The Great Democracy Test coming to Gimli Farmers Hall, March 15
A Winnipeg-based film production company is embarking on a documentary about the history of democracy and is inviting the public to have their voices heard.
Merit Motion Pictures (MMP) will be filming a segment of Power to the People: The Origins of Democracy at the Farmers Hall in Gimli and is looking for about 200 people – from Gimli and communities beyond – to take part in interactive activities that will put democracy to the test.
The documentary is a France-Canada co-production between Merit Motion Pictures and Yuzu [production company], and has been commissioned by the CBC, France TV and NOVA.
Anthony Morgan from the CBC’s The Nature of Things will be hosting the three-hour segment – called The Great Democracy Test – in Gimli.
Merit Jensen-Carr, executive producer and president of Merit Motion Pictures, said the documentary will examine a number of forces chipping away at democratic practice.
“There are many things to be learned from looking at this history. Greed, polarization, self-interest over public good, corruption, apathy … and disease all played a role in the fall of democracy. Does that sound familiar?” said Jensen-Carr when asked about the new world order we seem to be hurtling towards courtesy of the current U.S. president.
Merit Motion Pictures has produced award-winning environmental, history, arts, nature and science documentaries and series over the course of 35 years. Its films include Kingdom of the Polar Bears, Great Lakes Untamed and 40 Years of One Night Stands: The Story of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet. The production company is passionate about “the chaos of the human experience and how we can learn to better understand ourselves and others.”
Jensen-Carr’s idea for Power to the People had its genesis about 10 years ago and was originally intended to examine the ancient Athenians, the first known people to practise democracy. Democracy is an idea that gives people a voice and a system that allows a country’s citizens to play an active role in the government of their country either directly or through elected representatives.
“I started developing this film 10 years ago with the CBC, and it was intended to look at who the Athenians were, how they lived and how that compared to the way we live today. Democracy was part but not all of the story,” said Jensen-Carr. “It took a while to raise all the financing. And as things progressed, focusing on the original democracy and how it evolved became the focus.”
Kym Dopheide, who does research for Merit Motion Pictures, said the company was looking for a “typical rural community that’s known to host events and be engaged in community service.” Gimli was among a number of communities – along with Selkirk and Stonewall – that Manitoba Film and Sound recommended MMP scope out as possible locations for the Great Democracy Test.
All the communities were “so excited” about the prospect of hosting the event because people “really want to talk about democracy right now,” said Dopheide. “It was a hard decision to make.”
Samantha Hampton, president of the Gimli Chamber of Commerce, took MMP staff around to look at different locations where they could film and the chamber is helping facilitate the event.
“I would encourage community members to step outside their comfort zone and step into a project that has the ability to challenge perspectives and spark meaningful conversations. By hosting this unique social experiment, we’re not only fostering conversations about governance, but also strengthening the bonds that make our community resilient, inclusive and forward-thinking,” said Hampton.
“This project is a hands-on lesson in civic engagement, leadership and decision-making. By putting two different forms of democracy to the test, we provide a valuable opportunity for participants of all ages to reflect on how leadership shapes their community. The Gimli Chamber of Commerce believes that an informed and engaged population is essential for a prosperous future, making this initiative a perfect fit for our mission.”
The Great Democracy Test will be engaging and fun, said Dopheide. It will compare Athenian democracy, in which audience members at the Farmers Hall could be randomly chosen to serve in government, to today’s version of democracy in which elected officials make decisions on behalf of the populace.
“Democracy in Greece was basically picking a name of the hat. One day the wine merchant would have power, and the next day it could be the stone mason,” she said. “That didn’t last long because the rich decided they didn’t want to give away their power. Now we have our present-day democracy where we vote in candidates.”
For the Athenian part of the democracy test, Dopheide said they’ll be picking names out of a hat and the candidates can go off to a private room and come up with a platform – something to improve their community – which they’ll then present to the audience. The audience will get to vote on what they think is the best idea for the community and the winner will get money to put towards their idea.
MPP is also lining up five or six community members ahead of time to run as candidates for a mock, current-day election. They’ll present a platform on which the audience can vote.
“After the two types of democracy are presented, the audience will be asked to discuss what form worked best and if they were surprised or disappointed by it. It’ll be an open, fun discussion,” said Dopheide.
The documentary is expected to be released in either late 2025 or some time in 2026.
The Great Democracy Test takes place on Saturday, March 15 from 2-5 p.m. at the Gimli Farmers Hall on PR 231 and Road 17 East. The hall is near the Gimli Airport. Access to hall’s parking lot is from Road 17E.
There are two ways to register for the free event: scan the QR code on the poster or call Kym Dopheide at (204) 330-6203.
