The War on Democracy - John Pilger (director)
A description of the documentary from the youtube page:
'The War On Democracy' (2007) was John Pilger's first for cinema. It explores the current and past relationship of Washington with Latin American countries such as Venezuela, Bolivia and Chile.
Using archive footage sourced by Michael Moore's archivist Carl Deal, the film shows how serial US intervention, overt and covert, has toppled a series of legitimate governments in the Latin American region since the 1950s. The democratically elected Chilean government of Salvador Allende, for example, was ousted by a US backed coup in 1973 and replaced by the military dictatorship of General Pinochet. Guatemala, Panama, Nicaragua, Honduras and El Salvador have all been invaded by the United States.
John Pilger interviews several ex-CIA agents who took part in secret campaigns against democratic countries in the region. He investigates the School of the Americas in the US state of Georgia, where Pinochet's torture squads were trained along with tyrants and death squad leaders in Haiti, El Salvador, Brazil and Argentina.
The film unearths the real story behind the attempted overthrow of Venezuela's President Hugo Chávez in 2002 and how the people of the barrios of Caracas rose up to force his return to power.
It also looks at the wider rise of populist governments across South America lead by indigenous leaders intent on loosening the shackles of Washington and a fairer redistribution of the continent's natural wealth.
WHY DEMOCRACY?
www.whydemocracy.net has 10 documentaries, 17 short films and a media kit with lesson plans on how to teach the films in the classroom. The films focus on the global struggle for democracy in countries such as Iran, Liberia, Egypt, Pakistan and Russia.
The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 - Goran Olsson (director)
Amazing footage and interviews filmed by Swedish journalists languished in the basement of a television station until they were found and compiled into this documentary. A powerful snapshot of a point in America's democratic timeline.
My So Called Enemy -Lisa Gossels (director)
A fascinating documentary that follows six Palestinian and Israeli teenage girls into adulthood. "A post-9/11 film about building bridges of understanding in our own communities, “My So-Called Enemy” offers audiences profound messages about tolerance, inclusion and respect, conflict prevention and resolution – and the vital role of women in peacemaking." More information can be found here.
Inside Job - Charles Ferguson (director)
One of the first documentaries to take a close look at the world financial crisis of 2008. The relationship between the banks and the politicians are worthy of close examination.
The Corporation - Mark Achbar, Jennifer Abbot (directors)
A compelling look at the power of corporations in our world today. From the powerful media conglomerates, to the big banks, to the foreign sweatshops making our goods, this documentary is guaranteed to get your students talking.
FEATURE LENGTH FILMS
Die Welle (The Wave) - Dennis Gansel (director)
"A high school teacher's unusual experiment to demonstrate to his students what life is like under a dictatorship spins horribly out of control when he forms a social unit with a life of its own" - imdb.com
Caution: This film is shocking. Students should be fully prepared before watching this film.
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