DocPlay Fast-Tracks “Terrifying” Expose

Documentary service DocPlay will stream from Monday a movie-length account of the poisoning of the Russian opposition leader, lawyer and anti-corruption activist Alexi Navalny.

In August 2020, he fell seriously ill on a flight to Moscow and, after an emergency landing in Siberia, was evacuated to Berlin where doctors confirmed he’d been poisoned with Novichok, a toxin implicated in attacks on other opponents of the Russian government.

Navalny follows his recuperation and uncovering of the truth behind the plot to silence him, with the help of Bellingcat journalist Christo Grozev.

Daniel Roher’s documentary is being fast-tracked to DocPlay hot off the NZ International Film Festival circuit.

The Guardian hailed it as “one of the most jaw-dropping things you’ll ever witness … This terrifying documentary enters the realms of the far-fetched spy thriller – and yet it’s all true.”

On the Rotten Tomatoes site, it averaged a 99% rating based on 81 reviews. Reads the consensus: “Navalny is a documentary that’s as gripping as any thriller — but the real-life fight against authoritarianism that it details is deadly serious.”

Also coming soon to DocPlay are:

I Am Not Alone (September 1)

On Easter 2018, a man put on a backpack and went live on Facebook to announce that he was beginning a walk across Armenia. His mission: to inspire a velvet revolution — and topple the corrupt regime that enjoys absolute power in his post-soviet nation. With total access to all key players, I Am Not Alone tells the miraculous true story.

Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time (September 8)

A dazzling, worthy tribute to Vonnegut and a compelling introduction for the uninitiated. The feature documentary – the first of its kind on Vonnegut – is a deep, immersive dive into the author’s upbringing and his creative output. Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck In Time Is first and foremost a biography of a beloved American author. But it also documents a filmmaker’s odyssey as he examines the impact of a writer’s legacy on his own life, extending far beyond the printed page.

Insert Coin (September 15)

The amazing behind-the-scenes story of one of the greatest video game studios of all time – Midway Games. Led by the “godfather of video games” Eugene Jarvis, the company pioneered the concept of live action gaming, kickstarting a new arcade boom and grossing billions of dollars in the process with massive hits like Mortal Kombat and NBA Jam – franchises still popular today. Through intimate and often hilarious interviews with the people who were there, we witness how a small, tight-knit group of friends deal with next level success and the roller coaster ride that comes with it.

They Call Me Dr Miami (September 22)

A fascinating look at America’s most famous plastic surgeon. We witness how he grapples with the reality of selfie culture, the controversy his videos stir up, and his status as a social media superstar, and how he fights to balance this with being a devoted husband, a father of five, and a conservative Orthodox Jew who observes the Sabbath. Enter the hotbed of body modification culture via Dr. Miami’s operating theatre and his relentless pursuit of social media fame, where lives hang in the balance.

No Visible Trauma (September 26)

In the midst of a global uprising against police violence and systemic racism, No Visible Trauma examines a deeply troubled police department and reveals the devastating consequences of unchecked police brutality. Five years in the making, the film unravels the intertwined stories of three individuals who were the victims of extreme violence at the hands of police officers. From the kidnapping and beating of a young immigrant from Ghana, to the fatal shooting of an unarmed man during a “wellness check”, the film exposes a criminal justice system that fails to hold police officers accountable for their actions.