Cert 18
88 mins
BBFC advice: Contains a scene of strong sex and nudity in a performance art context
Where have I been not to know the story of Pussy Riot?
Apparently, the Russian punk rockers are so famous that Madonna and Paul McCartney have been campaigning on their behalf.
You see, three of the band's members were locked up after trying to stage an impromptu performance at the altar of the Russian Orthodox cathedral in Moscow.
This was a culmination of a series of songs played in high-profile spots in the city to protest against the Putin-led government.
To be honest, the music of Pussy Riot makes Johnny Rotten sound like Pavarotti but their message is deep and passionate.
They believe that, after years of fighting for free speech and democracy, the Russian people are now ruled by a dictator.
Thus, a group of performance artists ignited their own protest.
The Pussy Riot movement is much wider than the trio who ended up in jail but it has transpired that Masha Alyokhina, Katia Samutsevich and Nadia Tolokonnikova are now its martyrs.
However, their case is more complicated than a simple battle between state and liberals.
They have also incurred the wrath of the church which had been suppressed for decades under Soviet anti-religious policy.
The formerly persecuted followers of the orthodox religion now have a swagger and want an example made of Pussy Riot.
This added dimension makes Mike Lerner and Maxim Pozdorovkin's documentary all the more fascinating.
The film presents footage of Pussy Riot activities, the chaotic scenes inside and outside of their trial and interviews with the trio's nearest and dearest.
It paints a disturbing picture of what is happening in the heart of a Russia which proclaimed Glasnost a couple of decades ago.
But it makes for an utterly compelling and important movie.
Laughs: none
Jumps: none
Vomit: none
Nudity: yes
Overall rating: 9/10