Original subtitles

Do you still think that the world is vast?

That if there is a war in one place, it has no bearing on another?

And that you can sit it out in peace, ignoring all that you see?

We continued to slumber as if the war being fought within our borders was not

already in its fifth year.

As if Chechnya was as far from Europe as the moon.

Anna Politkovskaya. I want to see the test results.

That's not our normal procedure.

Oh, she's not a normal patient.

Sorry, are you a relative?

No, I'm her boss.

The results should be here.

I know because I printed them out earlier.

You think they got deleted somehow?

Not only her test results, there's no record of her ever being admitted.

She's a fighter.

Her mother will live.

What is it? We need to get her out of here.

Her records are missing.

Are you sure about this?

We don't have a choice.

It's not safe here.

They're gonna let her die.

Where are you?

Up. Two minutes.

Careful. Stop, stop, stop.

Is she okay?

We're hurrying.

Careful What

are

you doing the hospital almost 12 hours away if something happens are any of you

trained let's go Mission being slipping, but it should get you there

You're paranoid

you

Alexei, thank you.

Thank you, of course.

Let's get her inside the ICU.

As quick as you can.

Mind ahead.

Papa, they've run a thousand tests, but they know less than when they started.

Stupid, stupid woman.

I told her you can't keep poking the bear and expect her not to bite back.

So this is Mama's fault?

No, no, it's mine. It's mine.

I should have fought harder. I should have stopped her going to the fucking

country. I practically cheered her on.

No, hey, sweetheart.

Listen, your mum makes her own mind up. All you've ever done is loved her.

Just like she loved you and your brother.

Okay? You think about that.

Darling? You okay?

Vera? Yeah, you, um... You said loved?

Sorry, no, I... What? I mean... I'll call you if anything changes.

Is it okay if I pray?

Volkomaštel. Pradiakha Anapolitkovskaya pohuš.

Čoknicmachulcu. Vajná pachne.

Odicu.

Hello, I'm Anna.

Who would like some pencils?

Can I give you those? Thank you. Thank you.

So what happens to the ones who don't get a doctor?

If we can't place them in a home before they reach 18, they're transitioned.

So forced out just in time to get drafted.

No one's saying the system is perfect.

The system doesn't work.

Hello?

My name's Anna.

She won't speak.

We call her Angela.

For angel.

Russian soldiers found her wandering the outskirts of Grozny, not long after the

invasion began.

They thought she looked Russian, so they had her brought here.

So you're Chechen?

Shh.

Sorry.

I like your doll, Angela.

Hmm?

Did something bad happen to your darling Grozny?

Oh! Angela!

I know, it's... I'll get the director. No, please, please, it's... It's all

right. Don't... Don't punish her. It was my fault.

It's been too nosy.

Sasha, I know. I'm just staying. I may be a little... Yes. I know you're busy.

I'm busy too. Okay. Yes, we're busy people. Right, yes. Bye, Sasha. Bye,

bye, bye. Morning. Oh, morning. Bye.

Oh, thank you, Pamela. Thank you. We'll leave.

No, wait, whoa, whoa. No one is accusing anyone of corruption, all right? Our

reporters just want to ask you a few simple questions.

What kind of questions?

Well, for example, how does two and a half billion rubles allocated for public

building projects end up being used to build villas in the south of Spain for a

bunch of witchcraft?

You know what pisses me off?

Everything? Oh, besides that.

What, besides everything?

Oysters. What?

There's a restaurant in the Italian Alps that caters for wealthy Russians.

I've interviewed the owner. I thought you were writing about orphans. Do you

realise... They have eight kinds on the menu.

Orphans? Oysters flown in from all over the world.

Well, what's that got to do with the article?

Well, the budgets for state-run orphanages are being slashed. Kids are

going hungry. No one gives a damn. At least of all, the nouveau riche are

getting fat.

Exotic shellfish.

Yeah, I get it. What happened to your nose?

Well, doesn't it piss you off?

Well, yeah, it pisses me off, but what am I going to do?

I can't find the Berezovsky farm.

And don't let the things you write about upset you. They don't. I start off

upset, then I write.

Where did I put that bloody file?

What was it?

What's this?

Toffee. You don't like toffee? I like toffee.

I joke like rat turd. Well, you should work for a state run paper. I hear the

toffees there are excellent.

Yeah.

I hear the reporter's salaries are too.

Why are you here?

I just love spending time with you. You want an extension?

Two, three days?

One.

Thank you.

That'd be brilliant.

Yeah.

Now, you must be aware a lot of critics are calling your book flagrantly

nationalistic. You say that like it's a bad thing.

I say it like the Soviet Union dissolved in 1990 and most people have since moved

on from the idea of a grander Russia.

If they have moved on from land won and fought for by the blood of their

forefathers, then they are weak and they are traitors.

That is...

An opinion, isn't it? If you like it, The Grander Russia by our guest tonight,

Professor Vorobyov.

Something different tomorrow. I look forward to seeing you then.

Good night.

And we're out. Holy shit.

Thanks.

Your new friend looks particularly jolly. Who, Frankenstein's nephew?

Secret police.

Stamped on his face.

I don't know why we get all the attention. It's not like I'm calling for

regime change live on TV.

Why not?

