New Showbiz

You are here:
The Event

The Event

2015

Not Rated

Director

Sergei Loznitsa

Runtime

74 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

In August 1991 a failed coup d'état attempt (known as Putsch) led by a group of hard-core communists in Moscow, ended the 70-year-long rule of the Soviets. The USSR collapsed soon after, and the tricolour of the sovereign Russian Federation flew over Kremlin. As president Gorbachev was detained by the coup leaders, state-run TV and radio channels, usurped by the putschists, broadcast Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake" instead of news bulletins, and crowds of protestors gathered around Moscow's White House, preparing to defend the stronghold of democratic opposition led by Boris Yeltsin, in the city of Leningrad thousands of confused, scared, excited and desperate people poured into the streets to become a part of the event, which was supposed to change their destiny. A quarter of a century later, Sergei Loznitsa revisits the dramatic moments of August 1991 and casts an eye on the event which was hailed worldwide as the birth of "Russian democracy".

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

4.1/10

Fair

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Minimal

The film maintains a strictly journalistic gaze focused on political upheaval. There is no discernible focus on LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisnormative gender expressions.

Gender Representation

Fair

Women are presented as active, integral components of the civic resistance alongside men. However, the lack of specific character development prevents deeper exploration of gender hierarchies.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Fair

The footage captures a diverse cross-section of the population within Moscow and Leningrad. The focus remains on political tension rather than intentional ethnic intersectionality.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Excellent

Loznitsa excels at deconstructing Soviet institutional frameworks and the breakdown of state apparatus. The film portrays the transition as a fragmented, morally ambiguous period of chaos.

Disability Representation

Minimal

The documentary does not center on disability or neurodivergence. Any instances of physical distress appear incidental to the civil unrest rather than intentional portrayals.

Strengths

  • Provides a rigorous, observational examination of a major historical pivot point.
  • Effectively deconstructs the fragility of centralized authority and state-imposed morality.
  • Presents a complex, non-triumphalist view of political transition and systemic upheaval.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks intentional focus on LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisnormative expressions.
  • Misses opportunities for deep character development regarding gender or disability.
  • Does not explicitly explore racial or ethnic intersectionality beyond incidental footage.

AI Analysis

The Event functions as a cinematic autopsy of the 1991 Soviet coup, prioritizing the macro-scale movement of the masses over individual identity-based narratives. Its documentary format naturally limits the depth of specific demographic representation, as the focus remains on systemic collapse and political tension. While identity scores are moderate, the film offers significant progressive value through its structural critique of institutional power. It avoids historical triumphalism, instead presenting the birth of democracy as a complex and morally ambiguous upheaval. Ultimately, the work is a study of a collapsing empire where the collective struggle of the citizenry takes precedence over individual character arcs.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.