The fact that “Leto” is a film that was selected to compete for the Palme d’Or in last year’s Cannes Film Festival should be reason enough why film fans are interested in checking it out. However, the musical biopic from filmmaker Kirill Serebrennikov is just as intriguing for the way it was produced.
In the first trailer for “Leto,” you’re introduced to the main idea of the film. “Leto” follows the life of Russian musician Viktor Tsoi, who in the ‘80s rose to prominence through his musical contributions to the band Kino. The trailer doesn’t give you all that information, instead relying on the music itself to entice. But perhaps the most interesting aspect of the film is how the director finished production while under house arrest.
Serebrennikov is known as someone that likes to poke the government in his home country. And midway through production on “Leto,” a film that can be seen as having allusions to Putin and modern Russian politics, the director was apprehended and placed under house arrest after being charged with fraud relating to $2 million in government funds that were allegedly embezzled. Without the ability to leave his home, or have access to the internet, Serebrennikov finished editing his film and was able to oversee additional photography using notes and previous rehearsals.
The musical stars Teo Yoo as Viktor Tsoi, Irina Starshenbaum, and Roman Bilyk.
“Leto” will arrive in select theaters on May 31.
Here’s the synopsis:
Avant-garde Russian filmmaker Kirill Serebrennikov (The Student) returns to the big screen with a tribute to the early years of Russian rock. Leningrad, in the summer, early eighties. Smuggling LP’s by Lou Reed and David Bowie, the underground rock scene is boiling ahead of Perestroika. Mike and his beautiful wife Natasha meet with young Viktor Tsoï. Together with friends, they will change the trajectory of rock n’roll music in the Soviet Union.