Because, darling, the man has only just come to power and it'll be impolite.

Well, then call him out for what he is. An ex-KGB goon obsessed with lining his

own pockets.

That's a great idea.

I remember a time when you wouldn't have thought twice.

I remember a time when you knew how to duck a punch.

So, how was your day at the cold face of truth, my darling?

Well, no one knows what happened to her parents. I mean, dead, probably.

She won't say.

You couldn't drag it out of her.

One nil to the orphan.

Not funny, Sasha.

I feel for the girl.

Just being impartial.

You should try it sometime.

Then it wouldn't be you, would you?

She's got a hell of a job.

Yeah, well, Putin hit her first.

Apart from your amazing rapport, how's the piece going?

Well, I've got one more interview, then I will write, Dimitri will publish,

and...

When Putin was assistant mayor of St. Petersburg, he was banking 25

% commission on thousands of unauthorized contracts for food

shipments, most of which came back short, in the middle of a food shortage.

Well, maybe look for any links of the local mafia.

Ernesto, anything new on Chechnya?

I was thinking, would it hurt to give him some credit once in a while?

Chechnya started this thing.

What, so they invaded themselves?

He put down a rebellion.

Barely 12 months later, all that's left is some mopping up. In my book, that's a

success story.

Sounds more like a fantasy.

Except I've sat down with three of Putin's top generals.

Generals? Well, did you have his mother on background?

And I was there.

In Grozny?

Wasn't on the list.

So the army dictates where you can go and what you can see. I mean, why pay

someone to go down there? Maybe we should publish the army's press releases

every week. I mean, whoa, think of the savings. All right, all right.

Ignore them.

Demetri, I, um... Well, I personally think our whole approach to Chechnya,

it's... Well, it's wrong.

I'm listening.

Well, maybe we should vary our point of view.

I mean, right now, it's... It's the Russian army's.

What if it was the Chechens?

I don't mean the rebels.

I've tried.

The few civilians I've met won't talk to me because I'm Russian.

What am I supposed to do?

Pretend I'm from Bolivia?

How's your Spanish?

All right.

That's it. Thank you.

She's right, you know.

What about Nesta?

He's naive. He learned. He's fucking useless.

And he's left his facts.

He's cheap.

No, if our readers want to be fed propaganda, they can read Tass or switch

on the TV. That's not what we're about.

You know who'd agree with that?

Well, here we go. The reason why Gorbachev set up this paper in the first

place and spent his Nobel Prize money doing it is so there'd be at least one

source of honest reporting.

I know.

I'm taking that photo now.

We don't need a war correspondent down there, Demetri.

Everyone's got one of those.

So what do we need?

Sorry to interrupt.

I read your orphanage piece.

You did a great job.

Thank you.

Oh, I... We've just been chatting with Puri.

And we agree with you. We don't think we need a war correspondent in Chechnya.

We need a people correspondent.

Oh, good.

Someone who's sensitive, empathetic, but also tough-minded and

willing to confront the powerful by asking hard questions.

even if it means pissing them off.

Ma, it'll be a week at most, and Ilya, it's my job.

I think it's a great idea. Thank you.

How is it a great idea?

I mean, how is going to a war zone even close to a great idea?

Maybe Ilya doesn't like Chechens.

Who said anything about Chechens? Or do you think because she's a woman, she

can't handle herself?

I only think a bullet cares.

I'm going to talk to people.

Some of whom happen to worship Allah and write about them.

And Papa?

I mean, he's okay with this?

Absolutely. That's the stupidest fucking thing I've ever heard in my life.

Did you know that the war between Russia and Chechnya is the longest ongoing

conflict in the world? I didn't say... Fuck's sake, hey.

I'm your husband, okay?

I'm the father of your kids.

I love you.

And I...

I need you to stick around.

So, no, it's not happening. You call Dimitri tomorrow, you tell him you've

changed your mind, right?

Right?

Have you finished?

I'm going, Sasha.

I'm going.

Oh, Christ.

All right, listen.

Listen, you give a copy of your passport and your itinerary to Dimitri. No, back

to both of us, and you don't go anywhere. Not one yard off.

where we've seen written down that you're going. Yes?

Yes, right.

Okay.

Jesus Christ, you're not going to fucking Disneyland.

People are killing each other. Do you understand? They're shooting each other.

They're blowing each other up. You get in the middle, then you're fucking dead

too.

Right. No, don't. Sasha, I... No, don't Sasha me.

You promised me you'll be careful.

I promise you that.

I'll really be careful.

Shh.

Oh.

Captain Teghenya, you know, as much as I'd like to submit an article about the

back of your head, it would be helpful if we could stop and talk to people.

Yeah, it would be. Stop it, Kiris. Not before.

Yes?

You know, maybe we don't stop at all.

First time in action?

Really cool, huh?

Come on, not again.

You can ignore him if you want. Well, she's not the only one who's been to a

war zone, you know.

We're all lined up behind a church wall. It's blowing up, bit by bit. Come on.

How many times? Everybody's heard it. It's a classic. I have heard this story

nine times. So, and the machine gun fires, like, come in, there's a belly of

wool there. And they stopped, and this guy jumps out, and he goes, Don't shoot,

man, we're journalists. I'm from the New York Times.

And the guy says, I know, I hate your crosswords.

