The Trial: The State of Russia vs Oleg Sentsov

The Trial: The State of Russia vs Oleg Sentsov

Oleg Sentsov is a Ukrainian director, a Euromaidan activist and a native of Crimea. After the annexation of the peninsula by Russia, he became an active opponent of the occupation. In May 2014, the FSB arrested Sentsov, accused him of planning terrorist attacks and took him to Moscow. After a year in prison, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison - despite the fact that the testimony of the prosecution was given under pressure, and the evidence in the case was absent. Oleg Sentsov does not admit his guilt. The director of the film, Askold Kurov, follows the court process and the attempts of Oleg's family, his friends and lawyers to release the director from prison. The unfortunate process caused protests around the world: the European Film Academy and a number of world-famous cinematographers - Pedro Almodóvar, Wim Wenders, Agnieszka Holland, Ken Loach, Johnny Depp and others - called for the release of Sentsov. Askold Kurov's investigation gradually reveals an absurd and frightening Kafkaesque story about how any person can become a victim of a ruthless state machine.