The documentary
OLEG: The Oleg Vidov Story
Narrated by Brian Cox. Directed by Nadia Tass. 35 people who knew him, on camera, and no re-enactments.
The film
The luckiest man in the country was a prisoner
Oleg Vidov was the Soviet Union's most popular young film actor. The state decided which roles he could take, and in May 1985 he crossed into Austria and did not go back.
The film tells his story with historians and witnesses, family photographs and clips from his films. Costa Ronin reads Oleg's own words. The screenplay by Cory Taylor comes from his autobiography.
Watch
Now on Prime Video
About 1 hour 37 minutes.
Made by
The filmmakers
Nadia Tass
Director
Cory Taylor
Screenplay, from Oleg Vidov's autobiography
Andrea Guerra
Music
Brian Cox
Narrator
Costa Ronin
The voice of Oleg
Sasha Kapustina
The voice of Aunt Nyuta
Sergei Vidov
Executive producer
Joan Borsten Vidov
Interviews
On camera
35 people who knew him
The interviews were filmed from 2018 to 2020, in cities from Moscow and Havana to Los Angeles and Sydney.
Mikhail Baryshnikov
Dancer. Executive producer with Joan and Oleg of the animated series Mikhail Baryshnikov's Stories from My Childhood.
Walter Hill
Director of Red Heat.
Roger Donaldson
Director of Thirteen Days.
Gitte Haenning
His Danish co-star in The Red Mantle.
Milena Dravic
Yugoslav film star. His co-star in The Battle of Neretva.
Veljko Bulajic
Director of The Battle of Neretva.
Eslinda Nunez
His Cuban co-star in The Headless Horseman.
Alexander Mitta
Director of My Friend, Kolka and Moscow, My Love.
Pavel Finn
Screenwriter of The Headless Horseman.
Irina Skobtseva
Actress, widow of the director Sergei Bondarchuk.
Richard and Francesca Harrison
The couple who took him in after his escape.
Mike Medavoy
Hollywood producer.
Joan Borsten Vidov
His wife.
Sergei Vidov
His younger son.
On the festival circuit
Festivals
The film had its world premiere at the 43rd Moscow International Film Festival. Both screenings sold out, and the audience applauded for 20 minutes.
Moscow International Film Festival
Moscow, May 2021. World premiere
Rhode Island International Film Festival
Providence, August 2021. First Prize
Cinefest Oz
Busselton, Western Australia, August 2021
History Film Festival
Rijeka, Croatia, September 2021
Film Fest 919
Chapel Hill, October 2021
United Nations Association Film Festival
October 2021
Global Peace Film Festival
Winter Park, Florida, November 2021
Tiburon International Film Festival
Tiburon, November 2021
Newport Beach Film Festival
November 2021
Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival
Tallinn, November 2021
Russia Abroad Film Festival
Moscow, November 2021
Belgrade International Film Festival FEST
Belgrade, November 2021
Changing Face International Film Festival
Sydney, December 2021
Sarasota Film Festival
Sarasota, April 2022
AmDocs Film and Animation Festival
Palm Springs, April 2022
Columbus International Film Festival
Columbus, April 2022
Julien Dubuque International Film Festival
Dubuque, April 2022
Gold Standard Film Festival
New York, April 2022
Richmond International Film Festival
Richmond, June 2022
Cal Cap Doc Film Festival
Sacramento, June 2022
Madrid International Film Festival
Madrid, July 2022
Festival des Antipodes
Saint-Tropez, October 2022
Recognition
Prizes and jury awards
First Prize
Rhode Island International Film Festival, 2021
Best Documentary
Prague, 2021
Best Documentary
Near Nazareth Festival, 2021
Best Documentary
London, 2022
Jury Special Mention
Lighthouse International Film Festival, 2022