About the Film
The film follows lawyer-activist-political candidate Lyubov Sobol, formerly the head of Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation She is an idealistic corruption fighter who has survived hunger strikes, attempted poisoning, multiple arrests, and exile, as she plans for a democratic post-Putin Russia.
Lyubov Sobol is a human rights activist from Russia. A staunch advocate for the democratization of Russia, she previously served as a lawyer for Alexei Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation and played a role in several significant investigations in Russia, including
those against Yevgeny Prigozhin, the deceased owner of the private military company Wagner. In addition to her legal pursuits, Sobol has a strong online presence: she operates a YouTube channel with over 600,000 subscribers, where she covers topics including corruption in Putin’s regime, the war in Ukraine, and other current events. Her efforts have been recognized with the Sergei Magnitsky Award, honoring her contributions to the fight for democracy in Russia. In 2019, the BBC included her in the Leadership category on its list of 100 Inspiring and Influential Women from around the world.
Director: Marianna Yarovskaya
Producers: Paul Gregory, Marianna Yarovskaya, Mitchell W. Block, Mark Jonathan Harris, Igor Runov, Jaka Bizilj
Duration: 78 mn
Language: English, Russian
Reviews
“Despite war and repression, there are Russians who are still willing to risk everything for justice and a better life. In “Lyuba’s Story,” Marianna Yarovskaya and Paul Gregory tell the gripping story of Lyubov Sobol, a woman who fought alongside the late Alexeei Navalny to hold Russia’s corrupt leaders to account. The film cuts between scenes showing Lyuba’s personal efforts and the history of recent Russian civil resistance on the eve of Putin’s full scale invasion of Ukraine. In the process, it offers not just a cross section of Russian life but also the qualities that are needed if Putin is to face resistance from where it may matter the most, from his own people.” –David Satter
Recent Media
CBS Eyes on the World with John Batchelor
RUSSIA: NAVALNY SURVIVORS FILM AT CANNES, “LYUBA’S HOPE.” MARIANNA YAROVSKAYA
RUSSIA: MAKING AND SHOWING A FILM RE NAVALNY AND HIS COLLEAGUES. MARIANNA YAROVSKAYA, PAUL GREGORY