PODCAST | Nicolò Comotti interviews Alex Gibney, director of the film Citizen K.
Alex Gibney, the prolific documentary director, sits down with us to reveal his latest work: Citizen K. Centred around the figure of Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the extremely wealthy Russian oligarch turned political exile and anti-Putin militant, Citizen K is an impressive document on how the wild wild East unravelled since the fall of the Soviet Union and through Putin it strives to return to its powerful, monolithic grandeur. Citizen K is out of competition in Venice 76.
Citizen K: In 2003, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, one of the richest men in Russia, began a ten-year sentence for tax evasion. Many believed his downfall was challenging then newly elected president Vladimir Putin. During his time in a Siberian prison, Khodorkovsky became a world-famous dissident. Today, exiled in London, he continues to battle Putin’s 19-year hold on power. Exquisitely photographed in the UK, Russia and Germany, Citizen K examines power in Russia.
"Always" by Deming Chen, produced by Hansen Lin: an exploration of childhood in rural China and the power of poetry. A lyrical and sensitive depiction of a young boy's life that offers a unique perspective.
Hsu Ya-Ting (director) and Huang Yin-Yu (producer) of "Island of the Winds" discuss the importance of remembering forgotten stories and the long journey to bring this powerful documentary to the screen.
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Ben Rivers, director of "Mare's Nest", discusses exploring themes of non-violent anarchy, hope in a dark world, and the importance of storytelling in his latest film.