Jailed Russian dissident Alexei Navalny on Wednesday praised all those resisting dictatorship and war while thanking the team that made the Oscar-winning film about his 2020 poisoning.
“I dedicate my entire contribution to this film to honest and courageous people across the world who day after day find the strength to confront the monster of dictatorship and its constant companion, war,” Navalny said in a tweet.
“I am, of course, terribly glad, but while rejoicing, I try not to forget that it wasn’t me who won the Oscar,” he said.
He thanked the production team including Canadian director Daniel Roher, Navalny’s long-time ally Maria Pevchikh and Bellingcat investigative journalist Christo Grozev.
Navalny also thanked his wife Yulia, who was in Hollywood for the Oscars ceremony on Sunday.
The 46-year-old described how he had learned about the documentary’s triumph despite his isolation in a penal colony.
“As usual, the cell radio turned on at 5:00 a.m. At 6:00 … they spoke in detail about all the winners of the Academy Awards, except for Best Documentary. I thought that was a good sign,” Navalny wrote in a 12-part thread.
He finally learned for sure about the Oscar win from his lawyer, who told him later via video link during a court appearance.
“I had a very strange feeling at that moment,” Navalny said.
“It was as if those words didn’t even belong in this world, but, on the other hand, everything here is so weird and crazy that it feels like that’s the only world they belong in.”
