This collection of award-winning documentaries presents a vibrant, challenging and varied picture of Russia, spanning the optimistic days of Glasnost and the chaotic collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 all the way through to Vladimir Putin’s vision of the modern world.
The films were made by British, Russian and Ukrainian filmmakers working together, enabling Soviets, then Russians and Ukrainians and others to tell the story of their past and present lives openly and without censure.
Much of this access and history was made possible by Memorial, a Russian based organisation founded in 1989 to preserve the voices of history. Memorial was forced to close last year (2021) on the direct orders of Putin. Many of these films stand as tributes to their work.
"For those who wonder, Ronachan means 'Seals Point' in Gaelic. The point looks out over the islands of the Inner Hebrides in Western Scotland."