Blows the whole place off.

I would be so frightened.

You probably weren't frightened at all.

Uh, I think I actually pissed my pants.

Sasha. I did.

Who was the scariest person you've ever met?

Um,

I wonder... Oh, is it? I thought it was Paul.

I thought you were all glad she isn't going back to Chechnya.

Awkward.

What's this? We need this moving now. Come on.

Come on, people.

Let's move it along.

Let's go now.

Come on.

The entire city's been emptied.

They're going to camp near the border.

Excuse me.

Excuse me. Would you talk to me?

Where are you?

Look, I'm a journalist. Would you talk?

I'm just trying... Why wouldn't anybody talk to me? Look.

What's happened?

I should know me.

Look, would you explain?

Please,

what... I just want to help.

I just want to help.

I'm just, look, I'm, I'm... Fuck this.

Fuck.

Dimitri?

Dimitri? Can you hear me?

It's... Oh, shit!

Hey.

Can I ask you something?

I thought the reporter's job was to report and not help her.

In the case of Russian reporters, the spoon feed.

Whatever version of the truth the Kremlin deems fit.

Well, that might be true for some.

But not all.

The paper I work for believes that people deserve the truth, not lies.

They're choking on lies.

Oh, you think the truth will go down easier?

Would you talk to me?

I took the word of a Russian reporter once.

I swear never again.

Shut up!

Blitkovsky, let's go.

Time's up. Go without me.

What did you say to me?

Come stay.

There's one thing lies between you and these vicious Chechen dogs.

The Russian armed forces.

The force is concerned for my welfare. You know, it's touching.

But I don't see any dogs on this road, vicious or otherwise. What I do see is

people desperate to flee Gosney. Now, why?

I don't know.

Suit yourself.

Let's run your own.

In the vehicle! Let's go!

I could do with a drink.

Look, I have to be sure what I've just done isn't going to get me killed.

As I can't be sure, I have to assume the risk.

I'm Anna Polakovskaya, by the way.

Anzor, if you really want to report the truth, I'll show you the difficult

things for you to see.

Great.

Can we go now?

You've entered the black hole of the world, Anna.

No light or truth escapes from here.

Hello? Hi, Helen.

My name's Anna. What's your name?

Please, who are you? What do you do here?

It's okay. This is Anna Politkovskaya. She wants to tell you a story. Russian?

Yes, I'm Russian. I'm a journalist for the Novaya Gazeta.

I know people like you are liars.

She's different.

What is your name?

Fatima.

Would you talk with me, Fatima?

Please?

If I talk, you tell my story.

And no lies.

I promise.

Thank you.

Come.

Would

it

be okay if I recorded you?

Yes.

Thank you.

Just put that on.

Baha loved me.

Never in his life did he hurt another human being.

I could always make him laugh.

That's what he loved about me.

My sense of humor.

Most men, they want to be the funny one, but Baha didn't care.

When I found his body, he had been shot several times.

Both ears cut off and kept as trophies.

I'll tell you who does this.

Russians.

. .

. .

When they find out you're a reporter, they cling to you as if you were a

magician, as if something essential depended on you.

This war is not being fought to reign in a rogue republic.

This war is being waged to advance the interests of one person, a president

intent on becoming the type of leader that Russia thought it had left in the

past.

A vain, brutal, power-hungry authoritarian.

Jesus.

You said you were going to be tough on him. You've dropped a bomb on his

doorstep. I was aiming for his lap.

You're certain blowing up the whole damn operation?

Well, then I'll add something about what a good father is and how much his

generals give to charities.

The hospital burns ward.

Move it up to the first paragraph, tone down the gore. Other than that, don't

change a word.

We're going to publish part of your report each week.

Thank you.

Before Putin, you know how Russians felt about themselves?

He made it okay for us to love our country again.

Some of us never stop.

We are hurtling back into a Soviet abyss.

an information vacuum that spells death from our own ignorance.

If you choose to be a journalist in Russia, you have to accept the risk.

Yes. It's a happy say.

It's beautiful, Mama.

But I, um... I don't know what it says.

Only from the heart can you touch the sky.

What's that noise?

Are those bombs?

No, it's a fire.

The 120th are making a push or preaching us something to brag about before the

election. Well, it sounds close.

I don't know. I'd say it's five kilometres away.

Yeah.

Hold on.

Step out of the car. Is there a problem?

Step out of the car.

Let me call your boss. No, Mama, wait.

Sorry. Move. Please, can you explain what the problem is?

Hey. So, where are you taking us? Well, shut the fuck up.

Journalist. Yes, I'm a journalist, and I'm certified to be here. But please,

please read.

Can you not touch...

Bastards. You should write a report. They could have killed you.

They're nobodies.

I'm not going to open people's eyes by feeding them.

I'm nobodies.

Well, next time, Anna, some nobody is likely to break more than your tape

recorder.

Hey.

Hey. Great ratings last night.

Best of the series.

Yesterday's news now.

Your wife, she's making quite a name for herself.

Well, she raised the kids while I made a name for myself, so it's only fair.

A bit reckless, do you think?

She says she's well aware of the danger she's in, so... But are you?

What's gonna happen to me?

She's gonna poke my eye out with a brush.

Have a great show.

Sorry, stuck at work.

