Directed by Ruaridh Arrow
87 min. | 2011 | United Kingdom
It’s hard to believe that white haired, orchid growing, 83-year-old Gene Sharp could be the catalyst for the end of a dictatorial regime half a world away, but Sharp’s writings about nonviolent revolution—most notably his 198-step guide to toppling dictatorships —have played a vital role in influencing revolutionary leaders through Asia, Eastern Europe and the Middle East. In How To Start A Revolution meet low-profile genius Sharp himself, as well as the revolutionary leaders who used his ideas to take on some of the world’s most brutal dictatorships. With jaw-dropping footage and the insiders’ knowledge to back it up, How To Start A Revolution shows how one man’s ideas continue to inspire hope and freedom in millions of oppressed people worldwide.
Official Selection: 2012 Oslo Human Rights Human Wrongs Film Festival, 2011 United Nations Association Film Festival, 2011 San Francisco Documentary Film Festival, 2011 Copenhagen Documentary Film Festival
Presented with
FILMS WITHOUT BORDERS is sponsored by
Sponsored by the Marriner S. Eccles Foundation
Additional generous funding provided by the Salt Lake City Arts Council, the Utah Division of Arts & Museums and the National Endowment for the Arts