The Death of Stalin
The Death of Stalin is a 2017 political satire black comedy film written and directed by Armando Iannucci and co-written by David Schneider and Ian Martin with Peter Fellows. Based on the French graphic novel La Mort de Staline (2010–2012), the film depicts the internal social and political power struggle among the members of the Soviet Politburo following the death of leader Joseph Stalin in 1953. The French-British-Belgian co-production stars an ensemble cast that includes Steve Buscemi, Simon Russell Beale, Paddy Considine, Rupert Friend, Jason Isaacs, Olga Kurylenko, Michael Palin, Andrea Riseborough, Dermot Crowley, Paul Chahidi, Adrian McLoughlin, Paul Whitehouse, and Jeffrey Tambor. The film premiered on 8 September 2017 at the Toronto International Film Festival. It was released theatrically in the United Kingdom by Entertainment One Films on 20 October 2017, in France by Gaumont on 4 April 2018, and in Belgium by September Film Distribution on 18 April 2018. It received critical acclaim and various accolades, including nominations for two British Academy Film Awards, one of which was for Outstanding British Film, and 13 British Independent Film Awards, four of which it won. There was fierce opposition to the film in Russia, where it was seen as "anti-Russian propaganda", and it was banned there, as well as in Kyrgyzstan, for allegedly mocking the Soviet past and making fun of the USSR.
Are you all right? He fell very hard. Why did you let him do that? Yes, I should have intercepted his fist with my face. I want to make a speech at my father's funeral. - And I want to fuck Grace Kelly. - I simply don't care. I want to make a speech at my father's funeral. Comrade Malenkov, your view? Well, I think, um... it can be, um... - no... no problem. - Ah... Technically, yes, but practically... There are programmatic complications. You know, I think I misspoke when I said, "No problem." What I meant was, "No." "Problem."
The Death of Stalin
Who else are we pals with now? - You invite any old Nazis? - Excuse me. These stairs are like climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. I'm more sweat than man. - Did you see off Vasily? - Yes, we did. And thank you for landing me this funeral. Come on, Nicky. You're enjoying it. But why did you have to invite the bishops? What, you think I wanted those boyfriends of Christ here? That was his idea. Lavrenti, you of all people must know that religion has never been part of... You lecturing me? You standing in the Hall of Columns still insisting on Polina's guilt?
The Death of Stalin
- Um, sorry. Maybe I shouldn't have... - Oh, come on. No, no. You both called the blameless Polina Molotova a traitor and a parasite in her own apartment. I heard you. She was guilty. You found her guilty. And Stalin agreed. Nobody doubted. Nobody doubted. Past tense, you see. In the good old days you pine for, that sort of dissonance would have had you both shot. Both of you. Oh, this is just fucking wordplay. Oh, is it?
The Death of Stalin
You're just making this shit up as you go along. - What game is this, Lavrenti? - Oh, don't be hysterical. - We're in a new reality. - What, you're the good guy now? You locked up half the nation. You beat them, you raped them, you killed them. Yes, and now I'm releasing them. And you won't believe how many will be free. So now you want the public to love you, is that it?
The Death of Stalin
You're bending and cracking the truth like a human body. The truth? This from the man who invited his bit-on-the-side whore pianist to play at the funeral, even though she swore to kill Stalin, who's now dead. Whoa. What the barrelling fuck are you talking about? She wanted Stalin dead and she knows your family. She taught your niece to play, remember?
The Death of Stalin