The Fight: Tunisia’s Battle for Democracy
This spring, Indispensable, in collaboration with DEC Artists, began production on its first documentary short film, The Fight: Tunisia’s Battle for Democracy. The film tells the story of Tunisia’s difficult transition from dictatorship to democracy over the last seven years.
The Goal
Produce a documentary piece of at least 30 minutes’ length that sparks new conversations about the importance of free expression, inclusion, and democracy at home and abroad.
The Story
In December 2010 fruit seller Mohammed Bouazizi set himself on fire in a Tunisian market to protest high unemployment. The act set off revolutions across North Africa and the Middle East. Tunisian dictator Zine El Abedine Ben Ali fled on January 11, 2011 after 34 years in power.
While other revolutions have failed, there’s hope in Tunisia. Tunisians wrote a Constitution in 2011, held free elections in 2014, and were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2015 for their dedication to democracy.
Through the eyes of Sadok, a young revolutionary, Meherzia, a female Member of Parliament from the Islamic Enhadha Party, Moez, an elder who suffered under Ben Ali, and Raoudha, who started the first woman-led political organization in Tunisia, the audience will discover how difficult it is to build a country of institutions, not men.
While some voices do yearn for the relative and meager stability of the Ben Ali regime, the prevailing view from the main characters is that fighting for free expression and minority rights is tough, frustrating, and long, but also necessary and hopeful.
This film challenges Americans’ assumptions and change minds by showing just how normal it is for Arabs and Muslims to value the same democratic principles as we do in this country. We intend this film to have a significant public impact, sparking new conversations about how the right of free expression is the same across the globe.
The Team
Daniel Dart, Director. Daniel is the founder of DEC Artists and an activist, artist, and social entrepreneur. Daniel and DEC Arists have created, consulted on, and produced national and global media campaigns for organizations such as Save the Children, the Bezos Family Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project and Daraja.
Jim Arkedis, Producer. Jim is our Tunisia expert, having traveled there for extended periods between 2013–2017. He has worked with hundreds of politicians, party leaders, and activists throughout the country, witnessing their democratic story firsthand. He is also a writer, having coauthored Political Mercenaries, the story of money in American politics in 2014.
Miguel Torres, Director of Photography. With more than 25 years of video production experience, Miguel co-produced campaign spots for California congressional candidate, Raymond Meza, National PSA’s, “This is My Home” and “Get out the Vote” for Casa in Action, starring Carlos Santana and Edward James Olmos. He is currently Co-Producing a documentary on Former Assemblyman and Mayor, Mr. Bob Pacheco and another documentary on stem cell research. He’s the Series Creator of the award winning web series, “Encounters.”
Scott Payne, Producer. Scott is responsible for strategy, communications, operations, and logistics. His operational and communications experience includes building events for Jason Kander’s 2016 Missouri Senate campaign, building surrogate tours for the John Kerry presidential campaign, and serving as the foreign policy staff for two members of Congress, Senator Mikulski (MD), and Rep. John Hall (NY).
About Indispensable
Our goal is simple: We tell stories to that educate Americans about the dangers of nationalism and isolationism and encourage public discussion of engagement and inclusivity at home and abroad. We believe that doing so will create popular understanding that will help stop unnecessary wars, expand individual freedoms and equality, and create opportunity for American workers.
