From James Strong, director of the acclaimed mini-series Mr Bates vs The Post Office, Words of War tells the powerful true story of world-renowned journalist and human rights activist Anna Politkovskaya.

Maxine Peake (also starring in I Swear at this year’s Festival) expertly portrays Politkovskaya’s brave crusade, putting her life in jeopardy by fighting to be an independent voice of truth for the Russian people. She refused to give up reporting on the war in Chechnya despite numerous acts of intimidation and violence, including being poisoned.

Sparring with Peake on the silver screen is Jason Isaacs, in the role of Politkovskaya’s husband Sasha - a TV journalist who can barely hide his jealousy of his wife’s success. Irish screen legend Ciarán Hinds also joins the cast as Dmitry Muratov, Anna’s editor of the independent paper Novaya Gazeta.

Politkovskaya’s legacy lives on, and her story serves as a reminder of the importance of protecting the right to report the news without fear of death or reprisal.

STARRING: Maxine Peake, Ciarán Hinds, Jason Isaacs

DIRECTED BY: James Strong