| Director: | Alex Gibney |
|---|---|
| Production: | Passion Pictures (John Battsek, George Chignell), Jigsaw Productions (Alex Gibney, Erin Edeiken), Storyteller Productions (P.J. Van Sandwijk) |
| Running Time: | 128’ |
| Language: | English, Russian |
| Country: | UK, USA |
| Main Cast: | Mikhail Khodorkovsky, Vladimir Putin, Leonid Nevzlin, Boris Berezovsky, Igor Malashenko, Anton Drel, Boris Yeltsin |
| Screenplay: | Alex Gibney |
| Cinematographer: | Mark Garrett, Denis Sinyakov |
| Editor: | Michael J. Palmer |
| Music: | Robert Logan, Ivor Guest |
Cinema
Citizen K
Out of Competition
Synopsis
In 2003, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, one of the richest men in Russia, began a ten-year sentence for tax evasion. Many believed his downfall was challenging then newly elected president Vladimir Putin. During his time in a Siberian prison, Khodorkovsky became a world-famous dissident. Today, exiled in London, he continues to battle Putin’s 19-year hold on power. Exquisitely photographed in the UK, Russia and Germany, Citizen K examines power in Russia.
Director’s Statement
At a time when the world seems to be haunted by Russia’s role in the world, I embarked on a cinematic portrait of Mikhail Khodorkovsky. Through a series of interviews in London–over more than 20 hours—we talked about his life, growing up as a young communist youth in the Soviet Union, his days as a ruthless oligarch–and Russia’s richest man–in the wild west capitalist 90s, and his transformation into a political dissident during a ten-year sentence in a Siberian prison. He also reflected on his role today, in exile, as a booster of democratic reforms and an outspoken opponent of the regime of the man who put him in prison, Vladimir Putin. I also traveled to Russia, talked to Khodorkovsky’s friends and enemies and tried to make sense of the place. I wanted to see the country, to borrow a phrase from Peter Pomerantsev, where nothing is true and everything is possible. Through the ongoing story of Khodorkovsky–and his struggle with Putin–I sought to understand how power works in Russia.
Producers/Distributors
PRODUCTION 1: John battsek,George Chignell - Passion Pictures
33-34 Rathbone Place
W1t 1JN – London, United Kingdom
Tel. + 44 2073239933
john.battsek@passion-pictures.com
Mob. + 44 2073239933
http://www.passion-pictures.com
PRODUCTION 2: Alex Gibney, Erin Edeiken - Jigsaw Productions
26 Broadway,Suite 1301
10004 – New York, United States
Tel. +1 2123523010
asst.gibney@jigsawprods.com
http://www.passion-pictures.com
PRODUCTION 3: P.J. Van Sandwijk - Storyteller Productions
c/o Casarotto, Waverley House, 7-12 Noel Street
W1F 8GQ – London, United Kingdom
Tel. + 44 207 062 5250
venice@storytellerprod.co.uk
WORLD SALES: Alison Balch - Kew Media Group
151 Shaftesbury Avenue
WC2H 8A – London, United Kingdom
Tel.+ 44 2078516500
alison.balch@kewmedia.com
PRESS OFFICE (ITALY): Nicoletta Billi
Tel. +39 063200415
nicolettabilli@gmail.com
Gabriele Barcaro
Tel. + 39 340 5538425
press@gabrielebarcaro.it
INTERNATIONAL PRESS OFFICE : Claudia Tomassini & Associates - International Film Publicity
Claudia Tomassini
Mobile: +49 173 205 5794
claudia@claudiatomassini.com
Cristina Casati
venicepr@claudiatomassini.com
www.claudiatomassini.com
