A NEW documentary by Bridport-based photographer and film-maker Robert Golden is being shown at Bridport Arts Centre on Sunday 17th September, as part of this year’s International Day of Democracy events.

The afternoon programme begins at 3.30pm with A Snapshort, an award-winning short film, funded by the British Film Institute, which explores the experience of a young photographer with autism. The film is directed by John Clark starring Josh Ward, an actor from Bournemouth. For more information visit https://www.hiddenpicturesnorth.com/a-snapshot

This will be followed by the new two-part film, Belonging/Becoming, which will be shown in two 30-minute halves, with an interval with refreshments. The film, produced by Tina Ellen Lee and Robert Golden, is a joint project of The Complete Freedom of Truth and Opera Circus.

Between March and October 2022, 29 young people from 14 different countries – Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Portugal, Albania, Kosovo, Mozambique, Eritrea, USA, Ukraine, Palestine, Italy, Palestine, Denmark and England (Dorset) – were interviewed about the climate crisis, employment, democracy, the nature of humanity, and thoughts about how they might bring change. They also raised more profound questions about where do they belong and how do they become what they wish to be, together with others of all ages?

The resulting interviews, recorded in these films, are thoughtful, sad, hopeful, provocative, intelligent, insightful and profoundly inspiring.

The filming and interviews took place from March to early August 2022, while Robert Golden was filming four different arts-based European projects involving young people aged 11 to early 30s, organised by The Complete Freedom of Truth. Over the course of the projects, a total of 35 young people were interviewed.

Robert Golden says: “While filming I recognised that there were underlying stories embedded in the interviews. One in particular, the notion of BECOMING, began to take shape and to influence the nature of my questions. It was compelling to grasp several of the central concerns the young people hold in common.

“This addressed several things: that whether Christian, Jewish, Moslem, speaking different languages, being of different races, and coming from poor or wealthy nations and whichever gender, they shared values and humane desires for a better world; that they were able to articulate their worst fears but often could not grasp the underlying financial, economic, political and ideological causes of their hardship, although knowing that somewhere in the wider world, things are amiss.”

TCFT is an international youth-led community of artists, activists and change-makers with a collective ambition to develop global youth citizenship through culture and the arts. For more information visit http://thecompletefreedomoftruth.com

The International Day of Democracy dates back to 2007 when the United Nations General Assembly resolved to observe 15th September as an annual event, with the purpose of promoting and upholding the principles of democracy. All member states and organisations were invited to commemorate the day in an appropriate manner that contributes to raising public awareness.

Pictured: Folk Dance, Zangi leading singing, six hands joining. Photographs © Robert Golden