In April-May 2024, the Alexey Navalny YouTube channel aired the series “Traitors,” created by Maria Pevchikh, the head of the investigation department of the Anti-Corruption Foundation (FBK). This series explores topics such as the 1996 elections, the era of oligarchs, and the transition of power to Vladimir Putin in Russia. The series has garnered millions of views and incorporates footage from documentaries by various directors, including Alexander Gentelev.
However, concerns were raised among viewers and commentators about the lack of credit given to authors who provided materials used in the first two episodes of “Traitors.” It wasn’t until after public backlash and demand for acknowledgment that proper credit was given in the third episode.
Vera Krichevskaya, a TV director and producer whose work was used in the series, expressed her disappointment at not being properly acknowledged by FBK team. She emphasized on respecting copyright and intellectual property rights while using other people’s work. Tanya Genteleva, widow of Alexander Gentelev whose footage was also used without permission in the series shared her emotional experience with Krichevskaya’s sentiment about respecting original sources. Despite attempts to contact Maria Pevchikh there was no satisfactory explanation or resolution regarding unauthorized use of Gentelev’s materials.
The controversy surrounding copyrighted material use raises questions about ethics, intellectual property rights and responsibilities creators have towards others work. Both Krichevskaya and Genteleva highlighted that transparency and accountability are necessary when using external materials in any production process which should include proper attribution and permission seeking.
Overall it is important for creators to recognize their responsibility towards others work while creating content that may incorporate elements from other sources. Proper attribution should always be done to avoid any legal issues that may arise due to copyright infringement.