She's on a mission.

It's not easy for any of us. All right, well, what if you'd found out that for

the past year, instead of running off to Chechnya all the time, she was running

into the arms of another man?

I mean, how would you feel then? Like sharing?

They shouldn't have sent her to a conflict.

She's a people correspondent.

She loves people.

That's who she is.

Thank you.

Today in her column, you know what she called him?

A gangster.

That's your mum.

Beautiful, tender, with all the tact of a T-90 tank.

People are starting to notice how much she hates him.

She hates me.

She hates the war.

Almost as much as she loves Chechens.

Hey, we're here to enjoy ourselves, remember?

Drink.

Were you never tempted to join the rebels?

You know, Anna, one day I'd woken up and a war had broken out.

Yes, most of my friends, they joined the rebels, but I didn't hate the Russians

enough to kill them, so... You know, some people think the only way to end

the war is by winning it.

May I say you end the war by ending it? Oh, oh.

We can't talk about something else? We have a guest in our home.

The war can wait.

I didn't give you a drink.

Come, come, come. I'm talking to give you a drink. Mama, you said do the

plate. This is Amina, Verena, Amir and Carla.

Come, come, come. So, tonight as a family we eat. And we drink. Thank you.

You know, it smells amazing.

Oh, Anna, you're in for a treat.

My mother, she makes the best jijik chorfa in Chechnya. Hey, hey, who raised

you, huh? What?

Need it.

Mama.

I picked it, I cleaned it, I cooked it, all by myself.

Mama, I did nothing. You do nothing, you never do anything. I'm the one who

picked it, so I don't know what you're cooking. That's a lie.

All right.

Don't listen to them, they're liars.

Well, I want to make a toast to Anna. Oh, no, no, no, no. For bringing hope

and light to the Chechen people.

For keeping your promise.

And I promise that I'll continue to keep it.

To Anna.

Anna. You see, my cousin Anzor is her personal driver.

They are very famous.

Isn't the target on my back big enough?

Time for sweet things, huh?

Have you ever met any of these men?

Never. They're Chechen civilians who disappeared on or around January the

2nd. Now, I've been in contact with people from the village who allege that

members of your militia unit detained these men, and then over a series of

days, and under your strict supervision.

subjected him to torture.

Do you know this, ma'am?

Salenbeck, Termanov.

Now, sources allege that you tortured Salenbeck before you dragged him to a

cell at the October district offices and killed him.

Do you care to comment?

You're accusing me of murder.

Sarenbeck's parents are.

Take down this statement.

I am an officer in the army of the Russian Federation.

Not a murderer.

But write your little story.

No one will read it beyond a few liberal faggots in Moscow.

It's true.

We don't have the number of readers of other papers.

But you see, there's only one number that matters to me.

And that's the number of prosecutors needed to bring charges of first-degree

murder against an officer of the Russian army.

And that number's one.

You do know I could slit your throat and let you bleed out like a pig.

Thank you for taking the time to talk to me, Major.

Now, if you don't mind, my driver is expecting me.

Morning. Morning.

What's happened to my desk?

It's... Well, it's neat.

Oh, it's probably the new intern.

She just showed up. She was a cut reporter for a local newspaper.

Says she wants to be a proper journalist.

Well, she wants to stay away from my desk.

I like you're pissed off.

That's how I want you to address the Security Council.

Thank you.

I'm Anna.

I know.

What are you doing right now?

Um, I'm making coffees.

Well, you're not going to learn how to be a journalist doing that, okay?

I want you to help me draft our statement to the U.A.

Call Natalia. Tell her that you work for me.

I want a list of every complaint against Russian troops in Chechnya in the last

six months. And then plan to spend the rest of the day making calls.

Oh, and I'll have a tea. No sugar.

I dislike Putin because he despises his people.

He sees us simply as a means to his ends. A means for the achievement and

retention of... power he believes he can do with us as he sees fit

because we are nobody while he who chances enabled to clamber to the top is

today czar and god in russia we have had

leaders with this outlook before it led to tragedy to bloodshed on a vast scale

and to civil wars i do not want that

I dislike this typical Soviet Chekist.

Well, I'm a member of the old secret police.

I know what Chekist means. No one outside Russia will.

Well, if I'd have known the Associated Press were going to pick up with him, I

would have phrased it differently.

I don't like this typical Soviet Chekist as he struts down the red carpet of the

Kremlin throne room as if he actually owns it.

The gold is polished. It shines.

Servants. Smile obediently.

Comrades, former KGB colleagues, promoted way beyond their limited

talents by his assumed dignified air. Jesus Christ.

Well, it's powerful.

Putin as emperor.

Something like that to say, I suppose.

Maybe someone in the position of power will take five minutes out of their busy

day and look up Chechnya on a map.

What? What are you looking at?

Nothing.

Excuse me.

Do you mind? No.

You're a writer.

It's just a guess.

You've got that haunted look of someone with a deadline to meet.

I wish I could write.

I'd write about history.

The old Tsars, Ivan, Peter.

Nowadays, you can say what you want about them and no one seems to care, but

back then... Anne, you have to be bloody careful what you said about the church.

It was all in the Starglove.

Do you know what that was?

It was a record of the Tsar's questions to the clergy and their responses.

