
Whatarefilmsandthecinemacapableofaccomplishinginthebestcase?WhocananswerthiscomplexquestionmorebeautifullyandwiselythanNaumKleiman?TheRussianfilmhistorianandcuratorofthelegendaryEisensteinArchivewasdirectoroftheMoscowFilmMuseum,whichwasclosedin2005.Sincethenthecinematheque’sfilmsandcollectionhavebeeninstorageonthegroundsoftheMosfilmStudios.TheMoscowFilmMuseum–KleimanandtheFriendsoftheMuseum–continuedworkinginexilehowever,againstallresistance.Thefilmreconstructstheeventsleadinguptothesummerof2014,whenKleimanwasscandalouslydismissed.“Cinemahastheabilitytoturnpeopleintocitizens.”OnlyafewfilmexcerptsareneededtograspwhyKleimanissuchanadmiredfilmadvocateandenthusiast:likehisalliesErikaandUlrichGregorofBerlin’sArsenalcinema,Kleimanknowshowtousefilmasaweaponinthefightforbetter,moreopensocieties.It’sthusfittingthatwhilethisfilmlooksbackonanimpressive,courageouslife,itfirstandforemostdocumentswhyNaumKleiman’sunderstandingofcinemaintoday’sRussiacanhardlybesurpassedintermsofforceandtopicality.