Themes

Vetrov vs Anatoly Anatoly is everything Vetrov is not: Patient where Vetrov is impulsive Ethical where Vetrov is self-justifying Anonymous where Vetrov craves witness Willing to disappear for truth Vetrov mistakes Anatoly’s restraint for naiveté. Anatoly sees Vetrov’s charisma as rot. Their relationship should feel: Electrifying Unequal Inevitable Doomed Anatoly will survive the system. Vetrov will burn inside it ------------------------------------- Ludmila vs Svetlana Svetlana survives because she calculates. Ludmila is ruined because she speaks. Svetlana understands optics. Ludmila understands people. Only one of those protects you. ------------------------------------ Svetlana vs Vladimir (Why This Marriage Is So Powerful) Vladimir believes greatness entitles him to indulgence. Svetlana believes discipline entitles her to survival. They are not opposites—they are incompatible elites. He burns outward. She hardens inward. They both refuse to be small. Only one of them adapts. ------------------------------------- Svetlana vs Anatoly Svetlana would despise Anatoly’s moral absolutism—not because it’s wrong, but because it’s impractical. She would see in him: Intelligence without insulation. Conviction without protection. A boy willing to lose everything for truth. And she would be right to fear that.

Characters and their Objectives/Hidden Motives

Characters: Anatoly Novikov Nina Novikov - Novikov's mother Oleg Novikov - Novikov's father Petr Sokolov - Novikov's "uncle," arrested Soviet dissident Petr's Investigator Soviet Teacher Vladimir Vetrov Svetlana Vetrov Vladik Vetrov Ludmila Ochikina Patrick Ferrant ("Paul") Madeleine Farrent ("Marguerite")? Jacques Prevost Raymond Nart Xavier Ameil Galina Rogatina Alexei Rogatina Francois Mitterand Ronald Reagan Yuri Krivich Valery Rechensky (former KGB counter intelligence officer and cellmate of Vetrov) Yuri Marchenko (one of two of Vetrov's investigators) Gus Weiss (nickname by NSC, Dr. Strangeweiss, allusion to Kubrick's Dr. Strangelove) - one of Reagan's national security advisors, most respected by Reagan because of his involvement in Farewell for Reagan. ANATOLY NOVIKOV A 17 year old - 21 year old (from beginning to end of the film) intellectual, bookish, stubborn and deeply serious young man. Very gifted in mathematics and engineering, and was interested in those subjects growing up, but is now completely preoccupied with the loss of his dissident uncle, politics, philosophy, and the meaning of it all. Very frustrated with how his teachers treat him as the son of a commoner (not nomenklatura) and his propaganda-laced schooling, and how no one seems to do anything about this sham of a system. Distracted in school and his parents start to notice it. No interest in girls/anything his classmates are interested in, or anything outside of obsessive and growing hatred of communism and the Soviet regime. He lives in Moscow in a moderate (for common Russians in Moscow) apartment with his mother and father. He has his own room, which is not that common, but he was given this because his parents value his studies and want him to go to a good college. They know he is smart and they are very proud of him. His parents are encouraging and want him to have the space and isolation in their busy, packed apartment building to study. Hiding: - Novikov is anti-communist, and Vetrov is not really. Vetrov thinks there should be reforms but that deep down communism is a good ideal. (he's not bookish, he's more like a common Russian in his take). Novikof learns that Vetrov feels this way and his morally conflicted about working with him (and his self-distructive and immoral ways) but resolves to hide this zeal and underlying motivation and work with him for the greater goal. ^ He hides this by letting Vetrov believe (reading between the lines) that his motivation is also revenge for what the Soviet union did to his "uncle" (which is kind of is, so he's not lying, its just much more academic than that, like this happened to my "uncle" and it is unethical and a system should not do that to those fighting for good). He hides the depth of his anti-communism, not the fact of it. He allows Vetrov to believe their motives align emotionally, when Anatoly’s are systemic and ethical. - His parents (nor anyone else) do not know that Uncle Petr snuck him anti-communist books and he has been reading them for a few years. - He loves his mother, but he resents his mother's talking badly about Petr because he believes that deep down she agrees that the Soviet regime is wrong. Objectives: To understand the system that destroyed his uncle—and help bring it down. To live truthfully in a