On Friday, June 28, two days after Khodorkovsky’s 50^th birthday, Amnesty International France, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Russie-Libertes, the Association of French-Russian journalists and ARTE, in partnership with the Reflets Medicis cinema, held a film festival in Paris entitled “Russia: the day of awakening.” The festiva provided a forum for filmmakers, NGOs and the public to discuss human rights in Russia.

A number of commentators on Russia answered questions from the public and gave their opinion on the current situation.

French Ambassador for Human Rights, François Zimeray, wished Khodorkovsky a happy birthday, and stressed that he had been impressed by his strength and resolve during his second trial in 2010. He connected the future of the Khodorkovsky case with the future of human rights in Russia.

Anne Nerdrum, from Amnesty International, Alexis Prokopiev, from Russie Libertes, Galia Ackerman, from the Association of French-Russian journalists, and Johann Bihr, from RSF, all drew attention in their comments to the worrying crackdown on civil society and human rights in Russia since Putin returned to the presidency in 2012. 

2013 has been marked as the official French-Russian Year of Film. Friday’s film festival offered the French public a timely alternative, highlighting a necessary but sobering vision of contemporary Russia. The films shown and discussed included Cyril Tuschi’s “Khodorkovsky”, and films about the death of Sergei Magnitsky and the murder of Anna Politkovskaya.