The first screening of JAM’s documentary on exiled journalism, Our Wonderful Past, took place on June 21 at the ZEG Storytelling Festival in Tbilisi.
The film, produced by journalists Barış Altıntaş Andrei Zhbirblis, features interviews with journalists who were forced to leave Turkey, Russia, and Belarus due to pressures on the press.
The documentary also explores the process of leaders who came to power with promises of democracy but gradually increased pressure on the media, the impact of this authoritarian turn on journalists, the conditions of journalists who continue their profession abroad, and their potential contributions to the struggle for democracy.
Following the screening at the festival, the documentary’s producers, Altıntaş and Zhbirblis, answered questions from the audience. The Q&A session highlighted the role of journalism against authoritarian propaganda and discussed the future of authoritarian regimes and emerging risks in the region.
The documentary is on JAM’s YouTube channel:
Filmed in Berlin, Vilnius, and Paris, the documentary sheds light on the recent press history of the three countries through the experiences of journalists Andrei Loshak, Elizaveta Osetinskaya, Evgeni Titov, and Kirill Kharatian from Russia; Metin Cihan, Baransel Ağca, Banu Acun, and Çağdaş Kaplan from Turkey; and Belarusian journalists Oles Levchuk and Sergei Balai. The editing was done by Burak Dal, and the camera work was handled by journalists Natalia Bogdanovska, Yuri Davydov, and cameraman Augustas Jakimvicius, who were also forced to continue their profession abroad.
About ZEG
The ZEG Tbilisi Storytelling Festival, organized by Coda Story and Impact Hub Tbilisi, takes its name from the Georgian word meaning “the day after tomorrow.” The festival aims to tell stories that “will remain important even the day after tomorrow.”
The event, held from June 21-23, 2024, in Tbilisi, Georgia, gathers nearly five hundred journalists, activists, and entrepreneurs. In addition to film screenings and discussions, the festival includes masterclasses, talk sessions, innovative workshops, networking events, and performances.
