All language subtitles for Servant.Of.the.People.Zelensky.2020_[English] (SUBRIP)

Do you have any gadgets
with President Zelensky?

- Yes.
- What is this?

I scan Zelensky's picture...
And...

You hear the song from the TV serial
"Servant of the People".

It was Vasyl Holoborodko,
the serial character played by Zelensky

that actually won the Elections.

People wanted radical changes like in the
movie, and that's why they voted for him.

Millions of people could see him
on TV every week,

and was treated like a guy
living next door.

When Zelensky was elected president
it took me quite a while to believe it.

I thought he'd say at the last moment,

"Sorry, friends. Forgive me.
I wound you up."

SERVANT OF THE PEOPLE

You want us to tell all that story,
right? OK.

That's how Volodymyr Zelensky looked
in the early 2000s

when he was drumming up
his show business.

From the very start, his "Kvartal 95"
was the highest-rated show on TV.

Just like his other movies
and TV programs.

Zelensky soon became famous,
loved and admired

because he was successful
in every single thing he did.

Just like in "Dancing with the Stars"
in 2006.

And the winner is...
pair number 5!

Zelensky is an incredibly efficient
businessman, who created his own image.

And he is known throughout
the entire post-Soviet territory.

Roman Romaniuk works
for the newspaper "Ukrainska Pravda".

He writes about Volodymyr Zelensky.

He got accustomed to the fact
that he was associated with success.

So, he thought to himself,
"Why not take advantage of that?"

But I don't think he was fully aware
of the changes he would have to face.

It was an event with no precedent
anywhere else in Eastern Europe.

In 2019, a celebrity, actor, comedian

and a film producer
became the president of Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelensky got over 73%
of all votes.

Millions of Ukrainians liked the role
of a teacher he played in the TV serial.

A teacher who by chance became the
president. An ideal president at that.

One who serves ordinary people
and fights with corrupted dignitaries.

Zelensky built his political capital
on merciless mockery

of almost all Ukrainian politicians.

Jewhen Mahda
is a leading political scientist

and the author of a book
about the presidents of Ukraine.

Many politicians, including Poroshenko,
would go to the "Kvartal 95"

no matter how bitterly
they were criticized there.

What about the economy?

We are in deep shit...

Hush! Don't say it.
Let it be a surprise for everybody.

Come down for the rehearsal. Quick.
How long shall we wait?

Coming!

Roman Vintoniv is an actor and comedian.
He has his channel on the Internet.

He puts down the politicians' bloopers
in no uncertain terms.

Just the way Volodymyr Zelensky, now
himself an object of ridicule used to do.

At first Zelensky used to joke a lot
when he would talk with people.

- After he became the president?
- Yes.

At first he would think to himself,
"What? I won't make it as the president?"

"After all, I'm a TV producer and I've
seen more than my share of bad beef."

But in time he realized
that the slightest mistake on Instagram,

or some note he puts on Facebook
or wherever,

like mistaking Lithuania and Latvia
is a very serious matter.

- Romek!
- Coming!

Roman's show is broadcast
on so-called TV Toronto.

He appears as Michael Rat,

the correspondent
of the Ukrainian diaspora in Canada.

Long story short, it's not him.
Just in case.

- Are you ready?
- Yes.

So, let's start it.

(You're watching "♪@)hryvna? 0".
I'm Michael Rat.

- All right?
- Again.

In the control room they say
it was not energetic enough.

I'll show you the energy, Lena.

You'd better watch out.
They may think you're drunk.

Three, two, one...

Look at the excerpts from previous shows.

- Indoor cycling.
- A national one.

Volodymyr Zelensky made cycling the
main symbol of his presidential power.

Good morning, Ukraine.

It's a fitness video right from
Volodymyr Zelensky's Instagram.

Because during his first state visit
to Brussels

the president was sitting on an indoor
bike while giving his interview.

Zelensky will give his next
interview while zorbing.

The journalist will run in front
of the orb.

And Zelensky's briefing
will look like this.

And this is his next press conference.

