Veteran French filmmaker Olivier Assayas returned to the Venice Film Festival competition today with The Wizard of the Kremlin , a topical drama revolving around a scheming Russian spin doctor who smooths Vladimir Putin’s ascent to power in the 1990s. It just world premiered on the Lido, receiving an 11-minute, 42-second ovation.

Writer/director Assayas beamed at the enthusiastic response from the audience as he and cast members Jude Law , Paul Dano , Alicia Vikander and more soaked in the applause.

Dano stars in the titular role of Vadim Baranov, a former avant-garde artist and reality TV show producer, who becomes the unofficial advisor to ex-KGB agent Putin as he rises up the political chain. Law plays Putin with Vikander as Baranov’s beautiful wife Ksenia, who oscillates

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