The premiere of the trailer of the spy thriller "Dear Willy" took place

The premiere of the poster and trailer for the spy thriller Dear Willy, a story about the secret friendship of two main geopolitical rivals in Europe: Soviet Secretary General Leonid Brezhnev and German Chancellor Willy Brandt. Their contact, hidden even from their own special services, played a key role in preventing a nuclear catastrophe during the Cold War.

The project is being produced by Format TV, Studio Chekhov, KION, PREMIER and REN TV with the support of the Institute for Internet Development (ANO IRI). The series will also be available for viewing in online cinemas KION and PREMIER on October 23, and the television premiere will take place on the REN TV channel.

The action takes place in the 1960s, when the world was on the verge of nuclear war. Soviet intelligence learns about the impending strike from US military bases located in Germany. Realizing that a retaliatory ultimatum would lead to disaster, Leonid Brezhnev decides to establish secret contact with Willy Brandt. The discovery of this contact threatened both politicians with political death — expulsion from the party and impeachment.

The script of the series is based on unique materials that the author of the project, documentarian, writer and presenter of the REN TV channel Igor Prokopenko— has been collecting for more than 20 years. It is based on archival documents, interviews with politicians, diplomats and intelligence officers, which for the first time become the basis of a feature series.

The co—author of the script is Dmitry Novoselov. The series "Dear Willy" was directed by Vladimir Shchegolkov ("Grapes", "Natalie and Alexander", "Tenderness" and others), produced by Igor Prokopenko, Vladimir Tyulin, Anatoly Tupitsyn, Sofia Mitrofanova, Ilya Burets, Maxim Filatov, David Kocharov.

Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev is played by Sergei Makovetsky in the series, who will present a new image of the Secretary general in Russian cinema. The role of Willy Brandt is played by Kirill Kyaro, who studied German specifically for the role. The roles in the series were also played by: Wilma Kutaviciute, Sergey Marin, Alexey Rozin, Vladimir Konkin, Andrey Gradov, Igor Chernevich, Martin John Cook, Alexandra Bogdanova, Alexander Shtendler and others.

"Our project is not a fantasy of screenwriters. This is a story about real people, on whose decisions the fate of millions depended. At a time when the whole world was living under the threat of nuclear war, Brezhnev and Brandt found the courage to go beyond ideological patterns. And they did something that no one expected of them — they started a dialogue. "Dear Willie" about this. Of course, a lot of things had to be revised to write the series, from Hollywood thrillers to European journalism. But in the end, it became clear: the truth is stronger. I personally did interviews with Egon Bar, Vyacheslav Kevorkov, Markus Wolf and other participants in the events — when the truth is at hand, there is no need for fiction. This project was born out of respect for those who really changed the course of history. I would like to expect reflections from the audience. I'm waiting for someone to ask themselves the question: is it possible to hear each other today, on the verge of a new world war? "Dear Willy" is not only about Brezhnev and Brandt, but also about us. How far can humanity go in opposition? And where is the border beyond which the path to peace begins?" — said the author of the idea, screenwriter, producer Igor Prokopenko.

Kirill Kyaro, who played the role of Willy Brandt, noted that it was important for him to show the character not only as a politician, but also as a man who, under incredible pressure, finds the courage to go against the prevailing post-war system.

"The most difficult thing was to feel his inner balance — between cold calculation and human vulnerability. I started learning German from scratch, and it turned out to be difficult, but without it it is impossible to reliably convey the character. I wanted the audience to see Brandt as a living person, not a bronze monument," the actor added.

"For the viewer at the beginning of March, there is a familiar image: a spy, a faceless and ruthless killer on the other side of the barricades. But gradually the veil opens, and another side appears in front of us — a woman, lively, gentle, with feelings, trapped in a trap from which there is no way out. She took a wrong turn, and it was this paradox that turned out to be the most interesting in the role: the combination of a man trapped in a rigid system. It seems to me that it is the human story of love and friendship that turns the plot in a different direction. I love historical series, primarily because of the special atmosphere. And there were also real masters working here: director Vladimir Shchegolkov, cinematographer Peter Dukhovskoy, who treated every detail with incredible scrupulousness. It's like you're transported back to that era: the living room, the clink of crystal glasses, the crunch of parquet, the smoke of cigarettes, the creak of leather gloves — it all feels literally on your skin," said Wilma Kutaviciute, who played the role of Marta.