The Wizard of the Kremlin (2025)

Original title

Le Mage du Kremlin

Directed by

Olivier Assayas

Genre

drama film, thriller film, political film

Country

France

Runtime

2h 36m

Rated

R

Rating

6.5 of 10 from 206 voters

Elsewhere

IMDb

How it feels

A top official navigates the chaotic final years of the Soviet Union and the early days of Russia as Vladimir Putin rises to power. The story follows his personal and professional struggles through a turbulent political era.

satiricaltenseslow-burncerebralbleakpoliticalcharacter-drivenunsettling

What happens

The Wizard of the Kremlin (French: Le Mage du Kremlin) is a 2025 English-language French political satire film directed by Olivier Assayas, who co-wrote the screenplay with Emmanuel Carrère. It is based on the 2022 novel by Giuliano da Empoli. It follows the fictional government official Vadim Baranov (Paul Dano) during the final years of the Soviet Union and the turbulent start of the Russian Federation, while a young Vladimir Putin (Jude Law) rises to power. It also stars Alicia Vikander, Will Keen, Tom Sturridge and Jeffrey Wright. The Wizard of the Kremlin had its world premiere in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on 31 August 2025, where it was nominated for the Golden Lion. The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised the performances, but criticized the pacing, story, and characters. (from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA)

Trailer

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