Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer

Colorful documentary about the court case against three Russian punk chicks from the rock band Pussy Riot. Putin put them behind bars for three years because of an illegal appearance in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow.

Nadia, Masha and Katia were arrested by the Russian police in 2012 after their 40-second performance of the song Punk Prayer in one of Russia’s main cathedrals: the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. Wearing colorful balaclavas, sloppy dresses and bright panties, the feminist punk band seeks to denounce the wrongdoings in their motherland under Vladimir Putin’s harsh reign. Partly due to their eye-catching attire and playful actions they became the symbols of the Russian opposition against Putin, gaining worldwide notoriety with their appearance in the cathedral. Even pop stars like Madonna and Peaches got involved and global protests called for their release. Using interviews with family members, archive footage and video recordings of the trial, the film highlights the doings and motives of the feminist protest group. It becomes painfully clear that the women are virtually deprived of their right to counsel during the show trial.