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The Wizard of the Kremlin
A chilly, dialogue-driven geopolitical drama drenched in cynical intellectualism, unfurling like a chess match inside a frosted glass terrarium where artists manufacture monsters they can no longer control.
The Wizard of the Kremlin
The Wizard of the Kremlin

Le Mage du Kremlin

"Power was the plan. Putin was the consequence."

21 January 2026 France 136 min 6.5 (217)

Director: Olivier Assayas

Cast: Paul Dano, Jude Law, Alicia Vikander, Tom Sturridge, Will Keen

Drama The Theatricality of Power and Post-Truth Politics The Illusion of Freedom and Authoritarian Nostalgia Moral Complicity and the Consigliere’s Hubris Proximity to Absolute Power vs. Personal Alienation
Box Office: $8,440,584

The Wizard of the Kremlin — Movie Quotes

Memorable Quotes

Most men of power get their aura from the position they hold. When they lose it, it's like a plug has been pulled. Baranov was a different breed.
— Lawrence Rowland

Context

Delivered in the opening voiceover of the film.

Meaning

Establishes Baranov's lasting mystique as an ideologue whose influence transcended official titles.

In the West, status comes from money. In Russia, it's all about proximity to power.
— Vadim Baranov

Context

Spoken by Baranov during his discussions on political structure and hierarchy.

Meaning

Encapsulates the film's core sociopolitical premise regarding the difference between Western oligarchy and Russian state centralization.

Politics is not about providing answers; it is about directing the spectacle so the audience never notices who is pulling the strings.
— Vadim Baranov

Context

Articulated by Baranov as he explains his methodology of statecraft and theatrical media control.

Meaning

Outlines Baranov's thesis of "non-linear political warfare" and reality manipulation.

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