Putin’s Witnesses

In 1999, when I was going to watch evening news, I automatically knew that the first event will about how spent this day then president Boris Yeltsin and the next story with whom met known now officially as president of Russia Vladimir Putin whose in those times was Executive Chairman of Russian Government. It looked suspicious that big attention gives to a man with such functions. There were days when KGB (or right to say FSB, but it doesn’t has a mean.) were taking the power of shattered empire.  

On this frontier of millennium and direction of Russia filmmaker Vitaliy Manskiy was working on personal films about Mikhail Gorbachyov, Boris Yeltsin and Vladimir Putin and he had access to inner of every of them. No one of these documentaries happened. After almost two decades director compiled from filmed reels the movie about changing times with capturing of unique moments of those who sat on the emperor’s throne and who takes it now. Watching of Putin’s Witnesses spiked me of dark atmosphere of taking power. I saw disgusting filled of guile faces and was ready to believe in absurd Lombroso’s theory. Behind Gorbachyov’s usual slyness in words can find a regret in actions where was allowed more administration independence for Soviet states. The head of Yeltsin House wished to be Deng Xiaoping and looked for successor with stay in political influence. He had imperialist views, but was a wise man and understood in ruling of Russia. Passion in often drinking of high degree alcohol harmed his health, but he stayed in mind while his daughter Tatiana was making own impact and Manskiy allows to see and feel it. I wasn’t happy in too family moments and scenes when sometimes it were happening in director’s own family where I especially disliked when he could for art film a scene with bathing young daughter where in all of this I saw unlikeable Russian wild mentality. Tatiana’s grin smile on Putin’s winning when she thinks that will have a place and her father’s disappointment is one of those caught reactions, which impress. Putin wasn’t far from people then, but he always be a man which is knowing now. KGB was a base of his promotion to the throne, and Putin stays in their dependence, because for sure they have the exposing materials what allows to control. Sometimes director asks questions and, for his documentary, he chose very important. Maybe in moment when Putin said that he wishes to leave once his post was of rarest when he said truth or maybe again lied on camera, but what’s right – he’s same imperialist as predecessors. Manskiy made a spectacular film.