Russian human rights activists are raising awareness about torture with this brutal stop-motion video

This week, the Committee Against Torture released “The Interview,” an animated video designed to raise awareness about prisoner abuse in Russia. The stop-motion video, voiced by the well-known Russian actors Varvara Shmykova and Nikita Kukushkin, features anthropomorphic body parts reciting common responses from Russians when asked about torture. For example, in the video, the Brain denies that it happens at all in Russia, the Arm argues that any victims must have deserved it, and the Stomach, shoving fried chicken into itself, says it couldn’t care less about torture.

Be advised: the following video features graphic footage.

At the end of the video, the tone shifts abruptly, as the claymation heart gives out and is then removed by a real-life pathologist, revealing a badly bruised body lying on an autopsy table. Two men in bloody aprons exchange small talk while weighing the dead man’s organs. The video ends with title cards reading: “47 percent of Russians consider the use of torture acceptable” and “100 percent of Russians are not protected against violence and cruelty.”

Meduza translated the video’s dialogue into English:

Brain: [Mic] check, check, one, two. Okay, let’s think logically. I believe the issue of torture is exaggerated.

Eyes: [Sighs.] Why are we even discussing this? Life is hard enough as it is. And now you bring up this kind of thing. There’s so much beauty around us. [Glances at the walls.] Just look at the flowers on the wallpaper, for instance. [Giggles.]

Arm: But tell me this: If something like that happens, doesn’t it mean there’s a reason? Talk is cheap, but getting involved is different. [The critics] are all armchair activists.

Ear: Sure, I feel sorry for them — really, I do. But you can’t save everyone. I have a family. I’ve got my own people to worry about.

Lungs: It’s not like they’re killing anyone. They’ll get over it, get some new teeth. [Left lung speaks, coughing while smoking.] At least there’s order. [Right lung adds:] It might even teach some folks a lesson.

Teeth: Torture? What torture? [Shouting over each other:] Go solve a real problem. There are worse things in the world. [The ground suddenly shakes, and a tooth wearing a tin-foil hat falls over.] Glory to Christ Almighty!

Stomach: Torture, schmorture. Bro, I really don’t care what they’re doing. [The ground shakes again, knocking the stomach from his chair.]

Liver: [On the floor, drink in hand] Listen, everything’s fine here! [Belches.] Oh, I have a toast.

Leg: Seriously, why should any of this concern me?

Heart: I could take the first jolt. [Spits blood.] But then it was nonstop: a second round, a third, a fourth. [Spits blood again.] I refuse to work under these conditions.

Pathologist 1: [Camera pans out to reveal a dead body with its chest opened.] First-degree burns. That’s from electric shocks. Ruptured spleen — nothing new there. Okay, got it. Alright, heart: 310 grams. 

Pathologist 2: 310 grams. A blood clot came loose.

Pathologist 1: Hey, did you hear that my mother-in-law gave me a boat?

Pathologist 2: What kind of boat, a motorboat?

Pathologist 1: Yep.

Pathologist 2: A motorboat, that’s nice.

Pathologist 1: Yep.

Pathologist 2: Yep.