Ten years ago, Volodymyr Zelensky was just one of the many faces on Ukrainian television screens. He became a star thanks to the 2015 satirical series Servant of the People, in which he played a history teacher who becomes president. Four years later, what began as fiction became a reality. Follow the transformation of a popular TV comedian into a statesman on the frontlines of the Russian invasion. Archival footage, family photos, television appearances, and interviews with Zelensky and those closest to him create a multi-layered portrait of a man who always longed for a large audience. At the same time, the film places his personal development in the broader context of post-Soviet Ukraine, which is also searching for its own identity.
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Cast
2 people
Yves Jeuland Director · Ariane Chemin Director Lisa Vapné Director
United States release May 2, 2026 · Produced in France · Languages French, Russian, Ukrainian
Production
ARTE
Production
Particules Docs
Production
Java Films
Production
CNC
Production
LCP - Assemblée nationale
Production
France
Produced in
Languages
Original language
French
Spoken on screen
French · Russian · Ukrainian
Release dates
France · May 13, 2025
Premiere · Cannes Film Festival
United States · May 2, 2026
Premiere · DOC LANDS
Czechia
October 27, 2025 · Premiere · Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival
France
May 13, 2025 · TV · ARTE (Thema)
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