NAVALNY: Political Opposition in Russia and the Power of Documentary

In the Oscar-winning documentary NAVALNY, Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny works in Berlin with investigative journalists Christo Grozev and Maria Pevchikh to uncover the machinations behind his almost fatal poisoning. Bravely returning home to continue his efforts toward political change, Navalny has been sitting in a Russian penal colony since 2021 with an over 11-year sentence to serve.

From the rise of an oppositional voice to using every means necessary to suppress it, NAVALNY reveals the underbelly of a Russian political environment dominated by deception, fear and state violence. What does it take to capture an investigation of this magnitude and consequence? How can films like NAVALNY inspire change or even save the life of its protagonist? In the war for truth, how does narrative and documentary challenge or disrupt disinformation campaigns?

Please join us for a discussion about Navalny’s journey, the making of the film, and the landscape of Russian propaganda and disinformation with Christo Grozev (lead Russia investigator at Bellingcat, who appears in the film), Shane Boris (producer of NAVALNY) and Julia Minson (Associate Professor of Public Policy, HKS) in a conversation moderated by Ann Cooper (first Moscow Bureau Chief for NPR, Professor Emeritus at Columbia Journalism School, and Spring 2020 Shorenstein Fellow).

This event is co-sponsored by the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, the Harvard Club of Toronto, and Harvardwood.

Please click here to RSVP for an in-person seat.

Please register by noon on the day of this event if you would like the possibility of attending the Forum in person. Registrants will be notified no later than 5:00 PM ET that day if a seat is available for them in the venue.

If a seat is unavailable or you will not be attending in person, viewers can stream the event live via our YouTube, Twitter, or Facebook pages. You do not need to register for virtual attendance.

The IOP encourages persons with disabilities to participate in our programs. If you have questions about accommodations or the physical access provided, please contact 617.495.1360 or iop_info@hks.harvard.edu in advance of the event.

The Forum is currently closed to those without a Harvard ID, and RSVPs are required for in-person attendance.