Words of w*r (2025)

[bunniefuu]

ANNA: Do you still think

that the world is vast?

That if there is a w*r

in one place,

it has no bearing on another?

And that you can

sit it out in peace...

ignoring all that you see?

We continue to slumber

as if the w*r being fought

within our borders

was not already

in its fifth year.

As if Chechnya was

as far from Europe

as the moon.



(INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER)



(SIRENS BLARING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

Come on. Let's go.

(SIRENS BLARING)

DMITRY:

Anna Politkovskaya.

I want to see the test results.

RECEPTIONIST:

That's not our normal procedure.

Well, she's not

a normal patient.

Sorry, are you a relative?

No, I'm her boss.

The results should be here.

I know, because I printed

them out earlier.

You think they

got deleted somehow?

Not only her test results...

there's no record

of her ever being admitted.

(WHIMPERS)

You're gonna be okay.

MILA:

She's a fighter.

Your mother will live.

-What is it?

-We need to get her out of here.

Her records are missing.



ILYA:

You sure about this?

We don't have a choice.

It's not safe here.

They're gonna let her die.

(CELLPHONE RINGING)

Where are you?

Huh?

Two minutes.

Careful.

Stop, stop, stop, stop.

Is she okay?

-DMITRY: Now hurry.

-Go.



Careful!

Seats.

-Okay.

-Easy, easy.

It's all right.

-Come on, come on.

-DMITRY: Come on now.

Okay, 1, 2, 3.

Watch her head.

Watch her head!

What are you doing?

The hospital in Likhovskoy

is almost 12 hours away.

If something happens,

are any of you trained?

Let's go.

You're gonna be okay, mama.

Transmission's been slipping,

but it should get you there.

(SIRENS BLARES)

You're paranoid.

g*dd*mn right I am.



(BATS SCREECHING)

(HORN HONKING)

Alexei, thank you.

-Thank you.

-Of course. Right.

Let's get her inside, ICU!

Quick as you can.

1, 2, 3, 4.

-Ca-- careful.

-Okay.

Okay.

Mind her head.

VERA: Papa, they've run

a thousand tests

but they know less than

when they started.

SASHA:

Stupid, stupid woman.

I told you

you cannot keep poking a bear

and expect him not

to bite back.

So, this is mama's fault?

SASHA:

No, no, it's mine, it's mine.

Should've fought harder.

Should've stopped her going

to the f*cking country.

-I practically cheered her on.

-SASHA: No.

Hey, sweetheart, listen.

Your mum makes her own mind up.

All you've ever done

is loved her,

just like she loved you

and your brother.

Okay?

You think about that.

(SIGHS)

SASHA:

Darling?

You, you okay?

-Vera?

-Yeah, you um...

you said, "loved".

Sorry.

No, I-- I-- what I meant--

I'll call you

if anything changes.

Is it okay if I pray?

(SPEAKS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)



ANNA:

Hello.

I'm Anna.

Who would like some pencils?

(CHUCKLES)

Can I give you those?

Thank you.

Thank you, thank you.

(CHUCKLES)

ANNA:

So, what happens to the ones

who don't get adopted?

If we can't place them in a

home before they reach 18,

they're transitioned.

So, forced out just in time

to get drafted.

No one's saying

the system is perfect.

The system doesn't work.

Hello.

My name's Anna.

She won't speak.

We call her "Angela",

for angel.

Russian soldiers found her

wandering the outskirts

of Grozny not long after

the invasion began.

They thought she looked Russian,

so they had her brought here.

So, you're Chechen?

Shh.

ANNA:

Sorry.

I like your doll, Angela.

Hmm?

Did something bad happen

to your doll in Grozny?

-Oh.

-Angela!

No. It's--

ASSISTANT CAREGIVER 1:

I'll-- I'll get the director.

No, please, please, it's um--

it's all right.

Don't-- don't punish her.

Oh. (CHUCKLES)

It was my fault.

I was being too nosy.

(CHUCKLES)



ANNA: Sasha, I-- I know.

I'm just saying.

I may be a little--

Yes. I know you're busy.

I'm busy, too. Okay.

Yes, we're busy people.

Right. Yes.

Bye, Sasha, bye, bye, bye.

-CO-WORKER 1: Morning.

-Oh, morning.

Bye.

-You're report.

-Oh, thank you, Pavan.

Thank you.

Relieved.

YURI: No. Whoa.

Wait, whoa, whoa.

No one is accusing anyone

of corruption, all right?

Our reporters just want to ask

you a few simple questions.

What kind of questions?

Well, uh, for example,

how does 2 billion rubles

allocated for

public building projects

end up being used

to build villas

in the south of Spain

for a bunch of rich guys?

You know what pisses me off?

Everything?

Well, besides that.

What, besides everything?

-Oysters.

-Huh?

There's a restaurant

in the Italian Alps,

it caters for wealthy Russians.

I've interviewed the owner.

I thought you were

writing about orphans.

Do you realize they have

eight kinds on the menu?

-Orphans?

-ANNA: Oysters.

Flown in from

all over the world.

Well, what's that got

to do with the article?

Well, the budgets for state-run

orphanages are being slashed.

Kids are going hungry.

No one gives a damn,

and least of all,

the nouveau riche

-who are getting fat off--

-Exotic shellfish.

Yeah, I get it.

What happened to your nose?

Well, doesn't it piss you off?

Well, yeah, it pisses me off,

but what am I gonna do?

I can't find

the Berezovsky file.

And don't let the things

you write about upset you.

They don't.

I start off upset, then I write.

Where did I put

that bloody file?

-Where was it?

-Mm.

(MUNCHES)

What's this?

-Toffee.

-Ugh.

-You don't like toffee?

-I like toffee.

(SPITS)

I don't like rat turd.

Well, you should work

for a state-run paper.

I hear the toffees there

are excellent.

Yeah.

I hear the reporters'

salaries are, too.

Why are you here?

I just love spending

time with you.

You want an extension?

Two, three days?

One.

Thank you.

-And it better be brilliant.

-ANNA: Yeah.

-And don't slam the door.

-(DOOR SLAMS)

SASHA:

Now, you must be aware

a lot of critics

are calling your book

flagrantly nationalistic.

You say that like

it's a bad thing.

I'm saying like the Soviet Union

dissolved in 1990,

and most people have

since moved on

from the idea

of a grander Russia.

HISTORIAN: If they have moved on

from land won

and fought for by the blood

of their forefathers,

then they are weak

and they are traitors.

That is an opinion, isn't it?

If you like it,

The Grander Russia

by our guest tonight,

Professor Vorobiev.

Something different tomorrow.

Look forward to seeing you then.

Goodnight.

CAMERAMAN:

And wrap.

Holy sh*t.

Thanks.

Phew.

Where did they find him?

-You were wonderful.

-Oh, yeah?

(CLEARS THROAT)

Your new friend looks

so particularly jolly.

-Who, Frankenstein's nephew?

-(CHUCKLES)

Secret police

stamped on his face?

I don't know

why we get all the attention.

It's not like I'm calling

for regime change live on TV.

Why not?

Because, darling, the man

has only just come to power

and-- and it would be impolite.

Well, then-- then call him out

for what he is,

an ex-KGB goon obsessed

with lining his own pockets.

That's a great idea.

I remember a time when you

wouldn't have thought twice.

I remember a time when you

knew how to duck a punch.

