This is the face of freedom

How an illuminating documentary about Chinese dissident Badiucao becomes a key story about our future with China.
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The artist called Badiucao comes out in public for the first time ever. He can speak his mind and he told his audience about his happiness. Image: friends of the film.

While the ABC broadcast China’s Artful Dissident the documentary about Chinese dissident artist Badiucao, the film itself was run secretly in a cinema to an audience of friends. The director Danny Ben-Moshe was present, and microphones were ready for the Q&A. The organisers searched bags, alert to the possibility of disruption. 

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David Tiley was the Editor of Screenhub from 2005 until he became Content Lead for Film in 2021 with a special interest in policy. He is a writer in screen media with a long career in educational programs, documentary, and government funding, with a side order in script editing. He values curiosity, humour and objectivity in support of Australian visions and the art of storytelling.