You Have to Be Here to Believe

You Have to Be Here to Believe

50' 2022
dir.: Polina Georgescu

A street campaign by Hungarian activists facing the impossible odds of convincing a society manipulated by government propaganda to invalidate a homophobic referendum. 

In this film, the advertising slogan with which the authorities promote the tourist values of Budapest becomes a bitter statement about the state of Hungarian democracy. Last year's elections in Hungary were accompanied by a referendum that would give Victor Orban's government a pretext to amend the constitution to limit LGBTQ+ rights. Polina Georgescu follows the organizers of a great social campaign encouraging Hungarians to cast invalid votes in the referendum. Activists crisscross the country hoping to make average citizens aware of the government efforts' absurdity. In a duel with the huge, high-budget state propaganda machine, which for years has been pumping Hungary full of nonsense about child sexualization and forced gender reassignment, are non-governmental organizations on the losing end? 

Festivals

2023 One World IDFF 
2023 WATCH DOCS IFF 

50' 2022 Hungary, Germany
Director
Polina Georgescu
Cinematography
Polina Georgescu, Laszlo Halsz
Editing
Eva Szasz
Production
Studio Onaleap