'I Am Not a Spy” is a first-person documentary exploring the Russian electoral process under Putin’s regime. A Russian-American filmmaker gains access to her local polling station during multiple elections to investigate their validity and understand the mindsets of voters as Russia becomes increasingly authoritarian and invades Ukraine.
SYNOPSIS
The filmmaker gains access to her polling station in St. Petersburg during the 2018 Russian presidential election by becoming an official observer, a status that allows her to film inside. However, she unknowingly violates the rules, as dual citizens are not allowed to hold this position in Russia. She is not a spy—she just wants to make her film. On election day, she observes the indisputable victory of Putin in her precinct, though half of the registered voters in her neighborhood abstain from voting. Opposition leader Alexei Navalny, barred from the ballot, had called on Russians to boycott the election as a form of protest. Did half of the neighborhood heed his call?
Over the next six years, navigating the dangers of an increasingly authoritarian political climate, the COVID-19 pandemic, and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the filmmaker continues to document elections in her neighborhood. She participates as a voter, films legally using media accreditation, and files lawsuits against election fraud. During the 2024 Presidential Elections, one month after Navalny’s death in prison and amidst the ongoing war in Ukraine, she once again observes Putin’s overwhelming victory. As in 2018, only half of the voters in her precinct show up to cast their votes. Is voter apathy enabling Putin’s consolidation of power?
Filmed over six years, "I Am Not a Spy" offers a rare, immersive experience of Russian elections, insights into how courts address election fraud claims, and candid reflections from Russian voters about their role in the nation’s political future.
Director Statement
I was in the middle of making this film when Russia invaded Ukraine. This event left me in a precarious position: filming in Russia has become increasingly risky. The title of my film, I am Not a Spy, which once carried a humorous, ironic undertone, took on a starkly literal meaning—it now asserts, quite plainly, that I am a filmmaker, not a spy. In a way, the title of my film has become a form of protection.
I have spent half of my life in Russia, and the other half in the USA. Born and raised in the USSR, I experienced the collapse of Communism firsthand. I left Russia at a time when the country, albeit briefly, appeared to be moving toward democracy. In the United States, I found my calling as a documentary filmmaker.
My fascination with the Russian electoral process began in the early 2000s, when Putin assumed the role of acting president after Yeltsin stepped down. Since then, I have become captivated—almost spellbound—by the phenomenon of so many Russians voting for the same leader repeatedly, as if under some kind of spell. This inspired me to create a film focused on the electoral cycle spanning from the 2018 to the 2024 presidential elections in Russia—a period I consider to be the most consequential in recent history. During this time, we have witnessed Russia’s complete transformation into an electoral autocracy and an oppressive regime that has not only silenced civil society but also waged war against its neighbor.
ABOUT FILMMAKER(S)
Director/Producer Marina Petrovskaia
Marina Petrovskaia is a writer, director, producer, and editor of I Am Not a Spy. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, she holds an M.F.A. in Film and Media Arts from Temple University in Philadelphia. As a director, Petrovskaia is drawn to investigative storytelling that transcends international, social, and political boundaries.
Her 2019 documentary feature, For Fear of Kofi, investigates the circumstances of a police shooting inside a University of Florida Graduate Housing complex. The film has been screened at numerous festivals and received the Donald E. Lacy, Jr. Social Justice Award from the Studio City International Film Festival. It is currently distributed by Juno Films.
Petrovskaia’s first short film, Confession, produced during her time in film school, investigates the political allegiances of Petrovskaia’s great-aunt during World War II, revealing her participation with the Nazi’s. Described by Patricia Aufderheide in Documentary Magazine as “a meditation on the ethical nature of documentary filmmaking,” the film received acclaim from scholars such as Bill Nichols, who noted, “the most awesome interviews in documentary do not only reveal information; they expose the soul.”
Petrovskaia’s 2004 M.F.A. thesis film, The Round Trip, follows an American couple traveling to St. Petersburg, Russia, to adopt a child. The film provides a rare glimpse into the Russian adoption process before it was officially banned.
Petrovskaia recently completed her third feature, A Filmmaker’s Diary. Through nine vignettes, she explores Russia’s political climate, pushing the limits of what can be filmed while exploring the extent of public support for the war.
PROMOTE THIS PROJECT
Put a donation widget on your site. Click here for code.
ABOUT YOUR DONATION
Women Make Movies (WMM), Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit media arts organization registered with the New York Charities Bureau of New York State and accepts charitable donations on behalf of this project. Your donation will be spent by the filmmaker(s) toward the production and completion of this media project. No services or goods are provided by Women Make Movies, the filmmaker(s) or anyone else associated with this project in exchange for your charitable donation.
Your contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law, and a confirmation of your donation will be sent via email. WMM will send you an acknowledgement letter in the mail to the address listed for tax purposes.