Michelle goldberg offs perestroika reforms the russian people overthrew the reds and voted Boris Yeltsin in as president in the countrys 1st democratic elections. However with freedom came the economic crisis and the fast chechen war whilst yeltsin was anointed modern day czar and then his health started to fail. This is how russia entered the new century and a new millennium. Being a documentary film director i recorded what was going on around me. This film is my personal witness testimony about the events of one single no mentors here. From the 31st of december 1999 to the 31st of december 2000. Have you opened your present not yet you said patiently tally. Your hurdles is this for me yes. These young girls. But look at the moment im wrapping her present. For. The present so they come on who gets this one. This talk of lights and lollipops. He kept going to show your happy practice how do you like the chocolates. Yummy i love them. No you have no present have you no has no present. But the. Same. Songs with lyrics. Mention the tally successor to television. I got. Nothing to add nothing he can turn around and. She goes you need a present for everyone but what about you. Look at you dear. No its hilarious she did. She leave. Yet you still. Dress the people at midnight. Stop it let me relax why are you stalking me mom stop it. All on the on. Our shores. Really open the door to. Doing what i frequently asked with your camera this is my chronicle dont know enough harassing us with your chronicle leave us alone were human beings too is the limit for our. Use for all of these vitale its enough that its getting on my nerves i cannot for you to know what happened to rachel well yes but why you should see me. Im about to burst into tears i believe that the time has come. Yes it would you like me to Say Something high flown in from that camera i told you im shocked weve got the firm hand that the people are so fond of again. Lets see how we all tighten the screws its awful to look back on yeltsins time as a time of happiness will think it was like utopia dont you agree. Try to. Do so why you. Talk to me but the point i think its a nightmare now you told me years all of a sudden gone what will become of us that hasnt ever been a president like the new one. Hes a gray mouse. Or you. Its a little slow dance moves you are going to dance you trick on new years eve. Who is this now who will address a segment nice supporters and well. New generation is coming across the flats just fail me to say the world will be afraid of us again lose them like us but stop. Yourself. All right. I doubt. It but i see how to get back to a pretty. But like the very. Last. Day. Of the. Day. You spoke. Of no. Right here. Money. But i did miss you. She wouldnt offer. You the full. Yeah. But also businesses of. Its if this is what i see but isnt the engine gives. Most looking much. Civil. Its a good old utopia is it you did it for most of the other will or did. It only because you didnt receive. That english in a. Week you had stuff. On for assuming about it its a start. That again to see. That you said to just. See what in there was a listener a business was was. She to steal his sister yes what a president theres. Vladimir putin took the Russian Federation over from Boris Yeltsin who stepped down voluntarily he took it over complete with its Constitution National flag and answer the basic symbols of the new and democratic russia that had replaced the old soviet symbols left in the past together with the soviet union seemingly for good. The shift in power on new years eve moreover during the transition to the new millennium was a really clever move. Following a long standing tradition the whole state drifted into a state of rampant revelry and was incapable of a sober analysis of what was actually happening. At the same time the russians were supposed to get used to the idea of a new president during these very days i started shooting a p. R. Film that was supposed to be used in putins Election Campaign. Will do with a straight. Shot a little but if your commission should wait a month. Or so. Much as the footage was taken from my old film about putin the audience back then. Notice trivial details such as the watch on his right wrist rather than listening to what he was actually saying. But looking back over those shots today i notice that even as acting president putin was already clearly embodying traits that some worship and others demonize. Some of. Our main goal is to make people believe in everything we say and do that ours is a heartfelt position dictated only and soley by considerations of the National Interests. Just that this is the key to success if people believe that thats the main thing. Did you get that the task is to convince the russian people that National Interests are more important than those of the individual. Meanwhile his electioneering was in full swing even though he wasnt publicly campaigning at all he was just omnipresent on all the t. V. Channels everybody reported to him on t. V. Governors army and security people work connectives rural labor as children and old folks and everybody was happy about him which partially reflected the actual state of affairs and his technologists skillfully modified his image from that of the firm hand to a glad hand. But. Just a. Close election but over the years. However the key element in his