Putin's Witnesses Apr 2026

The film is built on unique archive footage Mansky shot between 1999 and 2000 . At the time, he was the head of documentaries for Russian state television and was granted "unnervingly intimate" access to film a propaganda piece for Putin’s first campaign .

: It documents the transition from Boris Yeltsin to Putin, starting with Yeltsin’s unexpected resignation on December 31, 1999 . 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 . The film is built on unique archive footage

: Mansky highlights the "war room" staff from 2000, noting that most have since become political foes, fled the country, or died under suspicious circumstances . : Features a poignant scene where Boris Yeltsin

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

( Svideteli Putina ) is a 2018 documentary by Vitaly Mansky that offers a rare, "insider-turned-outsider" look at Vladimir Putin’s rise to power . 📽️ The Core Concept