In October of 2011, we had the priviledge of traveling to Belarus to present Deep Down and several excellent American documentaries as part of the U.S. State Department's American Documentary Showcase program.

With visits to local libraries and famous Belarusian studios, screenings at the Pobeda theater, and presentations at the U.S. Embassy and other schools and libraries, our facinating week in Belarus was truly life-changing for both for us and, we hope, for the participants in the Showcase and its workshops. It was a privilege to have the opportunity to be a part of a shared dialogue about social issue documentary filmmaking and its potential to inspire action. We have been in touch with several attendees of the week’s events, and we continue to brainstorm with them about the power and joy of documentary filmmaking.

American Documentary Showcase: Belarus
Filmmakers: Jen Gilomen, Sally Rubin
Delegate Expert: Betsy McLane
October 21–30, 2011

Read our full report on the American Documentary Showcase site here:
http://www.ufva.org/showcase/delegations/2011/belarus