‘Patient #1,’ About a Russian Leader’s Fall From Power, Wins Werner Herzog Film Award (EXCLUSIVE)
variety.comNaman Ramachandran Rezo Gigineishvili’s “Patient #1” is the 2023 winner of the annual Werner Herzog Film Award. Set at the end of the Soviet era, the film focuses on the decline in power of Konstantin Chernenko, a Russian leader with failing health who is surrounded by a large medical team.
He is old and frail, but has a tight grip on power. He is waging a war in Afghanistan, has a nuclear button and can take the entire world to the grave with him.
It is convenient for both the elites and the secret services to keep the leader alive and various groups are scoring political points.
The cast includes Aleksandr Filippenko, Olga Makeeva, Inna Churikova, Igor Chernevich and Sergey Gilev. The film is produced by Archil Gelovani, Sergey Yahontov for Georgian outfit Independent Film Project.
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