We found out how Volodymyr Zelensky is
going to free the soldiers taken captive

and stop the Russian
aggression in Donbass

within the Trilateral Contact Group.

I keep my fingers crossed.
Hope we'll make it.

Zelensky will keep his fingers crossed
in order to end the war.

And he'll spit over his left shoulder
to make the economy thrive.

Comedians have a powerful weapon
in their hands.

Now Zelensky's finding

how it is when someone mocks your words
because you said something wrong.

I think it's hard for him.

But thanks to that
he started to mind his words more.

It shows he's working hard to be
sterner and more serious.

To abandon his previous image
of a jester.

It's a big problem because he got hostage
to his image as a comedian.

That's true.

Let's see an excerpt from a movie.

- From "Servant of the People"?
- Yes.

Because it helps to understand
why people voted for Zelensky.

You got shackled to your stools!

You're wiping your sweat?
You're sweating and upset?

I'm not the one you've been waiting for.
Huh?

I wish I could punch your mugs
with this stone baton.

Here. The Minister of Health.
Want me to cure you, sir?

And you, Minister of Education?
Are you OK?

Where do your kids go to school?
Abroad? Right?

What a nightmare!
Look at your fat mugs!

But that's not the way Zelensky is
in the real world?

Maybe not any longer, but at first, he
tried to act the way he did in the movie.

Have a look.

If you can't deal with the smuggling,
why don't you hand in your resignation?

Can you fire them?

Not without prior notice.

I'm fed up with your bureaucracy
and your courtesy like,

"Ladies and gentlemen please stand
for the President..."

I'm interested in acts not words.

It's not the problem that someone glued
himself to his chair and does nothing.

The real problem
is that we lack competent people.

The problem is the lack of know-how,
lack of professionals, lack of ideas...

Fear is also a problem.

And the situation when
the system doesn't work

and everybody is doing their best
to preserve it

instead of inventing something new.

So, shall we?

Zelensky surely knows how to present
himself as a man like everyone else.

But the president, first of all, has to
know how to solve difficult problems.

And our relationships with Russia is
the most difficult problem of them all.

Because over 13.000 lives were lost
during the war in the east of Ukraine.

Plus we lost Crimea
and a part of Donbass.

I don't think Zelensky will ever be able
to return to "business as usual"

in the relationship with Moscow
as it was before the war.

Meaning, that he could do his business
in both Ukraine and Russia.

Donbass, in the east of Ukraine.

Not far from here, there is the
self-proclaimed Lugansk People's Republic

created by the separatists
and supported by Russia.

The frontline divided families, friends
and the country.

The closer to the border,
the more checkpoints,

deserted villages
and destroyed houses.

Whoever could, has left.

You can say you live on the frontline.

Yes. Because the troops are stationed
literally right next to my house.

How does it feel to live
in a place like this?

Only those who have a permanent stay
permit are allowed to enter the area.

Life was not bad here when
the mines worked.

And now? Donbass has been abandoned.
For good.

- Were you a miner?
- Sure. Whole my life.

So, at least you have a good pension.

No...

Who did folks vote here for? Zelensky?

Who else could they vote for?

A prompt end to the war in Donbass

was the main slogan of Zelensky's
presidential campaign.

This is what he told journalists
as the candidate to the Office.

The most important thing is
that we don't want the war.

We didn't start the war,

but if there is any chance to end it

we should do our best

to halt the killing of our people.

In the neighboring town they distribute
buckwheat groats under the aid scheme.

Town Zolote, in Lugan Oblast is situated
on the frontline.

The war and poverty
made people here tired and irritated.

The rolls over there are yours, auntie.

Those ones and these one.

What gifts did they bring?
Is this to insulate the houses?

- And does everybody can get it?
- Everybody.

- Everybody who wants?
- I mean, every household.

In October 2019, Zolote
was in the news not only in Ukraine.

And it was all because of
the visit of President Zelensky.

He came here right after Kiev
agreed to withdraw the army

from three places
along the frontline

including the one not far from here.

His decision divided Ukrainians.

