Rock democracy. Vote!

KATHMANDU, May 19: Three minutes are all one has to present a video short for the online video competition that asked participants to complete the phrase “Democracy is…” And out of the 17 Nepali filmmakers who had taken the lead in this global call to enhance the dialogue on democracy, Tsering Choden has been announced as one of the triumphant 18 world finalists. The video can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4eePiRAf5U

“Democracy is one of the most difficult terms to explain but it’s also the easiest to expound. Using a few words, and in a short time, I’m interested in explaining it. Democracy is (em)powering the individual, to make the individual powerful, to make the individual supreme, to make the individual content, to make the individual the focus of every thought. That’s what I feel is democracy,” the video starts off with the recognizable voice of one of the most influential Nepali youth leaders and CA member, Gagan Thapa.

“…they say the rebels came home but it still feels like war...” The powerful lyrics penned by Yanik Shrestha and promising rapper Gaurav Subba, who call their group LYRICS INTHEPENDENSE, follows next, and as they sync their rap to the music of Pravin Chhetri, we can somewhat grasp what democracy is in the Nepali context.

The disconcerting images shown in the video – the traffic, protests, and garbage piles – all represent the disillusionment and the confusion of the director herself, and of the people in the country. She also includes random opinions of people in and around Kathmandu, and it seems they don’t have much to say. One woman vents her frustration, “What democracy? What republic? What autocracy?” It’s the people who actually get muddled up, whatever system may come.