LGBTQIA+ Studies Resources: Russian Federation: Audio-visual materials

A selection of films and video by Russian LGBTQIA+ filmmakers, documentaries about the LGBTQIA+ community in the Russian Federation, and more mainstream documentaries and fiction films attempting to tackle issues faced by the community (content this latter category can be problematic).

---

Бабочки (Butterflies)

Drama about a gay filmmaker who starts a new relationship while attending a film festival. Directed by Dmitrii Kubasov (Дмитрий Кубасов). 2017. 79 min. Russian.

Весельчаки (Jolly Fellows)

First Russian full length drama about drag queens. Directed by Feliks Mikhailov (Феликс Михайлов). Survive Entertainment & TimeLine Studio, 2009. 91 min. Russian. YouTube video, last accessed November 23, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QN6zHlNhupk

Год белой луны (Year of the white moon)

Documentary short exploring relationship between mother and her gay son. Directed by Maksim Pecherskii (Максим Печерский). 2020. 22 min. Russian.

Давай съезжаться!

Pandemic-era Zoom YouTube show about lesbian culture hosted by Anna Filippova (Анна Филиппова), Masha Latsinskaia (Маша Лацинская), and Katia Nenakhova (Катя Ненахова). 2020. 9 episodes (30-40 min. each). YouTube video, last accessed November 23, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBnMpXnuI0HGZkdx9KxOUCQ. 2023 update: as of December 2023, the web series has been removed from the creators' YouTube channel. The playlist page has been archived in Wayback Machine, last accessed January 8, 2024: https://web.archive.org/web/20220611223801/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBnMpXnuI0HGZkdx9KxOUCQ

День победы (Victory day)

Documentary portraits of LGBTQIA+ people in the Russian Federation against the background of patriotic military parades. Directed by Alina Rudnitskaia (Алина Рудницкая). 2015. 30 min. DVD: New York: Grasshopper Film, 2015. Streaming video via Alexander Street Press (requires UNC login), last accessed November 16, 2022: https://login.libproxy.lib.unc.edu/login?url=https://video.alexanderstreet.com/watch/victory-day Streaming via ProjectR, last accessed November 16, 2022: https://login.libproxy.lib.unc.edu/login?url=https://edu.projectr.tv/films/victory-day/60419c181dbaac000145078e

Дети 404 (Children 404)

Documentary about LGBTQIA+ adolescents in the Russian Federation. Directed by Askol'd Kurov (Аскольд Куров) and Pavel Loparev (Павел Лопарев). 2014. 76 min. Russian with English subtitles. DVD: New York: Torch Films, 2019. YouTube video, last accessed November 16, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaUucGoErnw

Долгий путь домой

Lesbian drama short. 2022. 7 minutes. Russian. YouTube video, last accessed July 4, 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syrr2KZ6Qwg

Здравствуй, я (Hello me)

Квир просвет

Informational web show about LGBTQIA+ topics, hosted and produced by Karen Shainian (Карен Шаинян). Directed by Mariia Pavlova (Мария Павлова) and Anna Shmit'ko (Анна Шмитько). 2021-2022. 7 episodes (12-24 min. each). Russian. YouTube video, last accessed November 23, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgNBPM5oMiVpDK2tNhkbVlA0xqf_zneB_

Квирография (Queerography)

Documentary series about LGBTQIA+ lives in Russian cities outside of the capitals. Produced by Karen Shainian (Карен Шаинян). Directed by Mariia Pavlova (Мария Павлова) and Anna Shmit'ko (Анна Шмитько). 2021- (8 40-70 minute episodes released to date). Russian with English subtitles. YouTube video, last accessed November 23, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgNBPM5oMiVrX2AqrQOMsjgZX7Fnwbc7Q

Никогда никому об этом не рассказывай (Never tell anything about this)

Documentary about intersex people in the Russian Federation, produced by the BCC News Russian Service. Directed by Katerina Sedliarova (Катерина Седлярова). 2020. 38 min. Russian with English subtitles. YouTube video, last accessed November 22, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rbdH88ulmE 

ОНо (It)

Drama short that touches on homophobic violence permeating society, set in occupied Crimea. Directed by Il'ia Sherstobitov (Илья Шерстобитов). 2018. 11 min. Russian with English subtitles. YouTube video, last accessed November 16, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTjFY_YQHqg

Открытый разговор с веселыми людьми (Straight Talk with Gay People)

Interview web show, hosted and produced by Karen Shainian (Карен Шаинян). Directed by Mariia Pavlova (Мария Павлова) and Anna Shmit'ko (Анна Шмитько). 2020- (33 approximately hour-long episodes released to date). Russian (some episodes have English subtitles). YouTube video, last accessed November 23, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgNBPM5oMiVpZmbwLrUB5qkG4G7ASPJUr

Плохая дочь (Bad daughter)

Drama short about a school lesbian relationship and coming out to one's parents. Directed by Svetlana Sigaleva (Светлана Сигалева). 2020. 24 min. Russian. YouTube video, last accessed November 16, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aBi3TtFGcnc 

Поговорим? (Shall we talk?)

