The Film tells the story of the extraordinary 30-year friendship between two remarkable individuals: 58-year-old Augie Fabela, an acting U.S. Sheriff in Cook County, Illinois, and 88-year-old Dr. Dmitry Zimin, a former top-secret Soviet scientist. On the eve of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the two embark on a final journey together before Zimin’s scheduled euthanasia.
Their story begins in 1990, brought together by the efforts of Presidents Gorbachev and Reagan. The end of the Cold War led 25-year-old Augie to Moscow, where fate introduced him to Dmitry. Over the next decade, they lived the American dream: Augie, the son of Mexican immigrants, and Dmitry, the son of a Soviet era “enemy of the people,” built a tech startup that made them millionaires.
As their story unfolds, the Film explores Dim’s evolution from a top-secret scientist to a prominent supporter of progressive science and civil society in Putin’s Russia. For over 12 years, he was the sole public financial supporter of Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, embodying his dedication to change in his homeland.
Dmitry’s personal story serves as a bridge between the eras of Stalin and Putin, illustrating the necessity of war for authoritarian regimes. Through Augie’s perspective, the documentary examines the complex details of Russia’s historical trajectory, its cyclical aggression, and its inability to break free from its past.