On Putin's Blacklist

On Putin's Blacklist traces the opening moves of a new Cold War between Russia and the West. It begins with the Kremlin's ban on the adoption of Russian orphans by American citizens, a measure soon extended to any country that recognizes same-sex unions, and follows the families caught in the fallout. From there, the film widens its lens: LGBTQ Russians, foreign NGOs, human-rights groups, and political opposition figures each find themselves branded foreign agents bent on destroying Russia. Through firsthand testimony from those living under the threat, the documentary paints an unflinching portrait of how a leader's anti-Western rhetoric turns ordinary people into targets.