Nothing Is True And Everything Is Possible

Episode

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

20150126

20150127 (R4)

In the early 2000s, Peter Pomerantsev (Kiev-born, raised in England; the son of Russian political exiles) came to Moscow to work in the fast-growing TV and film industry. The job gave him first hand access to every nook and corrupt cranny of the country. He was perfectly placed to witness the transformation of the New Russia on its journey from communist collapse to a new form of dictatorship.

Including, Oliona, professionally trained 'gold digger', escaping a bleak upbringing in Siberia; Vitaly, gangster-turned-filmmaker who studied his favourite American mafia movies and then made his auto theft crimes the subject of a hit six-part drama series; and, Mozhayev, an architectural and urban historian who fights in vain to save what remains of the buildings of the Moscow that existed before the Soviet experiment.

Written by Peter Pomerantsev.

Read by Justin Salinger.

Abridged by Robin Brooks.

Produced by Kirsteen Cameron.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2015.

Peter Pomerantsev on modern Russia's journey from communism to a new form of dictatorship.

20150127

20150128 (R4)

In the early 2000s, Peter Pomerantsev (the son of Russian political exiles) came to Moscow to work in the fast-growing television industry. He was perfectly placed to witness the transformation of the New Russia on its journey from communist collapse to a new form of dictatorship.

In a series of character studies, the subjects of Pomerantsev's reality TV documentaries, we glimpse the ways in which the Russian people have responded to and acted upon the opportunities of Putin's new world order. In this episode we meet Vitaly, the gangster-turned-filmmaker, who studied his favourite American mafia movies and then turned his auto-theft crimes into the subject of a hit drama series.

Written by Peter Pomerantsev

Read by Justin Salinger

Abridged by Robin Brooks

Produced by Kirsteen Cameron

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2015.

Vitaly, a notorious gangster turned film director, summons Peter for a private audience.

20150128

20150129 (R4)

Black is white and white is black.' Like the subject of an absurdist short story by Gogol, businesswoman Yana Yakovleva finds herself accused of drug trafficking and is falsely imprisoned: an innocent victim of political wrangling near the top of the Kremlin.

Written by Peter Pomerantsev

Read by Justin Salinger

Abridged by Robin Brooks

Produced by Kirsteen Cameron

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2015.

The nightmarish ordeal of a businesswoman falsely imprisoned for drug trafficking.

20150129

20150130 (R4)

In the early 2000s, Peter Pomerantsev came to Moscow to work in the fast-growing television industry. He was perfectly placed to witness the transformation of the New Russia on its journey from communist collapse to a new form of dictatorship.

Old walls and doors know something we can't understand... the true nature of time.' Peter tours the city's hidden courtyards and side streets with Mozayev, a 'guardian spirit' of Old Moscow and self-proclaimed defender of its fast-disappearing historic architecture.

Written by Peter Pomerantsev

Read by Justin Salinger

Abridged by Robin Brooks

Produced by Kirsteen Cameron

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2015.

Peter meets a 'guardian spirit' of Old Moscow, defender of its historic architecture.

05 LAST

20150130

20150131 (R4)

In this episode, he reflects upon the fractured nature of a country (and its people) that has moved so quickly from communism to capitalism, where the difference between 'public' and 'private' selves can, by necessity, be extreme. Realising that he can't maintain such psychological divisions, he decides to return to London.

Written by Peter Pomerantsev

Read by Justin Salinger

Abridged by Robin Brooks

Produced by Kirsteen Cameron

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2015.

Peter Pomerantsev considers Russia's shift from communism to a new form of dictatorship.

Episodes

Episode	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	20150126	20150127 (R4)	In the early 2000s, Peter Pomerantsev (Kiev-born, raised in England; the son of Russian political exiles) came to Moscow to work in the fast-growing TV and film industry. The job gave him first hand access to every nook and corrupt cranny of the country. He was perfectly placed to witness the transformation of the New Russia on its journey from communist collapse to a new form of dictatorship. In a series of character studies, the subjects of Pomerantsev's reality TV documentaries, we glimpse the ways in which the Russian people have responded to and acted upon the opportunities (as well as terrible injustices) of Putin's new world order. Including, Oliona, professionally trained 'gold digger', escaping a bleak upbringing in Siberia; Vitaly, gangster-turned-filmmaker who studied his favourite American mafia movies and then made his auto theft crimes the subject of a hit six-part drama series; and, Mozhayev, an architectural and urban historian who fights in vain to save what remains of the buildings of the Moscow that existed before the Soviet experiment. Written by Peter Pomerantsev. Read by Justin Salinger. Abridged by Robin Brooks. Produced by Kirsteen Cameron. First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2015. Peter Pomerantsev on modern Russia's journey from communism to a new form of dictatorship.
02	20150127	20150128 (R4)	In the early 2000s, Peter Pomerantsev (the son of Russian political exiles) came to Moscow to work in the fast-growing television industry. He was perfectly placed to witness the transformation of the New Russia on its journey from communist collapse to a new form of dictatorship. In a series of character studies, the subjects of Pomerantsev's reality TV documentaries, we glimpse the ways in which the Russian people have responded to and acted upon the opportunities of Putin's new world order. In this episode we meet Vitaly, the gangster-turned-filmmaker, who studied his favourite American mafia movies and then turned his auto-theft crimes into the subject of a hit drama series. Written by Peter Pomerantsev Read by Justin Salinger Abridged by Robin Brooks Produced by Kirsteen Cameron First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2015. Vitaly, a notorious gangster turned film director, summons Peter for a private audience.
03	20150128	20150129 (R4)	In the early 2000s, Peter Pomerantsev (the son of Russian political exiles) came to Moscow to work in the fast-growing television industry. He was perfectly placed to witness the transformation of the New Russia on its journey from communist collapse to a new form of dictatorship. Black is white and white is black.' Like the subject of an absurdist short story by Gogol, businesswoman Yana Yakovleva finds herself accused of drug trafficking and is falsely imprisoned: an innocent victim of political wrangling near the top of the Kremlin. Written by Peter Pomerantsev Read by Justin Salinger Abridged by Robin Brooks Produced by Kirsteen Cameron First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2015. The nightmarish ordeal of a businesswoman falsely imprisoned for drug trafficking.
04	20150129	20150130 (R4)	In the early 2000s, Peter Pomerantsev came to Moscow to work in the fast-growing television industry. He was perfectly placed to witness the transformation of the New Russia on its journey from communist collapse to a new form of dictatorship. Old walls and doors know something we can't understand... the true nature of time.' Peter tours the city's hidden courtyards and side streets with Mozayev, a 'guardian spirit' of Old Moscow and self-proclaimed defender of its fast-disappearing historic architecture. Written by Peter Pomerantsev Read by Justin Salinger Abridged by Robin Brooks Produced by Kirsteen Cameron First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2015. Peter meets a 'guardian spirit' of Old Moscow, defender of its historic architecture.
05 LAST	20150130	20150131 (R4)	In the early 2000s, Peter Pomerantsev (the son of Russian political exiles) came to Moscow to work in the fast-growing television industry. He was perfectly placed to witness the transformation of the New Russia on its journey from communist collapse to a new form of dictatorship. In this episode, he reflects upon the fractured nature of a country (and its people) that has moved so quickly from communism to capitalism, where the difference between 'public' and 'private' selves can, by necessity, be extreme. Realising that he can't maintain such psychological divisions, he decides to return to London. Written by Peter Pomerantsev Read by Justin Salinger Abridged by Robin Brooks Produced by Kirsteen Cameron First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2015. Peter Pomerantsev considers Russia's shift from communism to a new form of dictatorship.