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November 28, 2025 – Russia –
A new documentary is drawing stark attention to the fate of independent journalism in Russia through the eyes of those who risked everything to speak truth to power. The film My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow — made by Julia Loktev — offers a raw, immersive portrait of young journalists who continued to report on societal abuses even after being tagged as “foreign agents” by the Russian government.
Loktev began filming in Moscow in October 2021, capturing daily life inside the independent media outlet TV Rain (Dozhd) and following a group of reporters as they navigated increasing pressure, intimidation, and state-imposed stigma on critical coverage. Among them was Anna Nemzer, a talk-show host, who, alongside colleagues, refused to self-censor despite their outlets facing closure.
The documentary unfolds in five chapters, beginning in the months before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and tracking the erosion of press freedoms in real time. Through intimate footage — filmed on an iPhone over many months — the viewers see journalists at work in studios, at home, or hanging out in cafés, grappling with fear, uncertainty, and absurdity. Some confronted trials over their status as “foreign agents,” while others joked about bugged apartments or sudden arrests.
As the film proceeds, the mood darkens. The invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 became a turning point, forcing many journalists to abandon their lives and flee Russia. A reporter named Ksenia Mironova is shown wrestling with whether to stay behind or join the exodus, especially after her fiancé is imprisoned on questionable charges of treason.
Despite the brutal crackdown and powerful sense of loss, the film refuses to reduce these journalists to victims. Their camaraderie, gallows humor, and shared purpose shine through. Activities as mundane as baking a cake or watching television at night betray an underlying resilience. What emerges is less a portrait of despair than of defiance — of individuals dedicated to creating a record of truth even under extreme pressure.
“My Undesirable Friends” may be nearly five and a half hours long, but it delivers one of the most powerful cinematic statements of the year about the cost of journalism — and about the enduring spirit of those who refuse to stay silent.
reference –
https://www.npr.org/2025/11/28/nx-s1-5621004/my-undesirable-friends-review-russia
