Tovarisch, I Am Not Dead
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2006 |
| Products | Paperback books |
Tovarisch, I Am Not Dead is a documentary released in 2007 by Stuart Urban, which centers on his father Garri Urban (1916–2004). The film draws from Garri's autobiographical work that recounts his experiences of surviving and escaping from Joseph Stalin's Soviet Union. Originally published in 1980 by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, the book was later reissued in paperback form by Cyclops Vision in 2006 and has been translated into several languages.
Following the Collapse of the Soviet Union in 1992, Stuart Urban captured footage of Garri's journey back to the former Soviet territories. Over a span of 14 years, Urban assembled a collection of video diaries and interviews that constitute the heart of the documentary. These materials explore Garri's investigations into his KGB files as well as the tragic history of his family during the Holocaust. The film includes insights from Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Anne Applebaum.
As part of the expanding "first person" documentary movement, the film received the Lancia Award at the Biografilm Festival in June 2007. It also earned a nomination for the Raindance Award at the British Independent Film Awards, secured the World Silver Medal at the New York Festivals, and was shortlisted for the Grierson Awards in 2008.