Paul Dano, Alicia Vikander, Jude Law, Zach Galifianakis and Tom Sturridge team up in Olivier Assayas’ political thriller “The Wizard of the Kremlin”, based on Giuliano da Empoli’s bestseller by the same name.
Produced by Olivier Delbosc’s banner Curiosa Films and Gaumont – who last partnered on Cannes prizewinning “The Taste of Things” — “The Wizard of the Kremlin” is one of the hottest packages launching at the Cannes Film Market where Alexis Cassanet, Gaumont’s EVP international sales and distribution, is kicking off pre-sales. CAA Media Finance is handling North America.
“The Wizard of the Kremlin” is co-written by Assayas and Emmanuel Carrère, whose novel “Limonov” has been adapted for the big screen by Kirill Serebrennikov and will premiere in official selection at Cannes.
The story opens in Russia, in the early 1990’s, in the aftermath of the USSR’s collapse. In a new world that promises freedom and flirts with chaos, a young artist-turned-TV producer, Vadim Baranov, unexpectedly becomes the spin doctor of a promising member of the FSB (ex-KGB), Vladimir Putin.
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“Working at the heart of Russian power, Baranov blurs truth with lies, the news with propaganda, directing the entire society like one great reality show. Only his love for the magnetic, free-minded Ksenia can turn him away from this dangerous game,” reads the synopsis. ‘‘The Wizard of the Kremlin’’ sets out to tell Baranov’s story, and through his eyes, tell the dark secrets of the regime he helped build.
Academy Award nominated actor Paul Dano, who has played complex characters as in Paul Thomas Anderson’s “There Will Be Blood,” musician Brian Wilson in “Love and Mercy” and “The Riddler” in Matt Reeves’ “The Batman,” will play Baranov. The movie will reteam Oscar-nominated actor Law and Oscar winner Vikander who last played together in Karim Aïnouz’s “Firebrand,” which premiered at last year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Set to be translated in over 30 languages, “The Wizard of the Kremlin” is an international bestseller which won the Académie Française’s prestigious Grand Prix Du Roman and was a finalist for the Goncourt Prize. Its author, Da Empoli is a former senior adviser to Italian prime minister, Matteo Renzi.
The project resonates with Assayas’ passions and previous projects that also tackled politics and power through the perspective of outsiders, for instance in “Carlos” starring Edgar Ramirez as the Venezuelan revolutionary Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, or more recently “Wasp Network,” starring Penelope Cruz and Ramirez as Cuban spies in Miami who infiltrated anti-Castro networks.
“The Wizard of the Kremlin” will mark Assayas’ most ambitious film to date. In his director’s note, Assayas said “the film will have in common with “Carlos” and “Wasp Network ” the fact that it will be character-driven, providing exciting roles for strong actors.”
“Beyond the passions of men navigating the dangerous fluxes of modern politics, we see the powerful cinematic sweep of History in the making. It’s drama, it’s action, it’s about trying to make sense of the chaos that is transforming our world in the strangest, most disturbing ways.” stated Assayas.
Cassanet said “Assayas is one of the only contemporary European filmmakers who is celebrated everywhere including in America, and he has the power to rally around him A-list actors who are eager to accompany him on this project which promises to be subversive and captivating.”
Assayas previously worked with Vikander and Sturridge (in production on the final season of Sandman for Netflix) on the HBO series “Irma Vep” and most recently directed “Suspended Time” which competed at the Berlinale.
