July 8, 2014 | Arts / Entertainment

Doc about gay athletes secretly filmed in Russia

Johnny WeirVladimir Putin won't be too happy about this: a secret documentary about the lives of gay athletes was filmed under his nose during the Sochi Winter Olympics in Russia.
 
The documentary, To Russia With Love, will premiere on US cable channel EPIX in October. It promises to examine "human rights through the lens of LGBT athletes," following several in the run-up to and during the Sochi Olympics. Parts of the film were also shot in New York, Toronto, Calgary and St. Petersburg.
 
“As gay athletes fight for equality continues to gain momentum, EPIX is proud to provide a platform for this important global conversation," explained EPIX CEO Mark Greenberg. 
 
Oddly, the documentary will be hosted by Johnny Weir. The openly gay figure skater said he would not speak out against Russia's anti-gay laws while visiting the country during the Winter Games, opting instead to show "respect [for] the culture."
 
Jason Collins, snowboarders Belle Brockhoff and Simona Meiler, and ice hockey player Charline Labonté are some of the people profiled in the film. To Russia With Love also features interviews and commentary from David Remnick, editor-in-chief of The New Yorker, and actor Stephen Fry.
 
Russian portions of the film were shot with neither permits nor consent of the country's authorities. It seems Putin is not all-seeing and all-knowing after all!

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