Greek Documentary 'Agora: From Democracy to the Market' to be Broadcast Abroad [Video]

Just before entering the fourth week of its theatrical release in Greece, “Agora: From Democracy to the Market,” the documentary on the Greek crisis by internationally acclaimed documentarist Yorgos Avgeropoulos, will shortly reach wider audiences abroad. The first TV broadcasts have been programmed by the film’s co-producers in the Arab world and in Germany whereas a national broadcast will follow in Finland.

“Agora” will be broadcast by Al Jazeera Arabic in two parts of 48 minutes each. The first part will be broadcast on Wednesday, February 4, at 5:05 pm and the second part on Wednesday, February 11, at the same time. In addition, on Thursday, February 5, at 11:15 pm, the 90-minute version of the film will be broadcast by public German television WDR. Finally, on Monday, February 9, at 9:30 pm, “Agora” will be broadcast by public Finnish television YLE.

The Agora was a central area in Ancient Greek city-states. It was a gathering place, an assembly of active citizens, and the City center for political, economic, athletic, artistic and spiritual life. It was the heart of Democracy. In Modern Greece, the word Agora has lost its initial sense and it has come to solely denote the place and act of commercial transactions. It is a dominant word in the reality experienced by Greeks today, as the country goes through an economical vortex that devours human lives in its path.

Greece, a symbol for the European civilization due to its Ancient heritage, is experiencing conditions in post-war history that no European thought would face again. Homeless people, soup kitchens, unemployment, poverty, an unsettled social situation, violent conflicts and the rise of the extreme-right. The dream of prosperity has turned into a nightmare and the political scene of the last four decades is crumbling.

Avgeropoulos witnesses the fall. After 13 years of ongoing reporting and documenting global issues, he urgently turns his camera towards his homeland. He records the crisis’ development from its early stage, while tracing its impact on the lives of simple people from all social classes whom he observes over time. He witnesses popular protests in the streets, the development of solidarity movements as well as the rise of fascism, while at the same time he seeks answers from his country’s most significant political personalities, insiders, analysts and key decision makers from the international political scene.

“Agora” is an international co-production between Small Planet (Greece), Westdeutscher Rundfunk (Germany) and Al Jazeera Arabic (Qatar). The Greek theatrical release will be followed by a French festival premiere at FIPA (January 20-25) and the film will start broadcasting in European and Asian TV networks in February.