Navalny is powerful to watch although much of the nuance of the story is lost for non-Russian audiences who aren't familiar with all the ins and outs of the history of one of Russia's leading opposition leaders. As a western audience we watch appalled at the shocking treatment of a political figure who challenges the authoritarian leadership of his country, but the film feels almost fantastical without a deeper understanding of the context and history which allows this sort of story to play out. And much of that history and context is missing.
This may not be the fault of the film. How could a film capture all that one might need to know to understand this sort of atrocity? The film makes some off hand references to certain events and even suggests at one point that Navalny may not be perfect, but without a more in depth knowledge much of the richness of this story is lost. Still, the history of this man and his persecution remains powerful and the film does a wonderful job of helping bring the plight of opposition in Russia to light. It is a strong reminder of what a threat Putin plays to the world and just how hard it is to challenge that.
Navalny
Director: Daniel Roher
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