A Whisper to a Roar

Nobody ever claimed that the pursuit of democratic principles was an easy task, especially in nations with little or no history of federal democracy. Ben Moses' documentary offers an overview of five nations—Egypt, Malaysia, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe—where the ruling governments were clearly uncomfortable with the input of their respective citizenries. Moses opens with an animated parable narrated by Alfred Molina before interweaving archival news footage with interviews of politicians, activists, academics, and journalists. The most dramatic case comes from Ukraine, where presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was the victim of government-coordinated dioxin poisoning in 2004. Yushchenko was left disfigured as a result, but his resolve inspired voters in what became known as the Orange Revolution. Also featured is Malaysia's Anwar Ibrahim, a Muslim democracy activist who was falsely accused of sodomy as part of a smear campaign (he was eventually vindicated and elected to parliament). In Zimbabwe, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai overcame arrests and an assassination plot to become prime minister, much to the chagrin of ruthless president Robert Mugabe. While the worldwide situation, of course, is continually changing—such as the recent death of Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez, and the ongoing turmoil in Egypt—A Whisper to a Roar powerfully underscores the fact that democracy is rising globally. DVD extras include extended interviews. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)