Pussy Riot: A Prayer for Punks, now available on Netflix instant, takes place over a tumultuous six months beginning before the Russian feminist group’s infamous concert in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The concert was a punk performance art protest about the lack of separation between church and state and Putin’s totalitarian leadership.
This documentary goes in depth, following Nadezhda “Nadia” Tolokonnikova, Maria Alyokhina, and Yekaterina Sautsevich through secret rehearsals and flash performances alike. Friends and family share childhood stories and heart wrenching thoughts as the women incite outrage and action across the nation and later the West.
After the performance Nadia, Maria and Yekatrina are accused of hooliganism and denied bail as they await trial. Members of the Russian Orthodox Church rallying against Pussy Riot are interviewed, freely calling the women “demons,” angrily stating that if it were the 16th century “we would’ve hanged them,” followed by “we would’ve burned them as witches.”
The group’s brightly colored outfits and energetic music clash with the intense conservatism they face fighting for freedom of speech and civil rights. While the film ends during the trial, the story doesn’t end there. Nadia and Maria served 21 months and were released on December 23, 2013. This means that they were granted amnesty with only two months left to serve, a move Nadia Tolokonnikova later called a publicity stunt on behalf of Putin before the 2014 Winter Olympics.
If you’re interested in music, art and politics, this is one thrilling (and surprisingly humorous) feature you don’t want to miss!
