Five friends of Nemtsov

For a documentary about Boris Nemtsov, Mikhail Fishman recorded the memories of his relatives, colleagues and acquaintances. Below are several fragments from interviews with Mikhail Fridman, Ilya Yashin, Alfred Kokh, Mikhail Prokhorov and Oleg Sysuev, whom Nemtsov considered his close friends.

Over the past 25 years, Russia has become accustomed to political assassinations and assassinations. But it seems that since the collapse of Soviet power and a new life began, not a single politician, not a single public figure has been mourned as much as Boris Nemtsov. And not a single murder inspired such fear.

This is also due to the fact that in the series of political murders in Russia, Nemtsov’s murder stands apart: after all, politicians, journalists, and human rights activists are usually killed for some specific reason. Either to get revenge, or because they are in the way. Nemtsov was killed only to kill him, and only because he is very famous and against Putin. This is the first purely political murder in Russian history.

This is also due to the fact that Nemtsov’s murder - also perhaps for the first time - was solved quickly and without delay. But the investigation failed, and the organizers of Nemtsov’s murder walk the earth calmly and with impunity, endowed with status and honor. And the helplessness of the authorities in investigating this terrible crime and punishing the terrorists inspires almost more fear than the murder itself.

But the feeling of misfortune is connected not only with the circumstances of his death. It is also connected with the awareness of its incredible injustice. Over time, this feeling grows rather than dulls, and it becomes clear, alas, to many postmortem that one of the best, most worthy and outstanding figures in the history of modern Russia was killed - just like that, for no reason. After his death, Nemtsov became a symbol of the Russia that was never destined to come true: a little impudent and careless, maybe even crazy, but free, democratic, honest, open and life-loving. Russia, which would move forward.

For the film about Boris Nemtsov, we recorded several dozen interviews with those who knew him closely in life. And with those of them with whom he was in power together. And with those with whom he fought with power. And with those whom he considered comrades in the struggle. And with those with whom he simply spent time: sailing, climbing mountains, diving into an ice hole. Often these were the same people.

The history of Russia and the life of Nemtsov are connected too closely, and in the course of this work much became clearly visible: why the doors suddenly slammed in front of him when his brilliant prospects did not raise any doubts; and why he was so actively persecuted and hounded when it seemed that he was already a downed pilot, put out on the street with contempt. In the course of this work, it became much clearer which Russia ultimately did not exist, and which, on the contrary, did exist, and what happened to it over the years.

For this publication, we selected several fragments from interviews with close friends of Boris Nemtsov.

Mikhail Fishman

The biographical film “Nemtsov”, co-produced by the Russian film company Twindi and the German Saxonia Entertainment, was shown on the ZDF/ARTE television channel on February 23. The premiere of the special Russian-language version is scheduled for autumn 2016