So, how was your day at the

cold face of truth, my darling?

Well, no one knows what

happened to her parents.

I mean, dead probably.

And she won't say.

And you couldn't

drag it out of her.

One-nil to the orphans.

Not funny, Sasha.

I feel for the girl.

Just being impartial.

You should try it sometime.

Then you wouldn't

be you, would you?

Let's have a look.

Ooh.

She's got a hell of a jab.

Yeah. Well, Putin hit her first.

Apart from your amazing rapport,

how's the piece going?

Oh.

Well, I've got one more

interview, then I will write,

Dimitri will publish,

and nothing will happen.

When Putin was assistant

mayor of Saint Petersburg...

he was banking 25% commission

on thousands

of unauthorized contracts

for food shipments,

most of which came back short

in the middle

of a food shortage.

Well, maybe look for any links

with the local mafia.

Uh, Nestor,

anything new in Chechnya?

I was thinking,

would it hurt to give him some

credit once in a while?

The Chechens started this thing.

What, so they

invaded themselves?

He put down a rebellion.

Barely 12 months later, all

that's left is some mopping up.

In my book,

that's a success story.

ANNA:

Sounds more like a fantasy.

Except I've sat down with

three of Putin's top generals.

Generals? Wow.

Then did you have his mother

on background?

And I was there.

In Grozny?

Wasn't on the list.

So, the army dictates

where you can go

and what you can see.

I mean, why pay someone

to go down there?

Maybe we should publish

the army's press releases

every week. I mean, whoa.

-Think of the savings.

-All right. All right.

-Ignore them.

-Dmitry, I um...

(CLEARS THROAT)

Well, I personally think our

whole approach to Chechnya,

it's-- well, it's wrong.

(MAN CLEARS THROAT)

I'm listening.

Well, maybe we should

vary our point of view.

I mean, right now, it's--

it's the Russian army's.

What if it was the Chechens?

Look, I--

I don't mean the rebels.

NESTOR:

I've tried.

The-- the few civilians I've met

won't talk to me,

because I'm Russian.

What am I supposed to do?

Pretend I'm from Bolivia?

How's your Spanish?

(CHUCKLE)

All right.

That's it. Thank you.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

She's right, you know?

About Nestor?

He's naive. He'll learn.

-He's f*cking useless.

-(CHUCKLES)

And he's left his facts.

He's cheap.

No, if our readers want to be

fed propaganda,

they can read Tass

or switch on the TV.

That's not what we're about.

You know who'd agree with that?

Oh, here we go.

The reason why Gorbachev set up

this paper in the first place

and spent his Nobel Prize money

doing it is

so there'd be at least

one source--

DMITRY:

Of honest reporting.

I know.

I'm taking that photo down.

We don't need

a w*r correspondent down there,

Dmitry.

Everyone's got one of those.

So, what do we need?

Sorry to interrupt.

I read your orphanage piece.

You did a great job.

Thank you.

(DMITRY CLEARS THROAT)

-(KNOCKS)

-Oh, wh-- I...

I've just been chatting

with Yuri.

Hmm.

And we agree with you.

We don't think we need

a w*r correspondent in Chechnya.

We need a people correspondent.

Oh, good.

Someone who's um, sensitive,

empathetic,

but also tough-minded

and uh, willing to confront

the powerful

by asking hard questions...

even if it means

pissing them off.

ANNA: Well, it'll be a week

at most.

And-- and look, it's my job.

VERA:

I think it's a great idea.

-Thank you.

-How is it a great idea?

I mean, how is going to

a w*r zone even close

to a great idea?

Maybe Ilya

doesn't like Chechens.

Who said anything

about Chechens?

What, do you think,

because she's a woman

she can't handle herself?

Oh, and you think

a b*llet cares?

I'm going to talk to people,

some of whom happen

to worship Allah,

and write about them.

And papa?

I mean, he's okay with this?

Absolutely.

That's the stupidest

f*cking thing

I've ever heard in my life.

Did you know that the w*r

between Russia and Chechnya

is the longest ongoing conflict

in the world?

-I didn't. Did you--

-SASHA: f*ck's sake. Hey!

--Oh, God.

-I'm your husband, okay?

I'm the father of your kids.

I love you.

And I-- I-- I-- I need

you to stick around.

So, no, it's not happening.

You call Dmitry tomorrow,

you tell him you've changed

your mind.

Right? Right?

Have you finished?

I'm going, Sasha.

I'm going.

Oh, f*ck. Christ.

Come on then, listen.

Listen, you give a copy

of your passport

and your itinerary to Dmitry.

No. In fact, to both of us,

and you don't go anywhere,

not-- not one yard off,

where we've seen written down

that you're going.

-Yes?

-Yes, right.

SASHA:

Okay?

Jesus Christ, you're

not going to f*cking Disneyland.

People are k*lling each other.

Do you understand?

They're sh**ting each other.

They're blowing each other up.

You get in the middle and then

you're f*cking dead, too.

Right.

-No, don't--

-Sasha, I--

No, don't Sasha me.

You promise me

you'll be careful.

I promise you that

I'll really be careful.

Shh.

-SASHA: Oh.

-(CHUCKLES)



Captain Turgenev,

you know as much as I'd like

to submit an article

about the back of your head,

it-- it-- it would be helpful

if we could stop

and talk to people.

Yeah, it would be, but we stop

in Khiris, not before.

Yes?

You know,

maybe we don't stop at all.

-(expl*si*n)

-(MEN SHOUTING)

(g*nf*re)

-(expl*si*n)

-(MEN SHOUTING)

(g*nf*re)

(SPEAKS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

JANUSZ:

Anna, get out!

Come on!

(GRUNTS, GASPS)

JANUSZ:

Come on!

Stay down!

(g*nf*re)

(expl*si*n)

First time in action?

Pretty cool, huh?

ANNA:

What's happening?

-Stay down!

-Okay, okay!

Stop shouting.

SOLDIER 1:

Moving clear!

(INDISTINCT SPEECH)

(g*nf*re)

(BABY CRIES)



(WOMAN SHOUTS)





-Good.

-Thank you.

REPORTER 1: ...the battle

in Grozny is now underway.

The Russian Army Commander

has declared

that anyone remaining

in the city will be considered

a legitimate target

for a*tillery and air strikes.

(VERA CHUCKLES)

SASHA:

Uh, come on, not again.

ANNA: You can ignore him

if you want to.

SASHA: Well, she's not

the only one

who's been to a w*r zone,

you know?

VERA:

Hmm, dad.

SASHA: We were all lined up

behind a church wall.

-It's blowing up bit by bit.

-VERA: Come on, dad.

-ILYA: Papa, come on.

-SASHA: Excuse me.

How many times?

It's fine everybody's heard it,

it's a classic.

VERA: I have heard this story

nine times now.

So, and the machine g*nf*re's

like coming

through the belly of all that.

And they stopped

and this guy jumps out

and he goes, "Don't sh**t,

man, we're journalists!

-I'm from the New York Times."

-(CHUCKLES)

And the guy says,

"Oh no, I hate your crosswords!"

-(IMITATES sh**ting)

-(CHUCKLES)

-Blows the whole place up.

-ANNA: There you go.

WOMAN 1:

I would be so frightened.

You probably weren't

frightened at all.

Uh, I think I actually

pissed my pants.

-Sasha!

-SASHA: I did.

