Le Doc
en Scène
The "Le Doc en Scène" festival features theatrical and artistic performances, films inspired by stories of resistance and exile, as well as music performances and an art exhibition exploring the impact of war and totalitarianism on artistic creation.
Founded in 2024 by the collective VERBA, this year’s edition unfolds over three weeks — from November 3 to December 18 — celebrating voices of freedom, resilience, and creative defiance.November
TuesDAY 3
19:00H
“eisenstein”
theatrical reading in russian with french subtitles
Dramaturgist Mikhail Durnenkov Directedtor: anonyme
Scenographer Aglaya Shulzhenko
International Visual Theatre
7 Cité Chaptal, 75009
saturday 7
“Iron Curtain - documentary series”
screening
Directors: Mikhail Brashinsky, Mikhail Levite, Vladimir Nepevny, Basil Utekhin
Producers: Yevgeny Gindilis, Boris Guts, Maxim Mussel
atelier des artistes en exil
106 Rue Brancion, 75015 Paris
Thursday 12
19:00H
Discussion
with VICTORIA IVLEVA Photographer, journalist, and volunteer
Espace Libertés
29 rue du Moulin Joly, 75011 Paris
Friday 13
19:00H
“How we buried Josef Stalin”
theatrical reading in russian with french subtitles
written by Arthur Solomonov
Scenographer Aglaya Shulzhenko
Centre Paris Anim' Jacques Bravo
14-18 Rue de la Tour des Dames, 75009
Sunday 15
19:00H
“Under the Watchful Eye of a Raccoon”
theatrical reading in russian with french subtitles
text: Arthur Solomonov Performance and poetry: Alexander Delfinov
Espace Libertés
29 rue du Moulin Joly, 75011 Paris
November 10 - november 30
photo Exhibition
november10 - Exhibition opening
Photographs by Victoria Ivleva
YMKA Press
11 Rue de la Montagne Ste Geneviève, 75005
Saturday 21
19:00H
“Give me back my life”
theatrical reading in russian with french subtitles
Playwright Andrei Stadnikov
Scenographer Aglaya Shulzhenko
MAison Fraternelle
37 Rue Tournefort, 75005 Paris
Saturday 23
19:00H
discussion
with EVGENIYA VOLUNKOVA
Author and editor-in-chief of «Takie Dela»
YMKA Press
11 Rue de la Montagne Ste Geneviève, 75005
Saturday 28
20:00H
“Don’t Say Macbeth”
theatrical reading in french
Dramaturgist Sasha Denisova
Le Consulat
14 avenue Parmentier, 75011
December
Saturday 5
19:00H
“my beloved country”
with ELENA KOSTYUCHENKO
Journalist and gay rights activist
AUTHOR OF THE BOOK: ELENA
KOSTYUCHENKO
IDEA: ANNA NARINSKAYA
DRAMATURGIST: POLINA BORODINACENTRE
Scenographer Aglaya Shulzhenko
PARIS ANIM' JACQUES BRAVO
14-18 RUE DE LA TOUR DES
DAMES, 75009
monday 7
19:00H
Discussion
with ELENA KOSTYUCHENKO
Journalist and gay rights activist
and ANNA NARINSKAYA
Journalist, literary critic and exhibition curator
Espace Libertés
29 rue du Moulin Joly, 75011 Paris
thursday 10
19:00H
Presentation of a book
“warming Center”
discussion with Grigory Sverdlin
director of the “Idite lesom” (Get lost) project.
Espace Libertés
29 rue du Moulin Joly, 75011 Paris
friday 18
19:00H
“Finist - The Clear Falcon”
theatrical reading in russian with french subtitles
Based on the play by Svetlana Petriychuk
Director: Director
International Visual Theatre
7 Cité Chaptal, 75009
Eisenstein
Dramaturgist: Mikhail Durnenkov
Directed: Anonyme
Theatrical reading in russian with french subtitles
Scenographer Aglaya Shulzhenko
This year marks Sergei Eisenstein's 128th birthday and the 100th anniversary of Battleship Potemkin. To commemorate these milestones, the creative legacy of the world-famous Soviet filmmaker is receiving renewed attention through film retrospectives, exhibitions, and theatrical productions.
The play focuses on a pivotal moment in Eisenstein's life. Commissioned by the Soviet government to direct Ivan the Terrible, he simultaneously becomes the subject of secret surveillance by the NKVD, as the authorities see the artist as both indispensable and potentially dangerous. The story follows the outcome of the operation codenamed "Eisen," the fate of the film, and the fate of Sergei Eisenstein himself.
The play weaves together historical events, references to Eisenstein's films and biography, and the people who shaped his life and work.
Based on research by Naum Kleiman
Actors: to be announced
Photos by Natalia Koliada
The funds raised will be used to purchase materials to make sleeping bags for Ukrainian civilians, in support of the Melograno association.
