11/08/2022

The New Greatness Case unfolds the story of unjust trials and prison sentences against Russian young activists, which share the dream for a free and a just society. Anya (17) and her family are protagonists of this film. She was an ordinary teenager who dreamed of making life in Russia better, but in March 2018, she was arrested and incarcerated on fabricated charges of extremism. After this her mother continues her desperate fight to prove her daughter’s innocence.
Director Anna Shishova in the Q&A session, after the screening in DokuFest, explained to audience that her film shows the repression of authorities in Russia.
“I wanted to make a film about repressions in Russia long ago before I heard about the New Greatness Case. We had political cases, almost every month. But this story touched me on a very personal level, because when I got to the first press conference, where I met parents of Anja and hearing the story how she was arrested really shocked me so deep, that I realized that after this information I cannot be the same person again”.
The process of filmmaking according to her went on for quite a long period. “We started to film in 2018 and followed them till the very end of trial. It was a bloody process for the arrested guys as well as for the film crew”.
Shishova managed to build an intimate relation with Anja and her family, but she also used some hidden camera footage. “Activists from a human rights organization who provided the legal help to the people who were arrested and lawyers of Anja, they really wanted a film to be made, so some of the footage were part of the case materials. But we couldn’t show this footage to anybody before the verdict. After the verdict we could publish it”. 
She also mentioned that the film crew endured a psychological pressure from the authorities. 
”We were followed all the time. But we were careful and we were in touch with human rights organization, as we did our best to be safe”.
While talking about the current events in Russia, Shishova also stressed that because of these kind of unjust trials the active part of society is exhausted or in despair and that now they mainly act in hidden ways. “I really admire and support them”.

Photo Credits: Kushtrim Haxha