Putin's Witnesses | Essential ✭ |

: Shows a "younger, more agile" Putin who is surprisingly comfortable being directed on camera, even discussing his choice to reinstate the Soviet national anthem .

: Mansky highlights the "war room" staff from 2000, noting that most have since become political foes, fled the country, or died under suspicious circumstances . Putin's Witnesses

: Features a poignant scene where Boris Yeltsin waits by the phone on election night for a call from his successor—a call that never comes . : Shows a "younger, more agile" Putin who

: It documents the transition from Boris Yeltsin to Putin, starting with Yeltsin’s unexpected resignation on December 31, 1999 . : It documents the transition from Boris Yeltsin

: The title refers to both the public figures in the film—Yeltsin, Gorbachev, and Putin—and the director himself, who later came to view his own work as an act of complicity in creating Putin's image . 🔑 Key Themes & Scenes

: Reveals how "heartwarming" scenes, like Putin visiting his former teacher, were carefully staged for public consumption . 🌍 Impact and Availability PUTIN'S WITNESSES (SVIDETELI PUTINA) - AFI FEST