While Russia might claim to be a democracy, not even the most gullible person could seriously believe that there are fair and open elections in the country. Indeed, since he came to power in 2000, Vladimir Putin has gradually and systematically eroded freedoms of speech and protest. There is next to no official opposition in the ‘Motherland’ and any dissenting voices tend to turn up dead or face extended prison sentences on trumped-up charges.
Journalists have not escaped the beady eyes of the Kremlin. Indeed, the free press in Russia is virtually non-existent anymore. Driven out by a pressure applied by the authorities and prohibitive new laws. In 2008, Natasha, a newly rich woman, founded an independent TV station called Dozhd. Along with a group of likeminded staff, she aimed to speak truth to power. F@ck This Job follows their progress.
F@ck This Job is a lively portrait of a utopian ideal which runs smack into the realities of operating under a repressive regime. You can argue the whole enterprise was naïve but if people aren’t willing to hold those in charge to account, then everything is lost. Vera Krichevskaya’s documentary paints the picture of a country where freedom of press has disappeared. Replaced by propaganda and disinformation. F@ck This Job is an important film about the important of journalism in an increasingly polarised world.
F@ck This Job screens at International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam.
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