Movie Night: „Poland and Democracy—Judges Under Pressure“
Documentary Film Screening "Poland and democracy - judges under pressure" (Poland 2022) in the Cinematheque Karlsruhe:
The national-conservative PiS party, which has been in power in Poland since 2015, wants to push through judicial reform to curtail the independence of the courts. One tool for this is a chamber designed to bring judges into line with the government’s agenda, but smear campaigns are also not uncommon.
The documentary exposes the schemes targeting judges and portrays the resistance of some of them who refuse to submit to the rigid ideologies of anti-democratic forces.
Admission: 8.00 euros; reduced rate: 7 euros; members of the Kinemathek Karlsruhe: 6 euros
The event is part of the accompanying program of the photo exhibition SPRAWIEDLIWOŚĆ - GERECHTIGKEIT, which the Stiftung Forum Recht is showing in cooperation with Fundacja Picture Doc in Karlsruhe from 16 February to 7 April 2024.
What happens when politics undermines the rule of law? With the documentary photo exhibition SPRAWIEDLIWOŚĆ – GERECHTIGKEIT, the Forum Recht Foundation in Karlsruhe will showcase, from February 16 through April 7, 2024, how judges, prosecutors, and attorneys in Poland helped preserve their country from the collapse of the rule of law. To this end, the renowned Polish photographer Piotr Wójcik (Fundacja Picture Doc) photographed people from various legal professions between 2020 and 2021 who, due to their perseverance and commitment to an independent judiciary, faced the threat of repression by Poland’s recently ousted right-wing conservative government.
In addition to the 32 photographs on display and the accompanying explanatory texts, visitors can also read numerous quotes from the subjects of the portraits, who have championed the rule of law in an inspiring way through their personal and professional steadfastness. At the Leipzig location, selected works are on view in an accompanying window display.
Photo credits: Lollipopfilms