Tanya Mosley

and deciding to go to Russia to film this, to document it, what really struck you was the comedy portion of it, how these journalists were using joy and music.

This film is entirely in Russian, but I want to play a clip in this documentary, and then we can talk about it on the other side.

This particular clip, there is a journalist who is performing on TV Rain a song.

Let's listen.

And Julie, I have a visceral reaction listening to it, not even knowing the words to the song.

First off, can you tell us who that is and what that song is saying?

Let's take a short break.

If you're just joining us, my guest is filmmaker Julia Loktov.

Her documentary film, My Undesirable Friends Part One, Last Air in Moscow, is about independent Russian journalists in the months leading up to and immediately after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

We'll continue our conversation after a short break.

This is Fresh Air.

Julie, I want to talk a little bit about your background.

So you and your family, you come from Russia.

You arrived here to the United States when you were nine.

Take me back to that time period.

How and why did your parents choose the U.S.

to immigrate to?

I had the privilege of watching your first documentary, Moment of Impact, and it's about your father's car accident.

You were 19 when it happened, and it is moving.

I couldn't take my eyes off the screen the entire time.