So, who is the scariest person

you've ever met?

Um, I wonder...

-as*h*le.

-(CHUCKLING)

Was it?

I thought it was pork.

-Oh, no.

-WOMAN 1: I bet you're all glad

she isn't going back

to Chechnya.

-(WOMAN CHUCKLES)

-VERA: Awkward.

No.

(DISTANT EXPLOSIONS)

What's this? We need this

moving now, faster, come on.

Come on, people!

Let's move it along!

Let's go, now!

Come on!

Faster, guys, faster!

The entire city

is being emptied.

(CAMERA CLICKS)

They go to camps

near the border.





(INDISTINCT SHOUTING

IN DISTANCE)



ANNA:

Excuse me?

Excuse me, would you talk to me?

Uh, where were you...

Look, I'm a journalist.

Could you talk?

I'm just try--

Why won't anybody talk to me?

Look.

What's happened?

The Russian Army.

What?

Could you explain?

-What?

-Mm.

Please, what...

I just want to help.

I just want to help.

I'm just-- Look, I'm-- I'm--

f*ck this. f*ck.



-DMITRY: Hello?

-Dmitry?

-DMITRY: Anna?

-Dmitry?

Can you hear--

It's--

Oh, sh*t!

Hey, can I ask you something?

I thought a reporter's job was

to report and not help, huh?

In the case

of Russian reporters,

to spoon feed whatever version

of the truth

the Kremlin deems fit.

Well, that might be true

for some.

But not all.

The paper I work for believes

that people deserve the truth,

not lies.

They're choking on lies.

Oh, you think the truth

will go down easier?

-Would you talk to me?

-(SCOFFS)

I took the word of

a Russian reporter once.

I swore never again.

Please! (INDISTINCT SPEECH)

(HORN HONKS)

Politkovskaya!

Let's go. Time to go.

ANNA:

Go without me.

(DISTANT EXPLOSIONS)

What did you say to me?

I'm staying.

There's one thing lies

between you

and these vicious

Chechen dogs...

...the Russian Armed Forces.

The forces concerned

for my welfare,

you know, it's touching.

But I don't see any dogs

on this road,

vicious or otherwise.

What I do see is people

desperate to flee Grozny.

Now, why?

I don't know.

Suit yourself,

but you're on your own.

In the vehicle, let's go!

I am--

I could do with a drink.

Look, I have to be sure

what I've just done

isn't gonna get me k*lled.

As I can't be sure,

I have to assume the risk.

I'm Anna Politkovskaya,

by the way.

Anzor.

If you really want

to report the truth...

(BLOWS SMOKE)

I'll show you difficult things

for you to see.

Great.

Can we go now?

(ENGINE STARTS)

(INDISTINCT SHOUTING

IN DISTANCE)



ANZOR: You've entered

the black hole

of the world, Anna.

No light

or truth escapes from here.



(DOGS BARKING)

(INDISTINCT SHOUTING

IN DISTANCE)

(CAR DOOR CLOSES)

ANNA:

Hello.

(BACKGROUND CHATTER)

(BABY CRYING IN BACKGROUND)

(COUGHS)

(WOMAN SHOUTING IN BACKGROUND)

How do they survive?

This is...

Hi, hello.

My name is Anna.

What's your name?

Please, who are you?

What you do here?

It's okay.

This is Anna Politkovskaya.

-She wants to tell our story.

-Russian?

Yes, I'm Russian.

I'm a journalist

from the Novaya Gazeta.

I know people like you

are liars.

She's different.

What is your name?

Fatima.

Would you talk with me, Fatima?

Please?

If I talk, you tell my story

and no lies.

I promise.

Thank you.

Come.

(SPEAKS CHECHEN)

Would it be okay

if I recorded you?

FATIMA:

Yes.

Okay, thank you.

Just put that there.

FATIMA:

Vakha loved me.

Never in his life did he hurt

another human being.

I could always make him laugh.

That's what he loved about me,

my sense of humor.

Most men, they want to

be the funny one but...

Vakha didn't care.

When they found his body...

he had been shot several times.

Both ears cut off

and kept as trophies.

I'll tell you who does this.

Russians.

DMITRY: "When they find out

you're a reporter,

they cling to you,

as if you are a magician,

as if something essential

depended on you.

This w*r is not being fought

to rein in a rogue republic.

This w*r is being waged

to advance the interests

of one person...

a president intent on becoming

the type of leader

that Russia thought it had left

in the past,

a vain, brutal,

power-hungry authoritarian."

Jesus.

Well, you said you were

gonna be tough on him.

You've dropped a b*mb

on his doorstep.

I was aiming for his lap.

You're set on blowing up

the whole damn operation.

Oh, well, then I'll add

something about

what a good father is

and how much his generals

give to charities.

The hospital burns ward.

Move it up

to the first paragraph.

Tone down the gore.

Other than that,

don't change a word.

We're gonna publish part

of your report each week.

Thank you.

Before Putin, you know how

Russians felt about themselves.

He made it okay for us

to love our country again.

Some of us never stopped.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER

IN BACKGROUND)

(SIGHS)

(COINS CLANKS)

ANNA: We are hurtling back

into a Soviet abyss.

An information vacuum

that spells death

from our own ignorance.

If you choose to be

a journalist in Russia,

you have to accept the risk.

ANNA:

Happy birthday.

I'm sorry, I-- I can't be--

What, something...

Uh, Ilya, sorry.

Really bad, bad signal.

Did-- did you get

the present I sent?

ILYA:

Yes.

ANNA: (ON PHONE)

It's a Sufi saying.

It's beautiful, mama,

but I um,

I don't know what it says.

"Only from the heart

can you touch the sky."

(DISTANT expl*si*n)

What's that noise?

Are those bombs?

ANNA: (ON PHONE)

Howitzer fire.

The 120th are making a push

so Putin has something to brag

about before the election.

Well, it sounds close.

I don't know.

I'd say it's 5 kilometers away.

Yeah.

(KNOCKS)

Uh, hold on.

There we go.

(INDISTINCT BACKGROUND CHATTER)

Step out of the car.

Is there a problem?

Step out of the car.

-Let me call you back.

-No, mama, wait.

-ANNA: Sorry.

-Move. Come on.

Please, can you explain

what the problem is?

-Hey.

-So, where are you taking us?

Shut the f*ck up!

Journalist.

Yes, I'm a journalist

and I'm certified to be here.

But please, please read.

Can you not touch--

-(GRUNTS)

-Oh!

ANNA:

Oh, oh, God.

-Oh.

-(GASPS)

(SIGHS, WHIMPERS)

f*cking b*stards.

You should write a report.

They could've k*lled you.

They're nobodies.

I'm not gonna open people's

eyes by feeding them nobodies.

Well, next time, Anna, some

nobody is likely to break more

than your tape recorder.

(SIGHS)

GREGOR:

Hey.

Hey.

-Great ratings last night.

-Yeah.

Best of the series.

Yesterday's news now.

Your wife, she's making

quite a name for herself.

Pfft.

Well, she raised the kids

while I made a name

for myself, so...

Yeah, it's only fair.

A bit reckless, don't you think?

She says she's well aware

of the danger she's in, so.

But are you?

What's gonna happen to me?

She could poke my eye

out with a brush.

Have a great show.

Sorry.

Stuck at work.

She's on a mission.

Uh, it's not easy for any of us.

