The documentary Our Wonderful Past, produced by the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), will be screened at TGS Academy on Friday, August 16, at 6:00 p.m. The film examines the systematic repression of press and expression freedoms in Turkey, Russia, and Belarus through the stories of journalists living in exile.
The documentary highlights the changes in media and freedom of expression in these three countries by sharing the experiences of exiled journalists. The first screening will take place at TGS Academy on Friday, August 16, at 6:00 p.m.
In the section focusing on Russia, the film sheds light on the suppression of independent media following Vladimir Putin's rise to power. Interviews with journalists Andrei Loshak, Elisaveta Ossetinskaya, Evgeni Titov, and Kirill Kharatian provide personal insights into the challenges they faced.
The Turkey segment explores the decline of press freedom and the takeover of media outlets over the past two decades. It includes interviews with exiled journalists Metin Cihan, Baransel Ağca, Banu Acun, and Çağdaş Kaplan.
The documentary also covers the harsh consequences of the crackdown on opposition in Belarus under Alexander Lukashenko's rule, particularly following the 2020 presidential election, which saw the near-total elimination of independent media. The experiences of journalists Oles Levchuk and Sergei Balai are featured to illustrate the severity of the repression.
