In competition for the Best Documentary Award.
Showtimes
Saturday, January 7, 2023
Tuesday, January 10, 2023
Sunday, January 15, 2023
film synopsis
Peeling back the curtain on how nations such as Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan maintain their authoritarian and autocratic rule, this twisty and eye-opening documentary unravels like a nail-biting thriller. A band of courageous investigative journalists and whistleblowers – including incarcerated and targeted Khadija Ismayilova, who continued her intrepid work from prison during her sentence – explains and exposes the intricacies of how deep the rabbit hole of corruption goes, from offering pop stars millions for a performance at a presidents’ birthday celebration to pampering politicians with caviar and other lavish gifts to blackmailing and attempting to silence voices of dissent. From filmmaker Benoît Bringer – an investigative reporter in his own right who won the Pulitzer Prize for his contribution to the Panama Papers leak – this exposé is as much a cautionary tale to countries whose democracy is currently under threat as it is a tribute to the bravery and resilience of those in the free press, fighting selflessly for human rights across the globe.