“A citizen’s first duty is not peace and submission to authority, but criticism and permanent democratic vigilance.”
Otto Brenner, 1968
This year’s Otto Brenner Special Award for Critical Journalism by the German Otto Brenner Foundation goes to Greek documentary filmmaker Yorgos Avgeropoulos for his film AGORΑ. The Otto Brenner Special Award is a rather honorific distinction given to German and foreign journalists for “outstanding and excellent journalistic analyzes in the category Opinion, Interpretation, Comment” that were published in the German media.
AGORΑ, which was broadcasted in Germany by Public Television WDR and screened at the International Documentary Film Festival of Munich DOK.FEST as well as in other German cities such as Berlin, Leipzig, Münster and Ulm, attempts a thorough retrospection of the Greek crisis since its early stage while tracing its impact on Greek society through 4 dark years: the rapid impoverishment suffered by Greek citizens, the rise of fascism as well as the emergence of solidarity movements are scrutinized through long-time observation and documentation by Greek documentary filmmaker Yorgos Avgeropoulos. At the same time the film seeks answers to crucial questions regarding an international systemic crisis in progress and a European governance conducting economic experiments to the detriment of human lives.
Otto Brenner Awards are given on a year basis to honour the spirit and heritage of democrat activist and politician Otto Brenner (1907-1972). Although the Special Award for Critical Journalism was primarily created for essays and editorial articles, this year the jury decided for the first time to give it to a documentary film, AGORΑ.
The jury awarded the Special Otto Brenner Prize to AGORΑ based on the following statement:
“The film about the crisis in Greece, about poverty and national debt is a subtle prosecution: it consolidates the facets of the crisis with accuracy, precision and fastidious passion. The fatal consequences of the so called EU rescue policy for the Greek society have rarely been displayed as insistently as in this film. This work is a great editorial article, an enthralling essay with the special instruments of the documentary film. The film shows the dimensions of the crisis and its dangerous abysm. It does not just portray, it also motivates intensive discussions. This is the best that a documentary film can achieve.”
Other Otto Brenner Awards in 2015 were given to: Ashwin Raman for the reportage “The 13th Year – The Lost War in Afghanistan” (Die Story im Ersten, SWR/ARD, 1st Prize), Silja Kummer for the article series “A Fistful of Dollars” (Heidenheimer Zeitung, 2nd Prize) and Jochen Leufgens, Robert Kempe, Daniel Hechler, and Florian Bauer for the reportage “The selling football – Sepp Blatter and the power of FIFA” (The Story of the First, WDR / SWR, 3rd Prize).
The Otto Brenner Awards will be delivered to the winners at the awards ceremony that will take place on November 17 in Berlin.
UPCOMING SCREENINGS AROUND THE WORLD
Festivals and other screenings in France, Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom, Australia and Guatemala are scheduled in November and December. More news coming soon!
WATCH AGORA ON VOD
While international festivals, broadcasts and other screenings continue, AGORΑ is also available worldwide through online streaming at Vimeo On Demand in five languages: Greek, English, French, German and Spanish.
Watch it at agora.smallplanet.gr
MORE
Watch the film on Video On Demand: agora.smallplanet.gr
Visit the film’s official website: www.agorathedoc.com
Facebook: facebook.com/agorathedoc
Twitter: twitter.com/agorathedoc
