Pussy Versus Putin

Art, protest and repression in Putin’s Russia

Pussy Versus Putin is a 2013 documentary by the Russian film collective Gogol’s Wives chronicling the rise of Pussy Riot and their direct confrontation with the political regime of Vladimir Putin. The film received the NTR IDFA Award for Best Mid Length Documentary at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam, confirming its international impact.

In 2012, two members of the anarchistic female band were sentenced to two years in a Mordovian labour camp for what prosecutors described as hooliganism motivated by religious hatred. The documentary follows each step of their struggle, from early disruptive performances on a Moscow trolley bus wearing brightly coloured balaclavas with the slogan “Kill a Sexist”, to the filming of their video calling for transparent elections during the 2012 Russian presidential campaign.

The film documents their controversial performance inside a cathedral on Red Square, as well as the intimidation, harassment and legal consequences that followed. Footage shot from behind bars and inside prison vans places viewers at the heart of their prosecution. International support emerges, including a public gesture from Madonna during her Moscow concert.

Without overt commentary, the filmmakers assemble these events to portray a divided Russia where conservatism and anarchy collide. Through observation rather than judgement, the documentary presents a stark portrait of contemporary Russia and the risks faced by artists who insist that art must remain free.