3 November, 19:00h
International Visual Theatre
7 Cité Chaptal, 75009 Paris
“Iron Curtain - documentary series”
Directors: Mikhail Brashinsky, Mikhail Levite, Vladimir Nepevny, Basil Utekhin
Producers: Yevgeny Gindilis, Boris Guts, Maxim Mussel
Format: 6 episodes, 20-26 min. per episode
Iron Curtain is a documentary series and a collective portrait of independent Russian theatre directors and artists who left the country after Russia launched its war against Ukraine. Six episodes follow artists rebuilding their lives in different countries while trying to preserve what matters most - the ability to continue making theatre and art.
The protagonists of the series are Ilya Moshchitsky, Seva Lisovsky, Nyu&Kota, Fedya Kurekhin, AKHE Engineering Theatre and FULCRO. Each has a different experience of exile and a different way of rebuilding their relationship with their profession, their new country, and their audience.
By observing their everyday lives, work, and search for a place to belong, the filmmakers explore three central questions: Where is home today? How can one continue making art in exile? And what might independent Russian theatre become outside Russia?7 november
atelier des artistes en exil
106 Rue Brancion, 75015 Paris
Discussion
Discussion with VICTORIA IVLEVA
Photographer, journalist, and volunteer
12 November, 19:00H
Espace Libertés
29 rue du Moulin Joly, 75011 Paris
“How we buried Josef Stalin”
Written by: Arthur Solomonov
Theatrical reading in russian with french subtitles
Scenographer Aglaya Shulzhenko
This tragicomedy explores how the legacy of Stalinism continues to influence the modern human consciousness. Combining tragedy, satire, and humor, the performance examines the persistence of authoritarian thinking and the difficulty of confronting the past.
The story takes place in a major Russian theater preparing a daring production about Stalin. Everything is ready for the premiere, until an unexpected spectator appears: the President of Russia. After seeing the performance, he expresses his dissatisfaction, and the theater company is forced to reshape the play in an attempt to satisfy both past and present rulers.
Through its sharp satire and anti-totalitarian perspective, the performance becomes a powerful reflection on history, political repression, and war. Charity readings of the text have taken place in several countries, raising funds in collaboration with NGOs and foundations.
The funds raised will be used to purchase buses to evacuate civilians from areas near the front line in Ukraine.
13 November, 19:00h
Centre Paris Anim' Jacques Bravo
14-18 Rue de la Tour des Dames, 75009
“Under the Watchful Eye of a Raccoon”
Written by Arthur Solomonov
Performance and poetry by Alexander Delfinov
A theatrical reading in russian with french subtitles based on Arthur Solomonov's satirical novel Nathan.
Who are the mysterious Nathan Eipelbaum and his talking raccoon, Tugrik? What role does this unlikely duo play in world politics? Through satire, fantasy, and political allegory, the performance explores the mechanisms of propaganda, authoritarianism, and the fragility of truth.
Alexander Delfinov performs every role - from Nathan and Tugrik to Kremlin officials, patriots, and liberals. His original poems are seamlessly woven into the narrative, creating a unique dialogue between prose and poetry.
Set against the backdrop of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the performance explores the rise of populism, the appeal of authoritarian power, and the ways political myths shape contemporary society.
Photo by Lana Good
The funds raised will be used to purchase buses to evacuate civilians from areas near the front line in Ukraine.
15 November, 19:00h
Espace Libertés
29 rue du Moulin Joly, 75011 Paris
photo EXHIBITION
VICTORIA IVLEVA,
Russian photographer, journalist, and volunteer
“I have nothing to write.
I am still shattered, crushed, destroyed by what my homeland did to me that
early February morning four years ago, right before my eyes, and which I was
utterly powerless to stop.
It feels as though a brick wall has come crashing down on me, burying me
completely under stones.
It’s hard for me to breathe.
I’ve gone deaf and blind.
I can’t move under this pile of stones.
I can only wiggle my little finger a little. Its movement is imperceptible to those
around me, but it’s extremely important to me, for it is a gesture of resistance
against this brute wall.
And I will stubbornly wiggle my stubby little finger, covered in brick dust, until
my last breath; I will stubbornly wiggle it through the pain, blood, and tears.
Just so they know I’m not giving up.
And I will whisper with my lips pressed together: « Ще не вмерла Україна »*
And let no one hear my whisper.
I do this for myself.“
Victoria Ivleva has been living in Ukraine
since early March 2022. She experiences firsthand
the horrors and tragedies of war every day
and documents what is happening through
her writing and photography.10 of November 19:00H - Exhibition opening
10 of November - 30 of November YMKA Press 11 Rue de la Montagne Ste Geneviève, 75005
“Give me back my life”
Playwright by Andrei Stadnikov
Theatrical reading in russian with french subtitles
Scenographer Aglaya Shulzhenko
Takie Dela is an independent media outlet covering contemporary social issues in Russia. In this performance, actors read powerful materials collected by journalists and invite the audience to reflect and discuss the stories presented.