Some saw the withdrawal of the army
as a betrayal and capitulation;

others, like the citizens of Zolote,
saw hope for peace.

How was it?
Where did you meet him?

He was going from the club towards
the shop.

On foot.
He was going on foot all the time.

And he had no bulletproof vest.

We were even surprised because
the others would put on so much stuff

and he looked just like us.

We are just standing here
and suddenly he shows up.

"It's impossible." I thought to myself.
But it really was Zelensky.

He was walking just like you and me.

Did you see Zelensky too?

He even shook her hand.
She didn't wash it afterwards.

Tell us.

I didn't wash my hand for two weeks
because the president shook it.

Volodymyr Zelensky came to the town
late in the evening.

He spent the night in a simple house.

Its owner had no idea
to who had rented the room.

I can sleep at my neighbor's.

No need. After all, it's your house.

But we'll pay. The agreed price.

- You didn't know who rented the room?
- I didn't.

Meaning, our Intelligence works
discreetly. Thank God.

And what do you need?
What do people lack here?

Peace. We have enough of war.

That's how it looks.

Look, there is even a TV set
and a DVD player.

It's all right.

- Good morning.
- You're so young.

Really.

- Just a kid.
- A kid?

- Yes.
- That's good.

Mamma mia!

- Do you bring good news?
- Only good news.

Thank God.

Pensions should be
five times higher.

I said, good news,
not very good news.

I understand you.

- We want peace.
- I know.

We're counting on you.
We want to sleep without fear.

Will they withdraw
the army from here?

- Is that what you want?
- Yes.

He talked with anybody who wanted to.
He heard out everybody.

There is a coal mine in our town
and majority of the citizens works there.

- Now they pay the salary on time.
- Yes. Without any delay.

Some time ago they wouldn't pay for six,
seven or eight months.

When Zelensky came, he said
we'd get all overdue salaries,

and we did.
Within two or three weeks.

No. A bit later.

All right. Within month.
But they paid it all.

They give ten rolls for a house;
you and your son have twenty.

Do I live with him?
Why the nerves?

We took a poll after a year
of Volodymyr Zelensky's presidency.

Andrij Byczenko is a sociologist.

He works in the reputable
Razumkov Public Opinion Research Center.

According to our poll, the largest
group of respondents, over 40%,

thinks Zelensky did his best to improve
the people's living conditions,

but the people in the president's
closest proximity

and other officials don't do
their jobs well.

So, he's not responsible.

Yes, according to the classical Russian
way of thinking:

the tsar is good,
only his men are bad.

- Show us how you live.
- Come on in.

This is my kitchen.
I'll make some coffee.

Lena works in a miners' club.

Her living conditions are typical
for the majority of Zolote's citizens.

Bring the cups from the living room,
Tanya.

Tatyana is a retired preschool teacher.

And this is our living room.

- I can see the TV set is constantly on.
- Yes.

What TV stations do you watch?

Well... Russian.

They present the war in Donbass
in a totally different way.

That's true.

When I watch it,
I can see how many times they lie.

The folks, who live in self-proclaimed
republics and can watch only Russian TV,

don't know the truth.

Of course they don't.

We don't understand their politics but
we have got in touch with them somehow.

Tanya's mother and my grandmother
live there.

Should we not talk with them?

- And you do?
- Sure we do.

- On the phone?
- On Skype and on the phone.

What's the situation there?

The pensioners can't complain.

They get their money from here
and from there.

But they won't make it
without their Ukrainian pension?

Of course. And it's definitely
not a place for young people.

Let's get back to Zelensky.

It's the "Servant
of the Nation" TV serial.

While our county is plunged in poverty,

you close the city center to whizz around
in your elegant limousines.

The price of any of them is enough
to pay

for the surgery of some pensioner.

That's a fact. Pensioners
in our country are poor.

Did people have this movie in their minds
when they voted for Zelensky?

Yes.

Do you think he is the way
he is in the movie?

But in the serial he plays a simple
teacher who becomes president.

Zelensky himself, however, is
extremely well-off, hence the question:

Does he understand the problems
of ordinary people?

