IN MEMORIAM: ALEXANDER LITVINENKO

IN MEMORIAM: ALEXANDER LITVINENKO

    Price: $325.00

    Code: 2271

    Directed by Jos de Putter and Masha Novikova
    2007, 55 minutes
    Purchase: $325 Classroom Rental: $85

    Begun nearly two years before his death, In Memoriam: Alexander Litvinenko offers a meticulous account of the life and final days of ex-FSB agent Alexander Litvinenko. In the process, it provides fascinating insight into the current political climate in Russia.

    In November 2006 the world was shocked by photographs of a weakened and bald Litvinenko fighting for his life in a London hospital. Despite a rigorous investigation, it wasn't until after his death on the 24th of November 2006, that results revealed Litvinenko, a former secret service operative granted political asylum in the UK, was the rare victim of polonium-210 poisoning. It was believed by many to be one of the most brazen political assassinations since the days of the Cold War.

    Two years earlier, Alexander Litvinenko agreed to tell his life story to noted documentary filmmaker Jos de Putter. He spoke about his work for the FSB, his time as a soldier in Chechnya, and his decision to publicly speak out against his superiors. He described in detail the power struggle occurring inside the Kremlin and he laid out compelling evidence incriminating the Russian government and President Vladimir Putin in crimes against its own people, including the murder of journalist Anna Politkovskaya and the 1999 bombing of a Moscow apartment building. He also calmly predicted his own death.

    Composed of Litvinenko's confessions, alongside interviews with Anna Politkovskaya, Chechen President in exile, Akhmed Zakayev, Soviet-dissident Vladimir Bukovski, film director Andrej Nekrasov (Disbelief), Litvinenko's father, Walter, and wife, Maria, as well as extensive newsreel footage (including extraordinarily revealing video of President Putin), this arresting documentary boldly chronicles one man's tragic disillusionment with his country.

    Subjects & Collections



    Festivals & Awards

    * Winner, President’s Award, Chicago International Documentary Festival, 2007
    * Opening Night Film, Chicago International Documentary Festival, 2007
    * Official Selection, HotDocs Film Festival, 2007
    * Official Selection, Visions du Reel, France, 2007



    Reviews

    “A darkly informative portrait of post-Soviet Russia under Putin.” - Cineaste

    “Of interest to students of modern Russian history and politics, In Memoriam: Alexander Litvinenko is recommended for college and general audiences. “ - Educational Media Reviews Online