Programme: Recovery and Resilience Plan

In a reality where democratic values and freedoms are under constant pressure and out of reach for people from smaller towns, the need for cultural initiatives that spark curiosity and interest in these topics is more urgent than ever. On the periphery of Bulgaria – in places with weak cultural presence and limited access to contemporary activist documentary cinema – the necessity of content that opens space for critical thinking and dialogue is very present.
The project “Think Freedom” will present six short documentary films created by Anna Stoeva and David Djambazov from tanuki films, in partnership with the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in the period 2018-2025. The films tell the stories of individuals defending freedom in their societies – from a protesting poet in Sibui, Romania to the mayor of the small Ukrainian town of Chortkiv during the war. Through three events in three locations - we plan for Pernik, Petrich and Belogradchik – the project will include screenings of one or two of the six films, each followed by a panel discussion.
After the screenings, there will be an open critical discussion between the audience and the creators, the film protagonists, or experts on democracy, liberalism, human rights. Once the formal program concludes, the conversation will carry on informally with the audience—an open space to keep the dialogue alive and nurture a spirit of curiosity and discovery.
We will also send links to the films, accompanied by a short presentation of the Think Freedom collection, to 20 schools in culturally underdeveloped regions, where they can be used as basis for extracurricular activities or in lessons such as civic education. The main goal of the project is to create a space for dialogue and critical thinking among the audience. It is expected that this will lead to lasting cultural impact on the viewers present at the screenings, including increased civic activity, and stimulation of cultural life in underdeveloped areas.