‘My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow’ Review: An Intimate Documentary Epic About Journalists at War

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Julia Loktev’s “My Undesirable Friends: Part I – Last Air in Moscow,” spanning approximately five-and-a-half hours and divided into five extensive chapters, bears more resemblance to Leo Tolstoy’s “War and Peace” than conventional documentary journalism. The first installment of a two-part series focusing on independent journalists, it reveals its intricate plot early on: As the story unfolds, Russia is depicted as launching a comprehensive invasion of Ukraine. Although capturing this war was not Loktev’s original intention, the film’s development – in terms of both narrative and DIY production – plays a crucial role in its content.

Initially focusing on Loktev’s friends and associates being labeled “foreign agents” by the Russian government, the story unfolds dynamically. At one point, it has to change its main character due to escalating practical issues stemming from the ongoing conflict. Despite Loktev’s original plan to collaborate with a skilled cameraman, she ultimately captures a significant portion of the film using her outdated iPhone X, resulting in stark, authentic tones and an unusual closeness often absent in political documentaries.

One question that may cross many viewers’ minds is: Can this documentary maintain one’s attention for 324 minutes, even with an intermission? The answer is a confident “Yes, indeed, more than you might expect.” This is largely due to the extensive, informal atmosphere the film establishes in its initial three parts (each approximately an hour long), which employs snippets of conversation, news clips, and even the subjects’ typed reports as on-screen text. The filmmaker, Soviet-born American Loktev, may be an outsider, but through Ann Nemzer, a diligent mother navigating Russia’s oppressive regime while trying to do what is right, and Loktev’s co-director, we gain a unique perspective into the Moscow journalism scene.

Nemzer is employed by the autonomous news platform TV Rain, which features the discussion program “Who’s Got The Power?” that spotlights activists advocating for constructive changes in Russian politics. Recently, regulations have compelled outlets like Rain and their journalists to label themselves as foreign agents in extensive disclaimers. However, these subjects of the show have cleverly reinterpreted this requirement.

Watching “My Undesirable Friends: Part I” immerses you in the lives of its characters, making you swiftly adapt to not just their busy newsroom atmosphere, but also their casual language and cultural references. Even if you don’t leave the movie fluent in Russian, there’s a chance you might find yourself saying “Garry Potter” instead of “Harry Potter,” given how often the fantasy series is referenced as a comparison for Russia’s political regression.

These connections might seem old-fashioned or dated to some viewers, but in this film, they serve as the driving force behind the lively dialogue, briefly appearing before vanishing to make way for crucial information about key players in Russian power dynamics. The movie’s captions underscore a looming crisis, and the chilling undertones of Sami Buccella’s minimalist yet haunting soundtrack only heighten the sense of impending doom.

In the film they co-edited, Loktev skillfully employs pauses as a powerful dramatic tool, yet manages to avoid monotony through continuous dialogue. This conversation, whether it’s about personal matters like families and hidden relationships among journalists, or discussions on potential repercussions of their actions, maintains its freshness. It might be due to the diverse cast Loktev has to work with, but it could also be because these characters live in a reality that breaks norms daily, where normalcy involves juggling the cheerful, mundane, and grim simultaneously, even over meals and drinks. These layers are portrayed realistically and affectionately, infusing each new backstory with a vibrant, complex human essence.

A sequel named “My Undesirable Friends: Part II – Exile” has been filmed and set for release later this year. Until then, “Part I” delves into political upheaval as much as it explores journalism and community unity amidst escalating legal challenges and encroaching authoritarian rule. The story takes a dramatic turn when the February 2022 invasion occurs, disrupting the lives of the characters (and the documentary) significantly. By the third hour, attention is shifted to a novice journalist, Ksenia Mironova, whose partner is imprisoned by the state and must ultimately decide to leave Russia as Putin’s crackdown on war reporting intensifies.

In the second part of the film, the strong bond among the journalists becomes the main focus, leading up to breathtaking, unbelievable scenes that seem almost too real to have been filmed. Director Loktev skillfully captures the tension as events unfold, creating a heart-racing atmosphere when everything starts falling apart. The end result is an intensely personal yet grand political portrait, depicting the act of standing up against power and doing so united.

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2025-02-22 20:16