Episode 1 — India, Nashville, and South Africa

Episode 2 — Denmark, Poland, Chile

A Force More Powerful is a documentary series on one of the 20th century’s most important and least-known stories: how nonviolent power overcame oppression and authoritarian rule.  It includes six cases of movements, and each case is approximately 30 minutes long.

Episode 1:

India — begins at 02:15
In India in the 1930s, after Gandhi had returned from South Africa, he and his followers adopted a strategy of refusing to cooperate with British rule. Through civil disobedience and boycotts, they successfully loosened their oppressors’ grip on power and set India on the path to freedom.

USA — begins at 26:17
In the 1960s, Gandhi’s nonviolent weapons were taken up by black college students in Nashville, Tennessee. Disciplined and strictly nonviolent, they successfully desegregated Nashville’s downtown lunch counters in five months, becoming a model for the entire civil rights movement.

South Africa — begins at 51:14
In 1985, a young South African named Mkhuseli Jack led a movement against the legalized discrimination known as apartheid. Their campaign of nonviolent mass action, and a powerful consumer boycott in the Eastern Cape province, awakened whites to black grievances and fatally weakened business support for apartheid.

Episode 2:

Denmark — begins at 02:12
In April, 1940, German military forces invaded Denmark. Danish leaders adopted a strategy of “resistance disguised as collaboration”—undermining German objectives by negotiating, delaying, and obstructing Nazi demands. Underground resistance organized sabotage and strikes, and rescued all but a handful of Denmark’s seven thousand Jews.

Poland — begins at 26:55
In 1980, striking workers in Poland demanded independent unions. Using their leverage to negotiate unprecedented rights in a system where there was no power separate from the Communist Party, they created a union called “Solidarity”. Driven underground by a government crackdown in 1981, Solidarity re-emerged in 1989 as Poland’s governing political party.

Chile — begins at 51:52
In 1983, Chilean workers initiated a wave of nonviolent protests against the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet. Severe repression failed to stop the protests, and violent opposition failed to dislodge the dictatorship—until the democratic opposition organized to defeat Pinochet in a 1988 referendum.

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For the Television Series:

“Journalistically, A Force More Powerful brings much honor to PBS and the individuals and groups that funded the film. The film is a work of art because, first, it is a work of fact.”
–Colman McCarthy, The National Catholic Reporter

“In a time when there are so few authentic heroes, A Force More Powerful shows all of us—young and old alike—people who take principled risks far beyond their own self-interest.”
–Nat Hentoff, Syndicated Columnist

“A thoughtful new documentary that magnifies the moral victories of the 20th century… remarkable archival footage… there are no fictional characters or trumped up dialogue here; the filmmakers let participants speak in their own voices…”
–The Christian Science Monitor

“…rich in archival footage and thoughtful interviews…. The stories are inspiring, sometimes awesome.”
–The Washington Post

“Outstanding… a veritable manual on how to mount a successful nonviolent resistance movement….”
–The Los Angeles Times

“Splendid work. It explains and elucidates—just about the best missions that television can achieve.”
–The Hollywood Reporter

“…beautiful footage… this film is eloquent testimony to the power of the people’s desire to be free.”
–Time Out New York

“…this is a lovely, rich documentary… a rousing look at 90-some years of nonviolence….”
–Seattle Weekly

For the Film:

Emmy Nomination – Outstanding Historical Program
Gold Hugo Award – Chicago International Television Competition
Chris Award – Columbus International Film and Video Festival
Silver Screen Award – U.S. International Film and Video Festival
Jan Karski Award for Films of Moral Courage
Telly Award
Gold Special Jury Award – WorldFest Houston International Film Festival
Moxie Award for Best Documentary – The Santa Monica International Film Festival

Official Selections: Seattle International Film Festival, Human Rights Watch Film Festival-London, Nashville Independent Film Festival, Maine International Film Festival, Newport Beach International Film Festival, Sedona International Film Festival, Santa Barbara Film Festival

Note: The film on this page includes a minor alteration (from the original version) that directs viewers to the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict website.

Credits for the original film include:

Produced and Directed by Steve York
Series Editor and Principal Content Advisor: Peter Ackerman
Managing Producer: Miriam Zimmerman
Editor: Joseph Wiedenmayer
Executive Producer: Jack DuVall

This film is available in:

A 16-page Study Guide designed for high school and college use is offered as a free downloadable PDF file. Available in English, Arabic and Spanish.

The Study Guide contains program synopses, background information, pictures, descriptions of nonviolent strategies, maps, timelines, discussion questions, research activities, and additional resources.

There is also a free Community Resource and Discussion Guide in English (PDF) and Spanish (PDF).

You can find more educational resources on civil resistance in Vietnamese and over 65 languages in our Resource Library.

Many of these are available for free download.

We are proud to announce that five critically acclaimed documentary films on civil resistance are now available for free streaming on our website, in an array of languages:

A Force More Powerful: Emmy-nominated documentary exploring nonviolent resistance campaigns in India, South Africa, Poland, Denmark, Chile and the U.S.

Bringing Down a Dictator: Award-winning documentary chronicling the student-led Optor! Movement that led to the ouster of Serbian dictator Slobodan Milosevic.

Orange Revolution: The 17 days of nonviolent resistance by the people of Ukraine against their chronically corrupt government.

Confronting the Truth: Examining the dynamics and mechanics of Truth and Reconciliation Commissions in South Africa, Peru, East Timor and Morocco.

Egypt: Revolution Interrupted?: Recounting the 2011 Egyptian revolution and its aftermath.

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