The Owl's Legacy — Season 1, Episode 3: Democracy, or the City of Dreams

Episode synopsis

What exactly does the word mean “democracy” mean? Does it designates the ancient city-state or our contemporary political systems? What are the analogies or, on the contrary, the radical differences between realities separated by more than twenty centuries? Are certain functions suitable for all civilizations? Τhe third episode of Chris Marker’s legendary documentary series – which first aired on British state television in 1991 but remained in the dark for decades – returns to classical antiquity to make a bold parallel, familiarizing 21st-century audiences with a concept of the commons that seems primordial yet innovative, reinventing itself in every single manifestation.

About The Owl's Legacy

A 13-part documentary series by Chris Marker examining how ancient Greek ideas continue to shape modern Western thought. Each episode centers on a single Greek word—such as “democracy,” “philosophy,” or “mythology”—through conversations filmed in cities around the world. Combining symposium-style discussions with archival footage and visual motifs of the owl, Marker creates an expansive reflection on the enduring legacy of Greece.

More episodes from Season 1

• E1Symposium, or the Received Ideas
• E2Olympics, or the Imaginary Greece
• E4Nostalgia, or the Impossible Return
• E5Amnesia, or the Sense of History
• E6Mathematics, or the Realm of Signs
• E7Logomachy, or the Root of Words
• E8Music, or the Inner Space
• E9Cosmogony, or the Use of the World
• E10Mythology, or the Truth of Lies
• E11Misogyny, or Desire's Traps
• E12Tragedy, or the Illusion of Death
• E13Philosophy, or the Owl's Triumph