In the aftermath of the Second Chechen War, when separatists sought independence from Russia, famed dancer and choreographer Ramzan Ahmadov used traditional folk dance to preserve the republic's history. His family-run dance group, Daymohk, taught children to become ambassadors for peace by offering a sense of pride in Chechen culture at a time when the world viewed them as enemies. But when the republic returned to Russian rule, Daymohk won the attention of their newly installed pro-Russian leader. And though winning his favour has meant prominence and safety for the many Daymohk families still haunted by memories of war, they also remember the hands by which they suffered. This politically astute and expertly subtle portrayal uses an archive of home video to track the true cost of sacrifice. While the state rebuilds and revises its history, Daymohk aims to guard at least one narrative of freedom for generations to come. Nataleah Hunter-Young