CANNES, France (AFP) — When Russian President Vladimir Putin was unavailable to star in his biopic, Polish director Patryk Vega turned to artificial intelligence.
The groundbreaking film, whose trailer starts with the leader cowering on a floor in diapers, uses a deepfake of the ruler’s face transplanted onto the body of a real actor.
“To come extremely close to the dictator, we needed Putin, not an actor with make-up,” Vega told Agence France-Presse at the Cannes Film Festival, where he has been shopping the film to buyers.
The producers of the film, called simply “Putin,” say it has already been sold in 50 countries ahead of its premiere in September.
The film follows the ruler’s life over six decades from the age of 10 when he is seen being beaten by his stepfather.
“In the end I show his death. A happy end,” said Vega.