ELECTIONEERING

In 2024, more people than ever before in history–almost 50% of the world’s population–will have been eligible to vote in national elections. Meanwhile, new forms of governance bolstered by nationalism and militarism are rising from the historical foundations of colonial-capitalism. As the figure of the demagogue looms large, images are deployed across the mass-media and the arts to convince, bribe, manipulate and repress voters. How can democracy be understood, reclaimed–or even expanded–beyond elections within this highly mediated image landscape?

Electioneering is a collectively curated series that questions the role of film in democratic processes. Against the backdrop of rising antipluralism around the world, we question film as a means of propaganda and resistance. How do political actors use film to legitimate their ideologies and policies, and to undermine those of their opponents? When do governments see film as a threat and resort to censorship? How might film help us to explore notions of democracy that lie beyond national electoral processes to include grassroots political movements? (GR, BH)

Irit Neidhardt is author, curator and scholar in the field of Cinema and the Arab World. Additionally she runs mec film, an international distribution and sales company for films by Arab directors.

Iskandar Abdalla is a researcher, educator and film programmer from Egypt. He is program curator of the Arab Film Festival Berlin.

Popo Fan is a filmmaker and curator from China. He is into food, sex, and many other sensual things. He loves films made by filmmakers who don’t take themselves too seriously.

Promona Sengupta is an artist, academic, activist, and curator. She initiated the artistic collective Spaceship Beben, and co-founded the Berlin–Delhi based progressive cultural politics pop up Mo’Halla.

Yaela Gottlieb is a Peruvian filmmaker and curator. She directed the feature film No hay regreso a casa and several short films and has curated special programs for cinemas and museums in Peru and Argentina.