The “Khodorkovsky” documentary premieres in Russia today, just three days before Russians are set to vote in State Duma elections that many observers say are predetermined. The screenings will be held at three theaters in Moscow, less than previously planned, as many cancelled citing pressure from the Culture Ministry.

The Moscow Times has published coverage of today’s screening in Russia noting that theaters have been flooded with requests from Russians to screen the film.

The Wall Street Journal‘s Samuel Rubenfeld published a movie review along with an interview with the filmmaker Cyril Tuschi.

A screening of the film took place at the European Parliament on March 23, 2011 where European Parliament Chairman Jerzy Buzek made the following comments to the viewers of the “Khodorkovsky” film:

“The case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky became a symbol of the problems of the system related to law and order and the human rights crisis in Russia. The hearings on the Khodorkovsky case reflect the state of the Russian judicial system, and, being a public figure, Mr. Khodorkovsky has become a symbol for many people in Russia who are trying to cope with difficulties similar to his, albeit in a completely different scale.

Today, through this letter, I would like to reiterate our solidarity with Mikhail Khodorkovsky and his family. I managed to do it personally when I met his mother, Marina Khodorkovsky on December 15, 2010. During my visit to Moscow, I mentioned the case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s at the meeting with President Dmitry Medvedev and other government officials. I also raised the issue of unsolved murders of journalists Anna Politkovskaya, Estemirova and Anastasia Baburova, as well as the death of a lawyer [Sergei] Magnitsky.

For me, it is clear that President Medvedev’s reforms will not be successful without the involvement of civil society, and without increased rule of law and judicial independence in Russia. This would be in the interests of not only the authorities but also the entire [Russian] population as a whole.

I would like to congratulate director Cyril Tuschi with his film, which is rich in facts and extremely interesting. I would also like to thank the Green Group / European Free Alliance for organizing today’s show.”

The film was shown at almost all of the world’s film festivals held in 2011 from the screening at the European Parliament in Brussels to the Melbourne Film Festival.

Screenings were held at the following festivals:

• Berlinale 2011
• European Parliament, Brussels screening
• Myunihskogo Prize International Documentary Film Festival
• Critics Prize Film Festival in Valencia
• The Prague International Film Festival
• Frankfurt International Film Festival
• The Belgrade Festival of Documentary BelDOCS
• Warsaw Documentary Film Festival Planete Doc
• International Documentary Film Festival in Tel Aviv
• International Film Festival Melbourne
• International Film Festival Montreal
• The Baltic Forum Documentary
• Batumi International Festival Arthouse
• The Helsinki International Film Festival
• Albanian International Festival of Human Rights

In addition, the film has been released in Germany, France, Serbia, Poland, Estonia, Lithuania and Switzerland. The New York premiere was held on November 29, 2011 after which the film will be shown in other US cities.

The Austrian premiere will take place on January 15, 2012 and on March 1, 2012, the film will be released in the United Kingdom.

The English-language trailer of the film is available on YouTube.