Lev Parnas' rise from a small-time hustler to a key figure in one of the biggest political scandals of recent years is nothing short of astonishing. This documentary unravels how a non-political businessman became entangled in Donald Trump’s inner circle, working alongside Rudy Giuliani to dig up dirt on Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. Through Lev's own words, and insights from his wife Svetlana, we witness his journey from being a pawn in Trump’s orbit to the courtroom where he faced his 2021 conviction. The film delves into Lev's realization of being manipulated for political gain, as well as the personal and legal consequences that followed. With a unique insider perspective, the documentary paints a gripping portrait of Lev's involvement in the Trump-Ukraine scandal, shedding light on the complexities of power, loyalty, and the destructive reach of political ambition.
Moscow, 31 December 1991: the Red Flag of the Kremlin is pulled down and replaced by the three-coloured banner of Russia, marking the end of the Soviet Union and of its ideologies. Illustrated with testimonies of top protagonists and Mikhail Gorbachev himself, the documentary recounts, day by day, the critical last two years that led to the fall of the largest and one of the most totalitarian empires of the 20th century.
Journey through the awe-inspiring Nordic wilderness in a documentary that brings together all three episodes in a single feature-length video, unveiling the untamed beauty and surprising contrasts of northern Europe. From the icy remoteness of the Svalbard archipelago to the snowy vastness of Lapland and the tense frontier with Russia, the story unfolds across a dramatic landscape shaped by nature and history. Explore the fjords of Norway and the volcanic extremes of Iceland, before heading south to Sweden and Denmark, where behind the smiles and prosperity lie unexpected and shocking truths. This series offers not just breathtaking views, but deep insight into what makes these societies both fascinating and fragile.
Putin's new law that forbids 'propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations to minors' hits millions of gay/lesbian youngsters in Russia. Parents and friends of gay kids now are obliged to tell them they are sick, sinful and abnormal. These teens have no forum, find no help in Russia, you won't even find them on the internet: Error 404. For the first time, the bravest of them turn to the camera in the new film of 'Winter Go Away'
In the third part of his journey into the history of Christianity, Professor Diarmaid MacCulloch charts Orthodoxy's extraordinary fight for survival. After its glory days in the eastern Roman Empire, it stood right in the path of Muslim expansion, suffered betrayal by crusading Catholics, was seized by the Russian tsars and faced near-extinction under Soviet communism. MacCulloch visits the greatest collection of early icons in the Sinai desert, a surviving relic of the iconoclastic crisis in Istanbul and Ivan the Terrible's cathedral in Moscow to discover the secret of Orthodoxy's endurance.
Art critic Andrew Graham-Dixon tells the incredible story of Russian art, its mystery and magnificence and until now a story untold. He explores the origins of the Russian icon from its roots in Byzantium and the first great Russian icon, Our Lady of Vladimir to the masterpieces of the country's most famous icon painter, Andrei Rublev. Both epic and awe-inspiring, and producing brilliant art", nevertheless medieval Russia could be a terrifying place. Criss-crossing the epic landscape, Andrew visits the monastery founded by Ivan the Terrible, where his favourite forms of torture found inspiration in religious art. One man would shine a light into Russia's 'dark' ages - Peter the Great who, surprisingly, took as his inspiration Deptford in South London.
The film delves into Lev's realization of being manipulated for political gain, as well as the personal and legal consequences that followed. With a unique insider perspective, the documentary paints a gripping portrait of Lev's involvement in the Trump-Ukraine scandal, shedding light on the complexities of power, loyalty, and the destructive reach of political ambition.