In February 2012, a group of musicians stormed Moscow's Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, clad in brightly coloured balaclavas. They delivered a shambolic forty second musical performance, stating their distaste of the Kremlin. For these members of feminist art collective Pussy Riot, the ramifications turned out to be far more serious than they initially realised - while also unexpectedly causing a new worldwide movement railing against their oppression.
Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorovkin's documentary captures six months in the lives of the three accused Pussy Riot members, Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina, Yekaterina Samutsevich. The film follows the group's plans both before and after the controversial performance, which was designed to speak out against the influence of the church on state matters.
For Nadia, Masha, and Katia, however, their provocative activism resulted in far worse consequences than they could have expected - convicted of religious hatred, each sentenced to two years' imprisonment. Equally, the prosecution (or persecution) of the trio shone a light on Russian justice and government in a manner that officials would never have wished for. Support for Pussy Riot came from around the world, with even the likes of Peaches and Madonna joining the cause.
'Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer' charts the change in demeanour of its central trio, as they transform from the childish and naive (this was far from their first performance/offence) into eloquent and articulate activists. Its greatest success comes in the candid nature of its interviews with supportive family members and strong dissidents, bringing a much needed human element to complement the heavy political ideology of the documentary.
The film delivers a surprisingly humourous and irreverent tone at times, perhaps recognising the slightly ridiculous nature of the whole situation. We learn that Masha loved the Spice Girls (especially Victoria), while Katia's dad somewhat hilariously asks his daughter why she couldn't "find a better place to promote your strange beliefs?" Nadia, Masha, and Katia themselves often provide amusement, despite their troubles.
'Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer' wisely quotes Bertolt Brecht toward its beginning, suggesting "art is not a mirror to hold up to society, but a hammer with which to shape it." Indeed, to some extent, the film lives those words itself, sparing a sparse explanation for the wider context. However, as a tight-knit portrait of three young activists, the documentary proves compelling.
★★★★
(8/10)
(8/10)
'Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer' is out in UK cinemas now, through Independent Pictures.
We're a collaborative British music, film and TV blog. "Trying to find the perfect match between pretentious and pop."