It established the code of canon law.

And...

What writers were allowed to express.

These are amazing.

I can see why you come here every morning.

What are you?

You need to stop.

Stop what?

Criticizing the Tsar?

I understand it makes no difference to me.

I mean, personally, I enjoy your column.

I look forward to it.

Your passion, your concern for humanity, your fondness for the Chechen people.

All of that is commendable.

But it doesn't change your situation.

And what is my situation exactly?

It'd be nice to meet you.

Morning. Morning.

Hi.

Come on.

Oh, Gregor. Hi.

The, uh... Don't be a minute.

Sasha. Sasha.

Yeah. I need to have a little chat with you. Well, now I'm late.

Hey. Hey.

What's wrong?

Nothing.

Who is that?

It's no one.

Leave it, Ilya. Why is he staring at you?

I don't know. Just come on, Ilya.

Ilya, leave it, please.

Hey!

Oi!

This place is a mess.

I've been back a week. I can't get into it. No, it's his mess. He should clean

it.

Your father, well, he's... He's having a hard time. He hates not working. Stop

making excuses for him. Look, look, look, Ilya.

Hey.

It's OK.

No, it's not OK.

It's not.

None of this is OK.

Not Papa.

Not...

strangers stalking you in the street, probably the unhinged subject of some

article you've written who now has it in for you, or the fact that for the past

two years, I've woken up every morning and wondered if today's gonna be the day

that I get a call from someone telling me my mother has been found in a ditch,

right? It is all so not okay.

Hello.

Oh.

Well, it was you.

Hi.

Hello. Welcome home.

Are you, uh, gonna stay for dinner?

No.

Why is he upset? What did you say?

What did you say to him?

You know, as much as I love working all day, then doing the shopping and then

making dinner, it would be nice if maybe you did it for a change.

Yeah, I'm busy. I'm doing something.

Doing what?

I'm logging the death threats.

Why?

I can talk anyway. It's your favorite war criminal call today. I saved it for

you. There you go.

Hear that?

You're dead.

I'm gonna cut your tits off and feed them to the base dogs.

Now, last time it was your uterus.

Something tells me that Major Lippin's got serious mummy issues.

No one's asking you to do this. We need a record.

Have you written any more query letters?

I've written plenty of letters, all right. No one's writing back.

You will. It's just a matter of time and then it will happen.

It's just like the old days.

Can't you feel it?

It's like someone's pried open Stalin's crypt and there's stenches in the air.

What about Vasily? Have you called... Please don't.

Just... They're all shit scared of him.

Big joke. They're not even trying to get to me.

Sorry. No, I'm sorry.

I've got to make dinner.

Sorry.

Excuse me, can I help you?

I need to speak to Anna.

Anna Holakovskaya.

Excuse me.

You can go.

Stop him.

What's going on?

You have an appointment. You can't just barge in here.

Hold on, hold on. It's okay.

You know this guy?

I've seen him around.

Can I help you?

Army?

Lance Corporal.

Someone of Ivan, 5th Army, Motorized Rifle Brigade. You fought at Godemius?

You guys took heavy casualties.

They took more.

Look, I know you want to tell me something because you've been following

me.

They lied.

They said it was for rubbish.

Right. Ivan, come with me. It's okay. Please.

Anna. Let him go.

Dimitri, I'm okay. Honestly.

Please, this way. Follow me.

You sure?

Positive.

We dug the trench, me and some guys from my squad.

It was the staff sergeant who said they planned to bury rubbish in it.

I had no reason not to believe him.

The next day, a bunch of special forces showed up at the camp.

They were ethnic Chechens who'd fought against the Russians at first, then

switched sides.

I couldn't figure out why they were there.

Then a large group of non-combatants was herded out of the camp and marched

towards the edge of the trench, the one we dubbed to bury the rubbish.

The special forces were waiting with their rifles.

The camp was dismantled a week later and went away without a trace.

An entire camp.

Do you think you could draw a map?

You promise not to publish my name?

If you promise you're not lying.

You know, the whole time it has been right under my nose.

What? The camp that Corporal Seminoff was assigned to, you know. He reckons

there's over 200 bodies buried there, and according to him, the same thing is

happening all over the region. You know, if this checks out, you know what this

is.

Yeah.

You're not going down there.

Because you're due to address the Security Council in five days. Well,

that can wait.

Oh, for God's sake, Anna.

You have been invited to bear witness by the British delegation to the United

Nations, right? It is not some nail salon. You can call up and change an

appointment any time you want. Look, Seminoff came to me because I'm the only

one he can trust.

He trusts this newspaper!

And that is who you work for, not the other way around.

Okay,

I get it. I get it, okay?

Chechnya is your baby, while this newspaper is mine.

It certainly isn't because of the money. I could earn twice as much anywhere

else. But then I'd be in the bullshit business.

And that is why I was so happy when the invitation came from the

UN.

I saw Coffee and Anne's signature, and I thought, okay, maybe we are doing

something right. Okay? And by we, I don't mean you and me. I mean every

single person who has ever walked through that door and given a damn.

Okay.

I came here with a speech about an illegal occupation and its devastating

effects on civilians in Chechnya.

But in the last 48 hours, I have received evidence that confirms

systematic mass killings on a scale I could never imagine.