Why shouldn't he? Why?

Did you evert think
why Zelensky wanted to be a president?

After all, he was very successful,
quite popular...

Frankly speaking I don't know why.

You know, you can be left
with the suspicion that someone...

- Wanted him to be the President?
- Exactly.

I mean: oligarchs.

I'm running for the office
of the President of Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelensky announced
he was going to run

for the office on 1+1 TV Channel.

The same that broadcast
the serial "Servant of the Nation".

It's a TV station that belongs
to an oligarch, Igor Kolomoysky.

And Kolomoysky was conflicted
with Petro Poroshenko.

I think Zelensky himself is a project,

and the serial "Servant of the Nation"
was a part of that project.

I think Zelensky's presidency
is the result

of a deal of a group
of Ukrainian oligarchs

who decided to get rid
of Petro Poroshenko.

So far, we've suffered
so much that we really want some changes

and we firmly believe in them.

At least recently there is a ceasefire
here and we don't hear gunshots.

However some criticize the truce

because they think you shouldn't make
any deals with the enemy.

If those who say this have lived here
and gone through the things we have,

a plane dropping bombs,
and you don't know where to run

and just lay down on the ground,
they would support the ceasefire too.

Did you see the talk Zelensky had
with the volunteers

who didn't want to withdraw
from the frontline?

It was out of place. You can't
talk like that with the president.

You should respect the president.

But let's have some borsch.

President Zelensky came to Zolote
with a difficult mission.

He had to meet with
the nationalist volunteers

who refused to obey an order
to withdraw from the frontline.

Did you come to see the retreat
of the forces?

I came to see what people think about it.
What they are saying.

And what do they say?

They say it's necessary
to withdraw the army.

And they said to us, it is not.

Withdrawing the forces
from three parts of the front

was the condition
for Zelensky-Putin meeting

and resumption of peace talks
within the so-called Normandy Format.

We know your promises. We know
you want demilitarization and so on...

But we want to discuss
and formalize it,

so that the situation we had with
Petro Poroshenko won't repeat itself.

What? You want to formalize your
relationships with me?

- To sign a memorandum.
- What? Me? With you?

Not with me, but with all the people
involved who fight for Ukraine.

What capitulation you're talking about?
I said: take the arms out of here.

Listen to me. I'm the President
of the country.

I'm 42.
And I'm not a looser.

I told you:
get the weapons out of here.

Zelensky's problem is that at first,

he tried to desacralize
the authorities as much as he could.

He tried to show that those in power
are not some exceptional folks,

but ordinary people who live next door
whose aim is to serve the nation.

When he came to power,

he realized that although
the president should serve the citizens,

the citizens have to show him respect
as the head of state.

And it does not refer
to a particular person,

it refers to the office of president,
the very institution.

Otherwise,
the entire system will collapse.

The frontline, with self-proclaimed
republics supported by Moscow,

is more than 450 kilometers long.

Kiev doesn't control
one third of the Donbass territory.

Where are they? Over there?

Yes. They are observing us.
Just like we're observing them.

You can see them walking there.

It used to be one town,

now people behind the frontline
use Russian currency

and have Russian passports

because Moscow easily issues them to
the citizens of the separatist republics.

And that's what Volodymyr Zelensky
said in July 2020.

We lost a part of our territory,
we lost a part of our population

and unfortunately, we can't
bring the dead back to life.

But we should regain all our territories.

Regain our faith...

Our faith in truth and justice.

So that the death of our heroes
who died for them wasn't in vain.

- Did any of your friends get killed?
- Of course. For instance, my neighbor.

- How old was he?
- Twenty-four.

The brigade is stationed
at the abandoned house.

Its owners left at the beginning
of the war

when there was regular
fighting in the village.

- These are the remains of normal life.
- Right...

Looks it must have been
quite a well-off village once.

People used to live
and work here uneventfully.

Today only those who have
nowhere to go remained.

President Zelensky promised he would
end this war.

At least he attempted
to solve the problem politically.

