“In the series ‘Berlin’23’, we gave viewers something to reflect on”: Viktor Sogomonyan

Viktor Sogomonyan, founder of Alpha Media House and a producer and screenwriter, together with Mikhail Volobuev and actor Dmitry Ulyanov, spoke on the radio station Komsomolskaya Pravda about the idea behind the project Berlin’23, which became a logical continuation of the series Warsaw’21, as well as about their plans for the near future.

“Back in 2016, my friend and co-producer Mikhail Volobuev and I decided that it was unfair that the heroes of modern history remain behind the scenes. Films are often made about military and political figures, but diplomats are left out. There are very few films about them, and none at all about contemporary ones. In 2018, together with the TV company NTV, we made the film ‘Embassy’, which was very well received. This genre proved to be in demand. Even then, we conceived the film ‘Warsaw’21’, the sequel to which is ‘Berlin’23,” Viktor Sogomonyan said, explaining why they decided to continue “Warsaw’21” and once again “send diplomat Vasilyev into the field.”

According to the producer, the main character of their story is big politics, where the stakes are extremely high.

“Yes, sometimes you have to maneuver. You have to say things you don’t really think. You have to act in ways you might not want to. All our characters are like that. There are no absolute villains in our film,” Sogomonyan noted.

He added that he is pleased to have created what he described as a patriotic film, saying that their work made viewers reflect, and also revealed plans for a new project, the third season of the series.

“I’m very glad we managed to make a film that is patriotic in the best sense of the word. There’s very little of that now, and it’s especially important at this stage in our country’s life, when Russia is shaping a new world order. Yes, we have a major conflict with Europe, yes, there are many unfriendly countries, but I’m confident we will prevail, in many senses of the word, and everything will be fine. This historical period will remain important, and it’s essential to make films about it. I’ll reveal a secret: Misha, our fellow screenwriters, and I are already working on the third installment about Vyacheslav Vasilyev, which will be titled ‘Istanbul’25’. I’m sure that the more heroes like Russian diplomat Vyacheslav Vasilyev there are, the more positive examples there will be for students currently studying at MGIMO. An entire generation once looked up to Stierlitz and went into intelligence and diplomacy. I really hope that for some in the new generation, Vyacheslav Vasilyev will become a role model,” Sogomonyan concluded.