Chulpan Khamatova — actress (good bye lenin) with roots in the USSR
Chulpan Khamatova is widely regarded as the finest stage actress of her generation in Russia, renowned at the Moscow Art Theatre for her interpretations of Chekhov and contemporary drama. After publicly opposing Russia's invasion of Ukraine, she emigrated to Latvia in 2022 to preserve her artistic independence.
Tracing the roots — Kazan
Born in Kazan and trained at Moscow's GITIS theatre academy, Khamatova spent her career at the heart of Russian cultural life before becoming one of the most prominent artists to go into exile after 2022. Her story crystallises the tension between Russian cultural identity and opposition to the state.
Kazan. At the time, this region was one of the fifteen republics of the Soviet Union.
A career defined by ambition
"I cannot perform in a country that bombs children."