Trailer for the documentary Stalin. Why Not?
"Through storms the sun of freedom has shined upon us, And the great Lenin has lighted the way, Stalin has taught us faithfulness to the people, To labour, and inspired us to great feats!" This excerpt from the Soviet national anthem dating back to 1943 adorns the walls of Moscow's Kursk metro station. In 2009, this legend was restored as part of an expensive refurbishment of the station. The makers of this documentary decided to find out what ordinary Muscovites had to say about it. In a random survey, they asked people for their opinion on Stalin as a historical figure. "We can only blame Stalin for one thing: that he didn't leave a successor behind him," is one of the responses they get. The film reveals that the former Soviet leader, during whose reign millions of innocent people were executed in political trials, still enjoys a cult of personality to this day.