Because the events of the recent years
clearly prove it

that armed actions
bring no desirable results.

In one of his interviews before
the presidential elections Zelensky said:

We have to sit with Putin at one table,

take the list of his demands
and the list of our demands,

compare them and reach a consensus
somewhere halfway.

But that's what you could do only
in the "Servant of the Nation" TV serial.

Because when you sit down in front
of the real Putin, you won't tell him:

Come on, man.
Let's meet somewhere halfway,

because nobody knows
where the halfway exactly is.

Volodymyr Zelensky talked
with President Putin

a couple of times during
his first months in office

to fill up trenches like this one.

Over the phone and face to face in Paris
during the Normandy contact group summit.

But Kiev didn't gain control
over the self-proclaimed republics.

Neither trenches,
nor borders disappeared.

What's the situation?

It's all right. Peace and quiet.

What does the enemy do?

They were going to the slag
heaps at night

and bringing some boards from there.

When the President came...
What's this? Please answer it.

What's wrong?

Nothing. Usual report.

Did the President meet you
when he would come to Donbass?

Not personally with me, but
he met the commander of our battalion.

President gave him
the Bohdan Khmelnitsky Order.

- Good morning.
- Good morning, Natasha.

- How are you?
- Great.

What's going on? What are you doing?

Nothing. Uneventful day.

Nataliya is the brigade spokesperson

and graduate of the Military University
of Land Forces.

She comes from Lvov and she came
to the frontline

with no trace of hesitation.

I respect women who serve in the army,
not every man is even up to it.

We were talking about
the president's visit here.

Did you watch "Servant
of the Nation"?

Of course we did.

- All of you?
- Of course.

What did you feel when you heard
Zelensky would run for office?

Politics is not our cup of tea.
We don't want to talk about it.

Our aim is to protect Ukraine from
the enemy and that's what we focus on.

Is this a typical soldiers' dugout?

Yes. It's a shelter.

- Not too much room in here.
- That's true.

Aim well.

- What's your name?
- Sasha.

- And you?
- Seriosha.

What's the most difficult thing
in your everyday life here?

Tell her.

Sitting here idly.

You're bored. You would like to fight.

Yes. We wouldn't say no.
It was easier before.

If you were carried away,

you could fire a series from your machine
gun and you got as calm as a baby.

Adrenaline boosts you better
than your morning coffee.

- Have any of your relatives got killed?
- No.

- Where are you from?
- From Kryvyi Rih.

- The town where Zelensky was born!
- Yes.

But I lost my interest in him the instant
he stopped playing in the movies.

Kryvyi Rih. A big industrial center.

A city of mines, iron ore and coal,

quarries, steelworks,

smoking chimneys
and pervasive rust-colored dust.

Volodymyr Zelensky was born here in 1978,

to a family of Russian speaking
white collar workers.

He went to school here and got
his M.A. in law,

but he's never worked as a lawyer.

He met the love of his life here. And he
started his career in show business here.

Watch out.
Everything is fresh paint.

Valentina Ignatienko is the deputy
principal of the school.

Volodymyr Zelensky used to attend.

She was one of the first
who spotted his artistic talent.

He came here when he was a small kid.
He was eight.

He was always interested in everything
and curious of everything.

He wanted to know everything
and he had to be everywhere.

When he was in fourth or fifth grade,

we started a ballroom dance circle
in our school.

Of course, he enrolled right away.

When he was in eighth grade

the literature teacher suggested
to her students,

to stage some play.

They picked up "Marriage" by Gogol.

Zelensky played the chef
superintendent manager, Omelette.

It's not the lead role, as you know,

but he got most of the flowers after
the performance.

He's always been
at the center of attention on stage.

Volodia Zelensky used to study
in this classroom.

Where did he sit?

Somewhere here.
At the second or third desk.

- Because he wasn't too tall?
- Yes. He wasn't.

That's why he was always sitting
at one of the front desks.

How did you react when you found out
he was going to run for the office?

I won't deny I had many doubts

if he was doing the right thing
and if it was something he really needed.

