French director Olivier Assayas, known for tackling complex issues and controversial political figures, is back with a new English-language film, The Wizard of the Kremlin. The movie has generated huge buzz due to its connection to the current political landscape. It stars Jude Law as Vladimir Putin and Paul Dano as Vadim Baranov, a fictional adviser inspired by real-life political strategist Vladislav Surkov. The film highlights the Russian president’s rise to power after the fall of the Soviet Union, exploring the strategies and consequences of that period. Adapted from Giuliano da Empoli’s 2022 book of the same name, it is set to premiere this week at the Venice Film Festival.In his interview with Variety, Assayas says the movie isn’t just Putin’s story, it’s about how modern politics takes root and grows. The director said he wanted to explore the “political evil,” not just show bad acts, but how they work behind the scenes. Some parts are fictionalised for the film. For example, the book’s main female character, Ksenia, is dragged all over and is played by Alicia Vikander. Speaking about his two main characters, Jude Law and Paul Dano, Assayas said he was impressed with the level of dedication they showed while researching history, politics, and news to make their portrayals as accurate as possible. Law “completely transformed and reinvented (Putin) and made him very believable,” he said. He was very intimidated at first. He wanted to talk to Giuliano to get answers from someone who had a precise historical knowledge of the facts, who could also give him pointers on how to approach Putin, but I think he mainly watched a lot of newsreels,” Assayas added. Meanwhile, Dano studied the details of Russian politics to make Baranov believable.Also read: Charlie Hunnam transforms into notorious serial killer who inspired Psycho, Silence of the Lambs in first look of Netflix’s Monster The Ed Gein StoryThe movie was shot entirely in Latvia because filming in Russia wasn’t possible. Latvia provided locations that convincingly mixed with the backdrop of the Kremlin, including other primary locations such as the Russian president’s summer home and suburban residences.How accurate is The Wizard of the Kremlin to the real-life incidents?For Assayas, this project is a bold step outside his comfort zone. He acknowledged that tackling such sensitive subjects required consulting historians, journalists, and key political figures who witnessed events firsthand. “We didn’t compromise on truthfulness and accuracy because it was proof-read and validated by historians who know far more than I do about this period,” he said. Assayas also revealed how Latvia, which served as the backdrop for the film, was crucial, not only did it provide Russian actors with authentic accents through its refugee community, but it also helped him complete his research. Local executive producers even held meetings with Boris Berezovsky and other major figures in Russian politics of the time.Also read: Wednesday star’s one-word diss at Jennifer Lopez leaves castmates stunned: WatchAssayas has previously worked on highly personal projects like Irma Vep and Suspended Time, and he still regrets his cancelled U.S. project Idol’s Eye. He never imagined his first big English project would be about Russia. However, he is confident about his upcoming project, quoting Alfred Hitchcock “who said that the more successful the villain is, the better the film.” Assayas admitted he didn’t know much about this part of Russian history before reading the book. What fascinated him was discovering it alongside the audience, through Giuliano’s smart storytelling. Story continues below this adAssayas was asked if he connected with Vladislav Sourkov for the film. He said he didn’t even know Sourkov existed at first and only thought he was a fictional character. Once he realised Giuliano da Empoli’s Baranov is based partly on him, Assayas decided to ignore Sourkov as he found the fictional version far more interesting. There are other real-life figures in the movie, too. Some, like Dmitri Sidorov, had their names changed for legal reasons. Boris Berezovsky, being deceased, gave them more freedom to portray him. For Putin, they didn’t have actual recordings or access to the Kremlin, so the dialogue and actions are based on historical truth.Click for more updates and latest Hollywood News along with Bollywood and Entertainment updates. Also get latest news and top headlines from India and around the World at The Indian Express.© IE Online Media Services Pvt LtdTags:PutinRussian President Vladimir Putin