Culture

Pussy Riot – A punk prayer, the most upsetting event in Russia 2012

This is the story about PUSSY RIOT – How three beautiful and talented women ended up in prison because of their opinions.

Yes, this is happening, in a western country, in the 20th century.

The russian punk band Pussy Riot became world famous after their art performance “a punk prayer” against president Putin in the ‘Cathedral of Christ The Savior’ in Moscow in February 2012. Media all over the world reported about the event and the women’s actions, but not many let them tell their story themselves.

Although, documentary filmmakers Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdoroukin did.

They followed the band before, during and after the performance and paint a portrait of three of the arrested Pussy Riot members Nadja, Masja and Katja – all the way into the women’s detention and in the court room, where they were brought to trial and later sentenced to two years imprisonment.

The documentary “Pussy Riot – A punk prayer” shows the true story about the young women in Pussy Riot and a society that will do anything to stop them.

The background story

When president Vladimir Putin was re-elected, many Russian’s were out in the streets in mass protests. They were tired of the oppression from the government and the president. Especially upset were a few women calling themselves Pussy Riot (probably consisting of eleven to fifteen people in total) in colourful summer dresses and ski masks.

In a peaceful way, expressing themselves with music and lyrics, they wanted to declaim against the Russian society, the state and the church, that they felt were controlling the people. In particular the president, Mr Putin, whom they describe as a dictator.

Five of the Pussy Riot girls got to action. After having performed on cars and roof tops, they wanted to get to the centre of the problem – in the most important cathedral in Moscow. Tired of the lack of females in politics in Russia, tired of the president and the Russian society’s general demand that a woman’s only way to happiness is to get married and have children.

Seeing this documentary, some of the (interviewed) Russian people seem to be afraid of what’s different. Art performances in itself is nothing accepted or normal, being a ‘feminist’ is something really bad and the provocative, aggressive punk band Pussy Riot are dangerous people.

But it makes me feel proud.

Proud that women like Nadja, Masja and Katja exist.

Proud that they dare to stand up, say no to what they believe is wrong and actually do something about it.

When I see them walking into court, smiling with no regrets, it makes me smile. While sitting in actual cages (!) and still questioning the judge and the prosecution as a whole and calling it all a show trial, that is courage.

And at the same time a shame. A damn shame that this is happening, in our modern world, in the year 2012. And that today, in 2013, two of the girls are still imprisoned. Was this really a crime? And if so, what with it was illegal?

Some of the cathedral’s religious visitors and the holy men express how aggrieved they were by the social disregard and the “attack” that they believe Pussy Riot did. Nadja, Masja and Katja mean that they meant no harm and that they are kind people that don’t want to hurt nobody.

After seeing this documentary, I feel that I can relate to Pussy Riot and how they feel. Even though I never had to fight for my human rights as a woman, I understand their pain and the statement that they were trying to make.

And it all starts with a memorable quote by Bertolt Brecht:

“Art is not a mirror that reflects the world, but a hammer that creates it.”

 

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