No, all right, well--

Well, what if you'd found out

that for the past year

instead of running off

to Chechnya all the time,

she was running into the arms

of another man?

I mean, h-- how, how

would you feel then?

-Like sharing?

-(SIGHS)

They shouldn't have

sent her to a conflict.

She's a people correspondent.

She loves people.

It's who she is.

-WAITER 1: Finished, sir?

-Thank you.

You know, today in her column,

you know what she called him?

A gangster.

That's your mum.

Beautiful, tender,

and with all the tact

of a T-90 tank.

People are starting to notice

how much she hates him.

She hates what he's doing.

She hates the w*r.

Almost as much

as she loves Chechens.

Hey, we're here to enjoy

ourselves, remember?

Drink.

(expl*si*n)





(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

Were you never tempted

to join the rebels?

(BLOWS RASPBERRY)

You know, Anna,

one day I'd woken up

and a w*r had broken out.

Yes, most of my friends,

they joined the rebels,

but I didn't hate the Russians

enough to k*ll them, so.

You know, some people think

the only way to end the w*r

is by winning it.

May I say you end

the w*r by ending it.

Oh, oh.

We can't talk about

something else?

We have a guest in our home.

The w*r can wait.

-I didn't give you a drink.

-(LAUGHS) But I was--

Come, come, come.

I told him to give you a drink.

Mama, you said do the plate.

This is Amina, Zarina, Amir,

and Khava.

Come, come, come.

So tonight, as a family, we eat.

-Oh.

-And we drink.

Oh. Thank you.

You know, it smells amazing.

Oh, Anna, you're in for a treat.

My mother, she makes the best

jijig-chorpa in Chechnya.

MAARET: Hey, hey.

Who raised you, huh?

-Wolves? Leave it.

-Mama.

Ah.

Oh, Natalya.

-Delicious.

-I picked it.

I cleaned it.

I cooked it all by myself.

Mama. I did nothing.

MAARET: You did nothing.

You never do anything.

MAN 1:

I'm the one who picked it,

-so I don't know what--

-MAARET: That's a lie.

MAN 1:

All right.

NATALYA:

Don't listen to them.

They're liars.

Well, I want to make

a toast to Anna.

Oh, no, no, no, no.

For bringing hope

and light to the Chechen people,

for keeping your promise.

And I promise that I'll

continue to keep it.

-NATALYA: To Anna.

-(CHUCKLES)

-To Anna.

-Mm.

You see?

My cousin, Anzor,

is her personal driver.

They are very famous.

Isn't the target on

my back big enough?

Time for sweet things, huh?

ANNA:

Yeah.



Have you ever met

any of these men?

Never.

They're Chechen civilians

who disappeared on

or around January the 2nd.

Now, I've been in contact

with people from their village

who allege that members of your

militia unit detained these men

and then over a series of days,

and under

your strict supervision,

subjected them to t*rture.

Do you know this man?

Salambek Turamov.

Our sources allege that

you tortured Salambek,

before you dragged him

to a cell

at the October district offices

and k*lled him.

Do you care to comment?

You're accusing me of m*rder?

Salambek's parents are.

Take down this statement...

(SPITS)

"I am an officer in the army

of the Russian Federation...

not a m*rder*r."

But write your little story.

No one will read it beyond

a few liberal f*ggots in Moscow.

ANNA:

It's true,

we don't have the number

of readers of other papers,

but you see,

there's only one number

that matters to me,

and that's the number of

prosecutors needed to bring

charges of first-degree m*rder

against an officer

of the Russian Army.

And that number is one.

I think we're done here,

aren't we?

You do know

I could slit your throat

and let you bleed out

like a pig?

Thank you for taking the time

to talk to me, Major.

Now, if you don't mind,

my driver is expecting me.



-Good morning.

-Morning.

Uh, what happened

to my desk?

It's well--

well, it's neat.

Oh, it's uh, probably

the new intern.

She just showed up.

She was a cub reporter

for a local newspaper.

Says she wants

to be a proper journalist.

Yeah, well, she wants to

stay away from my desk.

(CHUCKLES)

I like you pissed off.

That's how I want you to

address the Security Council.

Oh. Thank you.

I'm Anna.

I know.

What are you doing right now?

Um, I'm making coffees.

Well, you're not gonna learn

how to be a journalist

doing that. Okay?

I want you to help me draft

our statement to the UN.

Call Natalya, tell her

that you work for me.

I want a list of every complaint

against Russian troops

in Chechnya

in the last six months,

and then plan to spend the rest

of the day making calls.

Oh, and uh,

I'll have a tea, no sugar.

ANNA: I dislike Putin,

because he despises his people.

He sees us simply as a means

to his ends,

a means for the achievement

and retention of power.

He believes he can do

with us as he sees fit.

"Because we are nobody.

While he who chances

and able to clamber to the top.

is today Czar and God.

In Russia, we have had leaders

with this outlook before.

Led to tragedy, to bloodshed on

a vast scale,

and to civil wars."

"I do not want that.

So, I dislike this

typical Soviet Chekist."

Or a member of the

old secret police.

I know what Checkist means.

Only no one else

outside Russia will.

Well, if-- if I'd have known

the Associated Press

were gonna pick it up,

well, then, I would

have phrased it differently.

"I don't like this typical

Soviet Chekist

as he struts down

the red carpet

of the Kremlin throne room

as if he actually owns it.

The gold is polished

and shines.

Servants smile obediently.

Comrades,

former KGB colleagues

promoted way

beyond their limited talents

by his, assume a dignified air."

Jesus Christ.

(SIGHS)

Well, it's powerful,

Putin as emperor.

Someone had to say it,

I suppose.

Maybe someone in a position

of power

will take five minutes

out of their busy day

and look up Chechnya on a map.



SASHA: What?

What are you looking at?

Hmm?

Nothing.



Oh, thank you.



Excuse me, do you mind?

Nope, nope.

You're a writer.

Hmm.

It's just a guess.

You've got that haunted look of

someone with a deadline to meet.

I wish I could write.

I'd write about history.

The old czars, Ivan, Peter.

I mean, nowadays, you can say

what you want about them

and no one seems to care,

but back then...

And you had to be bloody careful

what you said about the church.

It was all in the Stoglav.

Do you know what that was?

It was a record of the czar's

questions to the clergy

and their responses.

It established the code

of canon law.

And what writers

were allowed to express.

These are amazing.

I can see why you come here

every morning.

What are you?

You need to stop.

Stop what?

Criticizing the czar?

Understand, it makes

no difference to me.

Me, personally,

I enjoy your column.

I look forward to it.

Your passion,

your concern for humanity,

your fondness

for the Chechen people,...

all of that is commendable.

But it doesn't change

your situation.

And what is

my situation exactly?

Been nice to meet you.

Morning.

-Good morning.

-Hi.

(MACHINE BEEPING)

Oh, come on.

(CARD BEEPING)

Oh, Gregor. Hi.

Yeah.

-I'll be a minute.

-Sasha.

-What have they done?

-Sasha?

Yeah.

I need to have a little chat

with you.

Well, now? I'm late.

Come with me, my friend,

because this is completely out

of my hands.

(INDISTINCT SPEECH)





(WOMAN CHATTERS)



-Hey.

-Hey.

-What's wrong?

-Nothing.

-Who is that?

-He--

It's no one.

-Leave it, Ilya--

-But why is he staring at you?

