Putin's Next Role: 'Father of Nation'
The Kremlin has dusted off the events of four centuries ago to help cast Vladimir Putin as a "father of the nation" who will remain influential after his presidential term ends next year.
A Kremlin-inspired blockbuster film, titled "1612," now hitting theaters around the country, sets the tone for the campaign. Produced by a personal friend of Mr. Putin, it focuses on a popular uprising in 1612 that drove a Polish-Lithuanian army from Moscow.
The dark period in Russia's history, known as the Time of Troubles, ended when a special national congress chose Mikhail Romanov as czar, ushering in the beginning of what became the Russian Empire.
"I'm convinced -- and I have nothing against democracy -- that Russians have a strong desire for a czar," said the film's director, Vladimir Khotinenko, who is open about the state's role in the film and has urged audiences to draw the appropriate lessons.
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A Kremlin-inspired blockbuster film, titled "1612," now hitting theaters around the country, sets the tone for the campaign. Produced by a personal friend of Mr. Putin, it focuses on a popular uprising in 1612 that drove a Polish-Lithuanian army from Moscow.
The dark period in Russia's history, known as the Time of Troubles, ended when a special national congress chose Mikhail Romanov as czar, ushering in the beginning of what became the Russian Empire.
"I'm convinced -- and I have nothing against democracy -- that Russians have a strong desire for a czar," said the film's director, Vladimir Khotinenko, who is open about the state's role in the film and has urged audiences to draw the appropriate lessons.