---
title: "Navalny"
year: 2022
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/navalny"
fi1m_id: "navalny"
imdb_id: "tt17041964"
tmdb_id: 926676
wikidata_id: "Q110550428"
fi1m_score: 78
critics_score: 77
critics_reviews: 19
published: "2026-10-03T02:55:06.056527+00:00"
updated: "2026-10-03T02:55:06.852230+00:00"
region: "AZ"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Navalny (2022)

Directed by Daniel Roher · 1h 38m · Documentary

## Identity

Navalny

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/navalny
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** navalny
- **IMDb ID:** tt17041964
- **TMDB ID:** 926676
- **Wikidata ID:** Q110550428
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17041964/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/926676, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q110550428

**Fi1m score: 78** · Critics 77 from 19 reviews

*In a sentence:* A man investigates his own poisoning, and somehow still knows exactly where the camera is

> Daniel Roher’s *Navalny* is a tense, accessible documentary about the investigation into an attempt on its subject’s life. The close access pays off, though its limited interest in his political history leaves important questions unanswered.

## Synopsis

Alexei Navalny investigates the attempt to poison him, seeking evidence of who organised an attack on his life. Daniel Roher follows the inquiry, with Yulia Navalnaya and Christo Grozev also appearing as themselves. His political struggle continues alongside the search, but the immediate task is to establish what happened and expose those responsible. Navalny takes an active part in investigating the plot against him. Rather than covering his life from the beginning, the documentary concentrates on the poisoning investigation and the people involved in it.

## Review

Daniel Roher’s *Navalny* is a gripping documentary with a serious limitation: it gives its subject’s political history too little attention. The director builds around Alexei Navalny’s efforts to uncover the poisoning plot, keeping the immediate question of responsibility firmly in view. That gives the film a clear purpose and considerable urgency, with little opportunity for the attention to wander. We recommend it as an account of an investigation, with reservations about how little context accompanies the man conducting it.

His screen presence does a great deal of the work, and the director recognises the appeal of a subject who seems comfortable being watched. Niki Waltl’s cinematography makes that close access count, encouraging us to study the man while the investigation proceeds. His composure can be reassuring, even when reassurance is hardly what the circumstances warrant. We found ourselves warming to him, and then questioning how readily we had done so; his confidence in front of the camera makes sympathy come almost before scrutiny.

Editors Langdon Page and Maya Hawke keep the enquiry moving, giving the pursuit of evidence the forward pull of a thriller. At 98 minutes, the film is compact, and that concentration is largely to its advantage. There is satisfaction in following people trying to establish what happened, particularly when the person pursuing answers was himself the target of the attack. The editing makes the investigation accessible without making it feel effortless, although the pace also helps the director move past questions that deserve a longer hearing.

Matt Robertson and Marius de Vries supply music that fits the thriller approach, though the circumstances hardly need help generating apprehension. We were frightened by watching a man investigate an attempt on his own life. His involvement makes the search for answers unsettling in a way that an account delivered at a safe distance could scarcely manage. The director is persuasive when he allows that situation to carry the drama, but the more encouraging tone sometimes makes the danger feel more containable than the film gives us reason to believe.

The principal problem is the space given to the subject’s earlier political career. There is too little of it to make this a searching portrait, and his considerable personal appeal goes insufficiently challenged. A documentary need not become a complete biography to ask what its subject believes, how those beliefs developed or which parts of his record warrant closer examination. Those matters receive too little attention here, particularly for a film that encourages such strong sympathy with the person at its centre.

That shortcoming matters because the film encourages us to support its subject beyond the investigation itself. A political documentary ought to leave enough room for awkward context, however compelling the immediate events might be. Even so, the access and the skill of the editing are substantial reasons to watch, and the enquiry rarely loses its grip. There is enough here to justify an evening, provided its narrow scope is understood. Do not let it be the only account of Alexei Navalny’s politics you encounter.

*Fi1m score 78, published 3 October 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics respond warmly to Navalny, with praise clustering around its close access to its subject and the suspense of the poisoning investigation. The reviews repeatedly describe a documentary that moves like a thriller, singling out a recorded phone call as its most tense sequence. Navalny’s charisma and courage also draw praise, while several critics find the film humane as well as gripping. Even more reserved assessments acknowledge how effectively it holds attention.

The main reservation concerns how little space the film gives Navalny’s earlier life and political history. That concern appears in enthusiastic reviews too, though critics differ over how much it matters. Sight and Sound offers the sharpest dissent, challenging the buoyant framing of his political struggle as well as the missing context. The New Yorker raises a different doubt: whether the film’s revelations can reach beyond a sympathetic Western audience. The spread is broad, despite substantial agreement about the suspense.

