Doc Talk Podcast: Julia Loktev and the Documentary “My Unwanted Friends” – Journalists Who Dared to Report from Russia Independently
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, Russian President Vladimir Putin has a habit of expelling independent and free-thinking individuals from his country – those who believe in democratic values and independent thought.
This reality was depicted in the Oscar-winning documentary Mr. Nobody vs. Putin, which tells the story of a beloved teacher in eastern Russia who was exiled for opposing the Kremlin’s propaganda programs following the country’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine. A similar fate befalls the subjects of the documentary My Unwanted Friends: Part One – Last Breath in Moscow. Directed by Julia Loktev and set to premiere exclusively on the Mubi platform this Friday, the film follows the lives of journalists – most of them young women – who, due to independent reporting, have been effectively labeled enemies of the state.
Loktev spoke about her ambitious project and its sequel on the latest episode of the Doc Talk podcast, hosted by Oscar-winner John Ridley (12 Years a Slave, Shirley) and Matt Cri, Deadline’s senior documentary editor. Part One of the documentary runs nearly five and a half hours. The director, born in the Soviet Union and raised in the United States, says filming in Moscow began in 2021, when few inside or outside the country anticipated Russia would launch a brutal attack on its neighbor. At that time, journalists like Anna Nemzer, a TV Rain anchor, were under strict government scrutiny and forced to declare themselves “foreign agents.” Loktev explains that this labeling was part of the Kremlin’s effort to discredit journalists who deviated from the party line.
Loktev also highlights one of the story’s compelling aspects: viewers see themselves reflected in the documentary’s participants. She jokingly notes that her subjects “watch Emily in Paris with disgust” and shop at Zara and H&M – activities that make them relatable to a Western audience. The only difference is that these young women often had to quickly pack their belongings into suitcases and flee before being detained by federal agents.
Loktev also offered a preview of My Unwanted Friends Part Two, which is expected to be a serious awards contender upon its release later this year.
This new episode of the Doc Talk podcast is a collaboration between Deadline and Ridley’s Nō Studios and is available on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify, iHeart, and Apple.