I-- I don't know.

Just come on. Ilya.

Ilya, leave it, please.

Hey!

Oi!

(DOOR CLOSES)

ANNA:

Oh, Ilya, he's gone.

Ayi, yai, yai.

Oh.

This place is a mess.

I've been back a week.

I-- I can't get into it.

No, it's his mess.

He should clean it.

Your father, well, he's--

he's having a hard time.

He hates not working.

Look, stop making

excuses for him.

Look, look, look, Ilya.

Hey.

It's okay.

No, it's not okay, all right?

It's-- it's-- it's not.

None of this is okay.

Not papa, not strangers

stalking you in the street.

Oh, oh--

Probably the unhinged subject

of some article

you've written who now

has it in for you

or the fact that,

for the past two years,

I've woken up every morning

and wondered if today

is gonna be the day

that I get a call from someone

telling me

my mother's been found

in a ditch, right?

It-- it-- it is all so not okay.

Ilya...

SASHA:

Oh.

Thought it was you.

Hi.

Hello. Welcome home.

Are you uh, you gonna stay

for dinner?

No.

Oh, Ilya.

Ilya!

Why is he upset?

What did you say?

What'd you say to him?

You know, as much as I love

working all day then,

oh, doing the shopping

and then, ooh, making dinner,

it would be nice

if maybe you did it

for a change.

SASHA: Yeah, I'm busy!

I'm doing something.

-ANNA: Doing what?

-I'm logging the death threats.

Why?

Oh.

-Sasha.

-Talking of which,

your favorite w*r criminal

called today.

I saved it for you.

Here you go.

LAPIN: (ON RECORDING)

Hear that?

You're dead.

I'm gonna cut your t*ts off

and feed them to the beast dogs.

Yeah?

Last time,

it was your uterus.

Something tells me

mad Major Lapin's

got serious mommy issues.

No one's asking you to do this.

We need a record.

And anyway...

what else am I gonna do?

Have you written

any more query letters?

I've written plenty

of letters, all right?

No one's writing back.

ANNA: You will.

It's just a matter of time--

-It's--

-And it will happen.

It's just like the old days.

Can't you feel it?

It's like someone's pried open

Stalin's crypt

and the stench is in the air.

What about Vasily?

-Have you called him--

-Please don't.

Just...

They're all sh*t scared of him.

Big joke. They're not

even trying to get to me.

-Sorry. I'm so-- I--

-No, no. No.

I've got to make dinner.

Sorry.

SOPHIA:

Excuse me, can I help you?

I need to speak to Anna,

Anna Politkovskaya.

SOPHIA:

One minute.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

Excuse me? Hey.

You can't go here.

Stop him.

What's going on?

Whoa, whoa, whoa,

whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

You need to have

an appointment here.

You can't just barge in here.

-You're s--

-Hold on, hold on.

It's okay.

You know this guy?

I've seen him around.

Can I help you?

Army?

Lance corporal.

Semenov, Ivan.

5th Army,

Motorized r*fle Brigade.

You fought in Gudermes?

You guys took heavy casualties.

They took more.

Look,

I know you want to

tell me something,

because you've

been following me.

They lied.

They said it was for rubbish.

Right. Ivan, come with me.

-It's okay. Please.

-Anna--

Let him go.

Dmitry, I'm okay, honestly.

Please, this way.

Follow me.

-You sure?

-Positive.

Take a seat.

We dug the trench,

me and some guys from my squad.

It was the staff sergeant

who said they planned

to bury rubbish in it.

I had no reason

not to believe him.

The next day, a bunch of special

forces showed up at the camp.

They were ethnic Chechens

who'd fought

against the Russians at first,

then switched sides.

I couldn't figure out

why they were there.

Then a large group

of non-combatants

was herded out of the camp

and marched towards

the edge of the trench,

the one we'd dug

to bury the rubbish.

The special forces were waiting

with their r*fles.

The camp was dismantled

a week later

and went away without a trace...

an entire camp.

Do you um,

do you think you

could draw a map?

You promise not

to publish my name?

If you promise you're not lying.

DMITRY:

Anna.

You know, the whole time it has

been right under my nose.

What?

The camp that Corporal Semenov

was assigned to, you know?

He reckons there's over

two hundred bodies buried there

and according to him,

the same thing is happening

all over the region.

You know, if this checks out,

you know what this is?

Yeah.

-You're not going down there.

-Why not?

Because you're due to address

the Security Council

in five days.

Well, that can wait.

Oh, for God's sake, Anna!

You have been invited

to bear witness

by the British delegation

to the United Nations, right?

It is not some nail salon

you can call up

and change an appointment

anytime you want.

Look, Semenov came to me,

because I'm the only one

he can trust.

No. He trusts this newspaper!

(THUDS)

DMITRY: And that is

who you work for,

not the other way around.

Oh.

Okay. I-- I get it.

I get it, okay?

Chechnya's your baby.

Well, this newspaper is mine.

And it certainly isn't

because of the money.

I could earn twice as

much anywhere else, right?

But then I'd be in

the bullshit business.

And that is why I was so happy

when the invitation came

from the UN.

I saw Kofi Annan's signature

and I thought, "Okay.

Maybe we are doing

something right." Okay?

And by we, I don't mean you

and me.

I mean every single person

who has ever walked through

that door and given a damn.

Okay?

Hey, hey, hey!

-Hey, hey, hey.

-Someone-- there's someone here.

(CAMERA CLICKS)

ANNA: I came here

with a speech

about an ill*gal occupation

and its devastating effects

on civilians in Chechnya.

But in the last 48 hours,

I have received evidence

that confirms systematic

mass killings

on a scale

I could never imagine.

The site contains over

a 150 m*rder*d civilians,

many of whom were found

with their hands tied

behind their backs

with barbed wire

and many showing

signs of t*rture.

We expect many more

mass graves to be found.

Now, the Kremlin is doing

everything possible

to keep this a secret.

It wants the world to believe

that Russia is waging a w*r

against t*rrorists,

when in fact

its real purpose is

a dedicated campaign of genocide

against the people of Chechnya.

EGOROV:

Yes, sir. I saw it.

Understood, sir.

Yes, thank you.

ANNA: People can pay

with their lives

for saying out loud

what they believe.

(BANGING)

ANNA: Just talking to me

can put someone in danger.

GRU AGENT:

Where is he?

MAARET:

He's not here.

No. No, no, no.

He's not here.

He's in Regita.

Come back.

He's not here!

Where are you going?

(DOGS BARKING)

(GRUNTS)

MAARET:

Oh my God. Leave him. Leave him.

Don't go after him.

Leave him alone!

Please!



(PANTING)

(g*nf*re)

On your knees.

(PANTING)



SASHA:

Mm.

Hey, The Godfather' s on

in a bit.

Ah. Well, shame we'll miss it.

Well, we could always

get room service,

stay in like the old days.

Well, um,

and when they ask me

why I didn't turn up

to receive my award,

I'll say, "Oh.

Well, there was an old movie

on the TV

-and I wanted to watch."

-It's not an old movie.

It's The Godfather.

You love The Godfather.

You love The Godfather.

I've just been pretending to.

Now, get ready.

(PHONE RINGING)

Hi.

MAARET: (ON PHONE)

Anzor has been arrested.

What?

MAARET: (ON PHONE)

They have taken my son.

Well, where have they taken him?



What?

What?

