Czech Documentary Now:

With Putin becoming one of the world’s most powerful leaders, and the man responsible for the Ukrainian war, Vitaly Mansky’s fly-on-the-wall documentary provides a vital witness account of Putin’s rise to power throwing considerable light on his personality and ideas.

Ukrainian-born Vitaly Mansky gained unprecedented access to Putin and his inner circle in the Kremlin in 1999 – 2000 when filming a documentary that would boost Putin's electoral success for Russian TV. Following the Russian’s annexation of Crimea and war in the Donbas region, Mansky revisited that footage to trace Putin’s motivations and thirst for power. In his rare, up-close portrait of Putin, featuring amongst others a heart warming meeting with his teacher, we get early glimpses of Putin’s casual ruthlessness, emphasis on Soviet-style nationalism, reluctance to account for political decisions, and behind-the-scenes revelations. Mansky’s act of bearing witness allows us a better understanding of the machinations that enabled Putin to consolidate power in this pivotal period while questioning his own role in Putin´s bid for power. A truly chilling time capsule with a strong relevance today.

Vitaly Mansky, Latvia, Switzerland, Czech Republic 2018, 102 mins, English subtitles

Admission: £5
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/czech-documentary-now-putins-witnesses-tickets-588105478317