Anna Politkovskaya was an intrepid Russian journalist whose reporting on such events as the Second Chechen War, in the early 2000s, made her something of a global celebrity. Her fame didn’t stem solely from her investigative skills. Instead, what caught international attention was her fearlessness in the face of Kremlin intimidation, which took the form of death threats, poisoning, arrests, and a terrifying mock execution carried out by a Russian lieutenant. On October 7, 2006—Vladimir Putin’s 54th birthday—Politkovskaya was assassinated just blocks from her apartment in Moscow. The three men charged with her murder were acquitted one year later. As of today, the case remains “unsolved,” although speculation about Kremlin involvement abounds. A new biographical film, directed by James Strong, follows Politkovskaya’s life in the years leading up to her death. The cast includes Maxine Peake as Politkovskaya, Jason Isaacs, and Ciarán Hinds. —Jack Sullivan