Olivier Assayas (Paris, 1995), one of the great French directors of his generation, follows the rise and consolidation of power of Vladimir Putin in The Kremlin Magician, which premieres this Friday. However, the focus is not on the Russian leader but on the more discreet—yet equally murky—figure of Vadim Baranov, a fictional character inspired by Vladislav Surkov, ruthless spin doctor who designed Putin's trajectory and policy In the turbulent, almost explosive Russia of the 1990s. With a script written by Emmanuel Carrère based on the novel by Giuliano da Empoli and starring Paul Dano and Jude Law, The Kremlin Wizard It's a look behind the scenes of power and the seeds of fascism in the modern world.