1989 is known as the year that changed the world. Thirty years ago, the Berlin Wall collapsed. Thirty years ago, Eastern Europe was shaken by the democratic revolution, which became the point of non-return. "When my neighbors build democracy" are five stories about Revolutions of 1989 and their main participants, who started the deconstruction of the communist system.
Q&A after the screening
The Christmas Gift
Bogdan Muresanu
Romania / 2018, 23 min
On 20th of December, 1989, a few days after Ceausescu's bloody repression in Timisoara, a father’s quiet evening turns to sheer ordeal as he finds out that his little son has mailed a wish letter to Santa. As the kid understood, his father’s desire was to see Ceausescu dead.
From Solidarity to Freedom
Krystyna Mokrosińska
Poland / 37 min
Based on archival materials, the history of Poland's path to freedom, from Yalta to "Solidarity", the fall of communism, and joining the EU.
Babovka
Demet Derelioglu Aran
Czech Republic / 2018, 8 min
Eva struggles to communicate her son but he becomes more distant day by day. One day she goes to his room when he left, and she realizes that her son is the one of the demonstrators against communism. Through behavior changes on her son, on an autumn day Eva learns that the communist regime has fallen, and the velvet revolution has just begun in Czechoslovakia
Stremt 89
Anda Puscas
Romania / 2012, 13 min
The road through Stremt ends in a mountain wall. Still, in 1989, people were eagerly awaiting army tanks, terrorists and glory. Today, partly forgotten and partly imagined, the past is crystal clear.
Freedom
Mircea Bobina
Moldova / 2018, 4 min
People are unhappy with their leaders and want to break free. When a change is made, they are supposed to get back their freedom: but somehow, they don’t.