1979: Big Bang of the Present

The story

Deng Xiaoping's economic and political opening in China. Margaret Thatcher's extreme economic measures in the United Kingdom. Ayatollah Khomeini's Islamic Revolution in Iran. Pope John Paul II's visit to Poland. Saddam Hussein's rise to power in Iraq. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The nuclear accident at the Harrisburg power plant and the birth of ecological activism. The year 1979, the beginning of the future.

Cast & crew

Haideh Daragahi

Haideh DaragahiSelf - Literature Professor (1979)

Shahin Nawai

Shahin NawaiSelf - Biologist (1979)

Chahla Chafiq

Chahla ChafiqSelf - Student (1979)

Chris Niedenthal

Chris NiedenthalSelf - Photojournalist (1979)

Leszek BalcerowiczSelf - Economist (1979)

Stanisław Ciosek

Stanisław CiosekSelf - Politician (1979)

Alfred Wierzbicki

Alfred WierzbickiSelf - Student (1979)

Hanna Suchocka

Hanna SuchockaSelf - Jurist (1979)

Roger Garside

Roger GarsideSelf - Diplomat (1979)

Wei Jingsheng

Wei JingshengSelf - Political Dissident (1979)

Chas Freeman

Chas FreemanSelf - US DoS Official (1979)

Charles MooreSelf - Political Journalist (1979)