The site contains over 150 murdered civilians, many of whom were found

with their hands tied behind their backs.

with barbed wire and many showing signs of torture.

We expect many more mass graves to be found.

Now, the Kremlin is doing everything possible to keep this a secret.

It wants the world to believe that Russia is waging a war against

terrorists when, in fact, its real purpose is a dedicated

campaign of genocide.

against the people of Chechnya.

Yes, sir, I saw it.

Understood, sir.

Yes, thank you.

People can pay with their lives for saying out loud what they believe.

Just talking to me can put someone in danger.

Where is he?

He's not here.

No, no, no, no, he's not here. He's in Regita.

Come back, he's not here.

Hey, the Godfather's on in a bit. Oh, what?

Shame we'll miss it.

Well, you know, it's get room service and stay in like the old days.

Well, and when they ask me why I didn't turn up to receive my award, I say, oh,

well, there was an old movie on the TV. It's not an old movie.

It's the Godfather.

You love the Godfather. You love the Godfather. I've just been pretending to.

Now, get ready.

Or where have they taken him?

Well, it's not like the old days, is it? When we started out, if you won an

award, you had to get yourself killed or at least lose a couple of legs or

something, right? They'd put a picture up on the newsroom of the coffee machine

and say, never to be forgotten.

Next person in, they'd be, who was that?

And now for the final award of the evening.

The Global Award for Human Rights Journalism was established to recognise

the immense importance of journalists around the world.

This year, the award goes to... Anna...

Sorry, sorry.

Sorry.

War has two sides.

I say it has three. The innocent civilians caught in the middle of what I

can only describe as a medieval brutal war.

And I would like to dedicate this award to those extraordinary

Brave people.

Sorry if I unbounce you, all right? I'll have a few glasses of wine. Oh, good,

Sasha. Blame the wine. Jesus, everybody loves you, all right? Everybody loves

your speech.

How long are you gonna stay hungry for?

It's like it's stained with water. No, this is not about the dress.

This... This is about you and how you wallow in your self-pity.

I try and help you. You resent me like you resent everything I do. I have no

idea what you're talking about. You were a star.

You got the treatment everywhere you went, including at home.

And then the young thing woke up and your wife stopped playing sad and

fiddle. It's so far from the mark. It's so wrong. I'm right.

You're right about everything.

I mean, you're always thinking right about everything, aren't you?

I mean, you're right about not liking sitting at home doing nothing. You're

right. I don't like sitting about with nothing to do for years.

And whose fault is that?

It's not mine, is it?

I mean, is it? It's not. So... So you're blaming me like you blame me for

every... Who the fuck else is to blame?

No. No, I'm... Look, Sasha, Sasha, I... I don't care anymore.

Can I take you back, sir? Yes, please.

I spoke to Vasili. He's going to let me crash there for

a little while.

It's good for Vasili.

How long are you sticking around?

I think a few more days.

There's people here.

Listen You're a better writer than me I

know that's not easy for you to say

Hello? They, uh, beat him.

And then left him to die like a piece of rubbish.

Omar. It's taken everything.

A brother, my husband, my children.

That's all war does, takes.

And it's never enough to centuries of taking it still once.

You know,

if you two do get tired of watching this extremely long costume drama in which

literally nothing actually happens, there is a football game on.

No one is reporting on the terrible impact of the war.

The tactics employed by the Kremlin to suppress so-called terrorism is

itself creating a wave of violence the like of which has never been

experienced.

You do exactly as we say.

Call your loved ones.

Tell them you have been taken hostage by the reconnaissance and sabotage

battalion of Verdenum.

Right. Is anyone not leaving?

I'm good, thank you. William?

Oh, my God.

Turn it down.

Sorry, who is this?

Egorov, the Russian Federation.

What do you want?

I'm calling to tell you what the terrorists want.

And that is? You.

Me? Yeah, to mediate negotiations.

According to their leader, you're the only Russian that the entire Chechen

population trusts.

When you get there, you'll ask for me, and one of my men will escort you to the

command centre.

Okay.

Mama?

They, um... They want me to help with negotiations.

Over the phone, right?

No.

Oh, my God.

So these are the people you're supposed to talk sense to?

And you're supposed to go in there and do what? Make them see the fucking

light? Ilya, if there's anything I can do to help, then I will.

Of course.

It's all I've ever heard in my entire life. The innocent and the powerless and

how much they need you.

Ilya, Ilya, Ilya, Ilya, listen to me. No, because this is the world.

And the world will never run out of victims.

No matter what you or anyone else does to change it. So tell me, Mama, where do

we fit in?

This is not about you! Tell me! I mean, granted, we're only in flesh and blood,

right? We're not full fucking members of the wretched and exploited...

Illy,

I... Illy... You're not going.

You're not.

You're staying right here.

It's her choice. I'm not watching you die!

Listen to yourself.

Mama, please be careful.

I've sent Marta and the Metro team. I'd love to assign you, but it looks like

you're busy.

Do me a favor. Try not to piss anyone off.

I know it's hard for you.

I'll try.

You'll never get a cab.

I was a friend in DC.

It's all over the news there. My contact in London says the same.

Well done, Max. You've had the big time.

Why are you doing this?

You're not a parent.