Everything all right?

Let's go.

[GRUNTS]

[GRUNTS, WHIMPERS]

-[CHEERING]

-SASHA: Yeah.

Thank you.

No, it's not like the old days,

is it?

When we started out,

if you won an award,

you had to get yourself k*lled

or at least, lose a couple

of legs or something, right?

They'd put a picture up

on the newsroom

of a coffee machine that said,

"Never to be forgotten."

Next person in they'd be,

"Who's that?"

-Right?

-[SHUSHES]

And now for the final award

of the evening.

The Global Award

for Human Rights Journalism

was established to recognize

the immense importance

of journalists around the world.

This year, the award

goes to Anna Politkovskaya.

Yeah!

Sorry. Sorry. Sorry.

[PEOPLE WHISTLING]

ANNA:

w*r has two sides.

I say it has three.

The innocent civilians

caught in the middle

of what I can only describe

as a medieval, brutal w*r.

And I would like

to dedicate this award

to those extraordinary,

brave people.

[CHEERING, APPLAUSE]

Sorry, if I embarrassed

you, all right?

I'd had a few glasses of wine.

Oh, good, Sasha.

Blame the wine.

Jesus, everybody

loved you, all right?

Everybody loved your speech.

How long are you gonna stay

angry for?

Look, it's stained on it--

No, this is not about the dress!

-With the water.

-This...

this is about you

and how you wallow

in your self-pity.

Oh, uh, uh, uh,

when I try and help you,

you resent me like you

resent everything I do.

I have no idea

what you're--

-what are you talking about?

-Look, you-- you were a star.

You got the treatment everywhere

you went, including at home.

And then

the unthinkable happened.

Your wife stopped

playing second fiddle.

Yeah, the-- this,

it's so far from the mark.

-It is so wrong.

-I'm right!

Yeah. Uh, you're right

about anything.

I mean, you're always f*cking

right about everything,

aren't you?

I mean, you're right

about not liking sitting

at home doing nothing.

You're right.

I don't like sitting about

with nothing to do for years.

And whose fault is that?

Uh, it's not mine, is it?

-Obviously--

-I mean, is it?

-It's not.

-So...

So, you're blaming me like

you blame me for everything.

Who the f*ck else is to blame?

-No.

-No, I'm-- I'm-- I'm sorry.

Look, Sasha, Sasha, I--

I don't care anymore.

(ELEVATOR DINGS)

[SOBBING]



(RAIN PATTERING)

BELLHOP:

May I take your bag, sir?

Yes, please.

I um, I spoke to Vasily.

He's gonna let me crash there

just for a little while.

That's good for Vasily.

How long you sticking around?

I think a few more days.

There's people here.

I, uh...

Listen...

you're a better writer

than me.

I know that's not easy

for you to say.

(CAR DOOR CLOSES)

Hello?

MAARET: (ON PHONE)

They uh, beat him...

and then left him to die

like a piece of rubbish.

Oh, Maaret.

MAARET: (ON PHONE)

They've taken everything.

A brother, my husband,

my children.

That's all w*r does, takes.

And it's never enough.

Two centuries of taking,

it still wants more.

I'm so sorry.

[SOBS]



[AUDIENCE LAUGH]

[AUDIENCE CLAPS]

You know,

if you two do get tired

of watching this extremely

long costume drama

in which literally nothing

actually happens,

I think there's

a football game on.

No?

Okay.

ANNA: No one is reporting

on the terrible impact

of the w*r.

The tactics employed

by the Kremlin

to suppress so-called terrorism

is itself creating a wave

of violence

the like of which

has never been experienced.

[AUDIENCE LAUGH]

AGENT 1:

Get the f*ck off the stage!

Move it f*cking now!

(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

[AUDIENCE SHOUTS]

(g*nf*re)

You're all going to die

unless you do exactly as we say.

Call your loved ones.

Tell them

you have been taken hostage

by the Reconnaissance

and Sabotage Battalion

of Vedeno.

Right, does anyone

want anything?

-I'm good, thank you.

-Ilya?

(MOBILE VIBRATES)

Nikolai Agapov reporting live

from the Dubrovka Theater

in Moscow,

which has been taken over

by Chechen t*rrorists.

-Oh my God.

-NIKOLAI: ...to detonate bombs.

Just after 9:00 p.m.

this evening,

-dozens of heavily--

-Turn it down.

...Chechens stormed

the theater--

So, who is this?

EGOROV: (ON PHONE)

Egorov, the Russian Federation.

What do you want?

I'm calling to tell you

what the t*rrorists want.

And that is?

EGOROV: (ON PHONE)

You.

Me?

EGOROV: (ON PHONE)

Yeah, to mediate negotiations.

According to their leader,

you're the only Russian

that the entire Chechen

population trusts.

I need you to come to the

Dubrovka Theater immediately.

When you get there,

you will ask for me,

and one of my men

will escort you

to the command center.

Okay.

Mama?

They um, they want me

to help with negotiations.

Over the phone, right?

No.

(SIGHS)

-Oh my God.

-NIKOLAI: A woman in her 40s

m*rder*d while attending

a theater show.

So, these are the people you're

supposed to talk sense to?

A-- a-- and you're supposed

to go in there and do what?

Make them see the f*cking light?

Ilya, if there's anything

I can do to help, then I will.

Of course.

That's all I've ever

heard my entire life.

The innocent,

and the powerless

-and how much they need you.

-Ilya, Ilya.

-Yeah, it never ends, ma.

-Ilya, Ilya, listen to me.

No, because this is the world!

And the world will never run out

of victims no matter what you

or anyone else does

to change it.

So tell me, mama,

where do we fit in?

-So, no, no--

-This is not about you!

So, tell me!

I mean, granted, we're only

your flesh and blood, right?

Yeah, we're not full f*cking

members of the Wretched

-and Exploited--

-Oh.

(GASPS)

-Ilya, I--

-No, no.

Ilya.

You're not going.

You're not.

You're staying right here.

-It's her choice.

-No, no.

I'm not watching you die!

Listen to yourself.

Mama, please be careful.

(DOOR CLOSES)

I've sent Marta

and the metro team.

I'd love to assign you,

but it looks like you're busy.

Now do me a favor,

try not to piss anyone off.

I know it's hard for you.

Oh, I'll try.

You'll never get a cab.

That was a friend in DC,

it's all over the news there.

My contact in London

says the same.

Well done, lads.

You hit them big time.

(SIRENS BLARING)

Why are you doing this?

You're not a parent.

Maybe someday

you'll have children

and-- and when you do,

your children

will look at the world

that you have handed them

and-- and they will judge you,

not whether you,

you succeeded in making

the world a better place

or didn't make the world

a better place,

but it...

They will judge you

on how hard you tried.

This is as far as I go.

Said I'd take you to them,

but I'm not handing you over.

Go, mama.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

MAN 2:

No one interrupt.

Sir?

EGOROV:

Thank you for coming, Anna.

So, you're not going in there

to report or observe.

No public statements,

no interviews.

You keep your mouth shut

and you keep your opinions

to yourself

until the situation is resolved.

And then I'm free to say

whatever I like, hmm?

Lieutenant Colonel Egorov.

Well, that's entirely up to you.

The leader's name

is Musa Barayev,

a well-established

Chechen separatist.

We estimate 30-plus t*rrorists

and 800 hostages.

The children are still inside,

getting them out

should be your main priority.

