Julia Loktev's "My Undesirable Friends"
Julia Loktev joins the podcast to talk about her new documentary "My Undesirable Friends," following a team of journalists in Russia right before the invasion of Ukraine.
By LARB Radio HourDecember 5, 2025
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Julia Loktev's "My Undesirable Friends"
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Medaya Ocher and Eric Newman speak with director Julia Loktev about her new documentary "My Undesirable Friends."
Filmed in 2021, just before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the five-hour epic follows independent journalists at TV Rain as they navigate escalating government repression and the “foreign agent” laws designed to silence dissent. The film is a moving, unsettling portrait of resilience and a stark reminder of the global stakes of Russia's suppression of independent media.
Medaya and Eric talk to Julia about her experience filming the documentary in a moment of intense political upheaval, as well as what the disturbing parallels between the campaign against the press in Russia and the United States.
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The LARB Radio Hour is hosted by Eric Newman, Medaya Ocher, and Kate Wolf.