Press freedom under siege in Russia's "special operation" narrative

When your country starts a war but deceives its citizens with a vision of a "special operation against fascists," access to reliable information is worth its weight in gold. Russia quickly attempted to suppress independent media, unfortunately quite effectively. This is illustrated by the documentary "Of Caravan and Dogs," the 64th Krakow Film Festival winner.

"I can show you how we censor our own materials," says one of the editors of "Novaya Gazeta" to the camera. The introduction of an internal censorship department became necessary when, on February 24, 2022, Putin's troops invaded Ukraine, and a ban on using the word "war" prevailed in the Russian media.

The editorial offices of, among others, Echo of Moscow, "Novaya Gazeta," and TV Rain were ordered by the state censor Roskomnadzor to remove their first publications about the war under the threat of a $87,000 CAD fine and loss of license. A dangerous game began to see how reliably one can report on actions in Ukraine without mentioning bombings, shellings, and victim casualties among the occupiers. The chances were slim initially, and those who tried had their wings quickly clipped.

On the ninth day of the war, the Duma passed a law imposing criminal liability for transmitting false information about the "special operation in Ukraine." Previously, journalists critical of the government could be labelled as "foreign agents"; now, for straightforwardly reporting what Putin's troops are doing, they face 10 years in prison, and their editorial offices risk being labelled as "extremist organizations." One such organization is the Memorial Association - the oldest organization in Russia studying Stalin's crimes and political repressions during the USSR era. In the film, we see, among other things, their headquarters being ransacked, with archival documents and all electronic equipment being taken away.

Captured by Askold Kurov and a Russian director hiding his identity, editorial meetings show the gap between the Hollywood notion of fighting for freedom of speech and the brutal reality. Dmitry Muratov, editor-in-chief of "Novaya Gazeta," openly asks his colleagues if they see the point in continuing their work under the obligation of self-censorship. Some advocate a temporary cessation of activities; others suggest ways to avoid sensitive topics and focus, for example, on the economy and culture. Others leave and go abroad.

Although cinema about journalism has always had the power to chart a moral path toward truth, "Of Caravan and Dogs" reveals that it's not just about ideals but the actual state of the human condition. It suffices to compare this film with another title from the 64th Krakow Film Festival - "Intercepted" by Oksana Karpowicz. This documentary was based on 30 hours of recordings of telephone conversations between Russian soldiers on the front and their families, intercepted by Ukrainian special services.

- Nastia, sunshine, you know I can just take someone and shoot them in the head: "bang!". Without remorse, I could now slaughter a hundred people, just like that. I'm not afraid to do it - this is one example of the cruel dehumanization, killing in the name of propaganda ideas, and deep belief in the righteousness of their cause. The effect of years of feeding Russian citizens false narratives, among others, through government media.

The winner of the Krakow festival begins and ends with Nobel speeches. They are delivered by different people a year apart. 138 days before the outbreak of war in Ukraine, Dmitry Muratov, editor-in-chief of "Novaya Gazeta," when receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, says that recently, many journalists in Russia have been labelled as foreign agents, lost their jobs and left the country. He adds that the authorities mock the media, saying, "The dogs bark, but the caravan goes on." However, he prefers to reverse this saying: "The caravan goes on because the dogs are barking," describing the authorities' terror as barking that won't drown out the truth.

When the chairman of the Memorial Association stands in front of the Swedish royal family at the end of 2022, formally, his place of work no longer exists. However, when receiving the honorary award, he emphasizes that it is not the culmination of 35 years of Memorial's work but an encouragement to continue. It's not just about digging up the past but bringing inconvenient facts to light for the authorities. Without them - Jan Raczinski appeals - there is no future, no chance of taking civic responsibility for what is happening today.

Taking responsibility for his people was the decision of the head of the editorial office, who was awarded the Nobel Prize not long ago and decided to "choose the lesser evil to avoid a greater one." On the 31st day after the outbreak of war in Ukraine, "Novaya Gazeta" formally suspends its operations before it is deemed "extremist" and its employees "foreign agents." Some editors leave and create "Novaya Gazeta Europe" in the West. Those remaining in Russia try to publish their materials through social media and YouTube.

In two years, over 900 people and organizations have been listed as "foreign agents," and two-thirds of the list consists of journalists. More than 20,000 people have been arrested in Russia on charges of anti-war activities, and fines amounting to nearly $2.2 million CAD were imposed.

The documentary "Of Caravan and the Dogs" won the Golden Horn in the international documentary film competition at the 64th Krakow Film Festival.