An emotionally and intellectually engaged film about the tragedy of a nation. Because of her four years as a radio correspondent in Moscow, Elisabeth Hedborg at an early stage was able to understand the full importance of Gorbatjov’s new political line: a way out of Stalinism’s dead end. In the film “The Soviet Union – no holds barred” a critical moment in Soviet history is grasped with all its contradictions, hope and despair. An inspired teamwork (camera, sound, editing) gave the complicated story a dramatic and capturing form. The film was awarded the Union of Soviet Cinematographers’ Prize at the first festival for TV-films in Georgia last August. Excerpts from the film have twice been shown on Soviet TV in the popular “Kinopanorama”.