And did you calm down in time,
or just the opposite?

How could we calm down?

We can see how many problems
he has to solve.

The situation is very unstable.

And on top of this we have
the Covid-19 pandemic,

to make things worse.

I think that if he had known
the difficulties he would face

as a president,

perhaps he wouldn't have done it.

But I would like to stress that
we trusted him

when he announced he was going
to run for the office,

and we still trust him.

He's well educated and he got
an excellent upbringing at home.

He has a comprehensive personality.

How did the children react when
they found out

a student from their
school became the president?

The children suggested they create
the flash mob in front of the school.

- On this schoolyard?
- Yes.

They decided to greet the graduate
of our school on his great victory.

And together we prepared
a special dance routine.

The most beautiful youth in the world.
We! We!

Creative and active.
We! We!

Invincible and fit.
We! We!

And strong-willed
We! We!

We greet the President of Ukraine!

What is this?

The book of grades

from final exams.

I'll show you now, what grades
our president got.

- Which ones?
- Look. The ones here.

Zelensky Volodymyr Oleksandrovych.

He was a straight-A student.

Born on January 26, 1978.

Remember to send him the best
wishes for his birthday.

Look. Almost all As.
With a few exceptions.

Meaning?

Ukrainian and physical education.

The teacher of Ukrainian, Nataliya
Ivanovna still works at the school.

She lives not far from the school,

in one of many typical blocks of flats
built in Krivyi Rih in the Soviet times.

- Good morning. May I?
- Of course.

Nataliya Ivanovna was Volodymyr
Zelensky's teacher for three years.

The only B he got at his finals
was in Ukrainian language.

And how does Zelensky
speak Ukrainian today?

He speaks impeccable Ukrainian,
he has mastered the language.

Perfectly?

Yes. I must admit he speaks
perfect Ukrainian now.

- Did you vote for him?
- No.

My husband voted for Zelensky
and he tried to convince me as well.

He's young and enterprising -he would say.
-and his staff seems excellent.

And I would say to him:

You must understand that one can work
as a clown, or he can just be a clown.

And for me Zelensky has always
been just a clown.

I didn't even watch his shows.
Maybe one or two at the very beginning.

Why not?
What didn't you like in his jokes?

- He would offend people.
- Who?

Ukrainian people.

- How? Give me the example.
- All right.

Putin sends his tanks against us,

and in return we send our pretty girls
to Moscow.

How can you say something like that?

Actually, I even feel sorry for him.

Because you think some don't treat him
as a serious politician?

Yes.

He should change his staff completely.
Completely.

But he's changed it a few times,
in a short time at that.

But he replaced bad guys
with even worse guys.

But... Let's have some tea.

Even during his first year in the office

we could see two different
Presidents Zelenskys.

The first President Zelensky
was actually Vasyl Holoborodko,

a character from "Servant of the People"

who rattled his sabre
and tried to make a revolution.

People he chose then were mostly Western
oriented young men with sparkling eyes.

But in time he replaced them
with old and experienced people.

Half of them are Soviet
party apparatchiks,

and the second half -with politicians
active in the times of Yanukovych.

At first, Zelensky bet on experts,

young people but often without
any political experience.

He only wanted them not to steal,

not to lie, not to give up
and think in a new way.

Just as Andriy Bohdan declared,

the lawyer of Ukrainian
oligarch Ihor Kolomoyskiy,

and the first Head
of Presidential Administration.

We came here with the concept of
reforming the presidential administration

in a material sense,

I mean: to change everything
that we can see around us here.

What the others
didn't manage to steal.

Yes, we want to haul off
all this gold and fringes.

And make a mental reform,

I mean: to transform the Soviet
style administration

into a modern,
European style administration

of the President of Ukraine.

Kolomoyskiy protegee,

Andriy Bohdan managed to remain
at his post less than nine months.

The experts' government of young
economist and lawyer Oleksiy Honcharuk

survived even less -only six months.

If someone doesn't make it,
we'll get rid of him.

Volodymyr Zelensky turned out
to be very impatient.

