My Undesirable Friends: Part II - Exile

Loktev’s affection is palpable from behind the camera. Shooting on an iPhone allows her, like in Part I, to stay close and bottle the intimacy shared, which in this case it feels even more precious to preserve.

Rare are the films that remain so transfixed by the conundrums inherent to living in a murky world, or that pursue the emotional and psychological dimensions of political journalism with such disarming simplicity.

If Last Air In Moscow was a salute to the passion of activist journalists fighting for truth and democracy, Exile is even more stirring in its admiration. Funny, resilient and vibrant, Loktev’s subjects have lost their home but not their defiant spirit.

Last Air in Moscow was driven by its bustling, vibrant sense of community. Exile is drawn by reflection and equivocation.

Framing her subjects in medium close-ups, [Loktev] creates an intimacy that goes beyond the international crises and political upheavals to focus on the human costs of an unending conflict. The journos may all be hardworking and heroic; they’re also normal people trying to conduct their lives amid the chaos.

“Exile” becomes less a story of running away from something and more a story of refusing to let evil win. If only more journalists in this world were willing to be so brave.

It’s an inspiring portrait of collective resistance in the face of oppressive evil, one that goes a long way to compensate for the lackluster filmmaking and tedious pacing. The conclusion feels definite for the film, but there is no question that these journalists continue to do vital work. Whether an audience sees them in action again is a mystery, but their bravery in pursuing this challenge under extraordinary circumstances is not in question.