Documentary animation about coming out to one's parents. Directed by Katia Mikheeva (Катя Михеева). 2020. 5 min. Russian. Vimeo video, last accessed November 16, 2022, https://vimeo.com/466942990

Порок сердца (Heart disease)

Drama short. A gay man's relationship with a younger lover is challenged when his health deteriorates. Directed by Seva Galkin (Сева Галкин). 2014. 18 min. Russian with English subtitles. YouTube video, last accessed November 23, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ssuzgr1SeTI

Суп (Soup)

Drama short about a gay man visiting his estranged father before emigrating. Directed by Inga Sukhorukova (Инга Сухорукова). 2019. 11 min. Russian with English subtitles. YouTube video, last accessed November 16, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWq24AE1rmU

Ты мальчик или девочка? (Are you a boy or a girl?)

Documentary portraits of non-binary people living in the Russian Federation. Directed by Alina Alieva (Алина Алиева). 2017. 47 min. Russian with English subtitles. YouTube video, last accessed November 16. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ez07nBU2P8. 2023 update: as of December 2023, the film has been removed from the creator's YouTube channel (but other videos on LGBTQIA+ topics are still up). Archived in Wayback Machine, last accessed January 8, 2024: https://web.archive.org/web/20210518162624/https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=-ez07nBU2P8.

Фагот

Satirical comedy about a man who pretends to be gay to avoid having to break up with his girlfriend and experiences homophobia and discrimination. Directed by Boris Guts (Борис Гуц). 2018. 61 minutes. Russian.

Фанаты (The Fans)

Drama short exploring homoerotic relationship between two Moscow skinheads as they hunt and kill gay men. Directed by Seva Galkin (Сева Галкин). 2020. 25 min. Russian with English subtitles. YouTube video, last accessed November 23, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VngcfB59Dzc

Я иду искать (Here I come)

Web mini-series exploring same-sex attraction and self-acceptance. 1 season with 9 short (5-8 minute) episodes has been released. Directed by Andrei Fenochka (Андрей Феночка) and Liza Simbirskaia (Лиза Симбирская). Fenski prodakshen, 2021. Russian with English subtitles. YouTube video, last accessed November 23, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX_ysH5jGc2GjLUHmfHBl6nHwMSYvDbnY. 2023 update: as of December 2023, the web series has been removed from the creators' YouTube channel. The playlist page has been archived in Wayback Machine, last accessed January 8, 2024: web.archive.org/web/20230315153855/https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLX_ysH5jGc2GjLUHmfHBl6nHwMSYvDbnY

Campaign of hate: Russia and gay propaganda

Documentary about persecution of LGBTQIA+ people in the Russian Federation. Directed by Scott Stern and Michael Lucas. Breaking Glass Pictures, 2014. 79 min. Russian and English with English subtitles. Streaming video via Alexander Street Press (requires UNC login), last accessed November 28, 2022, https://login.libproxy.lib.unc.edu/login?url=http://www.aspresolver.com/aspresolver.asp?MARC;3253547

Cold fear: gay life in Russia

BBC documentary focusing on anti-LGBTQIA+ vigilante violence in the Russian Federation. Directed by Ben Steele. British Broadcasting Corporation, 2014. 49 min. English. Streaming video via Films on Demand (requires UNC login), last accessed November 28, 2022, https://login.libproxy.lib.unc.edu/login?url=https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=102632&xtid=60449 or via Alexander Street Press (requires UNC login), last accessed November 28, 2022, https://login.libproxy.lib.unc.edu/login?url=http://www.aspresolver.com/aspresolver.asp?MARC;3366610

Doctors and parents were deciding who to make out of me: a boy or a girl. Intersex people in Russia

Documentary about intersex people in rural Russia, directed by Elena Pogrebizhskaia (Елена Погребижская). 85 min. Russian with English subtitles. YouTube video, last accessed June 3, 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCGlQjajANg&t=2s

