The Eclipse of Radio B921 hour documentarymini DV

They fought for the freedom of their airwaves, of their voice and of their country. The Eclipse of Radio B92 documents the hard won struggle of a grass roots radio station in Serbia in the David and Goliath story of Radio B-92 vs. the Milosovic regime. With challenging and beautiful visual metaphors, exclusive interviews withB-92 staff and Milosovic government insiders and the music that was the soundtrack of the people’s fight, The Eclipse of Radio B92 breaks new ground in documentary story telling and is a an outstanding 1st for Director / Producers Mark Ellam and Aleksandra Dulic.

The History
During the summer of 1999, the Milosovic government crackdown on independent media had all but strangled the voices of dissent in the Former Yugoslavia. Within days of the NATO air strikes, the Milosovic government shut down the independent Belgrade radio station B-92. The head of the station was arrested and jailed without cause. Officials from Milosovic’s cabinet assumed control of the premises, the frequency and the call sign “B92”.

Overnight , this independent radio station, a cultural centre and icon of resistance to the regime, was meticulously converted into a propaganda machine that would be used to justify and vindicate the Milosovic government throughout the course of his reign. The Eclipse of Radio B92 has the only video record of the government-run station, including the only recorded interview with Nikacevic, the government appointed Director and Editor in Chief who was responsible for firing the original staff, overhauling the station and for broadcasting Milosovic’s “official reports”.

Amid this atmosphere of control, the original staff of B92 went underground to fight for the freedom of their air waves – introducing “pirate radio B’2’92”. Press Now, a new media company in Amsterdam, provided a cover, as well as web space, so that the pirate station’s music and news could be streamed using Real Audio. If tracked, the signal would appear to come from Amsterdam, far beyond the reach of Milosovic’s censors and jailers. In fact, news reports were being generated in Belgrade by B’2’92 writers on the PC’s in their own apartments. Photographers were on their rooftops as bombs were dropping and sound recordists were in the streets during anti-Milosovic demonstrations, hidden under the cover of the thousands upon thousands of people fighting for their freedom.

The Story
B92 was, and still is, more than a radio station. In the isolated Former Yugoslavia, it offered the people of Belgrade an alternative culture, culture without borders. B’2’92 crossed borders to bring the world the stories, and the music, that shaped a culture and eventually ended the Milosovic reign of terror. The Eclipse of Radio B92 is about democracy and the internet. It is about popular culture’s role in mobilizing a nation. It is about battling war propaganda. But above all else it is about the struggles and the achievements of people who overcame incredible obstacles to make their voices heard. Armed with little more than their PC’s, their mini DV cam’s and their CD’s, a few dozen people fought back against the Milosovic regime – and won.

This is a story about the strength of spirit.