## Straight answers

**Is Navalny worth watching?**

*Navalny* is worth watching as a tense, accessible documentary about a poisoning investigation, and we score it 78 out of 100. We recommend it for its close access and thriller-like editing, but its limited scrutiny of Navalny’s political history makes it an investigation to follow rather than a rounded political portrait.

**How long is Navalny, and what is it rated?**

*Navalny* runs 1h 38m. It is a documentary film.

**Where can I watch Navalny in Azerbaijan?**

*Navalny* is not on any streaming or rental service in Azerbaijan at the moment. It is available in 34 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily.

**How does Navalny compare to Citizenfour?**

*Navalny* is a brisk investigation led by a camera-confident subject, while [*Citizenfour*](https://film.one/film/citizenfour) pays closer attention to the discomfort of being filmed amid political danger. We favour *Navalny* for a clearly focused pursuit of evidence and *Citizenfour* for sustained apprehension, though both are less satisfying when they move beyond their central encounters.

**What should I watch after Navalny?**

After *Navalny*, try [*Citizenfour*](https://film.one/film/citizenfour) (2014, Fi1m 83): Another close encounter with political danger, attentive to the discomfort of being filmed. Then [*Collective*](https://film.one/film/collective) (2019, Fi1m 88): Patient investigative work drives this documentary, with more room for institutions than individual charisma; and [*Z*](https://film.one/film/z) (1969, Fi1m 84): Political violence becomes a procedural thriller, with anger sharpening every stage of the investigation.

### Reviews we read (19)

- **Radio Times**, Caroline Frost (5/5): Frost presents the documentary as a fascinating portrait of a courageous, charismatic subject. She praises Navalny’s efforts to uncover the poisoning plot, while noting gaps in the account of his history. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-czbu67/navalny/)
- **Empire**, John Nugent (90/100, inferred): Nugent calls the documentary an urgent, searing account that feels especially timely. He praises its exceptional access, particularly the sequence in which Navalny tricks a suspected poisoner into describing the operation. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/navalny/)
- **Variety**, Owen Gleiberman (90/100, inferred): Gleiberman calls the documentary a must-see, stirring account of Navalny’s courage and resistance to authoritarian rule. He especially praises the suspenseful investigation that leads to Navalny’s recorded phone confession from one of the poisoning plotters. [Read](https://variety.com/2022/film/reviews/navalny-review-alexei-navalny-vladimir-putin-1235163437/)
- **The i Paper**, Christina Newland (85/100, inferred): Newland finds the documentary gripping, disturbing and humane, and calls it unmissable. She especially praises Navalny’s screen presence, which makes the film immediately compelling. [Read](https://inews.co.uk/culture/film/navalny-review-alexei-unmissable-portrait-of-putins-rival-1571222)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Justin Chang (82/100, inferred): Chang finds the documentary gripping and sharply assembled, while noting its uneasy mix of timeliness and escapism. He especially praises the electrifying scene in which Navalny tricks an alleged poisoning operative into revealing incriminating details. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2022-04-11/alexei-navalny-review-documentary-putin-russia)
- **The Guardian**, Adrian Horton (80/100, inferred): Horton finds the documentary riveting and damning, while noting it skims over thorny context about Navalny’s political history. She praises the jaw-dropping prank call that exposes details of the poisoning plot. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/jan/27/navalny-review-shocking-documentary-of-a-russian-poisoning)
- **Time Out**, Phil de Semlyen (4/5): The critic calls the documentary ridiculously gripping and essential. They single out its covert-investigation story, which plays like a thriller in a terrifying real world. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/navalny-2022)
- **IndieWire**, David Ehrlich (B): Ehrlich finds the documentary slick and suspenseful but politically superficial. He singles out Navalny’s phone call to an alleged assassination plotter as its remarkable, thriller-like centerpiece. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/navalny-documentary-review-1234693689/)
- **Screen Daily**, Fionnuala Halligan (65/100, inferred): The accessible text does not reveal the critic’s verdict. The standfirst highlights Roher following Navalny as he investigates a plot to kill him. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/navalny-sundance-review/5166917.article)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Daniel Fienberg (65/100, inferred): Fienberg finds the documentary jaw-dropping and tense, though constrained by limited depth. He singles out Navalny’s call to suspected poisoners as a suspenseful set-piece. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/navalny-review-1235081209/)
- **The New Yorker**, Anthony Lane (65/100, inferred): Lane finds the documentary gripping, darkly funny, and persuasive, while questioning whether its revelations can reach beyond a sympathetic Western audience. He praises the farcical scene in which Navalny calls a man allegedly involved in his poisoning and gets a confession. [Read](https://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/the-bitter-russian-truths-of-navalny)
- **RogerEbert.com** (64/100, inferred): The page shows only a browser-check message, so the critic’s verdict cannot be determined. No praise or complaint from the review is available in the provided text. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/navalny-movie-review-2022)
- **The New York Times**, Manohla Dargis (64/100, inferred): The page could not be read, so the critic’s verdict and specific praise or complaint cannot be confirmed. No review text was available beyond a message asking readers to enable JavaScript and disable ad blockers. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/24/movies/navalny-review.html)
- **Sight and Sound** (45/100, inferred): The review finds the documentary gripping but misguided in its buoyant, triumphant framing of Navalny’s imprisonment and political struggle. It praises the tense phone-call sequence exposing the assassination plot, while faulting the film for sidelining Navalny’s broader political career. [Read](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/navalny-russian-spy-thriller-dressed-documentary)
- **HeyUGuys** (95/100, inferred): The critic calls it an exhilarating, powerful documentary and the best documentary at Sundance 2022. They praise its unprecedented access and gripping recorded phone call, while wishing for more context about Navalny’s earlier life and politics. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/navalny-review/)
- **Deadline**, Todd McCarthy (85/100, inferred): The critic finds the documentary swift, inspiring, and propulsive, and recommends it to anyone interested in contemporary politics. He especially praises its close access to Navalny and the grippingly captured events surrounding his return to Russia. [Read](https://deadline.com/2022/01/navalny-documentary-film-review-sundance-1234919956/)
- **Eye for Film**, Jeremy Mathews (80/100, inferred): The critic finds the documentary engaging and often suspenseful, while noting that its scope is not a full biography. The prank call to one of the alleged poisoners stands out as a compelling, tightly tense scene. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/navalny-2022-film-review-by-jeremy-mathews)
- **/Film**, Ben Pearson (8/10): The review finds the documentary riveting and humanizing, while ending on a note of dread about Navalny’s imprisonment. It especially praises the investigation’s shift into spy-thriller mode and its jaw-dropping revelation. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/749606/navalny-review-a-riveting-portrait-of-vladimir-putins-worst-nightmare-sundance-2022/)
- **The Playlist** (70/100, inferred): The headline presents the documentary as an entertaining thriller. It singles out its thriller-like approach as the key appeal. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/navalny-review-russian-dissident-doc-plays-out-like-an-entertaining-thriller-sundance-20220201/)

