The Orange Chronicles - 2007 Film
Ukraine’s 2004 Presidential Election - Damian Kolody Documentary
"The Orange Chronicles" follows filmmaker Damian Kolody's use of handheld cameras to capture the spirited protests and events that defined Ukraine's Orange Revolution.
American filmmaker Damian Kolody, dismayed by the American public’s apparent complacency with the status quo during the 2004 U.S. Presidential election. decided he needed to escape - to find real change.
Hoping to observe a real revolution, Kolody looked toward his ancestral homeland of Ukraine, and its November Presidential run-off election. Kolody believed something might happen in Ukraine, but had no idea he would find himself in the middle of a fraudulent election and subsequent mass political protest. “The Orange Chronicles” documents Kolody’s experiences of events that would become known as the Orange Revolution.
Election Background
The Ukrainian people were displeased with President Leonid Kuchma’s regime, which allowed the country to become overrun by corruption and organized crime. Wandering the streets of Kyiv, Kolody found that young people intended to vote for popular opposition candidate Viktor Yushchenko, a recent victim of dioxin poisoning. They did not favor Yushchenko himself, but wanted to make a statement against the regime and their candidate, leadeer of the “Blue” Party of Regions, Viktor Yanukovych.
Election Events in Kyiv
On election day, reports of falsification poured in from around the country. Ballot boxes were stuffed, people’s names were missing from voter registration forms, and buses transported voters to multiple polling stations where they cast ballots several times. Kolody, an accredited election observer, spent the day observing and documenting the voting procedure at several polling stations in Kyiv.
That night, In an interesting twist, Yushchenko was denied access to the Central Election Commission building while Kolody, as an election monitor, was granted entry. Inside, Yushchenko’s “Orange” ally Yulia Tymoshenko publicly commented on the election falsifications and called for morning protests at Maidan.
“Orange Revolution” Protests
The following morning, Kolody filmed thousands of people descending upon Independence Square. From around the country, Ukrainians risked their jobs to gather and protest. This scene was much more alive and vibrant than what Kolody observed in America. During the following weeks, Kolody gathered with the masses in snow and freezing temperatures for an exciting and peaceful protest.
On November 24, when Yanukovych was declared the winner of the run-off election, the people vowed to continue protesting. Everyone knew the regime had falsified the election. Eventually, Ukraine’s Supreme Court nullified the result and called for a third and final vote, which would be won by Yushchenko.
Traveling to Ukraine’s pro-Blue Areas
In mid-December, Kolody joined a caravan called the Train of Friendship, which traveled to Ukraine’s pro-regime southern and eastern regions. The group did not support any particular candidate, but wanted to mend the deep divide between traditional western Ukraine and the Russified eastern region.
During the 10-day trip, the motorcade encountered much resistance, including angry mobs and blockades. Participants discovered that, due to state-controlled media, the amount of misinformation existing throughout Ukraine’s south and east regarding the campaign and election was mind boggling.
Kolody later returned to the eastern region for the election’s final round. His monitoring group was assigned to a small town where, as they traveled between polling stations, felt a sense of being watched. Most people were respectful and responsive, however, when the observers responded to a call of possible falsifications in a nearby village, they were met with denials and hostility.
Summary
“The Orange Chronicles” is an exciting look at the controversy surrounding Ukraine’s 2004 Presidential election. All scenes were filmed using handheld camera techniques, bringing viewers directly into the excitement and rawness of the moment. Unknown to him at the time, Kolody documented a revolution of will and resolve that changed a nation and would renew his belief in the power of the people.
The Orange Chronicles Official Website
Photos Courtesy of Damian Kolody
