Putin (film)
2024 Polish film
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Putin (stylised in faux Cyrillic as PUTIИ) is a 2024 English-language Polish biographical film directed by Patryk Vega. The film, depicting the rise to power of Russian president Vladimir Putin, debuted at a festival on 3 November 2024,[2] and was released to cinemas on 10 January 2025.
- Slawomir Sobala
- Tomasz Dedek
- Justyna Karlowska
- Thomas Kretschmann
| Putin | |
|---|---|
Film poster | |
| Directed by | Patryk Vega |
| Written by | Patryk Vega |
| Produced by | Patryk Vega |
| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Michal Goscik |
| Edited by | Tomasz Widarski |
| Music by | Łukasz Targosz |
Production company | Vega Investments |
Release date |
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Running time | 109 minutes[1] |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
| Budget | $15 million |
Synopsis
The film covers the life of Vladimir Putin and focuses on key milestones in Putin's real life,[3][4] including his childhood in Leningrad in the post-World War II Soviet Union, his recruitment into the KGB and subsequent Cold War-era career as an intelligence officer, and his tenure as the President of Russia. The film concludes with a fictionalized portrayal of Putin’s death.[5]
Cast
- Sławomir Sobala as Vladimir Putin (enhanced with AI to resemble Putin’s likeness)
- Kalina Wysocka as Tanya
- Thomas Kretschmann as the General in 2026
- Tomasz Dedek as Boris Yeltsin
- Marek Kasprzyk as Anatoly Sobchak
- Natalia Lange as Lyudmila Narusova
- Jan Monczka as Nikolay Patrushev
- Zbigniew Kozlowski as Putin's chief of staff
- Natalia Jedrus as Tamara, Putin's secretary
- Justyna Karlowska as Legion
- Maksymilian Zielinski as the demon
Production
The film was produced by the independent production and distribution company XYZEl.[6] The film was shot across various countries to authentically depict significant locations tied to Putin’s life and career, including Russia, Ukraine, Israel, Syria, Jordan and Poland.[4]
Use of artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) was used to alter the facial features of the lead actor, Sławomir Sobala, to make him look almost identical to Vladimir Putin.[5][3][7] The technology used in the film was specifically developed for the film by the Polish studio AIO.[4] This marks the first instance in cinematic history where AI was used to digitally transform the lead actor’s appearance for an entire motion picture.[4]
Release
It was shown to international distributors at the Cannes Film Festival. It was planned to be presented in nearly fifty countries.[6]