POV’s brand new season is now in full swing with the American broadcast premiere of My Perestroika Tuesday, June 28, 2011, on PBS. Check your local listings.
In My Perestroika, filmmaker Robin Hessman gives us an intimate look at the last generation of Soviet children. As you meet five former classmates, you’ll witness their coming-of age from living sheltered childhoods in the USSR to searching for their places in today’s Moscow. They describe the ups and downs of life as their country transformed from a hard-line Soviet state, to its reforms under Gorbachev’s perestroika to modern-day Russia. With candor and humor, the punk rocker, single mother, entrepreneur and married teachers paint a picture of the challenges, dreams and disappointments of those raised behind the Iron Curtain. Through first-person testimony, vérité footage and vintage home movies, this beautifully crafted documentary reveals a Russia rarely seen on film.
After you’ve seen how the five classmates have evolved into adults, explore POV’s website for interactive features inspired by the film.
- Join a live chat with filmmaker Robin Hessman on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 at 2pm ET.
- Watch the film again for a limited time on POV’s website starting Wednesday, June 29, 2011, then go behind the lens with an exclusive extended interview with filmmaker Robin Hessman.
- View a gallery of Soviet propaganda posters with audio commentary by Russian history author Abbott Gleason.
- Brush up on your knowledge of the Cold War with our interactive timeline, from the rise and fall of the Soviet Union to today’s Russia.
- What is perestroika? Do the names Samantha Smith and Yuri Andropov ring a bell? If not, check out our Cold War glossary for a who’s who of key figures and a list of terms from the Cold War era.
- Then, test your knowledge of the Cold War with the “Are You a Cold War Kid?” quiz.
- Visit POV’s My Perestroika companion site for more interactive features, and come back to POV each week for cool film prizes.
POV’s 24th season continues Tuesday nights through September 27, concluding with a special broadcast on November 10. Keep up with the films at http://pbs.org/pov, on Twitter @povdocs or on Facebook.