Venice, 9 September 2026 – The debut of Ilya Khrzhanovsky’s sprawling project DAU at the Lido has ignited a fierce debate over art, allegiance and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The film, which casts Greek‑Russian maestro Teodor Currentzis as the troubled physicist Lev Landau, arrived amid sharp criticism from Kyiv’s foreign ministry over the conductor’s continued ties to Moscow and his silence on Russia’s invasion.
Premiere Sparks Debate
At a press conference on the Lido, Khrzhanovsky defended his lead actor’s position, stating: “It’s his choice.” He then added, “I think everyone is paying for his own choice, his own life, his own destiny.” The director, who has renounced his Russian citizenship and now lives in exile in Germany, went on to note that, despite a “last‑minute emergency” keeping Currentzis away from the screening, the two remain in contact and he described the conductor as “one of the greatest conductors of our time.”
When asked about his own stance on the war, Khrzhanovsky replied: “The only thing I can wish for is peace and success for the Ukrainian government to succeed in the best possible way, to save the country and to win this war.” He also drew a parallel between his film’s protagonist and real‑world dilemmas, saying: “As you can see in the movie, the main character is also making different choices, and he’s paying for his choices.”
The Film’s Tumultuous Genesis
DAU began life in 2006 as a modest biopic pitch, intended to chronicle the life of Nobel laureate Lev Landau. Shot between 2008 and 2011 in Kharkiv, Ukraine, the project swiftly ballooned into an experimental behemoth. It now encompasses roughly 400 principal roles and close to 10,000 extras, prompting critics to dub it a “Stalinist Truman Show.”
The work’s evolution did not stop there. After wrapping the original footage, Khrzhanovsky shelved approximately 700 hours of material until 2023, choosing instead to develop off‑shoots such as DAU. Natasha and DAU. Degeneratsiya. Those shorter pieces were screened at the Berlin Film Festival in 2020, while the three‑hour version presented in Venice is being billed by the filmmaker as the “mother film.”
Ethical Shadows Behind the Camera
Behind the grandiose vision lie allegations that have dogged the production for more than a decade. Reports claim that on‑set “KGB officers” – portrayed by genuine former agents – were given latitude to discipline and control the cast. Journalist Michael Idov, who gained rare access during the 2011 shoot, characterised Khrzhanovsky as “unhinged” in a GQ piece from that year.
Despite these controversies, the director insists the film’s core message remains relevant. He argues that the pressures faced by Landau in the narrative mirror the moral choices confronting individuals today, especially amid geopolitical turmoil.
Why it Matters
The Venice showing of DAU forces audiences to confront the uncomfortable intersection of creative expression and political responsibility. By showcasing a work that refuses to condemn a leading figure’s silence on war, the festival highlights how art can both reflect and amplify societal divisions. As the conflict in Ukraine continues to shape global discourse, the debate surrounding DAU underscores the power—and peril—of cultural platforms in shaping public opinion.
