Ja služil v ochraně Stalina, ili Opyt dokumentalnoj mifologii

It is a well-known story that Churchill was greatly amused at the exaggerated precautions that Stalin took in Teheran and Potsdam. For a five minute walk in the park he had himself protected by hundreds of people, armed with tommyguns. And that when the park had already been sealed off by thousands of soldiers. Due to events of this kind Stalin was often branded as a somewhat disturbed and paranoid man. Rybin, who has lived close to Stalin, denies this in Ja Sluschil w Ochrane Stalina. According to him, it is not true what is written about Stalin. Stalin had a bright mind, a fine memory and was a logical thinker. He is convinced of the fact that Stalin made the right political decisions. Rybin got to know Stalin when he started working as his body-guard in the thirties. He did this for thirty years and thus became very well acquainted with Stalin. He knew him better than some of the highest politicians. In this film, Rybin is interviewed elaborately, although he refrains from committing himself. Nowadays, he has retired and teaches accordion lessons, a highly different occupation from that of earlier days, when he was a greatly feared cogwheel in Stalin's terror machine. With Ja Sluschil w Ochrane Stalina director Aranovich offers a gripping sight behind the scenes of Stalin's political establishment. He shows the people who were supporting Stalin untill the end, and who sometimes still express their sympathy for this man. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)