There’s several dichotomies at play within director Paul Mitchell’s brief documentary short Young Patriots: Inside Putin’s Youth Camps. On the one hand, the geopolitical issues and histories that have fueled Russia’s principles of war run deep, all the way to the 1930s. And yet it is this old history that fuels much of the patriotism of the children and teenagers who join the Youth Army. This also creates a divide between wizened soldiers and the impossibly young children more than willing to carry on the mantle of what they believe is Russia’s inherent greatness and plan for domination.
Mitchell and crew received unprecedented access to one of the Youth Army groups in the town of Vologda. During a two week holiday period, the documentary crew follows not only the youth army but a teenage boy named Dima Yakovlev. Yakovlev resides in the town’s orphanage and is uninterested in joining the youth army, more involved in dance and other hobbies. But because the youth army provides so many opportunities for kids, Dima goes with them on a trip to Northern Russia, looking at historic and religious sites. The unspoken hope is that Dima will be another recruit.
There’s an intriguing lack of judgement found in the documentary. Everyone that speaks to the crew is a true believer, in Russia’s President Vladimir Putin, and the Russian cause. One young cadet talks about how Russia’s destruction in Ukraine is justified, and how acceptable losses have to be made to prepare Russia for its greatest adversary: the United States.
On the boat taking the kids on their holiday, they sing patriotic songs and learn about flag signaling. One child, no more than ten years old, fieldstrips a machine gun that’s bigger than her. One of the older talking heads says there’s nothing wrong with children learning how to work with guns if it helps them prepare. For what is the question. But as jarring as these moments are these are still kids at the end of the day and it’s in the moments where they’re allowed to have fun–playing charades and board games–you’re reminded that they’re espousing an ideology that’s been ingrained in them since birth.
At the end of the movie it is Yakovlev’s choice whether to join the army or not. He maintains that, regardless of what he chooses, dance will be his passion. Young Patriots is a fascinating exploration into an indoctrination that is as sad as it is scary. Presented with no judgement, and with empathy for the kids involved, it’s a must for those interested in looking at the future of Russia. Recommended.
Which public library collections should include Young Patriots: Inside Putin’s Youth Camps?
Young Patriots is worth carrying in collections focused on geopolitics, the history of Russia, and Russia’s interactions with the United States. It can also be placed in curated collections focused on child soldiers and children during wartime. The movie is possible to show to all ages though the subtitles and content make it better suited for high schoolers and above. Libraries that purchase titles from short documentaries or films from EPF Media would also do well to carry this.
What academic subjects or media education courses would benefit from this film?
This documentary can be used to examine the history of the Soviet Union or the current geopolitics of Russia today. This can be used in connection with classes teaching about the current war between Russia and Ukraine. It can be utilized as a tool for psychology classes on indoctrination, as well as classes talking about political patriotism and nationalism. This can also be utilized in film classes aimed at short documentaries or using documentaries as political tools.
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