2 weeks ago
EXCLUSIVE: Oscar shortlisted short movie Extremist is getting nan characteristic treatment, pinch nan task boarded by arthouse stalwart Alexander Rodnyansky (Leviathan) and his accumulation banner AR Content.
Rodnyansky joins Alexander Molochnikov and Forma Pro films successful producing The Extremists aft nan short premiered astatine nan 2025 Telluride Film Festival and won nan Live Action Award and Special Jury Award astatine nan 2025 Yugo BAFTA Student Awards on pinch being shortlisted for Best Live Action Short astatine nan 2026 Oscars. Molochnikov will nonstop nan feature.
Rodnyansky joins producers Julia Zaitseva and Svetlana Punte of Forma Pro Films. Molochnikov, Andrey Burkovskiy and Gennadiy Ravvin of Yes Or Yes Studio will besides produce.
The characteristic will grow connected nan premise of Molochnikov’s short movie and “follow 3 chopped perspectives based connected nan existent life ordeals of Russian citizens surviving successful nan state since nan commencement of nan warfare successful Ukraine.”
The original short followed a young Russian creator who swapped nutrient labels pinch pacifist messages successful a Moscow supermarket, yet starring to her apprehension and a threat of 10-years successful prison.
Rodnyansky said: “I person ever been willing successful existent events. As a personification pinch an 8.5 twelvemonth situation condemnation (in absentia) successful Russia for speaking retired against nan warfare and an progressive sound astir nan warfare connected socials, I tin hardly deliberation of a much friendly taxable for maine to beryllium progressive in. I was impressed pinch nan short Extremist, arsenic good arsenic pinch Alexander Molochnikov’s talent arsenic a filmmaker. I person known Forma Pro films and person ever admired their professionalism. I americium happy to beryllium a portion of nan film.”
Alexander Molochnikov added: “Living successful a history book is frightening. The Ukrainian warfare relocated and changed galore group progressive successful nan making of this film, but this communicative is not astir us. The Extremists is astir heroic group who chose to stay quality while risking their state and their lives. Three stories of escape: done protest, creation and an existent beingness escape, intertwine wrong a world of imagination and metaphysical reality, betwixt a world of systemic decisions and genuine magic and miracles. Alexander Rodnyansky’s films person inspired maine for a agelong time. Extremists agreed america pinch a emotion of admiration for nan courageousness of group who person nan spot to speak retired against nan warfare and to guidelines up for their principles. Extremists is an effort to make you autumn successful emotion pinch these heroes arsenic well.
Svetlana Punte commented: “Working pinch Alexander Rodnyansky had agelong been a dream for our team. He has a unsocial small heart for talent and a singular expertise to admit imaginable wherever others whitethorn not yet spot it. Sasha Molochnikov’s level of dedication is genuinely extraordinary, and his power and committedness go nan driving unit down nan full process and animate everyone astir him.”
Molochnikov’s films person played astatine festivals including Moscow International Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, and nan Sochi Open Russian Film Festival.
Rodnyansky’s AR Content is successful Cannes pinch Directors Fortnight opener Butterfly Jam, starring Barry Keoghan and Riley Keough and directed by Kantemir Balagov. Balagov antecedently worked pinch AR Content on Beanpole, victor of Best Director and nan FIPRESCI Prize for Best Film successful nan festival’s Un Certain Regard section. AR Content precocious secured authorities to John Shirley’s action-thriller book bid The Specialist and is optioning nan bid for TV.
