«CONNECTED» is a documentary film about outstanding entrepreneur and philanthropist Dmitry Zimin by Vera Krichevskaya* (russian documentary filmmaker, screenwriter, and journalist), this film explores the final years of Dr Zimin beliefs, and his legacy.

‍

This is the extraordinary true story of a 30-year bond between two remarkable men: Augie Fabela, a 58-year-old U.S. police officer in Cook County, Illinois, who once thrived as a tech entrepreneur, and Dr Dmitry Zimin, an 88-year-old former top secret Soviet Scientist. Together, they built a groundbreaking tech startup, achieving the American dream as self-made millionaires.

‍Dmitry Borisovich Zimin (1933–2021) was an engineer, the founder of VimpelCom (Beeline brand), and one of Russia’s most prominent philanthropists. In the 1990s, he created the first private telecom operator in Russia, which became the first Russian company to be listed on the New York Stock Exchange—a groundbreaking achievement for its time.

But Zimin was not just a businessman. In 2002, he established the Dynasty Foundation, which supported young scientists, education, and the popularization of science. However, in 2015, the foundation was declared a foreign agent by the Russian authorities and was forced to shut down. In response, Zimin and his son Boris launched the Zimin Foundation, which continues the work of Dynasty to this day, supporting scientific and educational initiatives worldwide.

The making of "CONNECTED" spanned several years. The film crew worked extensively with archival footage, conducted interviews with Dmitry Zimin’s colleagues and friends, and searched for rare documents and personal testimonies.

‍

‍

Vera Krichevskaya, film director:

'When I was working on this film, I was following this treacherous war every day — the war that Russia brought to Ukraine. I kept thinking about my protagonist’s voice and how much we needed it, a voice that knew with absolute certainty what was right and what was wrong. I made a film about values.  

It doesn’t matter who you are — Russian or American, left or right, rich or poor. What matters is having values that still seem to be the foundation of our world—and standing by them.

​And now, just on the eve of the film release, President Trump breaks President Putin’s international isolation and sits down with him to discuss Ukraine — without Ukraine.  

We have reached the point where civilization is fighting its battle for values. This is now far bigger than the horrific war in Europe; it is a battle for the very foundations of our world. A battle to assert that black is black, that two times two is four, that war is war and who is a dictator, who is not. This story, “Connected”, is about very different people who are deeply bound by the values that I also share.'

‍

The "CONNECTED" film team includes producer Alexander Rodnyansky, who helped organize the film’s international distribution and composer Anna Drubich, who created the original score for the film.

‍

The film will soon be screened at major documentary film festivals:
- March 2 – "Artdocfest" in Riga, at Splendid Palace cinema. Tickets and details: Splendid Palace
- March 7, 8, and 9 – at the Thessaloniki International Film Festival. More info

For full screening schedules and more information about the film, visit the official “CONNECTED” website.

‍

*Vera Krichevskaya is a Russian documentary filmmaker, screenwriter, and journalist known for her films about freedom of speech, media, culture, and social issues.
She began her career as a television journalist, working at NTV in the 1990s, when the channel was a symbol of independent journalism in Russia. Later, she collaborated with TV Rain, the BBC, and other international media outlets.
As a director, Krichevskaya gained recognition for her documentary films:
- "Formula of Freedom" (2012) – a story about the rise and fall of NTV after political pressure.
- "The Case" (2018) – a documentary on the prosecution of Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov.
- "Phantom Pain" (2021) – a film about the shutdown of the independent TV channel Dozhd (TV Rain) and the fate of Russian independent media.
- "Freedom on Fire" (2022) – a documentary about the war in Ukraine and its global impact.

‍