Rebellion: the Litvinenko Case
Encyclopedia
Rebellion: The Litvinenko Case is a 2007 Russia
n documentary film
covering the death of ex-Russian spy and dissident
, Alexander Litvinenko
, who was assassinated in London
, United Kingdom
in 2006. It was directed by Russian filmmaker Andrei Nekrasov
and written by Nekrasov and producer Olga Konskaya.
The film includes interviews with Litvinenko, which, according to the makers shows him "explaining the reasons of his rebellion and detailing the rise of the police state in Russia in the past decade." They claim that his defection, his claim that Putin wanted his spooks to assassinate the Yeltsin-era tycoon Boris Berezovsky, and "investigation of the alleged involvement of [the] FSB in the 1999 bombings of apartment houses in Moscow
, which was blamed on the Chechens
and served as the pretext for the war
, made him the sworn enemy of the Kremlin
" and possibly led to his death.
"Nekrasov claims that the culture of fear and secrecy triumphantly survived the end of the Soviet Union. The surviving authoritarianism and paranoia were welded to a new worship of money and gangsterism." The documentary also includes interviews with assassinated journalist Anna Politkovskaya
.
in 2007, where it was selected for the main programme. The film however has been banned in Russia. When human rights organisation Memorial
was raided by the Russian authorities in November 2008 for alleged involvement in anti-Semitic publications, many observers suspected that the real reason was because it had screened Rebellion: The Litvinenko Case in St Petersburg on November 23, the second anniversary of Mr Litvinenko’s death. The Russian government has denied the accusation that the screening was related to the raid.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
covering the death of ex-Russian spy and dissident
Dissident
A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively challenges an established doctrine, policy, or institution. When dissidents unite for a common cause they often effect a dissident movement....
, Alexander Litvinenko
Alexander Litvinenko
Alexander Valterovich Litvinenko was an officer who served in the Soviet KGB and its Russian successor, the Federal Security Service ....
, who was assassinated in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 2006. It was directed by Russian filmmaker Andrei Nekrasov
Andrei Nekrasov
Andrei Lvovich Nekrasov is a Russian film and TV director from Saint Petersburg.Andrei Nekrasov studied acting and directing at the State Institute for Theater and Film in his native Saint Petersburg. He studied comparative literature and philosophy at the University of Paris, taking a master's...
and written by Nekrasov and producer Olga Konskaya.
Content
The film covers the flight from Russia and subsequent murder of Litvinenko, a controversial Russian dissident living in London. Litvinenko was murdered with the radioactive poison Polonium-210 in 2006, triggering a souring in relations between Russia and Britain (and the West in general).The film includes interviews with Litvinenko, which, according to the makers shows him "explaining the reasons of his rebellion and detailing the rise of the police state in Russia in the past decade." They claim that his defection, his claim that Putin wanted his spooks to assassinate the Yeltsin-era tycoon Boris Berezovsky, and "investigation of the alleged involvement of [the] FSB in the 1999 bombings of apartment houses in Moscow
Russian apartment bombings
The Russian apartment bombings were a series of explosions that hit four apartment blocks in the Russian cities of Buynaksk, Moscow, and Volgodonsk in September 1999, killing 293 people and injuring 651. The explosions occurred in Buynaksk on 4 September, Moscow on 9 and 13 September, and...
, which was blamed on the Chechens
Chechnya
The Chechen Republic , commonly referred to as Chechnya , also spelled Chechnia or Chechenia, sometimes referred to as Ichkeria , is a federal subject of Russia . It is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Northern Caucasus mountains. The capital of the republic is the city of Grozny...
and served as the pretext for the war
Second Chechen War
The Second Chechen War, in a later phase better known as the War in the North Caucasus, was launched by the Russian Federation starting 26 August 1999, in response to the Invasion of Dagestan by the Islamic International Peacekeeping Brigade ....
, made him the sworn enemy of the Kremlin
Kremlin
A kremlin , same root as in kremen is a major fortified central complex found in historic Russian cities. This word is often used to refer to the best-known one, the Moscow Kremlin, or metonymically to the government that is based there...
" and possibly led to his death.
"Nekrasov claims that the culture of fear and secrecy triumphantly survived the end of the Soviet Union. The surviving authoritarianism and paranoia were welded to a new worship of money and gangsterism." The documentary also includes interviews with assassinated journalist Anna Politkovskaya
Anna Politkovskaya
Anna Stepanovna Politkovskaya was a Russian journalist, author, and human rights activist known for her opposition to the Chechen conflict and then-President of Russia Vladimir Putin...
.
Reaction
The film received its world premiere at the Cannes Film FestivalCannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
in 2007, where it was selected for the main programme. The film however has been banned in Russia. When human rights organisation Memorial
Memorial (society)
Memorial is an international historical and civil rights society that operates in a number of post-Soviet states. It focuses on recording and publicising the Soviet Union's totalitarian past, but also monitors human rights in post-Soviet states....
was raided by the Russian authorities in November 2008 for alleged involvement in anti-Semitic publications, many observers suspected that the real reason was because it had screened Rebellion: The Litvinenko Case in St Petersburg on November 23, the second anniversary of Mr Litvinenko’s death. The Russian government has denied the accusation that the screening was related to the raid.