Thursday – Saturday / March 13 – 15 / 7 pm
Sunday, March 16 / 2 pm
Wednesday, March 19 / 7 pm
Directed by Mike Lerner & Maxim Pozdorovkin
2012, UK, 86 min
Russian w/English subtitles
Special Jury Award Winner at Sundance, this superb documentary is a portrait of the feminist guerilla punk art collective Pussy Riot whose open defiance of the Russian Orthodox Church and President Vladamir Putin led to criminal charges and imprisonment. Though five members were involved with the protest only three were arrested—Nadia Tolokonnikova, Masha Alyokhina, and Katia Samutsevich who have become the media spokesmen. Featuring exciting footage of their original protest, interviews with family members, and dramatic courtroom footage of their trial, the film reveals an inspiring story of their collective fight for human rights. Though
released from prison since the film was made, the members of the collective continue to work towards social justice in Russian society.
The screening of Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer is generously sponsored by Victoria Lehman, Film Worlds Research Cluster, UMIH, University of Manitoba, Centre for Professional and Applied Ethics, University of Manitoba and the Department of English, Film, and Theatre, University of Manitoba, Shawna Dempsey and Sig Laser.
