Radioscopy | Poutine or the biopic of a “coward”

A dependent film against the Russian president, created using artificial intelligence (AI), has just been launched in Europe. “I wanted us to understand that he is a coward,” sums up his director, the Pole Patryk Vega.

Why are we talking about it

“Putin” is no longer just the name of a political figure, it is also the title of a biopic. Released on January 10 in some European countries, this film by Polish Patryk Vega is far from unanimous.

See the film’s trailer (in English; images generated by AI)

What it says

The story begins in 2026, while Putin, curled up in the hospital and bathed in his excrement, is powerless before the routing of the Russian army. After this fictitious starting point, the film multiplies the feedback to tell the ascent of the Russian dictator, from his difficult childhood to his passage in the KGB. This journey is marked out not only with extreme violence, but also with reflections on good and evil, in a context of almost metaphysical religiosity.

Who is Patryk Vega?

Unknown on this side of the Great Flaque, and even in Western Europe, Patryk Vega has been a star at home for twenty years. It is described as the “terrible child of Polish cinema”. This shaved skull malabar tattooed up to the neck regularly arouses controversy and became known by its TV series on the world of organized crime. Eight years ago, his film Botox had attracted 712,000 spectators in the cinemas in three days, a big success at the box office.

Thank you, artificial intelligence

Speaking of Botox, how to reproduce the perfectly smooth and impassive face of the Russian leader? The title role is certainly held by a Putin lookalike, the Polish actor Sławomir Sobala. But to add to credibility, Vega used the technology of the deepfakewhich allowed him to reconstruct the face of the despot identically. “It was very difficult, we spent two years on it,” explains the director, joined by The press in Poland. At first, we tried collaborations with CGI studios [Computer-Generated Imager] in Los Angeles. The effect was horrible, because AI does not understand human emotions. At the end, we created our own technology. »»

Translate the east for West

Patryk Vega initially wanted to make a film on the Russian mafia. Because of the war in Ukraine, he chose to fall back more directly on the “biggest mafia of all”. The 48 -year -old filmmaker squarely claims an “artistic attack” against Vladimir Putin. At the same time, he claims to have wanted to provide the public with a key to understanding who is really the strong man of Moscow. “We are generally afraid of what we don’t know,” he said. My idea, with this film, was to unlock your mind and show that he is a coward. In this way, people will be less afraid. »»

Designed in the toilet

Being at the forefront of a possible Russian invasion, Poland could have appreciated this dependent film against the master of the Kremlin. This is apparently not the case. In addition to disappointing entries at the counter, Poutine Was Varlopé by the Polish press. An online media criticism Onet tells you wanted to go out during the screening, but stayed to better prevent possible spectators. This same criticism informs the violence of this film “disastrous in every way … which seems to have been designed in the toilet”. Patryk Vega defends himself by saying that his film is “with good taste” and rather “delicate”, considering the brutality of the character.

In Germany

The reception seems to have been more nuanced in Germany, where we wondered seriously about this politico-cinematographic UFO. Independent criticism established in Berlin, Bert Rebhandl saw the film for the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Rather, he speaks of a “polemical biopic”, not only because of his trashy side, but also freedoms in terms of facts. “There are details relating to the conjecture that several historians would dispute, in particular with regard to the war in Chechnya and Daghestan and the terrorist attacks in Moscow,” he said to The press. Bert Rebhandle believes on the other hand that the film is a “brilliant attempt to understand who is really Putin” and that his mixture of genres contributes to this success.

What future?

Poutine would have been bought by an American distributor, but we do not yet know if he will be screened in Quebec. Certainly, it will not be shown in Russia, at least not officially. Has Patryk Vega took a risk by attacking the master of the Kremlin, known for his resentment side? The director sketches a little smile and responds. “I am Catholic, you know. I believe that God is stronger than Putin … “