East / West : sex & politics

Documentary about queer life in Moscow focusing on several activists. Directed by Jochen Hick. Frameline, 2008. 96 min. English and Russian with English subtitles. Streaming video via Alexander Street Press (requires UNC login), last accessed November 29, 2022, https://login.libproxy.lib.unc.edu/login?url=http://www.aspresolver.com/aspresolver.asp?LGBT;1832442

The iron closet

Documentary exploring effects of anti-LGBTQIA+ laws in the Russian Federation. Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 2013. 27 min. English. Streaming video via Films on Demand (requires UNC login), last accessed November 28, 2022, https://login.libproxy.lib.unc.edu/login?url=https://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=102632&xtid=56165

Rehearsal

Drama short about emigration and coming out to one's conservative parents. Directed by Valentina Gordeeva (Валентина Гордеева). United Kingdom, 2019. 13 min. Russian and English with English subtitles.

Welcome to Chechnya

Documentary about anti-gay purges in Chechnya in the late 2010s. Directed by David France. HBO Documentary Films, 2020. 107 min. English, Russian, and Chechen with English subtitles.

Ваут

Conversational podcast about lesbian culture and social issues, hosted by Alena Nalimova (Алена Налимова) and Katia Nenakhova (Катя Ненахова). Ten episodes have been released since December 23, 2021. Last accessed November 9, 2022, https://podcast.ru/1601890858

Все фломики разные

Interview/monologue narrative podcast about queer lives, hosted by Kirill Melchakov (Кирилл Мелчаков). 19 episodes have been released between November 10, 2020 and November 9, 2021. Appears defunct. Last accessed November 9, 2022, https://podcast.ru/1539312700

Гей-ликбез

Monolog educational podcast about LGBTQIA+ history, hosted by Andrei Kozhevnikov (Андрей Кожевников). One of the earliest LGBTQIA+ podcasts in the Russian Federation, but with only 8 short (~10 minute) episodes released between September 1 and December 15, 2014. Last accessed November 21, 2022, https://equal-gay.podster.fm/ Extended video versions of the first five episodes are available on project's YouTube channel, last accessed November 21, 2022, https://www.youtube.com/@user-yb2gp6bh3b/videos

Гей-пропаганда

Conversation and interview podcast about gay culture, hosted by journalist, author, and activist Miloslav Chemodanov (Милослав Чемоданов). First season was co-hosted by journalist Renat Davletgildeev (Ренат Давлетгилдеев). 21 episodes have been released between November 11, 2020 and January 28, 2022. Podcast was relaunched in June 2022 after Chemodanov's immigration to the United States. Last accessed November 9, 2022, https://podcasts.apple.com/ru/podcast/гей-пропаганда/id1539968139

Герой второго плана

Monologue, partially autobiographical podcast about closeted gay life in Russia. 9 episodes have been released between December 9, 2021 and August 21, 2022. Last accessed November 15, 2022, https://podcast.ru/1600956231/

Громче!

Interview podcast about queer representation and queer literature and art, hosted by Leo Veles (Лео Велес). Podcast is a project of the queer literary/arts journal Vslukh (Вслух) and was launched on October 6, 2022. Last accessed November 15, 2022, https://vsluhzhurnal.com/podkast-gromche/

Земля LaSky

Interview podcast about social issues facing LGBTQIA+ people, sexual education and health, hosted by Rozimadlen Akopian (Розимадлен Акопян). 15 episodes have been released since April 24, 2021. Appears to be on hiatus. Last accessed November 9, 2022, https://podcast.ru/1586543674

Квир-беседы

Non-fictional storytelling podcast about queer lives from the post-Soviet region, hosted by émigré author and critic Konstantin Kropotkin (Константин Кропоткин). The podcast is produced in Germany since January 24, 2022. Last accessed November 9, 2022, https://podcast.ru/1606786904

Квир, дружба, фрикадельки

Conversation podcast hosted by two queer women immigrants living in Sweden. 14 episodes have been released between November 3, 3030 and March 10, 2021. Podcast Last accessed February 7, 2023, https://anchor.fm/queerfrikadelki

Квиркаст

Panel/interview podcast produced by "Coming Out" LGBT group (ЛГБТ-группа «Выход»). 19 episodes have been released between February 8, 2019 and April 27, 2021. The podcast has relaunched with new monthly episodes in June 2022. Last accessed November 9, 2022, https://podcast.ru/1460336973