He counted on prompt improvement
of the situation

in the country as he
promised his electorate.

But his "elevator" program,

because it was meant to elevate
apolitical experts

didn't bring prompt
results as he expected.

And his substitute's bench
turned out very short.

Here you are. Your order.

I drove on the curb a bit,
but I don't think I destroyed it.

- Is this for us?
- Yes. And your coffee.

Here you are.

- It was nice to see you.
- It was nice to see you too.

- Visit us more often.
- Good luck.

And who's going to drive now?

During his first year in the office,

Volodymyr Zelensky dismissed
two Prime ministers

and the experts who were the ministers

were substituted by politicians
with a longtime experience.

It shows that Zelensky's team was
not prepared to run a marathon,

it consisted of short distance
runners only.

After a few months, mostly the folks with
whom Zelensky started his career on stage

remained at his side.

Especially his collaborators
from Kvartal 95 cabaret,

that he founded in Kryvyi Rih.

Some time ago you could often meet the
future President Volodymyr Zelensky here.

Where?

At the staircase, near the corner.

Because it's where Lena,
his wife lived.

He would come here every day

and wait till his future wife goes out
for a walk with her dog.

And I could reach my flat
at the next staircase

and the future president
would often visit me.

Come on in.

Andreyi Zaslavsky
is Volodymyr Zelensky's classmate.

Today he works as a technical controller
of city trolleybuses

and a journalist of the local paper.

Do all staircases in these houses
look the same?

More or less. But this one is
eight stories high,

and the one where
Zelensky lived-eleven.

Volodymyr Zelensky lived in the huge
block of flats on the main street.

His parents belonged to the city elite.

His father worked as a professor
of cybernetics at the university,

his mother was an engineer.

The apartment looks exactly
the same as it looked in the 90's

when Zelensky used to call on me.

Our class was exceptional because
we had an extensive course in English.

I'll always remember when Volodia and I
would come back from the theater

and the streetcar broke down.

We walked through the night city
and finally, we made a terminus.

We got on the last car.
There was nobody else in it.

And we started singing together
to kill the time.

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed
so far away...

And do you remember the song
from "Servant of the Nation"?

I love my country,

I love my wife,

I love my dog...

When I saw the movie, I wanted that story
to happen in real life.

I would like to award each of you
with a personalized watch.

Excuse me. But the watch was supposed
to be personalized

and mine has the name "Mikhail"
engraved on it. And I'm Sergei.

I have a wrong name on mine too.

And there is a female name on mine.

Did I say there would be your names
on these watches?

No. There are the names of other people.

Meaning?

Don't you remember?

And should I?

You are obliged to.

There are names of the people
who got killed at Euromaidan.

At first, many people accused Zelensky
of being too pro-Russian.

Of course, he isn't. After all, he
stands up for the interests of Ukraine.

He clearly calls Crimea and Donbass our
land, and he calls Russia an aggressor.

He continues what he used to say
before he became president.

When they accuse him of pro-Russian
politics, they are wrong.

It's probably because he comes from
the Russian speaking part of the country.

And also, because he used to make money
in Russia.

He was emotionally and financially
linked with Russia.

Yes, but look what movies he produced
in Russia. Only love stories.

In his company Kvartal 95, Volodymyr
Zelensky produced hundreds of TV shows,

and over 30 movies and TV serials.

All of them were cash cows and
had millions of viewers on the Internet.

Zelensky was a kind of candidate

that everybody could imagine
any way they wanted.

Be it a positive or negative way.

Because he and his team
were like a very capacious container.

Thanks to that Zelensky gained full power
in the country;

he was elected president

and the party he created,

"Servant of the People",
won the parliamentary elections.

In 2019, Zelensky's party got 43%
of votes in the parliamentary elections.

It was an exceptional mandate of trust.
But the happiness didn't last long.

After a year the support for Zelensky
himself didn't diminish too much.

The support for his party -significantly.

Because a political party can't embrace
at the same time both:

radically pro-Western

and radically pro-Russian
and pro-Soviet politicians.