We've also been able to tap

into the theater's CCTV cameras,

mainly focused on the entrances

and exits,

so we should have visual

on you most of the time.

But if anything does go wrong,

there's not a lot we can do.

Oh, we have a flak jacket.

ANNA:

There's no need.

They've k*lled two

hostages already.

They're savages.

You trust savages?

Well, if they are savages,

then a flak jacket

isn't gonna be much help

to me, is it?

Shall we?

Ma'am.



She's going in.

She's completely alone.

She'll be fine.

How much time do your men need?

Two to three hours.

SOLDIER 1:

Copy, she's in.

Give the order.

Sir.

Hello?

Hello?

ABU BAKR:

Hello.

I am Abu Bakr.

I'm Anna.

It is an honor to meet you,

Anna Politkovskaya.

Back home they write songs

about you.

One claims you are the

bravest woman in Russia.

I'm here to see Barayev.

Of course.

Come with me.

BARAYEV: What the f*ck? What--

what the f*ck is this sh*t?

Are you guys stupid?

Take this...

f*cking imbeciles.

Tell your readers

we are not jihadists, okay,

in spite of what some would

have you believe.

It's a pleasure to meet you.

They're children under 13.

You made a deal.

You need to let them go.

Okay.

Okay.

All children under 13 years old,

line up on the stairs

with me now.

[PEOPLE CRYING]

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

-Is this your wife?

-Yeah, she's diabetic.

(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

-There we go.

-Thank you.

FATIMA:

Children.

Come.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

AGENT 4:

[SPEAKING IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE]

(DOOR SLAMS)

We've gone past the point

of no return.

Either the w*r stops now

or we blow up the hostages.

Well--

And that's your message?

Look, I understand.

I know the situation

in Chechnya is intolerable.

Let me help you make a deal.

There must be an immediate halt

to all security sweeps.

If he agrees,

the older children can go.

And what's to stop him resuming

sweeps in two days, huh?

[INDISTINCT SHOUTING]

If you let the children go,

it's a gesture, Abu Bakr,

and I'm telling you,

it's an important one.

AGENT 4:

(SPEAKS FOREIGN LANGUAGE)

She wants to talk to you.

Thank you.

He says you need to call off

the security sweeps.

First he releases those 13

and over,

then I'll order a halt

in all districts except Vedeno.

First, he says you have to let

the older children go.



FATIMA:

Anna.

Fatima.

Ah, we've come a long way.

On very different paths.

You choose words,

I choose action.

These men...

...they're using you.

You're wrong.

These are good men.

They fight for a great cause.

Your husband, if he was alive,

well, he would--

would he stand with them?

Men who prey on the vulnerable,

who--

who give them no choice,

but what,

to m*rder innocent people

in the name of what?

Peace?

Cover your face, Fatima.

Leave with me now.

Beg the court for mercy.

It's the only way you're

gonna get out of here alive.

All right.

The rest of the children can go.

And the women?

Maybe.

You need to go.

And you need to keep on talking.

Otherwise,

how is this going to end?

When Chechnya is free.

That's when this will end.

Goodbye, Anna.

(GAS HISSING)

(INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER)

(g*nf*re)

What the--

No. What-- not that--

No. Get, get--

The f*ck is going on?

NESTOR: Alpha team

storming the building.

Christ, the w*r has come home.

[PEOPLE COUGHING]

What was that?

[COUGHING]

ANNA:

No, what?

-No, get, get--

-It's all right.

-It's all right.

-Get off!

Let her go.

(SIGHS)

Wh--

What the hell have you done?

You used me.

You used me to stall for time.

We each have a job to do, Anna.

We saved

a lot of innocent lives

and a few Chechens

are put to sleep.

Job well done.

I understand it was

the president

who came up with the idea,

but don't quote me.

Look, you're maniacs.

You're-- you're all

f*cking maniacs.

(g*nf*re)

[YELLS]



(g*nsh*t)

NEWS MAKERS HOST:

So, you're accusing

the president of m*rder?

ANNA:

Last month he ordered the use

of chemical weapons

on civilians,

a 170 people died.

So, w-- w-- what, what

would you call it?

It was an opioid-laced gas,

correct?

Fentanyl.

A tranquilizer used

to make people fall asleep.

Not to k*ll them.

You see these people?

Now, they're civilians,

not t*rrorists,

and they are not sleeping.

Fentanyl causes

respiratory depression.

Now, the victims should have

been turned on their sides in--

in order to keep

their airways open.

Instead, they were left

on their backs,

ensuring they asphyxiated.

Now, as you can see,

the ER personnel

are completely caught

by surprise

at the number of victims

needing their care.

Now, if they had been informed

ahead of time--

-Wh-- why weren't they?

-Secrecy.

See, our team uncovered

that the operation

was classified

under need-to-know restrictions.

And that, well, then that

included people

who could have saved lives.

And the fact that 30 t*rrorists

took hundreds hostage?

The only t*rror1st

that the Russian people

need to fear...

is their own president.

(STATIC)

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

You have to see this.

REPORTER 2: (ON TV)

Reports just coming in

from the town of Beslan

in North Ossetia.

The Chechen separatists

have entered the school

and taken many hostages.

It's a terrible reminder

of the Dubrovka Theater scene

with hundreds of staff

and people still trapped inside.

Oh, no.

Anna, this is not your w*r.

Uh, uh, listen, D-- Dmitry,

uh, someone needs to negotiate.

I have to try.

DMITRY: (ON PHONE)

Last time I checked,

you were supposed

to be a journalist.

But-- but I-- I am

and you know that

and why I need to be there

on the ground.

DMITRY: (ON PHONE)

Just be careful.

My contact on the ground

will meet you

and take you to the school.

The government is saying

200 to 400 hostages,

but my contact in Ossetia

is saying it's more like 1100,

700 children.

Good luck.

ANNA:

Thank you.

ELENA:

Be careful!

Welcome aboard.

Thank you.

-Tea or coffee, madam?

-No, thank you.

-Tea or coffee, madam?

-Tea, please.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT:

Your tea ma'am.

Oh, thank you.

Miss?

Miss?

[TAKING BREATHS]

Miss?

[GASPING]

(INDISTINCT RADIO CHATTER)

(WHIMPERS)

VERA:

Mama.

Mama, you're awake.

Here water, water.

-[COUGHS]

-Ilya?

Yeah, she's awake.

Okay.

Okay.

Ilya's on his way.

Okay, I'm gonna go

and get a nurse. Okay?

Wha-- what happened?

The hostages?

Mum.

What happened?



The rebels set off a b*mb

inside the gymnasium.

That is if you

believe the Kremlin.

There were casualties, mama.

How many?

The number keeps changing,

but...

at the moment

they're saying over 300 dead.

Huh?

Including all the separatists.

Huh?

How many children?

-VERA: Mama, you need to rest.

-Vera, how many children?

The majority.

[SOBBING]

You were right.

You said she would

fight to live.

God is great.

Garry Kasparov

was on TV yesterday.

He called you,

"the conscience of the nation".

Yeah, well, Garry Kasparov

should stick to playing chess.

(CHUCKLES)

DMITRY:

Good morning.

Have you seen this?

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

CROWD:

Anna!

Anna!

Anna!

Anna!

Anna!

I'm no saint.

Far from it.

Ask the mothers of Beslan.

Well, don't tell them.

