Venice documentary follows Russian journalists in exile

At the Venice Film Festival, filmmaker Julia Loktev has moved audiences with the second part of her documentary 'My Undesirable Friends,' which immerses viewers in the lives of Russian reporters forced to flee the country abruptly, Le Monde reported on Sunday. The film depicts journalists who, despite precarious conditions and ongoing intimidation, continue to inform their fellow citizens about the war in Ukraine from abroad.

The documentary's screening comes as the festival, now in its second week, has become a platform for stories touching on press freedom and the war's broader European consequences. Loktev's work follows reporters who made the difficult choice to leave Russia, trading their homes and professional networks for the uncertainty of exile while maintaining their commitment to independent journalism.