world built on lies, without destroying his parents. To turn knowledge into consequence. Public Self: A quiet, serious, gifted student. Politically compliant on the surface. “Promising” but distracted. Private Self: A moral absolutist. Sees communism not just as flawed, but illegitimate. Already living intellectually outside the Soviet system. Action They Justify: Working with a morally compromised man (Vetrov). Withholding truth from his parents. Allowing others to misinterpret his motives if it serves a greater ethical end. Weakness: moral impatience. He believes if something is wrong, it should already be stopped. Core irony: Anatoly believes he is the most honest person in the film—yet he survives entirely through concealment. NINA NOVIKOV A symbol for most of the Soviet population. Anatoly's mother. Now a frail and anxious housewife. Deeply proud of Anatoly and reminds him to focus on his studies and not think too much about the world around him (alluding to philosophy, religion or politics), just to study his arithmatic and he will be successful. She reminds him that the State is making great strides in technology and engineering (foreshadows). Sees him as the pride and joy of the family. Was completely aloof of Petr Sokolov's dissidence and giving books to Anatoly. Then after Petr was arrested, she was interrogated asking if she knew about his dissident activities and if she knew of any other dissidents. They treated her, a frail woman, carefully. She was terrorified and did not know anything they asked about. The Soviet investigators let her go, but put the fear of God into her. She now is stepping on egg shells and is very afraid of the police. It is clear that she wants nothing to do with anything anti-Soviet to come into her house. She resents Petr for what he did and lets her husband and son know it. Hiding: - Deep down she does believe the Soviet regime is wrong, but is too weak to override her fear. She overcompensates by voicing shame and lunicy on those against it. She personally justifies her behavior by thinking that it is her duty to her family to protect them and prioritizing that over ideology is correct. - Notices her son is distracted. She attributes this to the family friend's arrest and she then reacts to this by saying she resents Petr for his bad behavior. Objectives: Keep her family intact. Avoid attracting attention—at any moral cost. Preserve the illusion of safety. Public Self: Loyal Soviet mother. Grateful for the State’s “progress.” Dismissive of dissidents. Private Self: Nina doesn’t just fear the State—she fears being responsible for her family’s destruction. If I deny the truth loudly enough, maybe it won’t touch us. Knows the system is wrong. Terrified of being responsible for catastrophe. Feels guilt she cannot articulate. Action They Justify: Shaming Petr. Pressuring Anatoly to disengage from truth. Choosing silence over integrity. Tragedy: Nina believes fear is love. OLEG NOVIKOV Anatoly's father. a self made man, a commoner, blue collar. Deeply proud of Anatoly and encourages him in his studies. Sees him as the pride and joy of the family. Wants him to be a more successful, white-collar man. Childhood friend and neighbor in Moscow of Petr Sokolov. Knew about Petr Sokolov's dissidence, but wanted to keep it from Anatoly and especially ensure that no one suspected the Novikov's of being included in this. Did not know that Sokolov was giving books to Anatoly. When Petr was arrested he was interrogated to asking if she knew about his dissident activities and if she knew of any other dissidents. He held firm and had a good alibi (very careful for what he believed was this inevitable moment from when he learned Petr was a dissident) and was treated decently. He was let go. Hiding: - He knew about Petr's dissidence, but hid it from his family. Never tells them he knew. - Let Oleg recognize Anatol’s danger before Anatol does. He may not know what his son is doing—but he knows what kind of mind he has. That creates dread. - Petr told him at their last meeting that Petr had some doubts on whether sacrificing himself in all this would actually change anything. This plants the seed of doubt toward any dissidence activities in Oleg's head and affects his later dread toward his son. Objectives: Ensure Anatoly survives and advances. Avoid entanglement that cannot be undone. Maintain plausible deniability. Public Self: Apolitical, hardworking Soviet man. Proud father. Loyal citizen. Private Self: Survival comes before righteousness. His concealment is strategic, not cowardly. He understands how the system works better than Nina. His silence is intentional. Understands the State