viktor Polesný, Czech Republic, 2008, 52’
In the Intense Now / No Intenso Agora, João Moreira Salles, Brazil, 2017, 127’