Russian videos were breaking popularity records even before the birth of social media and content-sharing services, but with the rise of YouTube, they have become a true Internet phenomenon. Compilations of road accidents, alcohol-induced excesses, and dangerously close encounters with bears now garner millions of views. Recognizing this potential, Andrei Gryazev constructs—using the poetics of a film montage—an uncensored portrait of contemporary Russia that consists entirely of footage found online. The image that emerges from Gryazev’s documentary evokes both laughter and despondency, as the grotesque intertwines with real human dramas. Countless citizens appeal to the father of the nation, Vladimir Putin, to improve their ailing state. Can the fact that these videos have been viewed so many times translate into real social change?

Tadeusz Strączek