КвирФем Радио

Conversational/panel podcast created by feminist and queer activists from Bashkortostan, focusing on the region. 17 episodes have been released between and November 20221 and December 30, 2021. Appears defunct. Last accessed November 9, 2022, https://podcast.ru/1541560064/

Квир News

Monologue news podcast hosted by Rozimadlen Akopian (Розимадлен Акопян). 23 episodes have been released between October 5, 2021 and January 12, 2022. Appears to be on hiatus. Last accessed November 9, 2022, https://podcast.ru/1588912376/

Квирь культуру

Interview podcast produced by the International film festival "Side by Side" (Международный кинофестиваль «Бок о бок»). Last accessed March 13, 2024, https://bok-o-bok.com/podkast/ , https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/квирь-культуру/id1574448271

Мой гендер сегодня

Interview podcast about gender studies and feminism hosted by historian Aleksandr Fokin (Александр Фокин). Interviewees are primarily gender studies scholars and queer activists. 17 episodes have been released between May 29, 2020 and April 10, 2021. Appears defunct. Last accessed November 9, 2022, https://podcast.ru/1515970060

Мы тут

Autobiographical podcast about queer lives in the Russian regions launched by the Russian LGBT Network (Российская ЛГБТ-сеть) in the midst of escalating anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation. 5 episodes have been released since October 19, 2023. Last accessed December 29, 2023, https://mytut.mave.digital/

Нараспашку

Conversation podcast produced by the defunct queer culture project Otkrytye (Открытые) and hosted by activists Mariia Latsinskaia (Мария Лацинская), Ekaterina Kudriavtseva (Екатерина Кудрявцева), Slava Rusova (Слава Русова), and Nikita Andriianov (Никита Андриянов). 26 episodes have been released between October 19, 2020 and December 30, 2021. Several hosts have left Russia after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. New episodes are appearing irregularly/infrequently. Last accessed May 30, 2023, https://podcast.ru/1536405829

Небинарный СССР

Interview podcast aimed at a non-binary approach to Soviet history, hosted by historian Aleksandr Fokin (Александр Фокин). Interviewees are primarily historians. 13 episodes have been released between June 14, 2020 and July 30, 2021. Appears defunct. Last accessed November 9, 2022, https://podcast.ru/1518480630

Пидовки в поиске...

Conversation podcast about gay life in the Russian Federation, produced by pseudonymous hosts Suslik (Суслик) and Triboria (Триборя). Podcast has been running since November 2020, with over 80 episodes released as of November 2022. Last accessed November 15, 2022, https://podcast.ru/1534755684

По пояс в радуге

Monologue podcast about LGBTQIA+ history and current affairs by Mikhail Suetin (Михаил Суетин). 37 episodes have been released since April 13, 2019. Podcast has a video version on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYPH3revKyixbXe_1hIWoug/videos. Last accessed May 30, 2023, https://shows.acast.com/rainbowpodcast

Пропаганда феминизма

Conversation/interview podcast about feminism with considerable queer content, hosted by gender historian Anna Sidorevich (Анна Сидоревич) and activist Kris Gnezdo (Крис Гнездо). Podcast is in its fourth season, with 37 episodes released since April 22, 2020. Last accessed November 9, 2022, https://propaganda-feminisma.mave.digital/

Пути принятия

Interview podcast about the lesbian and queer experience hosted by Kazan journalist Lena Dogadina (Лена Догадина). The podcast has been running since February 12, 2020, with over 67 episodes released as of November 2022, and more episodes accessible via Patreon subscription. The podcast started out as autobiographical, and developed into a powerful corpus of interviews with lesbian and queer activists, authors, and artists from Russia and the post-Soviet region. Dogadina left Russia after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine and continues to produce episodes from abroad. The podcast has been rebranded as Kartofel' (Картофель), "Potatoes" in 2023). Last accessed January 8, 2024, https://podcasts.apple.com/ru/podcast/картофель/id1548551619

Радужный

Narrative podcast about queer lives in Russia's small towns and rural regions, hosted by Sergei Puchkin (Сергей Пучкин). First season of 11 episodes was released between May 17, 2021 and July 19, 2021. Second season began in September 2022. Last accessed November 9, 2022, https://podcast.ru/1567148837

Твикер

Autobiographical monologue podcast by Aleksandr Kazantsev (Александр Казанцев) about growing up queer in a small Siberian town. 11 episodes have been released between August 20, 2021 and February 7, 2022. New episodes began to appear July 13, 2022. Last accessed November 9, 2022, https://podcast.ru/1581848254/