My Undesirable Friends Part II Premieres at Venice — SkimNews
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- Julia Loktev directed 'My Undesirable Friends: Part II – Exile,' which held its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival
- The documentary profiles Russian journalists including Anna Nemzer, Irina Dolinina, and Ksenia Mironova, who fled Moscow with hours' notice after Russia invaded Ukraine and shut down independent media
- Meryl Streep and Laura Poitras executive produced the sequel, which spans four years and a dozen countries
- Part I was shortlisted for the Academy Awards and won Gotham, New York Film Critics Circle, Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and National Society of Film Critics awards for Best Documentary
- Part II will next screen at the New York Film Festival, where Part I held its world premiere in October 2024, and is positioned as an Oscar contender this year
- MUBI acquired streaming rights to both parts and is currently streaming Part I, while Loktev is self-distributing Part II theatrically
Why it matters: Russian journalists who fled after the Ukraine invasion gain a global platform through this Venice-premiering documentary executive produced by Oscar winners Meryl Streep and Laura Poitras. MUBI's streaming acquisition and theatrical self-distribution give the film both festival prestige and broad reach, building on Part I's Academy shortlist and four critics' circle wins.
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