Sherri L. VandenAkker
This documentary is a must-see for anyone who doubts that terrifying sexism (much in the name of religion) and political repression exist, that young people are extremely courageous, and that art has the power to liberate the mind, heart, and spirit. This documentary will give you respect for Pussy Riot members, their families, and their sympathizers, yet help you understand why Pussy Riot's detractors feel so threatened by the group.Although much of the film covers legal proceedings against the group, and anyone who followed the trials and news related to the group knows the outcome, the film never drags. The filmmakers also give a brief but insightful look at some of the forces behind the the charged social and political environment in Russia, particularly around religion and social protest.Well-done film!
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.
prettycleverfilmgal
It's challenging for North Americans to grasp that there's still danger in speaking your mind in many places in the world. So while we all knew of Russian punk collective Pussy Riot and we all heard about the arrest and prosecution of three of its members after an impromptu performance of "Punk Prayer – Mother of God, Chase Putin Away!" on the soleas of Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior, we might have been left a little befuddled about the exact magnitude of the uproar. The documentary Pussy Riot – A Punk Prayer, from directors Mike Lerner and Maksim Pozdorovkin, goes a very long way in casting light on the situation.The power of "punk" is hackneyed in the West by now, but Pussy Riot and members Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina, Yekaterina Samutsevich prove that in the more repressive areas of the world it still has the power to provoke. And while the women of Pussy Riot became a cause célèbre in the West, with such supporters as Madonna, Yoko Ono, and Amnesty International, we learn from Pussy Riot – A Punk Prayer that the opinion of the Russian public was far more complicated and divided. While there's no doubt where the bias of this doc lies, the directors do an admirable job of documenting the turmoil surrounding three young women who stand on the courage of their convictions.Pussy Riot – A Punk Prayer is one to see. If you're not lucky enough to be in Toronto during HotDocs 13 or you can't score a ticket to any of the 3 screenings, HBO has bought the film and announced plans to air it June 2013.
JustCuriosity
Pussy Riot seemed to be well-received at Austin's SXSW Film Festival. While many people had seen news reports about the arrest and trial of these three young women who are part of Pussy Riot – described as a feminist punk-rock collective – this documentary provides much more detail on these events. The film is informative as it examines how they were tried essentially a hate crime for performing a highly offensive song at Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Savior on February 21, 2012. The trial was somewhat similar to a trial for blasphemy. The film was interesting and informative, but not terribly creative as a documentary film. Much of the film was simply edited tapes of the trial coverage and other secondary news coverage. There was some background material on the young women and interviews with their parents to provide some context for the events. I would say that the events themselves were more inherently interesting than the filmmakers' treatment of them. Still, since the film has been picked up by HBO it appears that many more Americans will get a chance to learn about this Moscow Show Trial and the tragic deterioration of Russian democracy under Vladimir Putin that this trial serves to demonstrate. Certainly, these brave young women deserve our sincere praise and respect for their efforts to promote freedom in Russia.
AD
