The production team of the Oscar-winning documentary "Navalny" issued a statement on the death of its protagonist, opposition leader Alexei Navalny, saying: "If Alexei were alive, he would urge us to continue working hard." In a statement they released, they strongly condemned the Putin regime and called on everyone to stand together for democratic values.
A memorial site for Alexei Navalny.
Following the death of 47-year-old Alexei Navalny on February 16, the team of the "Navalny" film, which won the 2023 Academy Award for Best Documentary, made a public statement. Directed by Daniel Rogel and named directly after "n**alny", the film won the accolade by beating over many powerful opponents such as "All Beauty and Blood" and "All the Breath".
The statement represents the collective voice of the entire production team, and it begins: "Today, we are all overwhelmed by emotions. Feeling pain, sadness, and especially anger. Alexei is a ray of light, and he and his family have made great sacrifices to fight Putin and his rule. Alexei built his organization and movement that would continue to exist even after his death. "The fight against corruption, against **, against the war in Ukraine is not over. The fight for democracy still needs to continue. The most valuable thing we can learn from Alexei is his humanity in the harshest of circumstances. We must pass on this spirit. As the tide of nationalism and ** around the globe continues to hit our country, it is incumbent upon each of us to defend the values of democracy.
We cannot sit idly by and watch anti-democratic forces come to power, nor can we tolerate the silence of the powerful democratic movement that continues in Russia. If Alexei had been alive, he would have said: 'Cheers me a glass of vodka and get on with the work, because democracy, though fragile, is worth fighting for.'" ’”
Navalny debuted at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival Online and is revered for its intense storytelling. Film critic David Ehrlich singled out a shocking clip in which Navalny managed to communicate with a Russian *** who had tried — but failed — to assassinate him by poisoning. The film is partly made up of Navalny speaking directly into the camera, but it also shows his life in Germany at the time and the scenes he planned to return to Russia in January 2021. As he expected, he was arrested as soon as he returned to Russia. The film is full of personal details, such as Navalny's choice of "Rick and Morty" in his final moment of freedom.
After that, he spent three years behind bars until his death on February 16, 2024.