The Wizard of the Kremlin is a darkly satirical political drama by Olivier Assayas. Paul Dano plays Vadim Baranov, an artist turned spin doctor navigating post-Soviet power, as a young Vladimir Putin, portrayed by Jude Law, rises. It explores propaganda, influence, and the manipulation of truth.
The Wizard of the Kremlin is a sharp, darkly satirical political drama from Olivier Assayas, tracing the uneasy transformation of post-Soviet Russia through the eyes of fictional spin doctor Vadim Baranov, played by Paul Dano. As Baranov rises from artist to architect of power, the film charts the emergence of a new political order and the calculated ascent of a young Vladimir Putin, portrayed by Jude Law. Blending dark comedy with political thriller, it explores propaganda, influence and the uneasy relationship between art, truth and authority.
“[This is] essential viewing for understanding the highly sophisticated workings of a totalitarian propaganda state.” - British Film Institute