Synopsis
A heroic Soviet past and a destitute post-industrial present make the provincial town of Yelnya susceptible for the Kremlin's aggressive anti-Western propaganda leading to the militarization of society from kindergarten to pension age.
Filmed over the course of three years, this film introduces Western viewers to the small and prototypical provincial Russian town of Yelnya where people admire Vladimir Putin for making Russia great again. Yelnya has remained economically marginalized ever since the Soviet Union collapsed. But people have regained pride. They believe that president Putin is bringing back glory and power to the Russian nation. Not many object to the constant propaganda claims that fascism is threatening once again from the US and Europe, and that Russia must stand ready to defend itself. With few exceptions, Yelnyans raise their children to become good patriots. They don’t mind the eerie, all-encompassing militarization of society.
