In the world of cinema, the portrayal of Russian President Vladimir Putin has often been a subject of intrigue and debate. The latest film, “The Wizard of the Kremlin,” directed by French filmmaker Olivier Assayas, seems to have reignited this conversation, offering a unique perspective on the Kremlin’s efforts to shape the public’s perception of its leader.
The film, which is based on Giuliano da Empoli’s satirical novel, presents Putin not as a cause, but rather as a symptom of the political machinery that surrounds him. Assayas, in an interview with Variety, explained that the film’s aim was to explore the “consequences of political evil” and to shed light on the “inner workings” of the Kremlin.
Interestingly, the depiction of Putin in the film aligns closely with the mythologized version promoted by the Russian media. Jude Law, who portrays the Russian president, is presented as a “cool, reluctant leader” – a strategic mastermind who was chosen for the job because of his youth, athleticism, and spy background. This narrative, however, bears little resemblance to the reality of Putin’s rise to power.
According to journalist Roman Badanin, who has extensively studied Putin’s biography, the Russian president was not handpicked by the influential oligarch Boris Berezovsky, as the film suggests. Instead, Berezovsky was part of a group known as “The Family,” which included Yeltsin’s wife, Naina, and his daughter, Tatyana, among others. Their primary concern was self-preservation, and they saw Putin as a controllable and loyal figure who would protect their interests.
The notion of Putin as a “spy” also seems to be a constructed myth. Badanin argues that during his time in the KGB in Dresden, from 1985 to 1990, Putin was primarily involved in paperwork and technical tasks, rather than actual espionage work. The image of him as a Russian James Bond, akin to Daniel Craig’s portrayal of the iconic character, appears to be a retrospective creation.
Interestingly, the film’s portrayal of Putin’s ascension to power is not unique. The recent TV series “Chronicles of the Russian Revolution,” directed by Andrei Konchalovsky, a long-standing Kremlin supporter, also features a fictional character who is presented as the “savior” of Russia, drawing parallels to the familiar narrative surrounding Putin.
In the end, “The Wizard of the Kremlin” seems to be yet another example of the Kremlin’s efforts to craft a specific image of its leader. While the film may claim to subvert the Putin cult, it ultimately reinforces the same narrative that the Russian media has been promoting for years. As Natasha Kiseleva, an exiled Russian journalist based in Germany, aptly notes, the Kremlin will not miss the opportunity to frame Jude Law’s casting as a minor diplomatic triumph, much like it once did with the proposed invitation for Putin to meet Donald Trump in Alaska.