far better than he admits. Knows Petr may be right—but fears he is ineffective. Recognizes danger before it manifests. Action They Justify: Lying through omission. Allowing injustice to pass unchallenged. Preparing quietly instead of resisting openly. Key tension: Oleg’s love is strategic; Anatoly’s is moral. PETR SOKOLOV A "ghost" character. Oleg's childhood friend and neighbor to the Novikovs. Oleg (and then later his wife and son) and Petr have lived in neighboring apartments for their entire lives. Anatoly calls him "Uncle Petr." Petr snuck Anatoly clandestine anti-Soviet books, like Solzenistyn. Petr was part of the Soviet Dissident movement. He demanded that the Kremlin obey its laws, met in gatherings with other dissidents, was arrested, subjected to a bogus trail, and sent to a labor camp. Before he was arrested, he gave Novikof his copy of The Gulag Archipeligo which is shown in the first scene of the film. ^ Because of this Novikov already had a bit of very (which was helpful when working with Vetrov because Vetrov was very unorthodox in his espionage strategy) amateur, untrained espoinage-like training through is "uncle" who was a Soviet dissident. Told Oleg at their last meeting that he had some doubts on whether sacrificing himself in all this would actually change anything. This plants the seed of doubt toward any dissidence activities in Oleg's head and affects his later dread toward his son. Hiding: - That he delivers anti-communist books to others - Hiding that he delivers anti-communist books to Anatoly from his parents. Objectives: Preserve truth, even if it costs him everything. Bear witness. Leave something behind that survives him. Public Self: “Dangerous dissident.” Enemy of the State. Troublemaker. Private Self: Increasing doubt about whether sacrifice works. Still believes silence is worse. Knows Anatoly may carry what he cannot finish. Action They Justify: Endangering others through association. Giving forbidden knowledge to a boy. Accepting destruction as the price of honesty. His doubt is the inheritance Anatoly must resolve. Petr's Investigator: Serious and professional. A drone of the Soviet party and investigations system. (When speaking to the Soviet teacher, he leans into the prejudice she has that Anatoly, being born of a commoner, is no good and bound for disobedience and failure) Soviet Teacher: It is well known that Petr Sokolov was arrested in Moscow. It is also brought to the teacher's understanding by the investigator on Petr's case early in the morning in the classroom before school starts that Anatoly's family was Petr's longtime neighbor. The investigator wants the teacher to have Novikov state allegiance to the Soviet Union (better phrased) at the front of the class and observe his reaction. If he refuses, to immediately report this. (she did this and does not indicate why, but the class notices that this seems over-the-top and an abnormal amount of humiliation). She is not kind to Anatoly when having him come to the front. Hiding: - She knows Anatoly is Petr's neighbor and doesn't suspect him of being a dissident himself (she doesn't think he's smart enough to do that), but this confirms her feelings about children of "commoners" and that they hang around the wrong folk. She thinks he is destined for failure and disobedience. VLADIK VETROV Vladimir Vetrov's son. Strong in math and engineering. Treated well by the teacher because his father is (publically) a nomenklatura in Soviet Engineering and Technology. Level-headed and earnest. Works hard. Calm and mature. Culturally well-versed. Dresses in designer clothes. Is spoiled and his parents dote on him a lot. Well-liked by the other students, but by no means flounts popularity. Anatoly's classmate, but hadn't talked to Anatoly much before this incident in class. He notices this strange, humilating display at Anatoly's expense and how Anatoly was very obviously conflicted while saying it and was physically pained when saying the words. Tells Anatoly the next day before school that he's sorry he had to go through with that yesterday. (He hides his curiousity at his pushback against the speech he was forced to say, since he doesn't know Anatoly had any connection with Petr, but he brings to the table knowledge of his father's open complaining of the Soviet Union and the KGB, he feels for him) Hiding: - That his father is KBG. (Anatoly does not put two and two together, Vladik being the son of the man he is committing espoinage with, until later) - That he knows all about his father's defecting. - That it pains him deeply that his parents have an estranged marriage and that his father has a mistress. Objectives: