Documentary Provides Proper Context to Appreciate Khodorkovsky’s Story
Film critic Joe Bendel reviews "Vlast," a new documentary directed by Cathryn Collins about the trials of Mikhail Khodorkovsky and the state's destruction of YUKOS, which is now showing as part of MOMA's Documentary Fortnight 2010.
Collins credits Khodorkovsky for taking on the decrepit YUKOS state enterprise at a time when the price of oil was at an all time low, eventually turning around the company, making billions in the process.
Bendel writes that first-time documentarian Collins is "admirably even-handed in her profile of Khodorkovsky, never overstating her case or simply appealing to emotion." He adds: "While giving the incarcerated mogul credit for his business acumen, she is most impressed by his ability to identify and recruit smart, talented young people for his team."
He notes that many of Vlast's on-camera interview subjects participated despite personal risk, conveying "an unvarnished sense of life in Russia today."
Bendel argues that Vlast provides a clear and concise historical background, and "the proper context for non-Russophiles and non-Russophobes to appreciate Khodorkovsky's story." He concludes: "Of course, the implications of his story are clear. If a man with an estimated net worth over fifteen billion dollars is not safe in [Prime Minister Vladimir] Putin's Russia, nobody is."