The biographical film about Anna Politkovskaya was filmed in Latvia. The country successfully combines Soviet-era landscapes and historical architecture. The film required Soviet-era military facilities, so the production team chose Latvia. The abandoned military town of Skrunda-2 was used for filming. In addition to military buildings, filming took place on the grounds of Latvia's cultural and historical landmarks. The Latvian National Museum of Art and the Latvian Academy of Sciences served as backdrops for the story.

Filming Locations:

Meeting Place

In the Movie

Scene where Anna arrives for a meeting. She is in a spacious hall with huge round windows. White walls are adorned with majestic columns, their tops illuminated by lamps. Next to the heroine is a staircase covered with a red carpet.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the Latvian National Museum of Art, located in Riga. The museum was founded in 1869, and the building was constructed between 1903 and 1905. The architect of the building, Wilhelm Neumann, became the first director of the museum. The palace-like interior of the museum served as a successful backdrop for the scene.

Destroyed City

In the Movie

Scene where a crowd of people walks along the road. Around them stretches a city destroyed by bombings: houses without windows and walls, smoking tires, overturned cars. People carry their belongings, trying to escape the war. Along with this crowd walks Anna Politkovskaya in a bulletproof vest with the blue inscription PRESS on her chest.

In Reality

The scene was filmed at the former Soviet military facility Skrunda-1, located about four kilometers north of the Latvian town of Skrunda. The settlement was built in 1963 for military personnel and scientists who guarded and maintained the radar station. These installations were built for early warning of approaching missiles from the west. Previously, 5,000 people lived here. Since 2018, the Latvian military training ground 'Mežaine' has been located in the town.