Innere Emigranten

Summary

Inner Emigration

Produced over the course of three years, under strict secrecy, this documentary follows three volunteer psychologists in Moscow who have been working on a crisis hotline since the beginning of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. During overnight phone shifts, they support callers dealing with psychological distress, personal concerns, and politically charged beliefs. As their work continues, they are increasingly confronted with the effects of state propaganda, which becomes clearly reflected in the conversations they have with those seeking help. At the same time, the psychologists themselves find themselves caught between professional neutrality, personal convictions, and state-imposed limits on freedom of expression. The film observes how their work shifts between providing care and confronting moral boundaries. It also raises the question of how far their role unintentionally embeds them within a repressive system, and where the line lies between professional detachment and silent complicity.