The Russian Opposition

On 18 March 2018 Russians go to the polls to elect a president. Incumbent Vladimir Putin is a candidate - and few doubt that he will win. But he has opponents, like Alexei Navalny who has been officially barred from running. A camera team followed Navalny and other Russian opposition figures during the run-up to the election. An exclusive look behind the scenes of contemporary Russian politics.

Who is the charismatic man who wanted to challenge Russia's incumbent and presumptive new president Vladimir Putin only to be barred at the last minute? Alexei Navalny is one of the most controversial figures within the Russian opposition. He became known in Russia a decade ago when he initiated an anti-corruption campaign. He was a central figure in mass anti-government protests in Moscow in 2011 and 2012. With his team, the blogger and activist launched his national campaign in 2016, hoping to take on Putin in the March 2018 presidential election. A film team accompanied Navalny and his colleagues during the course of a year. The film shows how politics work in Russia today. Navalny had no media power behind him. His supporters are almost exclusively Muscovites, and he is virtually unknown in the more remote parts of the country. Could an outsider succeed in inspiring new followers within a year? Interview partners include Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the exiled former oligarch, chess champion Garry Kasparov and of course Alexei Navalny, his team and other figures in the Russian opposition.