30 Hours with Putin

In the US, a big political TV premiere. This week a new documentary by Oliver Stone is showing about the Russian President. The four series of The Putin Interviews, the director is convinced, will force Americans to hear a different point of view. In a dozen of confidential conversations, Vladimir Putin shares his thoughts about NATO and terrorism, starting a political career, and relationships within his family, judo and hockey, his favorite films, and close friends. There were no forbidden topics, according to Stone. The audience's opinions are divided. Some people call the documentary intriguing and unexpected, others accuse the author of excessive sympathy towards Russia. Valentin Bogdanov reporting from US.

The US liberal press sharpened their knives for Oliver Stone even when the most valuable shots of his film, The Putin Interviews, were on the editing table. Giving a voice to the leader of the country, which in recent years in the US is increasingly called the main threat, is somehow not acceptable. But not a single serious publication or TV channel could pass over the long-awaited premiere.

Director Oliver Stone, who likes to raise controversial topics, was able to speak with Vladimir Putin. The legendary director and screenwriter Oliver Stone received extensive access to Putin. Unparalleled access to Vladimir Putin for a Western director. Oliver Stone named his film a call for peace in the midst of the second Cold War. Declaring themselves winners in the first, the US became hostages of such self-confidence. I think that when the US felt itself to be at the head of the so-called "civilized world," and when the USSR collapsed, an illusion arose that the US can do anything now, with no repercussions. And that's always a trap.

The disintegration of the Soviet Union, when 25 million Russian compatriots found themselves on foreign soil overnight, is described by Vladimir Putin as the biggest catastrophe of the 20th century. The short-sighted actions of the leadership then only exacerbated its consequences: NATO bases moved very close to the Russian borders, Gorbachev bought into the empty promises of the West. It was not signed on paper, it's a mistake, but on Gorbachev's part. In politics, it's necessary to sign such things, even signed things are often violated. And he just talked and decided that everything would be over at that.

Prime Ministers came and went before your eyes, and suddenly you became the acting Head of State. What did you feel? I don't know why Yeltsin chose me in the end. But when Yeltsin offered me for the first time, I refused. You refused? Why? Yes, he invited me here in the next office to take responsibility for Russia in that situation, it was a very difficult thing. And frankly speaking, I didn't know then, what President Yeltsin's final plans were for me. And I didn't know how long I would be there. Because at any moment the President could tell me, you're fired. And there was only one thing I was thinking about then: where to hide my children? Really? Of course, what do you think? Imagine, that I was dismissed from my post, I wouldn't have any bodyguards. Nothing. And what would I do? How would I live? How would I keep my family safe? I simply made up my mind then, that if this is my fate, then I have to keep going until the end.

The Russian President rarely answers questions about family, private territory. But for Oliver Stone, as the director himself said in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, there were no forbidden topics. In one of the clips, which the TV channel, Showtime, put out on the eve of the premiere, Vladimir Putin spoke about his relationships with his children and grandchildren. Have you already become a grandfather? Yes. Do you love your grandchildren? Of course. Are you a good grandfather? Do you play with them in the garden? Very rarely, very very rarely, unfortunately. Very rarely. Do your sons-in-law argue with you? Do they have different opinions? We do not argue, we rather discuss.

On the eve and immediately after the premiere, Oliver Stone was in high demand by the press. The host and the crowd in the studio tried to publicly berate the director during the course of The Late Show TV program. People have said that you behaved yourself too ingratiatingly towards Putin. You know, it's called politeness. It's curiosity, it's how you ask your questions. He treated me with respect, and I treat my work with respect. Do you trust him after spending 20 hours with him? He is a Head of State, he has his own interests related to Russia, and I respect him for that. Anything about him negative? What is wrong with reducing tensions in relations with Russia? Why should I oppose this? I don't understand this mentality.

Liberal commentators presented this dialogue in the studio as Stone's defeat. The strength of the author of The Untold Story of the United States and the sensational interviews with Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez is precisely in that he is not concerned with the average public opinion. The search for truth is why Stone went filming to Moscow two years ago. In the Oliver Stone's documentary there's almost no author's commentary. And in this, of course, is the talent of the three time Oscar winner, who's sensitive to the times. The US viewer can hear Russia's position without other people's interpretations. From the Head of State himself.