Film screening: ‘20 Days in Mariupol’ and a discussion with the director

May 26 2023

On Wednesday, 31 May 2023 at 7.00 p.m. at Vega Scene in Oslo.
Tickets: Vega Scene

Ukrainian journalist and war correspondent Mstyslav Chernov and his Associated Press team were the only international reporting crew that stayed behind in the besieged city of Mariupol when Russia invaded Ukraine. Their pictures made headlines the world over, as the photographers managed to capture defining images of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
‘20 Days in Mariupol’ is a vivid, gut-wrenching chronicle of the fate of civilians during the siege, a story of what it is like to report from a conflict zone, and a prime example of the impact of this type of journalism around the world.

The film won the Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival this year, and the film team recently received a Pulitzer prize for their courageous reports from Mariupol. Last year, film director Mstyslav Chernov, along with photographer Evgeniy Maloletka, received a Free Media Award for 2022 from Fritt Ord and the ZEIT Foundation for their valiant, extraordinary documentation of the Russian siege and bombing of Mariupol.
There will be a discussion with director Mstyslav Chernov following the film. Research fellow Oleksandra Hrybenko will introduce the film. Journalist Ingerid Salvesen will be the moderator.
This will be the premier screening of the film in Norway.
Organisers: Fritt Ord, Oslo Documentary Cinema and the Ukrainian Association of Norway

News

Civitates' Tech & Democracy open call

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Civitates – The European Democracy Fund is a pooled philanthropic fund that was set up in 2018 for the sole purpose of addressing democratic decline and closing civic space in Europe. The case for confronting these threats is growing increasingly urgent. Fritt Ord Foundation is one of the initiators and partners of Civitates.

Civitates has launched its Tech and Democracy open call to support organisations working to ensure safer, more inclusive online spaces (social media platforms, search engines etc.) by improving the enforcement of EU tech regulations at the national level.

This open call offers a unique opportunity to strengthen civil society’s role in holding the tech sector accountable, with a focus on key EU regulations such as the Digital Services Act, GDPR, AI Act or the European Media Freedom Act to name a few.

Call for nominations: Free Media Awards 2025

March 3 2025

In collaboration with the ZEIT STIFTUNG BUCERIUS of Hamburg, the Fritt Ord Foundation has allocated the Free Media Awards annually since 2004 to Eastern European journalists and media that defy every obstacle to tirelessly ensure independent press coverage. Russia’s war against Ukraine and the subsequent wave of disinformation clearly demonstrates the need for independent reporting in the region. Journalists and media in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Russia, Ukraine and Hungary that promote freedom of the press through their investigative and independent reporting are eligible to be nominated for the Free Media Awards.

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Saturday 22 February 2025 at Kunstnernes Hus, Oslo, from 14.30 to 16.30 h.

Conversation with Adam Budak (Poland/Germany), Stefanie Carp (Germany), Matej Drlička (Slovakia), Andrea Geyer (USA) og Sarah Lookofsky (USA/Norway). Ingerid Salvesen is moderator.

Across the world, cultural institutions are under increasing pressure. Censorship, self-censorship, drastic funding cuts, and political and sponsorship interference are on the rise. Former and present institutional directors – with personal experiences of political pressure, cancellation and censorship from different geographic contexts – will discuss the limitations and capacities of art institutions in the present.

Freedom of Expression Foundation Tribute to Sara Gaulin

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As a prominent voice, Gaulin has drawn attention to some of the most demanding and controversial social challenges of our time.