Lovesusti The Worst Film Ever

Lawbolisted Powerful

BelSports This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Scarlet The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Sindre Kaspersen British producer and documentary filmmaker Mike Lerner and Russian producer and documentary filmmaker Maxim Pozdorovkin's documentary feature which they produced, premiered in the World Cinema Documentary Competition section at the 29th Sundance Film Festival in 2013, was shot on locations in Russia and is a Russia-UK co-production. It tells the story about a Russian citizen in her twenties from a town called Norilsk, Russia named Nadezhda Andreevna Tolokonnikova who in the late 2000s joined a group called Voina with her husband named Pyotr Verzilov, a Russian citizen in her twenties from Moscow, Russia named Maria Vladimirovna Aliokhina whose favorite word as a child started with the letter U and consisted of five letters and a Russian citizen in her thirties from Moscow, Russia named Ykaterina Stanislavovna Samutsevich who became interested in something after reading French philosophers. Distinctly and subtly directed by documentary filmmakers Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorovkin, this quietly paced documentary which is narrated from multiple viewpoints though mostly from the band members' point of view, draws an informative and humanistic portrayal of the front figures of a 21st century Punk rock protest band who made themselves known by conducting performances in public places like the Red Square without having asked for permission beforehand which is obligatory there, and whom after planning a new protest at the Russian parliament called State Duma and performing a protest against the union of state and church on the altar of a renowned cathedral in early 2012 aiming to take Christianity away from the official church and give it back to its origins was arrested, put on trial, convicted for hooliganism and relocated to expiate in penal colonies in Russia. While notable for its atmospheric milieu depictions and reverent cinematography by cinematographer Antony Butts, this narrative-driven story about a federal semi-presidential republic where the president is head of state and a generation who doesn't agree with the politics of the current regime and who practices oppositional art to voice their opinions, which through interviews with family members, attorneys, government officials, Russian citizens and Pussy Riot themselves describes a Russia where its people wishes to live in an ordinary country and which was made twenty-tree years after a German rock band sang the words: "The wind of change blows straight into the face of time …" contains a timely score by composer Simon Russell. This somewhat biographical, historic and remarkable testimony of real events which is set mostly in Russia in the 21st century and where the ruling government passes amendments as they please whilst a group of distinguishable Russian daughters and mothers who are against some of their political policies and with musical instruments, lyrics and balaclavas expresses their views regarding their country of origin which they think is depriving them of their entitlement to influence its fate, creates humorous though far from publicly respectful or lawfully justifiable works of art which has heart, humor, audacity and social intellect beyond its appearance, is impelled and reinforced by its cogent narrative structure, rhythmic continuity, trial and archival footage, photographs and comment by Masha: "It lives in the word. It will go on living because of glasnost." A dense and concentrated documentary feature.

m-martin-77 I think it is very courageous of Pussy Riot to protest against Putin and his compact with the orthodox church. Although they were sentenced to a labor camp, they continued their protest against the Putin regime after they were amnestied. In a democratic society, different subjectives must be allowed and it is very important to document that people protest against suppression and propaganda in spite of personal dangers. Much of the film shows the proceedings against the group, and anyone who followed the trials knows the outcome. By the way - I found a very funny "documentation" about the true story of the release of Pussy Riot on you tube. It's named "free nadezhda". I hope more people in Russia realize the dangers of an autocratic regime.

l_rawjalaurence Some North American reviewers have dismissed PUSSY RIOT - A PUNK PRAYER for its lack of objectivity in its presentation of the three Russian girls, who dared to perform punk songs at the altar in Moscow's Orthodox Cathedral. I think that 'subjectivity' is precisely the film's point; the girls were tried and sentenced according to the subjective will of the Russian government. In a truly democratic society, different subjectivities are allowed, but not in Putin's Russia, where the girls are expected to apologize for their 'crimes' before being sentenced. Mike Lerner and Martin Pozdorovkin's film unfolds over the course of six months, taking in the performances of Pussy Riot, the trial and its aftermath. While you might not agree with what the girls actually did, they do have a point; they were simply trying to express their views, not incite religious hatred (as the authorities accused them of doing). In the current context, where individual struggles for freedom are being experienced in other territories, as well as Russia (Egypt, the Turkish Republic), PUSSY RIOT - A PUNK PRAYER offers a salutary lesson: the girls are not alone in trying to assert their democratic rights to free speech. Hopefully this film will be given a wide distribution, to make viewers worldwide aware of its important message.

Boyd Anyone with a brain and their eyes open isn't stupid enough to believe in ANY god ... The more stupid in society just believe anything the ruling classes encourage them to do so they can manipulate and control ... They are like sheep ... These girls are great and to be applauded ... And thats from a 57 year old man who isn't Russian or a feminist ... How do you think in 20 years Russia went from a communist state to somewhere where there is an outbreak of billionaires and everyone else has nothing just like before ? ... Open your eyes and see ... Question what you are told ... Otherwise the world will be dead in 2 generations ... It really is that simple