Meryl Streep and filmmaker Laura Poitras are credited as executive producers of Julia Loktev’s documentary My Undesirable Friends: Part II — Exile. A September 2, 2026 trade report says they joined the film, but the sources available do not substantiate the claim that Colin Firth persuaded Streep to watch it—or that she almost did not watch it.
What is My Undesirable Friends: Part II — Exile about?
Julia Loktev’s documentary follows independent Russian journalists living and working in exile after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the shutdown of independent media. The VIFF Centre describes the film as tracking them across four years and a dozen countries as they try to offer Russians an alternative to state propaganda, report on alleged war crimes, and navigate threats, possible prosecution, and displacement.
The story also follows the personal costs of exile: relationships and the journalists’ changing ideas about work, family, friendship, love, and home. Part II follows Loktev’s My Undesirable Friends: Part I — The Last Air in Moscow, a 2024 documentary about independent journalists facing pressure in Russia, according to The Hollywood Reporter’s September 2, 2026 report syndicated by Yahoo News Malaysia.
What is confirmed about Streep and Colin Firth?
The Hollywood Reporter’s announcement and the VIFF Centre listing both credit Streep and Poitras as executive producers. Loktev, the film’s director and a producer, described their involvement as an act of solidarity. In the trade report, she said: “We are honored and beyond thrilled to have two of the women I admire most in the world, Meryl Streep and Laura Poitras, join My Undesirable Friends as executive producers.”
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Neither of those sources connects Colin Firth to the film or says he led Streep to watch it or join the project. They also do not establish that Streep was initially reluctant to watch. Those parts of the headline should therefore be treated as unverified, not as an explanation of how the executive-producer credits came about.
How long is the film, and what are its screening details?
The VIFF Centre listing gives the runtime as 355 minutes—five hours and 55 minutes, or roughly six hours. It lists the film as a 2026 U.S. documentary in Russian with English subtitles. The same listing schedules one screening for Thursday, October 22, 2026, at 5:30 p.m., with a 30-minute intermission. That is a specific venue listing, not a universal screening schedule.
Where was the film expected to screen?
The September 2 trade report described plans for a Venice premiere, a New York Film Festival screening, a theatrical opening, and a later screening on Mubi. Those are reported release plans; they do not confirm that the film is currently available to stream. The VIFF Centre listing provides a separate, dated venue engagement. Check the relevant festival, cinema, or service listing for current availability and schedule changes.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Who made the documentary?
Loktev is credited as director and producer; the VIFF Centre also credits her with cinematography. The listing credits Michael Taylor and Loktev as editors. Streep and Poitras are executive producers.
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