campaign was the importance of the army and the threat to russias security so putin now. Really spent defender of the fatherland day in the heros city of volgograd talking to the veterans of the long past battle of stalingrad and then promptly on all the russian t. V. Channels turned the spotlight on to the heroes of the new victorious war in chechnya. Is an easy. Lead. 2 and a half months of nonexistent electioneering went according to plan putin managed to visit almost all the regions of the state and on the 8th of march International Womens day the acting president who was at the same time a candidate for the presidency made a rather symbolic trip to the womens capital of russia the city of weavers ivanova. And of course he was accompanied by teams from all the principal t. V. Channels. As far as i remember by the 8th of march 2018 days before the election the general mood in the country was that it was all a full gone conclusion by the end of the Election Campaign even the candidate himself didnt hesitate to admit it. A lot of t. V. Spots are you going to have you participate in any t. V. Debates issue. It is my opinion that people involved in practical activities either in parliament or in the authorities have to prove their competence with practical deeds rather than t. V. Spots or any other advertising devices or means. The socalled t. V. Debate is one of the t. V. Campaign spots even more so thats advertising. You dont need to find out from the Election Campaign whether tampax or snickers are more important so i wont be doing it. All that was true putin didnt sink to the level of campaign spots or t. V. Debates as far as i remember all the other candidates did take part in debates but may need to emphasize their closeness to putin himself. Its time to wind this phrase turned into putins Campaign Slogan but i personally think as i see him the majority of russians did that the beginning of putins campaign really dated back to a time long before he was made acting president you can actually fix the day hour and even minute. On the 8th of september 19th 1900 11 59 pm a block of flats in a sleepy suburb of moscow was blown up with the explosive r. D. X. Killing many of its residents the same thing happened 5 days later and then a rash of explosions broke out all over the country. I very well remember how military patrols began to appear in the buildings and on the city streets the country was gripped by fear prompted by the intense Media Coverage the man in the street started to climb a louder and louder calling for a firm hand. And had been appointed as Prime Minister 22 days before the 1st explosion he was the 6th Prime Minister of yeltsins administration so his ratings were almost 0 irrespective of who was behind them the explosions appeared to benefit him and over the next 7 months his ratings grew to 50 percent. His famous quote will rub them out in the outhouse became a new symbol of the time. At the end of one working day putin accepted our offer to go to the site of the 1st block of flats that have been blown up in moscow. To get what you here for the 1st time. Just to be clear neither then nor now did i actually believe putin was personally involved in the bombings of these blocks of flats. Bought an attempt by f. S. B. Officers to plant similar sacks of the r. D. X. Explosive in the basements of a block of flats. Came up by accident and led to some serious questions for the all thora to this. Facility. Do you believe that the end justifies the means. Of their aims today justify the means. To reach the aims of a terrorist yes can you. Because. I do not believe any sane person can ever choose to commit such an act. To blow up a building with people in it. Innocent people at night and you. Can you know its really its beyond me its unbelievable just on believing. In human cruelty. We must understand that we can only counter this with force. Otherwise we wont but were going to safeguard our state lets protect our people. To not throw more of is good when youre going to want to look at your. Future if you when youre. Going. To go through it. Really if you. Will never learn when you mean. Even if you were. Italian. Do you really think we have to vote yes i do. Even if nothing depends on us at least we wont be voting for the communists so i. Got to tell. Well settled in lets go anyway. I think its important to us because its the 1st time weve been able to do it as a registered voter has it will that weve been nothing here. Ok lets go. Live. To get it he was he was physically there. Was. Something. You can. Live. By you are its a belief and its no not at all its a. Little. Bit we do believe. That you know we. Will. Fight but it wouldnt. Look good you know just feel free. To. Apologise to me but really im very risk goods if you think you know youve seen your future your future pretty. Clear you could use for. The future. If. If. You come up to the computer explicitly you. Find. Out what the name of the show was. Fun but its a lot of people so little time to. Look at it. Then you will still but the book is machine you see let me get pretty good with you you see its going to let me. Make my money so i can say this if. You. Wish to go back to. The press left the polling station with buton just one french journalist stayed behind to interview the former president of the u s s r michel gold which off he came to cost his ballot with his daughter and granddaughter. Just. 50. 