## Details

- **Director:** Daniel Roher
- **Director:** Daniel Roher
- **Cinematography:** Niki Waltl
- **Editor:** Langdon Page, Maya Hawke
- **Music:** Matt Robertson, Marius de Vries
- **Producer:** Odessa Rae, Shane Boris, Diane Becker
- **Cast:** Alexei Navalny as Self; Yulia Navalnaya as Self; Daria Navalnaya as Self; Zakhar Navalny as Self; Maria Pevchikh as Self; Christo Grozev as Self; Leonid Volkov as Self; Kira Yarmysh as Self
- **Runtime:** 1h 38m
- **First release (the US):** 25 January 2022
- **Genres:** Documentary
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPRuvKqZty0

## Where to watch in Azerbaijan

Not streaming, renting or buying in Azerbaijan at the last check.

Also available in: AT, AU, BE, BG, CH, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IT, LT, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TH, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## Awards

- Academy Awards 2023: Best Documentary Feature Film (won)
- Sundance Audience Award: U.S. Documentary 2022: Sundance Audience Award: U.S. Documentary (won)
- Sundance Festival Favorite Award 2022: Sundance Festival Favorite Award (won)

## If you liked this

- *Citizenfour* (2014), Fi1m 83: Another close encounter with political danger, attentive to the discomfort of being filmed. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/citizenfour.md)
- *Collective* (2019), Fi1m 88: Patient investigative work drives this documentary, with more room for institutions than individual charisma. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/collective.md)
- *Z* (1969), Fi1m 84: Political violence becomes a procedural thriller, with anger sharpening every stage of the investigation. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/z.md)
- *The Lives of Others* (2006), Fi1m 84: For the surveillance and moral pressure, explored through fiction rather than documentary access. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-lives-of-others.md)
- *The Thin Blue Line* (1988), Fi1m 90: An investigation whose careful assembly keeps asking how persuasive stories become accepted facts. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-thin-blue-line.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/navalny