Not Made for Politics (2025)

Not Made for Politics (2025) poster

For Estonian-based filmmaker Volia Chaikouskaya, the 2020 Belarus uprising was not just news – it was personal. While thousands in Minsk rose up against the brutal regime of Alexander Lukashenko and rallied behind opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Volia felt the same pulse across borders. Unable to return home, she became both observer and participant, organising solidarity actions in Tallinn and gradually stepping into her own film as a subject. At the heart of the story are three women – Sviatlana, Nadzeya, and Masha – whose husbands were jailed as political prisoners and who themselves emerged as central figures of the movement. Their fearless defiance against dictatorship mirrored Volia’s own struggle to break free from the inherited fear of silencing, repression, and exile.

Director: Volia Chajkouskaya
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 89 min
Release Date:
Cinematography: Epp Kubu, Odeta Riškutė
Editing: Audrey Maurion
Production: Allfilm, YUZU Productions, Sorrento Productions
Country: Estonia, France, United States of America
Language: беларуская мова, English, Pусский
Original Language: et
More Films by Director: Volia Chajkouskaya
More Films in Genre: Documentary

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Not Made for Politics about?
For Estonian-based filmmaker Volia Chaikouskaya, the 2020 Belarus uprising was not just news – it was personal. While thousands in Minsk rose up against the brutal regime of Alexander Lukashenko and rallied behind opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Volia felt the same pulse across borders. Unable to return home, she became both observer and participant, organising solidarity actions in Tallinn and gradually stepping into her own film as a subject. At the heart of the story are three women – Sviatlana, Nadzeya, and Masha – whose husbands were jailed as political prisoners and who themselves emerged as central figures of the movement. Their fearless defiance against dictatorship mirrored Volia’s own struggle to break free from the inherited fear of silencing, repression, and exile.
Who directed Not Made for Politics?
Not Made for Politics was directed by Volia Chajkouskaya.
How long is Not Made for Politics?
Not Made for Politics has a runtime of 1h 29m (89 minutes).
What genre is Not Made for Politics?
Not Made for Politics is a Documentary film.
Where was Not Made for Politics produced?
Not Made for Politics was produced in Estonia, France, United States of America.