Of Caravan and the Dogs

Of Caravan and the Dogs

Documentary / Askold Kurov, Anonymous1 / Germany / 2024 / 90 min / OmdU

What does it mean when freedom of the press is increasingly restricted in a country? When the pressure of state restrictions is constantly increasing, making it almost impossible for journalists to work?

More and more media professionals around the world are experiencing this. Filmmaker Askold Kurov and his team provide a chronicle of press (non)freedom in Russia. Viewers experience an example of how the state can suppress an independent press. The film crew visits editorial offices and observes self-censorship processes, but also the resistance and speak to people who flee into exile. “We growl and bite [...] We are the antidote to tyranny,” said Dmitry Muratov, editor-in-chief of the banned Novaya Gazeta, in his acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Film discussion: On the importance of freedom of the press and exploring the question of what happens in societies when the media are brought into line.