World

Russia's Box Office Or Top Office?

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

March 9, 1999 / 5:44 PM EST / CBS

The latest release by Nikita Mikhalkov, Russia's most celebrated director, may be more than the country's first big-budget blockbuster. A recent appearance at the Kremlin by Mikhalkov for the premiere of Barber of Siberia suggests the director may be using his film as a presidential campaign ad, reports CBS News Correspondent David Hawkins .

The buzz surrounding Mikhalkov's run for the presidency may just be a Hollywood-style publicity stunt but it's not entirely far-fetched. He is perhaps the most famous living director and actor in Russia. Mikhalkov's last movie, Burnt By The Sun won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film in 1994.

In Barber of Siberia Mikhalkov plays Czar Alexander III. Even though he's dabbled in politics before, starring in campaign ads for Boris Yeltsin, he scoffs at the suggestion that his next big role will be president of Russia. "I'm famous enough," he told CBS News. "They're trying to pull me into politics. That's not interesting to me at all."

But leading lady Julia Ormond says its clear that Mikhalkov already has plenty of political clout.

"The Mafia turned up to demand money," she says. "He went away and made a phone call and 20 minutes later a whole lot of tanks arrived to move off the Mafia."

In addition, Ormond says the beloved director is adamant about the need to address Russian ills such as rampant corruption.

"He's very passionate about Russia," she says. "He loves this country and he's very keenÂ… to see Russia get on a much more honorable track."

While Mikhalkov is adamant that he isn't interested in politics, he says Russian politics is best left out of the hands of professional politicians.

"I believe that leadership should only be in the hands of those for whom power is a burden," he says.

That's just the kind of man many Russians yearn to see in the Kremlin: someone who will knock heads and restore dignity to the country.

However, it's unlikely that Russia's political power brokers would ever agree to play supporting roles to a President Mikhalkov. That sort of thing only happens in the movies.