On May 16, 2025, at 17:45 in the Cinema Hall Arcades, the Cannes International Film Festival will host the premiere of “Vysotsky. Unknown… A True Story,” a new work by Anatoly Balchev and Apollo Film Production.
Unlike traditional cinematic biographies, Balchev — a filmmaker, composer, writer, and a trusted friend of Vladimir Vysotsky since 1974 — offers a raw and personal chronicle of the legendary artist’s life. Drawing on rare archival footage, private family collections, and the memories of those who knew him best, Balchev reconstructs a portrait of Vysotsky as a living, breathing man — brilliant, weary, fearless, vulnerable.
The project was made possible with the artistic support of SGS Studio (Dubai), renowned for their experimental fusion of cinema, digital technology, and immersive performance. Their collaboration infuses the film with a modern visual language while honoring the authenticity of its subject. 
The film features appearances from those closest to Vysotsky, including Vasily Mishchenko, Evgeny Tkachuk, Marina Vlady, Lyudmila Abramova, Vsevolod Abdulov, Mikhail Shemyakin, Vadim Tumanov, Bella Akhmadulina, Bulat Okudzhava, and others — voices that bring depth and resonance to this vivid portrait.
Guiding the film’s international journey is Anna Shtukkert, European representative of Apollo Film Production and an experienced curator of major cultural initiatives.
Alongside the Cannes premiere, SGS Studio is preparing to launch “Entropy: Requiem of Water,” a large-scale digital show inspired by the music of Klaus Schulze, created using cutting-edge technologies like Unreal Engine and motion capture. Previously, the studio has produced the acclaimed multimedia work “The History of the Tragic Century in the Rhymes of Vladimir Vysotsky,” transforming the poet’s verses into an audiovisual reflection on a turbulent century.
“Vysotsky. Unknown… A True Story” stands apart as a bold, honest, and profoundly personal film — the kind of work that Cannes audiences, always in search of authenticity and emotional power, gravitate toward.
Apollo Film Production, together with IFREE Studio, has also announced their next project: “Vysotsky. ‘They Will Not Erect a Monument to Me in the Park…'” — a continuation of their deep exploration into the life and legacy of a man who remains an enduring symbol of artistic freedom.
