EXCLUSIVE: Chulpan Khamatova (Good Bye Lenin) has been set to star in Alexander Molochnikov’s The Extremists, a feature length version of the director’s Oscar-shortlisted short film Extremist.

The original short centered on a young Russian artist who secretly replaced food labels in a Moscow supermarket with pacifist messages, an act that ultimately led to her arrest and the threat of a 10-year prison sentence.

Filming is underway in Latvia on the project, which heralds from AR Content, the production banner of veteran arthouse producer Alexander Rodnyansky (Leviathon), and Forma Pro Films (Minotaur).

The feature expands Molochnikov’s short into a three-part narrative, with the original short forming one segment of the film alongside two newly shot perspectives. Building on the premise of the short, the feature draws inspiration from hundreds of real stories from contemporary Russia, however is ultimately a work of fiction, and no character is intended to portray any specific individual.

Acclaimed cinematographers Manuel Alberto Claro (Melancholia) and Benoît Delhomme (The Theory of Everything) are also set to join the film, alongside Mikhail Krichman (Minotaur) who served as DOP on the original short.

Rodnyansky will produce alongside Julia Zaitseva and Svetlana Punte of Forma Pro Films, and Molochnikov, Andrey Burkovskiy and Gennadiy Ravvin of Yes or Yes Studio.

The two additional storylines will be lensed by Claro and Delhomme respectively, while Krichman’s cinematography from the original short forms the third. Additional plot details for the additional material are being kept under wraps.

This is a brave production. Khamatova is one of Russia’s most famous actors but had to move out of her homeland after criticising Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.

She began her career as a theater actress and later broke out in Valery Todorovsky’s Country of the Deaf and then in international hit Good Bye Lenin. She most recently appeared in Viesturs Kairišs’ Ulya, a biographical drama about Latvian basketball player Ulyana Semjonova which premiered at Cannes this year. She is currently in production on the period drama series The Last Divorce of Communism.

Rodnyansky, the dissident producer of Andrey Zyagintsev’s Oscar-nominated films Loveless and Leviathon, said: “As someone who was sentenced in absentia in Russia to eight and a half years in prison for anti-war statements, and who has continued to speak publicly for more than four years, I can hardly imagine a subject that could feel more personal and important to me. It means a great deal to have Chulpan Khamatova joining The Extremists – before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, she was one of the most popular and widely recognised film and theatre actresses in Russia, and one of the very few Russian artists of her stature who chose to speak out publicly against the war – even though that decision cost her career in her home country. We are incredibly grateful to have her on board, and to Manuel Alberto Claro, Benoît Delhomme and Mikhail Krichman for bringing their talents and distinct visual styles to the film.”

Alexander Molochnikov commented: “The project began as my graduation film, with acclaimed cinematographer Mikhail Krichman shaping the original visual language. As it evolved into a feature exploring the stories of political prisoners in Russia, the screenplay branched out into three distinct storylines, each with its own tone and emotional world. It became clear that each perspective needed its own visual identity within the film, which naturally led to the decision to work with three cinematographers. We couldn’t be more excited to have such an extraordinary team of artists who have come together to bring that vision to life.”

The news comes ahead of AR Content’s Place to Be, starring Ellen Burstyn, Taika Waititi, and Pamela Anderson and directed by Kornél Mundruczó, and The Road to Jericho, a documentary by Amos Gitai, premiering at the Venice Film Festival. AR Content will also be releasing High Value Target: The Hunt for Saddam, a limited series starring Joel Kinnaman about the first American to identify and interrogate Saddam Hussein, on TNT September 13. The company also secured the rights to John Shirley’s action-thriller book series The Specialist and is optioning the series for TV.

Claro is represented by Mystic Collective, Iconic Talent Agency, and Lux Artists. Delhomme by Iconic Talent Agency and Melting Pot Agency. Krichman by Cosmic, Iconic Talent Agency, Lisa Richards Agency.

Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Cannes Competition drama Minotaur is widely considered one of the live contenders to make the Academy’s Best International Film category.

Earlier this week, the Russian-language drama, which won the Grand Prix on the Croisette, was among eleven movies to make Germany’s longlist for the prize. However, it was the only film on the list to have ‘provisionally’ next to its name.

That’s likely because it could also be selected as France’s submission, something that should become clearer towards the end of September when France makes its decision on which film to send to the Oscars.

Minotaur, a domestic drama about how a high-powered Russian executive’s meticulously controlled existence unravels when professional crises, global chaos, and marital betrayal converge, is a French-German-Latvian co-production.

Zyagintsev’s two previous Oscar nominations came under the Russian flag. That won’t be the case if it’s nominated this time. Zyagintsev is now in exile and the film is considered a veiled attack on the Russian regime.

Despite filming entirely in Latvia, that country is considered a minority co-producer on Minotaur and we understand it is unlikely to be entered as the Latvian hopeful. France is considered the primary producer with Paris-based MK2 and CG Cinema aboard and the former handling sales. Arte France also financed.

There’s confidence from those close to the film that it can claim the French nomination. But it’ll have to see off rivals including fellow Cannes films such as Emmanuel Marre’s A Man of His Time and historical epic De Gaulle: Résistance. If it does, it would seem more likely to rep France than Germany.

The lineup of French hopefuls this year is not considered as strong as in some recent editions of the category. Germany on the other hand has a few strong options, including İlker Çatak’s Berlin Golden Bear winner Yellow Letters.

Will Netflix acquisition Gentle Monster, starring Léa Seydoux, feature in the French race? It wasn’t on the German longlist and Austria has selected Berlin winner Rose. France and Sweden were also producers on the movie so the window isn’t entirely shut.

The French nomination for the Oscars is often a political affair. Last year was a case in point, with plenty of politicking behind the scenes about the choice of Jafar Panahi’s Iranian drama It Was Just An Accident. There were some in the industry who questioned the film’s selection on account of its largely Iranian creative makeup. A separate designation for dissident filmmakers has been discussed for years. This is among the most political of categories. There is not only jostling between films, but also between co-production countries and companies.

Minotaur, with its veiled criticism of Putin and Zvyagintsev’s status in exile, is in similar terrain to Panahi’s film. And also to Mohammad Rasoulof’s Persian-language The Seed of the Sacred Fig, which was previously Oscar nominated as Germany’s entry in the category.

The Best International Film race is another fascinating affair this year. Movies like Minotaur, Fjord, All Of A Sudden and Lee Chang-dong’s Venice title Possible Love are all expected to be in the mix. Lukas Dhont’s war drama Coward, yet another Cannes entry (the festival’s pre-eminence in this category continues), is another that critics are high on. Netflix’s La Bola Negra feels like the frontrunner so far and along with Fjord, perhaps the most likely crossover film. That said, some we’ve spoken to believe the category may lack the depth of recent editions and is without powerhouse crossover titles such as Anatomy Of A Fall, Emilia Perez and Sentimental Value. We shall see.