The collaboration between theater and media aims to bring attention to socially significant topics related to human rights, the consequences of the war in Ukraine, and the experiences of civilians and refugees.
Following the reading, the editor-in-chief of Takie Dela will join a discussion with the audience about journalism in Russia today, the challenges faced by independent media, and the ways people continue to support one another despite censorship and repression.
This charity reading is directed by Andrei Stadnikov, a prominent contemporary Russian theater author and director currently living in exile.
Photo by Maria Semenova
The funds raised will help support the independent media outlet “Takie Dela”.
21 November, 19:00h
MAison Fraternelle
37 Rue Tournefort, 75005 Paris
Discussion
Discussion with EVGENIYA VOLUNKOVA
Author and editor-in-chief of «Takie Dela»
23 November, 19:00H
YMKA Press
11 Rue de la Montagne Ste Geneviève, 75005
“Don’t Say Macbeth”
Dramaturgist: Sasha Denisova
Theatrical reading in french
Scenographer Aglaya Shulzhenko
Sasha Denisova is a Ukrainian playwright, writer and director whose work for the European stage returns time and again to the war in Ukraine. Her plays have been staged in France, the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania and the United States. Two of them, My Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion and The Gaaga, were presented at previous editions of the festival.
Now Denisova reimagines Shakespeare’s tragedy in her new play Don’t Say Macbeth!, set in contemporary Europe.
Acclaimed French actor Denis Lavant, a festival regular, takes the stage as Macbeth in this one-man play.
Macbeth is a butcher in Pig’s Ear, a small European town where right-wing politicians arrive and begin to stoke hatred. Politics becomes a witches’ cauldron, bubbling with fear of war and simmering resentment, rage against migrants and dreams of former glory. Meanwhile, war draws ever closer from beyond Dunsinane Hill, towards the edge of Birnam Wood. And who but ChatGPT can foretell fate?
This version of Macbeth explores the thirst for power, the workings of hatred, love and betrayal, and life in a Europe torn apart by political games in the shadow of war.
28 November, 20:00H
Le Consulat
14 avenue Parmentier, 75011
“my beloved country”
Dramaturgist: Sasha Denisova
Author of the book: Elena Kostyuchenko
Idea: Anna Narinskaya
Dramaturgist: Polina Borodina
Theatrical reading in russian with french subtitles
Scenographer Aglaya Shulzhenko
Based on the documentary book by journalist Elena Kostyuchenko, My Beloved Country is a theatrical installation about contemporary Russia and the difficult questions it raises. How can one remain connected to a homeland that is moving towards violence and injustice? How can one understand people who are both victims of and participants in this reality?
The performance follows the author's personal story and combines autobiographical passages from the book with documentary testimonies of people in Russia whose voices have been silenced. Russian-speaking and Central European actors, together with visual and sound elements, create a multi-layered portrait of a society facing profound moral and political challenges.
The production is an attempt to translate not only between languages, but also between cultures, experiences, and different understandings of reality.
Photo by Victoria Nazarova
The funds raised will be used to purchase materials to make sleeping bags for Ukrainian civilians, in support of the Melograno association.
5 DECEMBER, 19:00H
CENTRE PARIS ANIM JACQUES BRAVO
14-18 RUE DE LA TOUR DES DAMES, 75009 PARIS
Discussion
Discussion with ELENA KOSTYUCHENKO
Journalist and gay rights activist
and ANNA NARINSKAYA
Journalist, literary critic and exhibition curator
7 december, 19:00H
Espace Libertés
29 rue du Moulin Joly, 75011 Paris
Presentation of a book
“warming Center”
Discussion with Grigory Sverdlin
director of the “Idite lesom” (Get lost) project.
10 December, 19:00h
Espace Libertés
29 rue du Moulin Joly, 75011 Paris
“Finist - The Clear Falcon”
Based on the play by Svetlana Petriychuk
Director: Anonyme
Theatrical reading in russian with french subtitles
A theatrical reading presented in the form of a journalistic podcast by Zhanna Agalakova, this performance tells the story of Russian-speaking women who were recruited by ISIS through social media, married to terrorists, and sent to Syria. The drama is based on real court cases involving women who fled Russia and were subsequently convicted of "aiding terrorism.
First presented at the Lyubimovka theater festival in 2019, the production was later staged in Moscow and received the Golden Mask Award in 2022.
The online publication of a staged reading became the basis for criminal charges against playwright Svetlana Petriychuk and director Zhenya Berkovich, who were sentenced to prison in 2024.
Actors include: Zhanna Agalakova, Maria Chuprinskaya, Ira Verbitskaya, Vadik Korolev, Nadezhda Kutepova, Nadezhda Skochilenko (mother of artist Sasha Skochilenko, a political prisoner) and Elena Eiffel.
All collected funds will be donated to the families of unjustly convicted artists and in support of political prisoners.
Photos by Alexander Andrievich18 December, 19:00h
International Visual Theatre
7 Cité Chaptal, 75009 paris