Such a party simply can't exist.

This is called Uber of the President.

The Supreme Council of Ukraine
is ahead of us.

"Servant of the Nation"
is a people's party.

Not president's party,
but a people's party.

There's never been such
a party here before,

our 254 deputies are various people.

Some of them know the law
and have experience,

for instance: economists with a lot
of practice or lawyers.

But there are also simple people; farmers
or mid-staffers in some companies.

And they, forgive the expression,
need a long warmup.

- Should I turn right?
- Yes.

Let's roll.

The "Servant of the Nation"

party based on the personal popularity
of Volodymyr Zelensky.

It was formed in haste.
Among party members recruited at random

there were many total
political amateurs

who inundated the Internet
with enthusiastic videos.

Every morning, the deputies jog to stay
fit, vote wisely and pass good bills.

In 2029, all TV stations showed

how the rookies were instantly instructed
to work as member of parliament.

A week long course was organized for them
in the Carpathian spa town Truskavets.

The future deputies were taught economy
and politics

in a five-star hotel from
dawn to dusk.

The course was supervised
by the president himself.

Here is one of the news footages.

Volodymyr Zelensky arrived at the hotel

where 250 newly elected deputies
have been taking part

in a special course
for a week now.

They call themselves the "Zelensky team".

Zelensky's team didn't stand
the test of time.

Unanimity and voting discipline
lasted only for two weeks.

The party fell apart because

from the outset it was a cluster
of contradictory interests.

Its members wanted diverse things.

The "Servant of the Nation"
party lacked discipline

and common vision of the state.

Its deputies even had different attitudes
toward the Euromaidan revolution.

After a year, the support for the party
dropped by more than half.

Ukraine faces problems
with its state institutions,

the problem of corruption,

problems with the judicial system,

and inefficiency of running the state.

Let alone the economic crisis amplified
by the Covid-19 pandemic.

I think Zelensky wasn't aware
of the problems he would have to face.

Just after a year of serving office
he looked as tired

as Poroshenko did
after five years.

- And what did he succeed in?
- That's an interesting question.

At a certain stage he managed to initiate
the peace process in Donbass.

For instance,
the prisoner exchange took place.

You'll always be in our hearts.

Anastasia Muhina and Aleksey Sesonovich
were among the few dozens of people

who came back to Ukraine as part of the
prisoner exchange with Russia in 2019.

They were released at the same time
as the famous filmmaker Oleg Sentsov.

They both come from Donbass.

Do you think Zelensky will manage
to convince the citizens

-of the self-proclaimed republics to
Ukraine? -No.

Why not?

I was there, and I saw them bring
up their children

in hate to everything
that's Ukrainian.

Excuse me, do you have any souvenirs
with an image of Zelensky.

- All sold out.
- Really? And what were they?

Matryoshka dolls.

With Zelensky's picture?

There was Zelensky on the outermost doll,
and very sad Poroshenko inside him.

Whenever Poroshenko would come here, he
was always surrounded by many bodyguards.

Do you know how much that cost?

Doesn't Zelensky have
so many bodyguards?

No. He would pass by me
and I could see.

- Did you?
- Sure.

Of course, Zelensky has his bodyguards
too. But there are not so many of them.

Poroshenko was afraid of everything.

Is Zelensky a politician
of a new format?

In general, yes.

The question is to what extent
it worked in Ukraine.

If the state mechanism works properly,

a creative leader from outside
the system

can be a very refreshing
factor that heals the system.

He can give a new impulse
for development.

However it's very hard to do in Ukraine

because the institutions and the
structures of power

are extremely wobbly.

Is it too early for Ukraine to have
a president from outside the system?

Zelensky was very interesting
and promising

as the chance for something new.

But he lacked a group
of strategic advisers.

I think many European politicians
carefully watched the TV serial.

"Servant of the Nation".

I pry into everything, have superman's
voice, but I'm not looking for trouble.

Today everybody knows my fate sentences
me to be the servant of the nation.

Maybe when I'm 60 and I read some book
and think, "God what was I dealing with?"