An adaptation of Mikhail Bulgakov’s iconic Russian novel “The Master and Margarita” is inching closer to a Western release as it heads to AFM this week.
The feature, directed by Michael Lockshin (“Silver Skates”), was a victim of the sanctions on Russia following its invasion of Ukraine, despite both Locksin and the film itself being critical of Putin’s authoritarianism.
With the film’s rights now in the clear, Luminosity Pictures have boarded the project as sales agent, launching at AFM.
“The Master and Margarita” stars August Diehl (“Inglourious Basterds”), Claes Bang (“Bad Sisters”), Evgeniy Tsyganov (The Man Who Surprised Everyone”) and Yulia Snigir (“A Good Day to Die Hard”). Lockshin co-wrote the screenplay with Roman Kantor based on Bulgakov’s semi-autobiographical and anti-authoritarian novel, which has sold over 100 million copies internationally and been translated into over 40 languages.
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The film, set in the Stalinist Soviet Union of the 1930s, tells the story of “The Master” (Tsyganov) whose analogy-laden play about Pontius Pilate (Bang) is canceled by the authoritarian government. Despondent and angry, the Master begins to pen another story, a satirical novel in which a devil-like character (Diehl) exacts revenge upon those who censored his artistic freedom.
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The Master is encouraged by his muse Margarita (Snigir) to write the novel, despite the fact it is unlikely ever to be published and even its existence could cause the couple to fall afoul of the heavy-handed authorities.
Like the Master, Bulgakov was censored by the Soviet authorities and his most famous novel was only published posthumously, outside of Russia, some forty years after he began writing it. The writer famously said “every form of power is violence over people.”
A number of adaptations have been attempted over the years, including, reportedly, by Roman Polansky, Federico Fellini and Terry Gilliam. Baz Luhrmann was recently attached to an English-language version but, as Variety exclusively revealed in May, is currently on hiatus from the project.
American-born Lockshin, who grew up between the U.S. and the USSR, shot his Russian-language version in 2021, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and it was released domestically earlier this year, where it grossed more than $28 million despite being denounced by Putin’s government and propagandists, some of whom called for the director to face criminal charges.
“It is rare to discover films as uniquely and masterfully crafted as The Master and Margarita,'” said Luminosity’s Daniel Diamond. “As a huge fan of Bulgakov’s timeless masterpiece I am indescribably proud to help bring Michael’s brilliant film to worldwide audiences.”
Lockshin said: “Even when it seemed that due to the invasion and geopolitics there was no way the film would be finished – I never stopped believing that somehow it would reach a global audience. It feels like a miracle that it’s finally happening. I’m thrilled that the sales are in the hands of a great team who are very passionate about the movie.”
Lockshin is repped by 42’s Josh Varney and Peter Dealbert and Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman.