2 you will vote for. You because youre still a. Good choice and say who are you voting to. Go beyond stephen thompson. Thank you but having cost his votes he couldnt resist having a drink with his former colleagues. Yes never taking anyones place. But yes. I just wanted to say that im proud that i was the 1st to speak at the congress i said the president of the u. S. S. R. Should be elected immediately and it should be only one candidate we all remember. You know what i would try to persuade me they should agree for 2 or 3 years. He could have agreed to become the president for 15 years. Then this post should have been introduced to still be general secretary livias lovis where you can see you can see. You. Just like napoleon at 1st elected 1st consul for 4 years and for life. Hell of the following. Meanwhile Boris Yeltsin was surrounded by his family and waiting for the fast Election Results. You can use these me my daily routine will certainly change. Has already. The constant pressure of. All of russia on your shoulders every hour every day. Problems or pressing something has happened here or there decisions have to be taken thousands of papers signed daily thousands thousands. Its a constant pile. And its a hell of a job. I just know its not pressing anymore. Theres just a routine work left. You know the burden is on a bloody mary bloody miro bridge poutine it says did you know. Why i gave him a 6 month head start on purpose. So that after being elected. He could make use of the experience he had gained as acting president was. You know the word says head of the russian government. That was the importance of the decision i took on december 31st 1909. To be sure there are still reproaching youre talking about a protege or something but yeah when you acted so decently addressing the people in telling them watch him so they could evaluate his work. It was all done so democratically and honestly i was a means to you but you were sure if youre reading his ratings rose from 50 percent. You know it. Was all due to his work since he did not have any special Campaign Advertising or t. V. Spots so i mean you know. He visits the region instead deals with the problems. He goes to ivanova sorts out problems in the textile industry. He goes to cause by some sorts out the miners problems. To come child care or psychology in deals with the problems in the far east. Was it easy to take out 31st of december decision. No it was hard. Strange as it may seem after that i felt better. Things i said to my fox explained to my minister president ial staff. And then to the mirror over jim self i explained to him 4 times. Meeting. Revanche really he got the message that the idea was to transfer power to him. As acting president of russia. But did you have to persuade him that. He didnt agree immediately. First we just got acquainted. My little man yeah come here. When much of the fun and your chicks are just like nothing else. But. Also who do you have to vote for by not joe grabow you voted for. Me. So there he sent it out of the room was going to do a horrible car. But more than that how is he saying to it and he pronounces it so funny funny how do you call preachin. He says the marrow bitch would you get a translator. When. You want some candy. And. Get moving and then you. Have. To go visit the yeah we want you. To do this this is. Easy. To say. But for the little boy who is going to have. This in do all of this. Though i dont remember any mention of putins Campaign Office in the press it had the biggest headquarters and all the senior state officials were involved. Lets see whats happening in moscow. Moscow 46. 71 percent. Of what well see tomorrow. St petersburg is fine but these are the issues and how many votes has critic us defense keep 18. 54 percent for those who are tissue thats an outrage. The Campaign Office was run by Dmitri Medvedev here who tins form a subordinate from his time in some petersburg who was little known at the time you. Should see. The full citizenship this is going to google it wasnt like you. Know. Oh dear. Oh dammit talk to me youre little busted. And theres not another disruptive. Little youre really looking for the lot. Of her going to far east all the reindeers have voted there. In fact the Campaign Managers were experienced political operators who could take advantage of the administrative results is provided by former and future federal ministers heads of the president ial staff and media and sociological service process. Whats the public opinion. Sasha whats the forecast 61 percent who are known for serving dear oh dear. Weve got to go to you. So what your data such as. This is anatoly to. Bice cochairman of the union of right forces the center right democrats were in fact the only nongovernmental upon him entry party to support putin in the election. The trigger is. Still the borders of the us or nothing what is going to win it is that were not saying it just didnt start it for this year you know that. Was the difficulty here is richard i mean both are in force. When the visit i mean both before and. For you its still going to. Yeltsin hadnt expected to see gorbachev it was probably the 1st time since 1991. Yeltsin had practically overthrown the president of the u. S. S. R. And knew perfectly well what happens to alstad leaders in russia as long as yeltsin was