Viking (film)

Viking (Russian: Викинг) is a 2016 historical action film by director Andrei Kravchuk, based on the historical document Primary Chronicle and Icelandic Kings' sagas. Screen International has called it Russia's Game of Thrones.^[1][2] The film stars Danila Kozlovsky (Vampire Academy, Hardcore Henry) and Svetlana Khodchenkova (The Wolverine, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy). The set and the scenery used in the production were used to create Russia’s first movie-based theme park, which opened in may of 2016 near the village of Perevalnoye, Crimea.^[3]

Plot

Kievan Rus, late 10th century. After the death of his father, Svyatoslav I, ruler of Kievan Rus, the young Viking prince Vladimir (Danila Kozlovsky) is forced into exile across the frozen sea in Sweden to escape his treacherous half-brother Yaropolk (Aleksandr Ustyugov), who has murdered his other brother Oleg (Kirill Pletnyov) and conquered the Viking territory of Kievan Rus. The old warrior Sveneld (Maksim Sukhanov) convinces Vladimir to assemble a Varangian armada led by a Swedish chieftain (Joakim Nätterqvist), hoping to reconquer Kiev from Yaropolk and ultimately face the mighty Byzantine forces.^[4]

Cast

^{[5] [6]}

Production

The film was produced by Konstantin Ernst and Anatoly Maksimov, best known for the Russian urban fantasy/supernatural thrillers Night Watch and Day Watch.^[7]

A few scenes were filmed in 2013 to secure funding, a common way to secure finances for large movie productions in Russia. Most of the production was done in March–July 2015. The budget was on par with the Russian WWII epic Stalingrad, 1,250 million rubles (approximately USD$20 million).^[8]

The film was shot on several locations in Crimea, including the city of Bakhchisarai, the Taigan Water Reservoir in the Belogorskiy Raion, the medieval Genoese fortress in Sudak, and Cape Fiolent near Sevastopol.^[9] Some scenes were filmed in Ravenna, Italy in mid-August 2015. The shooting took place in Basilica of San Vitale and the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. This Basilica an important example of early Byzantine architecture in Europe, and is rumored to be used for scenes set in Constantinople.^[10]

The cast is mostly Russian; however the film does features Swedish actor Joakim Nätterqvist,^{[11] [12]} Canada's John DeSantis ^[5] and Belarusian actress Aleksandra Bortich.

Soundtrack

The film (and its trailers) was scored by irish composer Dean Valentine. The whole score was recorded with the Orchestra Of Ireland.^[13] Valentine is best known for his original music for trailers including Captain America:Civil War, Interstellar and American Sniper, but he has also scored Irish documentaries and motion pictures such as Tiger Raid, and Close to Evil. ^[14]

Marketing

The first official teaser trailer was shown during a closed pitch event with the management of the Russian Ministry of Culture and chairmen of Cinema Foundation of Russia.

In September 2015, Central Partnership distribution studios announced the release date for the film as 22 December 2016. On 19 November 2015, Film Direction and Channel One Russia released the official trailer to the public.

The film will be released in two versions, one family friendly version with an age restriction of 12+, and a complete version, with a rating of 18+.^[15]

The producers of the film attended Comic-Con Russia, and a large sword fight was performed by the films' stuntmen, a fighting replicating a scene from the movie.^[16]

UK based Red Arrow International will sell the movie internationally. A screening for potential buyers was arranged at the 2016 American Film Market.^[17]

References

External links

• Viking at the Internet Movie Database
• Trailers