Limonov: The Ballad
Limonov: The Ballad is a 2024 biographical film directed by Kirill Serebrennikov, co-written by Ben Hopkins, Paweł Pawlikowski and Serebrennikov. It is based on Emmanuel Carrère's 2011 book Limonov, a novelized biography of the Russian dissident writer and politician Eduard Limonov, who founded the National Bolshevik Party. It stars Ben Whishaw in the titular role alongside Viktoria Miroshnichenko, Tomas Arana, Corrado Invernizzi, Evgeniy Mironov, Andrey Burkovskiy and Odin Biron.
The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, where it premiered on 19 May 2024. Vision Distribution released the film in Italy on 5 September 2024.
Premise
A revolutionary militant, a thug, an underground writer, a butler to a millionaire in Manhattan. But also a switchblade waving poet, a lover of beautiful women, a warmonger, a political agitator and a novelist who wrote of his own greatness. Eduard Limonov's life story is a journey through Russia, America and Europe during the second half of the 20th century.Cast
- Ben Whishaw as Eddie
- Viktoria Miroshnichenko as Elena
- Tomas Arana as Stephen
- Corrado Invernizzi as Lonya
- Evgeniy Mironov as Kuznetsov
- Andrey Burkovskiy as Poet
- Maria Mashkova as Anna
- Odin Biron as Ethan
- Vadim Stepanov as Model
- Vlad Tsenev as Waiter
- Sandrine Bonnaire as Radio Interviewer
- Céline Sallette as Intellectual
- Louis-Do de Lencquesaing as Intellectual
- Ivan Ivashkin as poet
- Donald Sumpter as Eddie's father