The pictures went around the world: Young women dressed in gaudy clothes and woolen balaclavas in front of the altar of the Moscow Cathedral of Christ the Savior against the state and the church. Only 41 seconds did the "punk prayer" last. But "Pussy Riot" shook the Russian power apparatus. Their imprisonment triggered a wave of solidarity, from Madonna to Sting, from Barack Obama to Angela Merkel.

ACT & PUNISHMENT shows the beginnings of the feminist political-punk band in the Moscow art scene. The film gives insights into the ideas behind the provocative performances. At the same time, it references Russian cultural and intellectual history. From the tradition of the eccentric "Fools in Christ," who fearlessly delivered uneasy truths to the Czars since the Middle Ages, to the motifs of classical and modern art. Director EVGENY MITTA draws a life-like portrait of courageous women who risk everything for their convictions.