5-Hour Doc Sequel Follows Journalists on the Run
My Undesirable Friends: Part II – Exile, directed by Julia Loktev, spans 355 minutes and explores the themes of persecution, resistance, and exile as journalists flee Russia after being branded as foreign agents
My Undesirable Friends: Part II – Exile, a documentary sequel directed by Julia Loktev, follows journalists who were forced to flee Russia after being branded as foreign agents. The film spans 355 minutes and is divided into five chapters, covering the period from the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine to the spring of 2026.
The documentary is a sequel to My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow and features journalists including Anna Nemzer, Valeria Ratnikova, Ksenia Mironova, Elena Kostyucheko, Yana Kuchina, Irina Dolinina, Alesya Marokhovskaya, Peter Ruzavin, Nataliya Gumenyuk, and Sonya Groysman.
The film's runtime is 5 hours and 56 minutes, and it explores the themes of persecution, resistance, and exile as the journalists navigate their new lives in exile. The documentary begins with a brisk, five-minute recap of events, which goes a long way toward reintroducing Loktev’s subjects and imbues the film with immediate tension.
## What happens next As the journalists scatter across cities like Warsaw, Istanbul, Prague, and Tel Aviv, they go anywhere that will grant them temporary refuge, even as they wrestle with their own ethics in relation to each new environment. The documentary shows how they hold fast to their beliefs while their country began to crumble around them.
## Why it matters The documentary is a powerful portrayal of the struggles faced by journalists who are persecuted for speaking truth to power. The film highlights the importance of a free press and the challenges faced by those who dare to report on war crimes and human rights abuses. The journalists featured in the documentary exhibit a fair amount of sangfroid and journalistic integrity as they continue to work despite the risks and challenges they face.
The documentary is a testament to the courage and resilience of the journalists who are featured in it. It is a reminder of the importance of protecting press freedom and the need to support those who are persecuted for doing their job. As the conflict in Ukraine continues to rage on, the documentary serves as a powerful reminder of the human cost of war and the importance of holding those in power accountable.
