The script penned by Géla Babluani and the British historian Simon Sebag Montefiore (the author of the eponym bestseller) follows the little-known, stranger-than-fiction early life of Joseph Stalin - street fighter, bank robber and revolutionary - before he became the architect of Soviet tyranny.
“Young Stalin is an ambitious film, both in scale and in topic. Once again, 20 Steps, Independent Film Project and Film and Music Entertainment demonstrate that if we unite, we are strong enough to create the best stories in international cinema today”, said Georgian producer Archil Gelovani of Independent Film Project.
The film is produced by UK’s Film and Music Entertainment Ltd (F & ME) and Georgia‘s Independent Film Project and 20 Steps, and it is serviced in Romania by Alien Films Entertainment.
The film is being made in association with Georgia’s New Vision University. Associate producers are Vincent Cardona and Nicolo San Filippo.
The producers are Sam Taylor, Archil Gelovani, Vladimer Katcharava, Len Blavatnik, the executive producers are Danny Cohen and Vince Holden, David Zerat and Ilan Amouyal, local producers in Romania are Iuliana Tarnovețchi and Oana Prata, and other producers include Rupert Lloyd.
UK’s Access Entertainment, AI Film are backing the project, and the budget of 10 m USD is entirely secured, producer Sam Taylor told FNE.
In Romania, the production applied for the 30% local cash rebate scheme.
The film will be shot by the Russian cinematographer Vladislav Opeylants, known for his work with Kirill Serebrennikov. The rest of the cast has not been disclosed yet.
“Based on the best-selling book by Simon Sebag Montefiore, directed by one of Georgian most talented auteurs, financed by top European financiers, this is a film we are excited to bring into the world”, said Georgian producer Vladimer Katcharava.
The postproduction of the film will take place in the UK at Creativity Media and Koala FX.
“This is the Stalin you’ve never seen before, not a dry and dusty biopic but the story of the young revolutionary, lover and ruthless outlaw who later became the tyrant. It’s a timeless story about how monsters are made, and why some people follow them”, producer Sam Taylor told FNE.
Young Stalin will premiere in the summer of 2026.
Production Information:
Producers:
Film and Music Entertainment Ltd. (UK)
Independent Film Project (Georgia)
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20 Steps (Georgia)
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Credits:
Director: Géla Babluani
Scriptwriter: Géla Babluani, Simon Sebag Montefiore
DoP: Vladislav Opeylants
Production designer: Giorgi Gordzamashvili
Costume designer: Tanya Dolmatovskaya
Main cast: Cosmo Jarvis
