Of Caravans and the Dogs

The FIFDH is partnering with the Presstival, the Swiss festival dedicated to journalism and the media. The event aims to establish itself as a key forum for reflection on contemporary issues in information and news. In a global context marked by conflict, pressures on press freedom, and technological upheavals, the Presstival offers a unique platform for exchange between media professionals, experts, and the public.

For this first edition, the FIFDH is presenting the 2024 selected film Of Caravans and the Dogs, which portrays the crucial work of journalists under Putin’s regime. Since 2012, a series of repressive laws have been passed, labelling all those who publicly oppose the official stance as « foreign agents ». In these circumstances, a group of independent Russian journalists and activists are trying to resist and to pursue their work. From the start of the war, however, their work became virtually impossible. Filmed over the course of a pivotal year, before and after the invasion, this new film by intrepid filmmaker Askold Kurov (THE TRIAL – The State of Russia vs. Oleg Sentsov, Children 404) paints a portrait of the last defenders of democracy in Russia and offers a glimpse of hope for a different future.