PUTIN'S KISS [film at Cinetopia]

Masha Drokova is a rising star in Russia’s popular nationalistic youth movement, Nashi. A smart, ambitious teenager who—literally—embraced Vladimir Putin and his promise of a greater Russia, her dedication as an organizer is rewarded with a university scholarship, an apartment, and a job as a spokesperson. But her political future falters when she befriends a group of liberal journalists critical of the government, and she’s forced to confront Nashi’s dirty—even violent—tactics. Danish filmmaker Lise Birk Pedersen offers a chilling view of modern Russia, its fragile democracy, and Nashi’s fascist tendencies. But distinguished by astonishing intimacy, the film’s emotional weight lies in the evolution of Masha’s political consciousness.
– John Nein, Sundance Film Festival. 82 Minutes.