As a Russian speaking attorney, logging many trips to Russia since 1994, I have witnessed first hand Russia's transformation from the tumultuous post-Soviet 90s to a Putin led resurgent Russia. My goal in this documentary is to depict two Putins. One as seen by the West: a villain, a dictator, and a thug, and one as seen by Russia: a powerful leader with an 85+% approval rating, and considered the catalyst for Russia’s resurgence. My passion for the subject matter runs deep, over 20 years in fact… and uniquely positions me to lend my voice and eyes to creating an unprecedented rendering of the 15 years that Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin, has been at the helm of the Russian Federation. I was born in New York in 1976 to Russian immigrants, who fled the Soviet Union from persecution. I grew to live and understand the Russian language and culture at home, however, at school and after school in the playground I was fully steeped in American culture and the English language. After finishing high school, I traveled to Russia in 1994, a tumultuous time after the breakup of the Soviet Union. This began my passion to learn as much as possible about Russia, particularly the language, culture and politics. I have made numerous trips since and saw first hand how the country began to change under President Vladimir Putin. I particularly remember when I participated in a Law School exchange program to Moscow and interned at the Moscow office of America’s largest law firm, Baker and McKenzie. At that time I experienced first hand the beginnings of Putin’s reign. In fact, on a law school program field trip, I remember asking the Chief Judge of the Russian Supreme Court, what “power vertical” meant to him, alluding to the phrase used by Putin to begin consolidating power. The judge’s answer echoed Putin’s, in that it was to create an environment of stability and enforcement of laws throughout Russia, a stark difference from the Yeltsin era which I experienced first hand while living in St. Petersburg in the 90s. Furthermore, during my time in the National Guard, I had the opportunity to interpret for members of the US and Russian military. My perspective includes time as an army attaché to Tbilisi, Georgia prior to Russia entering South Ossetia, Georgia in 2008. My bilingual/bicultural upbringing, legal, and military background give a perspective on Russia and Putin that few others have. I hope that you share my interest in this subject and contribute what you can for the movie, “Putin: 15 Years Riding the Russian Bear”. Without your contribution this movie will never come to fruition.