The Term

Logline

The chess game of Russian politics: a view from the inside how to be an oppositionist in Putin’s Russia.

Synopsis

The documentary project The Term was conceived in May 2012. When the directing trio commenced mapping the Russian sociopolitical landscape, Vladimir Putin had just settled into the Kremlin for his third term. The original experimental format of “documentary bulletins,” which were published daily online, allowed for wide-ranging content; in the feature film version, however, the filmmakers focused solely on the members of various opposition groups. Nevertheless, the work’s neutral position remains and viewers have to interpret the objectively presented situations for themselves. The main characteristics of this strongly authentic movie include close contact with the protagonists, precise editing, and an effectively controlled release of information. A comprehensive film with high testimonial value which arches over the lives of men and women for whom protest became their raison d’être, The Term provides a chilling discourse on democratic rights and freedoms, the relationship of state power toward differently thinking groups, and the tendency of the masses to seek out charismatic leaders.