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French filmmaker Olivier Assayas arrived in Venice for his new politically-charged thriller, The Wizard of the Kremlin, starring Paul Dano, Jude Law, Alicia Vikander, and Jeffrey Wright.
Assayas’ film offers a satirical look at Russian President Vladimir Putin's monumental rise in the country's political landscape. Jude Law plays President Putin, while Paul Dano plays the fictional character of Vadim Baranov, the spokesperson who was central to Putin's ascent to power. According to Variety, the character of Baranov is inspired by real-life fixer Vladislav Sourkov.
The dark comedic thriller was screened in the Main Competition section, and is competing for the Golden Lion award. After the screening, the Venice audience offered a warm reception for Assayas' work, with "bravo" cheers during a 12-minute standing ovation. Speaking about critical reception, the film has received a mixed response so far. Based on 13 early reviews on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of writing, the film has garnered a 46% rating.
What is The Wizard of the Kremlin about?
Olivier Assayas returns to Venice nearly six years after the premiere of his 2019 film, Wasp Network. That film, too, was vying for a Golden Lion award, much like his 2018 dramedy, Non-Fiction. Assayas has also won the now-retired Golden Osella for Best Screenplay at Venice, for his 2012 coming-of-age drama, Something in the Air. Unlike his projects that have been feted at the festival, his latest is a satire that centers around real-life personalities.
Assayas wrote the film's screenplay with Emmanuel Carrère, based on Giuliano da Empoli's namesake book, The Wizard of the Kremlin, published in 2022. The film's plot synopsis, as per the Venice Film Festival, reads,
"Russia, early 1990s. Amid post-Soviet chaos, a brilliant young man, Vadim Baranov, charts his path. First an artist, then a reality TV producer, he becomes the spin doctor to a rising KGB agent: Vladimir Putin. At the heart of power, Baranov shapes the new Russia, blurring the boundaries between truth and lies, belief and manipulation."
It further says:
"Only the magnetic Ksenia is beyond his control, tempting him away from this dangerous game. Years later, after retreating into silence and shrouded in mystery, Baranov finally opens up, revealing the dark secrets of the regime he helped build."
The film marks the veteran director's English-language film debut. Along with Paul Dano as Vadim Baranov and Jude Law as Vladimir Putin, the cast includes Will Keen as Boris Berezovsky, Alicia Vikander as Ksenia, Jeffrey Wright as Rowland, and Tom Sturridge as Dmitri Sidorov.
Law and Keen's characters are real-life people, which invites questions about the film's accuracy. Speaking on this topic, the The Wizard of the Kremlin director told Variety,
"We didn’t compromise on truthfulness and accuracy because it was proofread and validated by historians who are much more familiar than I am with the details of this period."
Assayas also spoke about the film's shoot in Latvia, which allowed them to speak with political journalists and refugees, and record their first-hand accounts of events. He acknowledged the responsibility of dealing with a subject matter as serious as the film's plot, saying,
"I believe that when dealing with politics, and contemporary politics in particular, it is essential to be extremely precise about the facts, even if there are ways to tell a story in a more human way."
Later, at the Venice Film Festival, Paul Dano spoke about his character, who is the focus of Assayas' The Wizard of the Kremlin. Per The Hollywood Reporter, while talking about his preparation for the role, the 41-year-old actor said,
“It feels very far from who I am, actually. So I was surprised how compelled I was by it. It was like a new part of me getting tickled and getting awoken and having to work with: How do I lust for power? What’s my relationship to power?”
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Before this, Assayas followed real-life scenarios through his previous films. Wasp Network (2019) revolved around the lives of Cuban spies, while Carlos (2010) centered around the stranger-than-fiction story of Venezuelan convicted terrorist, Ilich Ramírez Sánchez. His latest differs in tone, as it is a black comedic satire.
After Venice, The Wizard of the Kremlin will also be screened at the Toronto Film Festival and the San Sebastian Film Festival.
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