A teaser-trailer of ‘Champion of the World’ action drama is available. The feature directed and written by Alexey Sidorov starring Konstantin Khabenskiy will be released in Russia on December, 30, 2021.
Cast: Konstantin Khabenskiy, Ivan Yankovskiy, Vladimir Vdovichenkov, Viktor Dobronravov, Viktor Sukhorukov, Diana Pozharskaya.
Some victories in sports are more than sports. They become part of history.
This feature is about the most dramatic and legendary match in the history of chess: the match for the world title between the reigning world champion Anatoly Karpov and the contender for this title — grandmaster Viktor Korchnoi, who emigrated from the USSR several years before this match.
A clash of outstanding chess players, a duel of characters, a virtuoso game and incredible psychological stress when the price of victory is immeasurably high.
Production: Studio «TRITE» of Nikita Mikhalkov, TV channel «Russia», film company «Central Partnership», with the support of the Cinema Foundation of Russia.
Alexey Sidorov, director: ‘I know firsthand what sport is. But chess is not a sport or a game, it is an art, it is psychology, it is mysticism. This is a whole complex of things that are very interesting for the director to solve. This is a challenge, because it is not in vain, we know that there have been quite a few films about chess in general, and especially successful ones’.
Leonid Vereshchagin, producer: ‘This picture is more than about chess, it is about a person’s search for himself. Because only by rejecting everything that is false, you can become better, become higher, you can improve. Karpov has to go through a very difficult path and, having escaped the fate of the role of a political gladiator imposed on him, return to the essence of chess itself, to the confrontation of pure will and intellect.
Of course, in our film there is also love, which in a reflected way will work on the main line. Still, the main idea is the search for the crystal clarity of the chess competition in the fog of emotions, ambitions, and passions. Globally, Karpov is opposed not only by the powerful intellect of Korchnoi, but also by the provocations of the CIA, the rainy season, the pressure of his own state, and he has the same goal, like many boys in the world: to become better and taller, in this case, to become a world champion.’
Operator: Mikhail Milashin
Screenplay: Alexey Sidorov
Production designer: Sergei Agin
Action-drama ‘Champion of the World’ will be released in Russia on December 30, 2021.