I love hearing stories about music and empowerment. Last weekend, I saw a film that embraced such concepts.
The Singing Revolution is the story of the non-violent path Estonia took to free itself from Soviet occupation. This is a documentary about a little nation that stood up for its freedom using the power of music.
Most people don’t think about singing when they think about revolutions, but music was the weapon of choice when, between 1986 and 1991, Estonians sought to free themselves from decades of Soviet occupation. During those years, hundreds of thousands gathered in public to sing forbidden patriotic songs and to rally for independence. Ultimately, the Estonians were successful, and this little country gained it’s freedom.
As a person with an Estonian heritage and a filmmaker working on a big documentary about a very powerful musical phenomenon, this is a story that spoke to me on various levels. Here’s a trailer for this film.
Right now, this film is only being shown at select locations. I saw it at a community center in Half Moon Bay, California. If you contact the filmmakers, you can arrange for a special showing in your community.