Putin's: Witnesses

( Svideteli Putina ) is a 2018 documentary by Vitaly Mansky that offers a rare, "insider-turned-outsider" look at Vladimir Putin’s rise to power . 📽️ The Core Concept

: The title refers to both the public figures in the film—Yeltsin, Gorbachev, and Putin—and the director himself, who later came to view his own work as an act of complicity in creating Putin's image . 🔑 Key Themes & Scenes Putin's Witnesses

: Reveals how "heartwarming" scenes, like Putin visiting his former teacher, were carefully staged for public consumption . 🌍 Impact and Availability PUTIN'S WITNESSES (SVIDETELI PUTINA) - AFI FEST ( Svideteli Putina ) is a 2018 documentary

: Features a poignant scene where Boris Yeltsin waits by the phone on election night for a call from his successor—a call that never comes . 1999 . : Shows a "younger

: It documents the transition from Boris Yeltsin to Putin, starting with Yeltsin’s unexpected resignation on December 31, 1999 .

: Shows a "younger, more agile" Putin who is surprisingly comfortable being directed on camera, even discussing his choice to reinstate the Soviet national anthem .