And maybe someday you'll have children. And when you do, your children will look

at the world that you have handed them and they will judge you. Not whether you

succeeded in making the world a better place or didn't make the world a better

place, but... They will judge you on how hard you tried.

And this is as far as I go.

I said I'd take you to them, but I'm not handing you over.

Go.

Sir. Thank you for coming, Anna.

So, you're not going in there to report or observe?

No public statements, no interviews.

You keep your mouth shut, you keep your opinions to yourself until the situation

is resolved.

And then I'm free to say whatever I like.

Lieutenant Colonel Egorov.

Well, that's entirely up to you.

The leader's name is Mossad Barayev, a well-established Chechen separatist. We

estimate 30-plus terrorists and 800 hostages.

The children are still inside. Getting them out should be your main priority.

We've also been able to tap into the theatre's CCTV cameras, mainly focused

on the entrances and exits, so we should have visual on you most of the time.

But if anything does go wrong, there's not a lot we can do.

We have a flak jacket.

There's no need. They've killed two hostages already.

They're savages.

You trust savages?

Well, if they are savages, then a flak jacket isn't going to be much help to

me, is it?

Shall we?

Come.

She's going in.

She's completely alive.

She'll be fine.

How much time do your men need?

Two to three hours.

Okay, she's in.

Give the order.

Sir.

Hello?

Hello?

Hello. I'm Abu Bakr.

I'm Anna.

It is an honor to meet you, Anna Politkovskaya.

Back home, they write songs about you. One claims you are the bravest woman in

Russia.

I'm here to see Baryev.

Of course.

Come with me.

What the fuck? What the fuck is this shit?

Are you guys stupid?

Take this shit.

Tell your readers we are not jihadists. Okay? In

spite of what some would have you believe.

It's a pleasure to meet you.

They're children under 13.

You made a deal.

You need to let them go.

Okay.

Okay, all children under 13 years old, line up on the stairs with me now.

She's your wife. She's your wife.

We've gone past the point of no return.

Either the war stops now, or we blow up the hostages.

And that's your message?

Look, I understand.

I know the situation in Chechnya is intolerable.

Let me help you make a deal.

There must be an immediate halt to all security sweeps.

If he agrees,

the older children can go.

And what's to stop him resuming sweeps in two days, huh?

If you let the children go, it's a gesture, Abu Bakr. I'm telling you, it's

an important one.

She wants to talk to you.

Thank you.

He says you need to call off the security sweeps.

First he releases those 13 and over, then I'll order a halt in all districts

except for Dino.

First he says you have to let the older children go.

Anna. Aftermath.

Well, we've come a long way.

From very different paths.

You choose words, I choose action.

These men... ...they are using you.

You're wrong.

These are good men... ...who fight for a great cause.

Your husband, if he was alive... ...well he would... Would he stand with them?

Men who prey on the vulnerable, who give them no choice but what? To murder

innocent people in the name of what?

Peace?

Cover your face, Fatima.

Leave with me now.

Beg the court for mercy.

It's the only way you're gonna get out of here alive.

All right.

The rest of the children can go.

And the women?

Maybe.

You need to go.

And you need to keep on talking.

Otherwise, how is this going to end?

When Chechnya is free, that's when this will end.

Goodbye.

What the fuck is going on? Alpha team

storming the building.

Right. The boys come home.

What was that?

It's all right. It's all right. Get off! Let her go.

What the hell have you done?

You used me.

You used me to stall for time.

We each have a job to do, Henry.

We save a lot of innocent lives and a few Chechens are put to sleep.

Job well done.

I understand it was the President who came up with the idea.

But don't quote me.

You're maniacs. You're all fucking maniacs.

So you're accusing the president of murder?

Last month, he ordered the use of chemical weapons on civilians.

A hundred and seventy people died soon.

What would you call it? It was an opioid-laced gas, correct?

Fentanyl. A tranquilizer used to make people fall asleep, not kill them. You

see these people?

Now, they're civilians, not terrorists.

And they are not sleeping.

Fentanyl causes respiratory depression.

Now, the victims should have been turned on their sides in order to keep their

airwaves open. Instead, they were left on their backs, ensuring they

asphyxiated. Now, as you can see, the ER personnel are completely caught by

surprise at the number of victims needing their care. Now, if they had

been informed ahead of time... Why weren't they?

Secrecy.

See, our team uncovered that the operation was classified under need-to

-know restrictions, and that... well, that included people who could have

saved lives.

And the fact that 30 terrorists took hundreds hostage?

The only terrorist that the Russian people need to fear...

is their own president.

You have to see this.

Oh,

no.

Anna, this is not your war.

Listen, Dimitri, someone needs to negotiate. I have to try.

Last time I checked, you were supposed to be a journalist.

I am, and you know that.

And why I need to be there on the ground.

Just be careful.

My contact on the ground will meet you and take you to the school.

The government is saying 200 to 400 hostages, but my contact in Osetia is

saying it's more like 1,100, 700 children.

Good luck.

Tea or coffee?

Tea please.

But it's just...

Mama. Mama.

Mama, you're awake?

Water. Water.

Ilya?

Yeah, she's awake.

Okay.

Okay.

Ilya's on his way.

Okay, I'm gonna go and get the nurse.

The rebels set off a bomb inside the gymnasium.