(CHUCKLES)

Mother Russia.

(CHUCKLES)

-Far from it.

-CROWD: Anna!

Anna!

Anna!

Anna!

-Anna!

-Thank you.

Anna! Anna! Anna!

Okay, stay back please.

Stay back.

-Anna!

-Anna!

-Anna!

-Anna!

-Anna!

-Anna!

-Anna!

-Anna!

ILYA:

Excuse me, thank you.

-Anna!

-Anna!

-Anna!

-Anna!

Careful, careful.

Anna! Anna! Anna!

You all right?

ANNA:

Yeah.

-Let's go home.

-ANNA: Okay.

ANNA: A reporter should

never be the story.

I am not a politician.

I am just another face

in the crowd in Moscow,

St. Petersburg, and Chechnya,

doing my job.

And I do not intend to stop.

-Hi, how are you?

-ANNA: Good.

What are you doing tomorrow?

ANNA: (ON PHONE)

Tomorrow?

Planning on coming in to work.

Why?

Well, I was thinking

of taking the day off.

You wanna join me?

Okay.

All right.

Uh, 12:00,

the bandstand, Drewsbury Park.

Right. See you then.

DMITRY: (ON PHONE)

See you there.

Bye.



[GRUNTS]

My feet got fat.

When was the last time

you wore them?

Oh, 30 years ago.

Used to go to Gorky Park

on Saturday afternoons

to dance the cha-cha.

(CHUCKLES)

What?

-The cha-cha?

-Yeah, the cha-cha.

(LAUGHS)

I was quite a hoofer.

Ask my wife.

(LAUGHS)

You know, I met

Sasha at a tea dance.

-You're kidding.

-Mm.

And he kept stepping on my feet.

Luckily for him,

he was so good-looking.

-You see, I like this.

-Hmm?

We're hanging out.

We never hang out.

It's always work, work, work.

Voulez-vous danser?

All the other papers

have a travel writer.

How come we don't?

ANNA:

Because we can't afford one.

DMITRY:

Not according to our accountant.

According to him, we've had

our best quarter ever,

thanks to you.

Mm.

So, do you know anyone

who can write a bit

and doesn't mind sleeping

in strange beds?

What's wrong, Dima?

Do you want me to stop

stepping on people's toes?

They never come for me.

All the years

I've been doing this,

I've had plenty of threats,

but not once.

They just...

k*lled my reporters,

my friends.

Anna, please.

I'm not asking you to stop,

just step out

of the firing line

and you keep the column.

You just shift the focus

from m*rder and corruption

to bed and breakfasts.

(CHUCKLES)

I'll think about it.

Right.

(CHUCKLES)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

Natalya sent it.

It's a video of two men

k*lling Chechen civilians,

possibly on the order

of Chechen regional leaders

or, or quite possibly

Putin himself.

You'll need to authenticate it.

I don't understand.

Knock yourself out.

But it's your lead.

And you're ready.

-[SPITS]

-(TELEPHONE RINGING)

Hello?

EGOROV: (ON PHONE)

Egorov.

Oh, h-- hi.

EGOROV: (ON PHONE)

I understand you wanna meet.

Y-- yes.

But in public.

I want lots of people around.

EGOROV: (ON PHONE)

As you wish.

Tomorrow, 11:00,

the art museum.

Um, o-- okay.

I'll-- I'll-- I'll--

I'll see you then.

EGOROV: (ON PHONE)

Sleep well.

Goodnight.



Sorry, I'm late.

There was a queue.

Black tea, no sugar.

You just wasted a perfectly

good untainted drink.

And you almost wasted

a perfectly good reporter.

Look, I know this may sound

disingenuous,

but I am glad you're alive.

So, that means I don't have

to worry

about you putting another

wet team onto me?

Not my call.

Well, whose call is it?

I can't answer that.

Can't or won't?

The reason I ask is

because I've been reassigned

to the travel desk.

That's why I'm asking you

to speak to someone for me.

I can pass along

the information.

Pass along wh--

Look, I'm middle management.

These decisions they, um...

My mandate is circumscribed.

Ah.

In other words, I'm screwed.

-I don't make the rules.

-No, you just follow them.

So, can I ask you something?

You know,

out of all the paths

you could have chosen in life,

why did you choose this one?

I could ask you

the same question.

Well, I chose the path

that I believe in.

I didn't.

You know all this,

this was a slum,

until Ivan the Great kicked out

the residents

and built a palace.

Not because he was cruel,

but because he had a vision.

He saw a shining city rising

from that hell hole,

and beyond that,

a mighty empire

straddling two continents.

And here we are,

500 years later,

a journalist pleading

for a life in a--

in a country run

by a glorified thug,

celebrating the opening

of its first Starbucks.

I don't expect you

to understand.

Do you have children?

Why do you wanna know?

No, I don't have any children.

But you're married?

I'm single.

And in case you're wondering,

both my parents are dead.

What's your point?

So, you have no one?

EGOROV: What you mean,

no one who gives a sh*t

if I live or die?

I'm...

You what?

Sorry.

I'm on good terms

with the director,

and he's on good terms

with someone

who's in a position to help

you, so I'll make a request.

Thank you.

Goodbye, Anna.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

[VERA CHUCKLES]

-Find anything?

-Mm.

(CHUCKLES)

VERA:

You?

Oh. (CHUCKLES)

Oh.

(CHUCKLES)

Don't yell.

-Vera!

-Yeah?

Oh.

She's having a baby.

(CHUCKLES)

Oh.

Sasha, of course, I'd be happy

if it was a boy.

Wouldn't you like

a granddaughter?

SASHA:

Oh, well, girls--

Yeah, well, they're sweeter,

especially when they're younger.

SASHA:

I'll bet.

I know I was.

SASHA:

You still are.

-God, we're old.

-Yeah.

SASHA:

We're gonna be grandparents.

I know.

SASHA:

We should talk about it.

-I mean--

-Okay.

SASHA: Like, get it right.

You know what I mean?

Right. Oh.

SASHA: You want me

to get me off the phone?

I got a lot of shopping,

Sasha, that's why.

SASHA:

You mean fur coats?

No.

Well, Ilya's coming for dinner

this evening

-with his new girlfriend.

-SASHA: No.

-I know.

-SASHA: Oh God.

- Are you cooking up a feast?

-Yeah, Vera's coming, too.

SASHA:

Great.

Why don't you come?

-SASHA: What time?

-8:00.

-SASHA: All right, great.

-Yeah.

-SASHA: Yeah, I'd love it.

-Okay.

SASHA:

I'll bring some wine, yeah?

-Yeah. Well--

-SASHA: Okay, love.

Okay. I'll see you then.

Bye, bye.

SASHA:

Bye.

Oh.

(g*nshots)

[GASPING]

ASSASSIN:

Let go.

-Let go.

-No!

(g*nsh*t)

ANNA: Is journalism worth

the loss of life every time?

Is the price of truth

how much a society cares?

No.

There is nothing of value

apart from the truth.



I'm on a roll

I'm on a roll this time

I feel my luck could change

Pull me out

of the air crash

Pull me out of the lake

'Cause I'm your super hero

We're standing on the edge

The head of state

has called for me by name

But I don't have time

for him

It's gonna be a glorious day

I feel my luck could change

Pull me out

of the air crash

Pull me out of the lake

'Cause I'm your super hero

We're standing on the edge