Adam Curtis' documentary 'TraumaZone' traces circumstances in post-Soviet Russia that led to rise of Vladimir Putin

A chance discovery of about 10,000 hours of unedited 'rushes' from the BBC's Moscow office on post-communist Russia led to the making of the new documentary -- TraumaZone by English filmmaker Adam Curtis.

A Take on Post-Soviet History

A long, dark, snow-covered road disappears into an icy horizon; that’s how Curtis begins his narrative of the post-Soviet scene. People wait in line for food, and brawls are common in banks, streets, and parliament; that's like an autopsy of the state. The captured scenes are natural and unscripted, with Curtis's narrative adding life to the silent spectacles. In other words, the documentary is a chronicle of an epic disaster.





The West frequently discusses Russia—not only its government but also ordinary Russians, their struggles, and their way of life. So, I wanted to give the audience a feel of the Russian experience with real-life images that tell many unheard stories, said Curtis.

FAQs

1. Who is Adam Curtis?
   Adam Curtis, 67, is a degree holder in Human Sciences from Oxford. He started his career as a political teacher but soon changed his profession to become a BBC documentary producer (early 1980s). His documentaries soon got noticed for their distinctive style, covering the social, political, and psychological aspects of the issues he presented.
2. Is Curtis’s documentary, Traumazone, a film about President Putin?
   The documentary doesn't focus on any single individual or event. Instead, Curtis uses actual footage of the post-Soviet period and portrays the circumstances that led to the rise of Putin.