Kirill Serebrennikov brings a questionable character back to life in Limonov, the ballad, adaptation of the novel by Emmanuel Carrère, Renaudot Prize in 2011, which brought this controversial character back to life in Cannes. Edouard Limonov (1943-2020) is a total punk, nostalgic for Stalinism who lived a thousand lives and sought glory as a writer before campaigning for the reunification of Russia accompanied by repressive measures. “He is hateful and fascinating,” explains Kirill Serebrennikov to 20 minutes. I explained to Ben Winshaw who plays him that I saw him as a self-destructive Russian Joker whose charisma makes him formidable. »
The English actor is truly astonishing in the skin of this character who changes his physical appearance as well as his existence and who moves from New York to Paris via Russia in search of glory. “Limonov is the opposite of me,” insists the director of Leto, Petrov’s Fever And Tchaikovsky’s Wife. He feels the need to be the center of attention while I prefer to hide behind my works. »
Interrupted by war
The film’s shooting in Russia was interrupted by the invasion of Ukraine. “We all left the country,” remembers Kirill Serebrennikov, and we returned to work six months later. This made me wonder if it was wise to talk about Liminov who loved the idea of war, but I believe in finishing what we started. Emmanuel Carrère’s book ends in 2000 and is surprisingly prophetic. »
Our articles on Cannes are here
We cannot blame the director who has lived far from Russia for two years for angelizing this narcissistic pervert. If he finds a staging as inventive as that of Letoit is to paint an incredibly dark portrait of a man embittered by his professional failures and lack of love to the point of becoming dangerous.
A pure nightmare
Impossible to meet this dissident filmmaker without asking him about the current situation in Russia. “I am just a little more informed than you about the situation because I read Russian,” he comments. I am thinking of the theater directors Evgenia Berkovitch and Svetlana Petriïtchouk, accused of supporting terrorism. They risk seven years in prison for a show. I also think of the bombs dropped on Ukraine, particularly on Odessa and Karpov. This is modern-day Russia. A real nightmare. »
Kirill Serebrennikov’s eyes water as if he were seeing atrocious images flash before him. His flamboyant and resolutely rock-and-roll film helps us understand, without ever excusing it, the roots of an evil that is gnawing away at his country.