RUSSLANDS UNBEQUEMES GEWISSEN: IRINA SCHERBAKOWA

Irina Scherbakowa is a literary scholar, journalist, co-founder of the Russian human rights organisation Memorial and Patron of Kunstfest Weimar 2024. For decades she ran Russia’s largest story competition for new writers in addition to writing books about her own history. Her novel ‘The Hands of My Father’, in which she reflects on her own Russian Jewish family history, was published in 2017. Shortly before the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine the born Muscovite was still saying: “I will never leave.” But then Memorial was banned in February 2022 and Irina Scherbakowa left her homeland rapidly. In her absence, she was declared a “traitor to the people”; the same year Memorial was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. Irina Scherbakowa now lives in Berlin and Tel Aviv, and is trying to rebuild Memorial in exile. Eva Gerberding’s film was broadcast on 13 March, shortly before the Russian Presidential election on 17 March. The Hamburg-based director Eva Gerberding has known Irina Scherbakowa for over 30 years and her latest film presents a portrait of one of Russia‘s bravest women.