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Denmark, Russia · 2011
1h 25m
Director Lise Birk Pedersen
Starring Oleg Kashin, Masha Drokova, Garry Kasparov, Dmitry Medvedev
Genre Documentary
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This documentary examines modern Russia through the story of Marsha Drokova, a young woman who became prominent in pro-Putin youth organization Nashi. Using archival footage and interviews, the film shows Drokova's journey from idolizing Putin to questioning her previous beliefs when she befriends liberal journalists facing violent repression.
Though Masha's courage is considerable, her change of heart finally feels too nuanced for Pedersen's streamlined political-drama treatment, complete with persistent intrigue music and scenes of Masha restating her dilemma to friends that seem rather canned.
Slant Magazine by Andrew Schenker
Fails to dig too deep into the politics or inner workings of the new right-wing youth movement it profiles, remaining content with simplistic conclusions about pro-Putin thuggery.
Lise Birk Pedersen's documentary offers some compelling peeks into Russia's bureaucratic skulduggery, but her attempt to frame the situation through a young convert's coming of age never really coheres. Innocence was lost; so, apparently, was much of the insightful commentary.
Pederson has no smoking gun that connects Nashi to dirty tricks or violence, but there are plenty of both swirling around Moscow.
The New York Times by Jeannette Catsoulis
Political menace stalks youthful idealism in Putin's Kiss, a portentous, rather creepy documentary that masks its lack of historical context with an atmosphere of accumulating threat.
The picture still tells a riveting story about contempo Russia's darkest side.
More than just the portrait of a naive young woman. It's a frightening look at Putin's warped version of democracy.
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