Overview

• The film premiered in competition at the 82nd Venice Film Festival, directed by Olivier Assayas and adapted from Giuliano Da Empoli’s novel.
• Jude Law said he did not fear repercussions for portraying Vladimir Putin and prepared using extensive video study, a wig, and judo training.
• The narrative follows Vadim Baranov, played by Paul Dano and inspired by strategist Vladislav Surkov, covering the period from the early 1990s to Russia’s 2014 invasion of Crimea.
• Screenwriter Emmanuel Carrère said the decision to use English was bolstered by the precedent of HBO’s Chernobyl, with filming conducted in Latvia due to access constraints.
• Kremlin spokesperson Dmitri Peskov praised Putin’s international influence in response to the film’s spotlight, and Gaumont plans a French theatrical release in January 2026.