Powerful

Fantastic!

Absolutely brilliant

The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

For the last couple decades, the US has had very, very little interest in Russia. It seems that after the Cold War technically ended, most Americans just wanted to assume everything was fine and go on with our lives. However, while the old regimes are gone, in its place is a lot of uncertainty--and this documentary does a great job of discussing the historical context for the new Russia as well as the vague dissatisfaction many there feel today. It's all enlightening--even if there are no clear answers. The film consists of the filmmakers following several 40-something Russians and just letting them talk. You have no narration--it's just like the folks are talking to you. Much of the film is a discussion of the old Soviet Union and its fall. I liked how the filmmakers juxtaposed this footage with old propaganda film from the Soviet government--it did a good job illustrating the old regime. The rest of the film concerned present-day Russia which is NOT such a clear picture. While the participants generally felt things are better, they were VERY jaded and seemed to have no faith in the current Putin government. However, how they react to this and the new sense of capitalism varies and is quite interesting to see--such as the idealistic man who has sort of dropped out of society. An interesting historical portrait of the old and a confusing view of the future--which is probably indicative of the average Russian's view of life in their country. It was the most telling when one said "What has really changed?". Fascinating and well made.

Life goes on. Political systems change. Economies provide wealth for all, or not. We ring the bell to start the school year, and life goes on.This documentary takes the five graduates of PS 57 in Moscow through the wild changes of Perestroika and the end of the Soviet Union. The "money" line for me was "No sausage, but we were happy". In the old days they had less but life felt good. The film addresses the complicated question of Socialism vs. Capitalism, but not directly. And that's a strength. The lives of the five subjects are sketched out., The huge drama of the Soviet Union collapsing is reported succinctly. We get to see the outline of these lives. We get to ponder the tense present of some, the placid present of others, and compare it to the stable and happy but less prosperous earlier life.A life on potatoes but without sausage seems grim to a materialist. A prosperous life without joy seems grim to a spiritualist. Both the Soviet Union and America were mixed economies. Both had socialist and capitalist elements. What's the right mix? This film is excellent background material for those pondering this question. It's also a great review of the last two decades of Moscow life.Minor complaint: though the entire film is in Moscow, and the "no sausage" line seems more like a description of Perestroika outside the major cities.

I like this documentary, which recalls my memory in China. In some level, Russia is the big brother and father of China. We have the same faith, the same society mode, the similar party history and the similar memory about the past at once. Although the opening day of school in China is not as special as Russia's, it's also very important for every kid who is ready to begin their school life. We have the same red scarf, the young pioneer, the group activity out of campus, and a heart that is ready for constructing our country and socialism. We also have the firm faith of socialism, the three-years difficulty period, and finally have to learn how to confront the history and the collapse of the faith. Every September is the time for school to open. Every year, countless students come to school and begin their new life. Every generation has their difference and shares the similar experiences. They are the hot-blood young people at once. The school life for them is the perfect memory forever. Although society is changed, the leader is not the same one yet, they grew up, became rich or poor. They have suffered the pain and happiness. Their youth has been past as well as the heavy history. But the life is going on and the youth is going on.

I was lucky enough to see "My Perestroika" at NYC's IFC Center, where director Robin Hessman answered questions following a screening of her film. She stressed that her documentary isn't so much representative of all Russians, but rather a cross-section of "ordinary Russians living in extra-ordinary times." Hessman focused her lens on five childhood classmates who entered school in communist Moscow but came of age during the fall of the Iron Curtain. She had incredible access to her five subjects: punk rocker Ruslan, single mom Olga, successful businessman Andrei, and married history teachers Borya and Lubya. By shooting solo (instead of relying on a cameraman), Hessman was able to develop a rapport with her subjects, prompting them to open up. Although they seemed nostalgic about their idyllic childhood, they also appeared to wish to leave it in the past. By the end, they all seemed nonchalant about the current government. The film's strength lies in its use of the subjects' own 8mm home movies (juxtaposed alongside vintage propaganda films). This film could easily have been constructed with talking heads waxing poetic about the fall of the USSR, but it wouldn't have been as compelling. By focusing on (relatable) characters, Hessman puts a face on the (last generation of the) Cold War, which until now had been a nebulous concept for me.By the end, I wanted to down vodka shots with Ruslan and Borya! My only gripe is that I wanted to see more interaction among the five childhood classmates. Olga lived around the corner from Borya and Lubya, but we never see them interact. We know Borya and Lubya still keep contact with Ruslan, but do any of them still keep in touch with Andrei and Olga? I suppose that is another strength of Hessman's storytelling...that she painted these protagonists in such a way that I wanted to know more about them. May I suggest a follow-up documentary?