Videocracy

In a videocracy the key to power is the image.

In Italy one man only has kept the domination of the image over three entire decades. As a TV-magnate and then as Presidente, Silvio Berlusconi has created a perfect system of TV-entertainment and politics.

Like no one else he has influenced the content of commercial television in Italy. His TV-channels, known for their over-exposure of almost naked girls, are seen by many as a mirror of his own taste and personality.

Director Erik Gandini lives in Sweden but was born and brought up in Italy.

In Videocracy he returns to his country of birth portraying from the inside the consequences of a TV-experiment that Italians have been subjected to for 30 years. He gets a unique access to the most powerful spheres, even in the President’s summer resort in Sardinia. Unveiling a remarkable story, born out of the scary reality of TV-republic Italy, a country where the step from TV-showgirl to Minister for Gender Equality is only natural.

Read what film festival heads of programming Francesco di Pace and Thom Powers says about Videocracy.

Videocracy premiered in Sweden on the 28th August and has since attracted a large audicene. But the greatest success by far is in the Italian cinemas. Since its premiere on Sept 4, about 150.000 Italians have seen Videocracy.

During 2009 and 2010, Videocracy will be screened at more than 20 international film festivals:

2009
Venice Film Festival 3-12/9
Toronto Film Festival 10-19/9
Nordisk Panorama 25-30/9
Hamptons Int. Film Festival 8-12/10
Chicago Int. Film Festival 8-21/10
Stranger Than Fiction, NY 13/10
DOCSDF, Mexico City 15-24/10
Bergen Int. Film Festival 21-28/10
Sao Paolo Int. Film Festival 23/10-3/11
Sheffield Doc/Fest 4-8/11
Sevilla Film Festival 6-14/11
CPH:DOX 6-15/11
Aarhus Film Festival, 12-15/11
IDFA 19-29/11
Int. Film Festival Bratislava 27/11-4/12

2010
Docpoint 26-31/1
FIPA, Biarritz 26-31/1
Ambulante, Mexico feb-may
Dublin Int. Film Festival 18-28/2
Belgrade Int. Film Festival 19-28/2
ZagrebDox 28/2-7/3
Vera Filmfestival, Åland 4-6/3
Miami Int. Film Festival 5-14/3
Thessaloniki Documentary Festival 12-21/3
Bermuda Int. Film Festival 19-25/3
Visions du Reel, Nyon 15-21/4
Crossing Europe, Linz 20-25/4
IndieLisboa 23/4-3/5
The Norwegian Documentary Film Festival, Volda 28/4-2/5
DocAviv, Tel Aviv 6-15/5
Mediterranean Film Festival, Split 24-29/5
Filmfest München, 26/6-4/7
Melbourne Film Festival 23/7-8/8

...with more screenings to be announced.