Welcome to Chechnya (David France)

This haunting video shows how even in the twenty-first century, human rights are questioned on a daily basis. This documentary follows the disturbing story of homosexuals who have to flee the country in order to survive. Since 2017, a radical leader (Ramzan Kadyrov) aims to ‘cleanse the blood’ of the LGBTQI+ community in Chechnya through a procedure of torture and execution. This is a very graphic and spine-chilling documentary that does not conceal any appalling evidence. With this in mind, this is not a documentary for the faint hearted as I felt as I experienced an emotional rollercoaster with the individuals just by following their narrative. The story has so many unexpected twists and turns that are not predictable making it a really intense watch. 

Prior to watching this documentary, I had very little knowledge regarding Russia and its culture, but after watching this documentary I had to do more research into their opinions and society. I was shocked at the physical violence these individuals experienced due to their sexual orientation even in modern day society. It really has you wondering whether our society has evolved at all or whether these crimes are just more discrete compared to in history? 

Written by Molly Bowler