Florida Premiere / United Kingdom / 2025 / English / 118 min / Drama, Journalism
Director: James Strong; Writer: Eric Poppen; Producers Mark Maxey, Sean Penn, Kia Jam; Cinematographer: Mike Eley.
Key Cast: Maxine Peake, Jason Isaacs, Ciarán Hinds, Ian Hart, Ben Miles, Ellie Bamber, Harry Lawtey, Naomi Battrick. Contact: mark@rollingpictures.com
Journalist Anna Politkovskaya risked everything to speak the truth. As an unflinching, independent voice for the Russian people, her fearless reporting exposed injustice, brutality, and corruption—placing her life in constant danger. Though she was ultimately silenced, her voice endures. Anna Politkovskaya’s legacy lives on as a powerful testament to the courage of journalism and a stark reminder of the deadly risks faced by those who refuse to look away. Her story demands vigilance, reminding us that the right to report the truth must be defended—at any cost.
Sponsored by: Bill Mountjoy & Linda Knoche
Director Biography – James Strong
James Strong is an International Emmy and multiple Bafta award winning director/producer best known for his work on Mr Bates vs The Post Office (2024) Fire Country (2022) The Suspect (2022) Vigil (2021) Crime (2021) Vanity Fair (2018) 11-22-63 (2016) Doctor Who (2012) Downton Abbey (2013) Broadchurch (2013) and the feature film United (2011). His next feature Anna starring Maxine Peake and Ciaran Hinds is set for release in 2024.
Director Statement
Directing the story of Anna Politkovskaya was an enormous privilege and one that came with great responsibility. The challenge was to truthfully portray her incredible story and make it accessible to a wide cinema audience.
The first challenge was to find an actor to play Anna, one who could fully inhabit her, and we were fortunate enough to have the brilliant Maxine Peake. No one could have portrayed Anna with the requisite steel, integrity and emotion better than Maxine. Ably supported by the rest of the cast who equally and vividly brought the world to life. Working with the likes of Ciaran Hinds and Jason Isaacs was a lifetime ambition and so to get to direct them was just a dream come true.
The directorial approach was one of grounded reality. I wanted the film to feel real and accurate in every way. This veracity was achieved by a combination of factors. The film was shot in the Latvian capital Riga, which architecturally resembles Moscow and so was a great location to shoot and kindly provided a suitably wintery backdrop! The camera style employed a subtle ‘found’ feel, almost documentary like, in never being ahead of the action. But always complemented by soft anamorphic lenses to deliver a rich cinematic frame.
Battling subzero temperatures and a tough shooting schedule ensured the shoot was not without its challenges, but I’m immeasurably proud of what the cast and crew achieved, and I can’t wait to share the film with the world.
In these troubled times I hope this film acts as a ray of light on Anna, a unique individual who wanted to educate, enlighten and warn her readers. Her story should not be forgotten, and my hope is this film will also salute the many working journalists around the world who risk their lives on a daily basis to reveal the truth.