The Film

Over the course of more than three years, director Camilla Nielsson, has been up close in the inner circles of politics in President Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe. Following one of Africa’s bloodiest elections, the opposition is trying to wrest power from the longtime autocratic ruler, and lead the country into a modern democracy – not through violence but through democratic means – and in collaboration with the President’s henchmen. It can go either way – toward liberation, or toward renewed repression. With the process of creating Zimbabwe’s first democratic constitution as the film’s narrative backbone, DEMOCRATS tells the unique story of a political elite fighting the battle over the founding principles defining the country’s possible future. All while the dictator’s anti-democratic forces are still at play.

“Even the slyest political satire couldn’t outdo this riveting docu study of Zimbabwe’s troubled coalition government.” – Variety

“Outstanding, urgent, vivid… Finally a film that deserves to be called necessary.” – New York Times

“As excellent a documentary about politics as you will ever see.” – Village Voice

Director’s Note

by Camilla Nielsson

To be granted the kind of access I had, to film as Zimbabwe wrote its constitution, is a privilege most filmmakers can only dream. I’ve often pondered what would happen if a Zimbabwean came to my country, Denmark, a self-proclaimed pioneer of freedom of speech and asked for permission to film a similarly sensitive political process. I’m sure he or she would be politely rejected. The photo above was taken the only time in three years I was asked to leave the room. Luckily nothing important to my story was missed at that moment. When we had finished the filming process, I asked the protagonists why they had been so extremely trusting of me. They replied: “We were skeptical at first but after a while your camera became an important witness to the process. Almost like a reverse Stockholm syndrome.” While Democrats currently faces a regrettable ban by the Zimbabwean Censorship Board, I nevertheless hope that this film honourably reciprocates the trust of all the people who participated in its making. A luta continua!

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International

Variety: Film Review: ‘Democrats’

The New York Times: Review: ‘Democrats,’ Chronicling Politics in Zimbabwe

filmcomment: Make It Real: On Characters and Democrats

filmcomment: Festivals: IDFA

filmcomment: Local Heroes – A slimmer, fitter Tribeca comes back home

The Village Voice: Thrilling Doc ‘Democrats’ Exposes Terrible Political Truths

Vulture: Zimbabwean Documentary Democrats Makes Politics Mesmerizing

Indiewire: Tribeca Review: Documentary Award Winner ‘Democrats’ Examines Corruption And Change In Zimbabwe

CriterionCast: JOSHUA REVIEWS CAMILLA NIELSSON’S DEMOCRATS

New York Post: An unlikely entertaining documentary about dictatorship

RogerEbert.com: Democrats

IndieWire: Review: ‘Democrats’ Is A Tragic Look At The Broken Political Process In Zimbabwe

TimeOut: Democrats

The Huffington Post: Democrats

FilmJournal: Film Review: Democrats

Los Angeles Times: Tribeca 2015

Reuters: Documentary ‘Democrats’ explores Zimbabwe’s quest for democracy

Reuters: ‘Virgin Mountain,’ ‘Democrats’ win Tribeca Film Festival prizes

Realscreen: Tribeca ’15: “Democrats” gets top doc feature nod

The New York Times: Tribeca Film Festival: ‘Virgin Mountain’ and ‘Democrats’ Win Top Prizes

The Guardian: Tribeca’s political documentaries have more than a hint of Michael Moore

Tribeca: DEMOCRATS, One of the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival’s Most Acclaimed Documentaries, Arrives in Theaters

documentary.org: How Tribeca Thrives as a Virtual and Actual Reality Showcase

Cinephile City: Democrats

Metro U.S.: ‘Democrats’ is a political doc that will make you despair for humanity

Slant: Democrats

Way Too Indie: Democrats

Sag Harbor Online: Camilla Nielsson Films History As It Happens in Zimbabwe in “Democrats”

4:3: Democrats

Washington Square News: Alumna wins best documentary at Tribeca with ‘Democrats’

Reel News Daily: Tribeca Film Festival reviews: ‘DEMOCRATS’ and ‘VIAJE’. Both are sweet and sour for drastically different reasons

The Film Stage: Democrats

Agony & Ecstasy: THE GAME OF POLITICS IS PRETENDING

Variety: ‘Virgin Mountain,’ ‘Democrats’ Win 2015 Tribeca Film Festival Awards (FULL LIST)

Film-Forward: Documentaries | Tribeca

Vice: New Documentary ‘Democrats’ Shows Us What Zimbabwean Democracy Looks Like

List for Life: 5 of the bravest documentaries by female directors

Spirituality & Practice: Democrats

j.b. spins: Tribeca ’15: Democrats

Denmark

Information: Med lov skal Zimbabwe bygges

Politiken: Dansker vinder anset filmpris for dokumentar om Mugabe

Ekko: Dansk dokumentarfilm vinder Nordisk Panorama

Politiken: Guide: Læs Camilla Nielsson og Najaaraq Vestbirks anbefalinger til CPH:DOX

Det Danske Filminstitut: En rejse mod demokrati

Det Danske Filminstitut: Dansk dokumentar rejser godt

Avisen.dk: CPH:DOX: Democrats – Fantastisk dokumentar om Zimbabwes vej mod demokrati

Globalnyt: Demokrater skriver verdenshistorie

Udenrigsministeriet: Dansk dokumentar vinder hovedpris ved afrikansk filmfestival

Danish Institute for Parties and Democracy: ZIMBABWE: Screening of “Democrats” in Harare

Zimbabwe

NewsDay: Censorship board bans constitution-making documentary

VOA: MISA-Zimbabwe Fumes Over Banning of Constitution-Making Documentary

New Zimbabwe: Zimbabwe and the politics of terror

Daily News: Ban on documentary slammed

NewsDay: MDC-T rallies churches, CSOs against documentary ban

Bulawayo 24: Zimbabwean documentary ‘Democrats’ set for screening in EU Parliament

Bulawayo 24: Govt bans ‘unfit’ constitution making documentary

News24: Diplomats decry banning of Zim constitution doccie

Daily News: Film-makers appeal against ban

NewsDay: Danish Embassy presents film on Zim constitution-making process

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