Orange Revolution

The Orange Revolution", USA, by Steve York, RT 106 minutes.

The stolen presidential election in the Ukraine in 2004 and the Power of the People to intervene. Director Steve York is an old pro in the business of political documentation with a long career in television including many Bill Moyer shows. This, however, is his first doc made specifically with the large screen in mind. The broad scope of the film and the brilliant way it is shot and put together makes of it almost a thriller where truth is stranger-- and more exciting -- than fiction. The media at the time showed stark photos of opposition candidate Vladimir Jushchenko after he was poisoned by the establishment (read "Gov't Gangster) side to get him out of the way, but survived with his face terribly disfigured. Jushchenko went on to campaign heroically and eventual win the somewhat more honest new election demanded by the Ukrainian people. In York's film there is also much footage of Jushchenko before the poisoning showing what a handsome, charismatic, and vastly popular figure he actually was. He had the aura of a rock star and, interestingly enough, Ukrainian rock bands were a major element of the demonstrations in Kiev's massive Meidan Square. Besides being an exciting historical documentation of a very recent series of events "Orange Revolution" will resonate strongly with the American electorate which sat in front of their TV sets helplessly as Mr. Bush stole the American presidential election in 2000!