BRAMA, October 22, 2009, 9:00 AM ET
Press release
Orange Revolution to air on public television
5th anniversary of the Ukrainian street protests
(Washington, DC) — Just in time for the five-year anniversary of the street protests that grabbed
global headlines for seventeen days straight, Orange Revolution, an award-winning documentary
by veteran filmmaker Steve York, has begun airing around the country on public television. Hailed
by film critics as "lively," "exciting," and "fascinating," Orange Revolution is being distributed to
local public broadcasting stations for a two-year period by Executive Program Services. Viewers
interested in seeing this ninety-minute film should contact their local PBS stations to request the
stations pick it up from Executive Program Services and schedule it at a convenient time. Its first
broadcast was earlier this month on KPBS in San Diego.
An official selection at some of the most distinguished documentary festivals in North America,
including Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival in Toronto, United Nations
Association Film Festival, the Seattle International Film Festival, the San Francisco
International Film Festival, and the AFI Fest in Los Angeles, Orange Revolution captures the
spirit and the determination of the most successful nonviolent political protest of the decade with
riveting footage, in-depth conversations, and live musical performances. Orange Revolution
poses a timely challenge for citizens going to polling stations around the world: Just how far would
you go to defend your vote?
***
It was just after 2 a.m. on November 22, 2004, when the call went out: "The time has come to
defend your life and Ukraine. Your victory depends upon how many people are ready to say
'No' to this government, 'No' to a total falsification of the elections."
Regime-controlled media claimed victory for Viktor Yanukovych, handpicked by the corrupt sitting
president. But credible exit polls showed Viktor Yushchenko, the opposition candidate, had won.
It was shocking enough that Yushchenko had been poisoned -- and nearly killed-- while on the
campaign trail. When reports came in of blatant voter intimidation and damaged ballots, people
were outraged. When they realized election officials were in on the fraud, the people had had
enough.
In freezing temperatures, over one million citizens poured into the streets of Kyiv and took up
residence there. They marched in protest and formed human barricades around government
buildings, paralyzing all state functions. Restaurants donated food, businessmen sent tents, and
individuals brought blankets, clothing, and money. Rock bands kept their spirits up with open-air
concerts, day and night.
For seventeen days, these throngs of ordinary citizens kept up their extraordinary resistance,
demanding their votes be respected, standing firm even when an internal army is mobilized to
remove them. Capturing the songs and spirit of this historic moment, Orange Revolution is the
story of a people united, not by one leader or one party, but by one idea: a better future, in a
country of their own.
"It's exhilarating to watch what happens when ordinary people, who are normally
considered powerless, recognize their own power, and decide to take action. In this film, we
see Ukrainians, long described even by themselves as passive and apathetic, at a historic
turning point. While Ukraine's democratic transition remains incomplete, the Orange Revolution
brought permanent positive changes for the Ukrainian people including electoral reform
that has yielded free and fair elections, the emergence of a lively independent media, and a
healthier balance between executive and legislative power."
— Director Steve York
Orange Revolution is a York Zimmerman Inc. production, presented by A Force More Powerful
Films. The film is produced and directed by Steve York. The editor is Joseph Wiedenmayer.
Managing Producer is Miriam A. Zimmerman. Associate Producer is Sommer Mathis.
Executive Producer is Peter Ackerman. Distributed by Executive Program Services.
Images available at www.OrangeRevolutionMovie.com. Also available on DVD from Amazon.
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