president x. President gorbachev simply disappeared even from t. V. Screens maybe thats why yeltsin himself a thought so hard about his successor in advance. And security along the way going to listen to. My numb the Election Results are coming up. Were going to announce it now they might wait until 9. The Election Results are coming up. In. Order. To know. If. Youre sure. You can live here for your people working here what about Seniors Today we went to the station this morning you. Would maybe just go with that america let america which are you on the left good evening tatiana the atenco calling i think how many of already votes here 60 percent does let us down. The most of what is so we can already drink champagne is taking small steps all right live very small steps and ill tell gina to get the champagne banks. Could be a. Joining the last years of piracy all sins presidency when his health was causing a lot of problems the concept of family was established in the public consciousness the success of the state of ministration was attributed to this family tiana played an Important Role in the whole process but tonya could you live without politics well not anymore. Because of me that feels like an easy d to me and i dont believe you when you think this is a position where i really like him but im certainly worried. Super i mean. You got lots of course you should do these are. The supporters of. The museum i when its heels with 4 little to see this one go. So. Now we can start drinking champagne taking very small sets. You know this is. So poor that glass of champagne. Growing quick about it. It was obvious that the issue of succession wouldnt have been resolved as easily without touch on a plan to marry small steps. For if you think you know there are a lot of us there are many of us. Bitterly stop filming but we get caught is this really i cant believe it. So it was her victory to. Now its over weve won. The election its been confirmed as we were hoping. For from various posts this little refute that. Then wed have won anyway for the same 1st round a 2nd us. The 1st of the last to this is. The end of the dinner with one. Of the spaniards on the course of the kitchen. With the laser down and drain your blouses and i can bet it will be this way i learned to meditate with your. Selves in the dead sea thats why you did what you thought you had to do the pointed a person and makes people see he was up to the job they saw that it wasnt voted for him. Look at what do you want to answer that he wouldnt appoint a bad person he chose from among so many of. The small good pick him out from 20 candidates within 4 months my stop at him for who else was on my list of people of the world 20 candidates no need to go through them all i stopped him and started working with things where you just felt able to bully for the money to get the tag the latest figures its 51. 2 percent. For all of. Your books for children shift over. To both of you but your. Oh god make us a gave it again we gotta was such a sad face to the girls that its all. Lets switch to m. T. V. Well people are good people didnt end it with your cheers. My idea was never to the election. Returns but when you doubt im putting you through to balancing your massive. You not familiar with this model yet it works like this. One. Though. Im not familiar with his model yet. Its curious that valentino was the 1st person yeltsin called after putins victory. Oh. Sure. Congratulations. Thats great. Thanks supermax i owe you one. As far as one can understand yeltsin was thanking his former chief of staff for something. Thats it mom and dad its funny free the main thing is in the 1st round. Why did you call that you may have that image of each. Legend what is your bus going. On here let me do it. Hes still british here good evening. Congratulations on the 1st results of the elections. Id like to talk to bloody mir overage putin. Right now ill hang up. Everything will be great. No come back. Into the conflict zone with tim sebastian. My guest this week here in rome is the judge read greenstock the hans solo who is a leading expert on the search will use a motor club to raise the vatican serious about a real challenge the way it continues to provide opportunity as cover for priests who commit these also produce conflicts of. Being 30 minutes on v. W. Form. Where i come from we have to fight for a free press and was born and raised in a military dictatorship with just one to shadow and if you use papers when official information as a journalist i have walked off the streets of many can trust and their problems are always the same 14. Fortune equality a lack of the freedom of the press. Should work on the 4th to stay silent when it comes to the fans of the humans and see why the foals who have decided to put their trust in us. My name is James Harrison i work again. This is deja vu news live from berlin and gridlock at the Un Climate Conference was crucial Paris Agreement deadlines looming World Leaders still cannot agree on funding or International Rules climate activists are demanding concrete and immediate action to protect the future also coming up the United Nations says authorities and she lay out guilty of serious Human Rights Violations for the treatment of protesters people have taken to the streets again demanding changes from the government and investigations into police behavior