Politzek, the voices that challenge the Kremlin
In Russia, criticizing the war in Ukraine or Vladimir Putin’s regime has become a crime. Thousands of ordinary citizens are being arrested, tried, and imprisoned. They are called “Politzek”: political prisoners. Filmed clandestinely over the course of more than a year, Politzek gives a platform to those who, despite the fear, continue to speak out against Putin’s repressive Russia. Through the intersecting stories of a teenager sentenced to five years in prison for criticizing the government on social media, a young artist jailed for placing anti-war stickers, a human rights activist, and two theater directors facing Kafkaesque trials, the film unveils the machinery of state repression in Russia. With rare footage, broken yet unyielding voices, this is a story of silenced resistance.
- Year: 2025
- Country: Belgium, France, Germany
- Genre: Documentary, Drama
- Studio: Clin d'oeil Films, Wildbird Films, Shelter Prod, France Télévisions, DW, RTBF, VRT, SWR, BABEL Doc, Mediawan Rights
- Keyword: politics, resistance, totalitarian regime, protest, dictatorship, justice, human rights, russian politics, anti war protest, russian leaders, russia, political documentary, russian invasion of ukraine (2022), political prisoners, communist regime, authoritarian regime, anti-war activist, state repression
- Director: Manon Loizeau, Ekaterina Mamontova
- Cast:
