East Hampton - Industry masterminds and world class talent came together where artists, directors, producers and film gurus view the work they have participated in at the Hamptons International Film Festival. This year's 18th Annual HIFF brought films that spoke the language of the world.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. Director Cathryn Collins puts back door Russian politics on to the big screen as she foreshadows the crumbling of democracy, civil rights and justice in the Soviet Union in her latest work "Vlast," (Power). Featured under World Cinema Documentary, the film is more than a must-see; it's a classic.

"Vlast" takes an investigative look at the underlying corruption deeply rooted in Russian politics. The "gangster capitalism" during the depression of the 1990s placed faulty business deals at the forefront of the Russian infrastructure. Collins shadows the tragic case of Mikhail Borisovich Khodorkovsky, one of the youngest and wealthiest businessmen in Russia at the turn of the century. His oil company, Yukos, becomes one of the most profitable companies in the country. As the money comes in, more problems begin to arise. Problems that Khodorkovsky and his multi-million dollar oil empire could never imagine.

A still from "Vlast," a documentary set in Russia.

Collins interviews top attorneys on the case, eyewitnesses, politicians and former employees of the fallen oil company as they unwind the corruption leading up to Khodorkovsky's abrupt arrest.

Business in Russia during the 1990s translated into a financial fiasco - anything goes. Power was distributed to a small group of businessmen, known as oligarchs, (including Khodorkovsky himself). This small yet extremely powerful group of young men controlled the major businesses in Russia, taking power away from the older generations who lost their flames throughout the depression. As politics and business began to collide, Khodorkovsky's influence remained in question.

When the KGB, a national security organization in the Soviet Union, came to power they wanted to put an end to anything that threatened their vision. Following the election of President Vladimir Putin, the distribution of power quickly began to shift. Putin urged businessmen to keep their noses out of politics and stick strictly to business. Prior to his arrest, Khodorkovsky's ambitious and clever plans were out of reach for the president to put into perspective. He wanted to mend broken politics and influence younger generations by investing in their education. Yet Putin and his team had other plans in mind.

One by one, employees of the company and acquaintances of the fallen oligarch were torn out of their homes, stopped in airports and left with no choice but to flee the country or face the heat. Khodorkovsky was thrown behind bars on multiple charges of conspiracy and corruption on October 25, 2003 as he lost power overnight. As the case drew public attention, Khodorkovsky and his once powerful team at Yukos reached a point of no return.

"Vlast" sheds the spotlight on Russian corruption as an empire is evaporated before the eyes of one of the most powerful businessmen in the Soviet Union.