In today’s Russia, speaking out against the war in Ukraine or Vladimir Putin’s regime has become a criminal offense. Thousands of ordinary citizens are being arrested, tried, and imprisoned. They are called the “Politzek”, the political prisoners. Filmed clandestinely over the course of nearly a year, "Politzek: Voices That Defy the Kremlin" gives voice to those who, despite the fear, refuse to remain silent. Through the intertwined stories of a teenager sentenced to five years in prison, a human rights activist, a theater director, and mothers fighting to free their children, the film sheds light on Russia’s machinery of repression. With rare footage, fragile yet defiant voices, Politzek offers a deeply human portrait of silenced resistance.
