Living in Edinburgh and, at the time, working in the centre, I received a perfect view of some of the G8 “protests”. Part of the side that wasn’t too widely known over the peaceful people trying to persuade Bush et al to be nice to everyone, was that of the commemorative seating along the main (Princes) Street ripped up and thrown at Police, these are the seats that members of the public pay for to remember someone close to them who has passed away. One of the more tasteless events of the protests. There were many sides that really did affect Edinburgh residents negatively, and all the costs will be borne by Scotland and Edinburgh residents.
So it’ll be really interesting to me to see if any of this is mentioned in a documentary receiving it’s first Edinburgh showing on October 1st at the Filmhouse. According to The Scotsman:
Won’t Get Fooled Again, which is billed as a youth account of the demonstrations…The nine-strong group mingled with the crowds at all the main demonstrations in Edinburgh…
…The documentary, said to be set “against a background of an escalating and menacing police presence on the streets of Edinburgh”, is the work of the award-winning Pilton Video project.
I’ll still be keen to see this documentary and discover if it’s another one-sided viewpoint, or a well balanced take at the events in and around Edinburgh at the time. I already have my thoughts which it will be. What’s the feeling and perception from you about the protests? Can documentaries be unbiased and present all views, or are they really a vehicle for a group with an already decided point of view?
I like the phrase that the “group mingled with the crowds at all the main demonstrations in Edinburgh”
If I remember rightly, a planned, though unofficial, demo in Auchterarder got pulled by Police, who stopped the coaches in Edinburgh, who then went on the rampage, who were then allowed to go on to avoid trashing the city.
Now, as that rampage in Edinburgh was neither planned nor one of the “main demonstrations” I guess the coveage won’t be there, and it’ll be as Drewbacca said – one sided propaganda.
If it only presents one side of an issue, then it is not a documentary. It then becomes propaganda. Anyone heard of a movie called “Fahrenheit 9/11?”