That is, if you believe the Kremlin.

There were casualties, Mama.

How many?

The number keeps changing, but at the moment they're saying over 300 dead.

How many? Including all the separatists.

How many children?

The majority.

All right.

You all right?

You said she would fight to live.

God is great.

Garry Kasparov was on TV yesterday.

He called you the conscience of the nation.

Yeah.

Garry Kasparov should stick to playing chess.

Good morning.

Have you seen this?

I'm no saint.

Far from it.

Ask the mothers of Beslem.

Don't tell them.

Mother Arusha.

Far from it.

Thank you.

Okay, stay back, please. Stay back.

Yeah, let's go home. Okay A

reporter

should never be the story

politician I am just another face in the crowd in Moscow st. Petersburg

and Chechnya doing my job and

I do not intend to stop

Well, I was thinking of taking the day off.

You want to join me?

Okay.

All right.

12 o'clock.

The bandstand, Dewsbury Park.

Right. See you then.

See you there.

Bye.

My feet got fat.

When was the last time you wore them?

Oh, 30 years ago.

I used to go to Gorky Park on Saturday afternoons to dance the cha-cha.

What?

The cha-cha? Yeah, the cha-cha.

That's quite a hoofer.

That's my wife.

You know, I met Sasha at a tea dance.

You're kidding.

Then he kept stepping on my feet.

Luckily for him, he was so good-looking.

You see, I like this.

We're hanging out.

We never hang out.

It's always work, work, work.

Voulez-vous danser?

All the other papers have a travel writer.

How come we don't? Because we can't afford one.

Not according to your accountant. According to him, we've had our best

quarter ever, thanks to you.

So,

do you know anyone who can write a bit and doesn't mind sleeping in strange

beds?

What's wrong, Deema?

Do you want me to stop stepping on people's toes?

They never come for me.

All the years I've been doing this.

I've had plenty of threats, but not once. They just... killed my reporters.

My friends.

Anna, please.

I'm not asking you to stop.

Just step out of the firing line and you keep the column. You just shift

the focus from murder and corruption to bed and breakfast.

I'll think about it.

Right.

Natalia sent it.

It's a video of two men killing Chechen civilians.

Possibly on the order of Chechen regional leaders or... or quite possibly

Putin himself.

You'll need to authenticate it.

I don't understand.

Knock yourself out.

But it's your lead.

And you're ready.

Hello?

Egorov.

Oh, hi.

I understand you want to meet.

Yes, but in public. I want lots of people around.

As you wish.

11 o'clock, the art museum.

Um, okay, I'll see you then.

Sleep well.

Good night.

Sorry, I'm late.

There was a queue.

Black tea?

No sugar?

You just wasted a perfectly good, untainted drink.

And you almost wasted a perfectly good reporter.

Look, I know this may sound disingenuous, but I am glad you're

alive.

So that means I don't have to worry about you putting another wet team onto

me. Not my call.

Well, whose call is it?

I can't answer that.

Can't or won't.

The reason I ask is because I've been reassigned to the travel desk.

That's why I'm asking you to speak to someone for me.

I can pass along the information.

pass along look our middle management these decisions they um

my mandate is circumscribed in

other words i'm screwed i don't make the rules no you just follow them so can i

ask you something no out of all the paths you could have chosen in life why

did you choose this one

I could ask you the same question. Well, I chose the path that I believe in. I

didn't.

You know, all this, this was a slum.

Until Ivan the Great kicked out the residents and built a palace.

Not because he was cruel, but because he had a vision.

He saw a shining city rising from that hellhole.

And beyond that, a mighty empire.

Stranded in two continents.

And here we are, 500 years later, a journalist pleading for a life in

a country run by a glorified thug, celebrating the opening of its first

Starbucks.

I don't expect you to understand.

Do you have children?

Why do you want to know?

No, I don't have any children.

But you're married.

I'm single.

And in case you're wondering, both my parents are dead. What's your point?

So you have no one?

What do you mean, no one who gives a shit if I live or die?

I'm... You are.

I'm on good terms with the director, and he's on good terms with someone who's in

a position to help you.

So I'll make a request.

Thank you.

Goodbye, Anna.

Fine, you think?

You?

Oh.

Don't yell.

Yeah.

She's having a baby.

Sasha,

of course I'd be happy if it was a boy. But wouldn't you like a granddaughter?

Well,

that's sweeter.

Especially when they're younger.

I know I was.

God, Will.

Yeah. Look at me grandparents.

I know.

We should talk about it. I mean... Okay.

Like, get it right, you know what I mean? Right.

Get me off the phone. I've got another shot, but it's not sure that's working.

What, a new burton?

No, well, Ilya's coming for dinner this evening with his new girlfriend.

Oh, come on. I know.

Oh, come on. You're cooking up a feast. Yep, Vera's coming too. Great.

Why don't you come?

What time? Eight o'clock.

All right, great. Yeah, great. Yeah, I'd love it. Okay.

yeah well okay okay i'll see you then bye

Let go.

Let go.

No!

Is journalism worth the loss of life

every time?

Is the price of truth how much a society cares?

No.

There is nothing of value apart from the truth.

This time I feel

my luck cut in Pull

me out

of the air crash

This call for me

It's

gonna be

Cause I'm...