Maintain stability in an unstable household. Excel without attracting the wrong kind of attention. Understand what kind of man his father really is. Public Self: Privileged, gifted, composed. Model student. Son of a respected official. Private Self: Knows the system is rotten from the inside. Carries shame he did not earn. Feels complicit by birth. Action They Justify: Remaining silent. Offering private sympathy instead of public defense. Loving his father while knowing what he is. VLADIMIR VETROV A dark-haired, large, strong masculine man. Attractive and confident. An extraverted, brilliant strategist. A proud father, doting on his son endlessly. KGB officer in the PGU (First Directorate, highest rank of the KGB) at the height of his career. Strong in mathematics, engineering, and technology. A very passionate and charismatic man. Enjoys giving generous gifts to his wife, colleagues, and friends. Often operates from inuition and impulse. Begins his adult life as a strong family man, devoted to his wife and son. He takes pride in his work, unable to pull strings for himself (born from a common family) and often frustrated with the Soviet regime's preference toward high-borns. During his career in the KGB, many experiences lead him to deepened frustration (leading to hatred) of the KGB and the desire for revenge (to burn at all down). His passion turns into primal needs. He seeks affection. Wants to be seen as "the brilliant hero" he sees himself as. He is not intellectually or ideologically against communism, but seeks revenge on the institution that he sees ruined his life and cheated him out of promotion, success, the "good life" he saw when he lived in the West as a KGB operative. As he becomes a mole against the KGB, the pressure of his extreme risk and double life lead him to alcoholism, worstening personal relationships, paranoia, and eventually a crazed crime of passion (attempted murder). Hiding: - He is a mole working with a French handler, giving documents to the West from inside the KGB. Objectives: Existential and often primal - To cause the KGB to "burn." Completely destroy it. Get revenge. - Protect Novikov and his family. - To talk to someone he can trust freely in order to get some relief and help with his stressful, unraveling life To destroy the KGB and be known (at least to someone) as the man who did it To be admired without restraint or consequence To feel alive again the way he did in Paris Public Self: - (Early) A charismatic, enthusiastic, generous man and brilliant, magnetic, devoted Soviet operative. Well-liked by pretty much everyone who knows him. - (Mid) An alcoholic contradictory, gossiping backstabber who says he hates the very friend he said he loved so dearly just the other day, very mercurial, needy, erratic, resentful, indulgent, reckless - (Late) unstable, paranoid, exposed Private Self: - Paranoid, desperate for true connection - Sees himself as the brilliant hero doing whatever it takes to destroy the institution that ruined him and his family Vetrov believes he is a great man trapped in a small world—and that the world deserves whatever he does to escape it. Action They Justify: - Risking his life and his family with his espoinage activities (especially Vladik and Novikov, whom he explicitly tells his operations to) - Spending large sums of money often on gifts and outings - because he loves to live in the moment, enjoy the good life he had in Paris, treat those he loves, and get on people's good sides - Committing treason - because the KGB deserves to suffer and be destroyed for what it did to him - Making the mole operation more risky by insisting that he and his French handler meet in person often rather than use technology to be able to lessen these meetings and therefore lessen risk, justifies because he desires company and free conversation so much - Having multiple mistresses and cheating on Svetlana whom he loves - because she was not giving him the affection he needed and he needed an outlet during work disappointments (lack of awards, promotions etc. that he deserved) - Not reconciling his marriage even though he knows it pains his son, whom he adores, that his parents are estranged - Attempting to murder Ludmila - Talking badly about the villagers at their ibza (viewing them as uncultured, simpletons) while romanticizing the Russian land and country living - because he is cultured and has seen the world Treason → They deserve it. Endangering others → They benefit from my actions. Cheating → I was denied what I earned. Risk escalation → I need relief to function. Violence → She betrayed me. He doesn’t see himself as cruel. He sees himself as owed. Weakness: Narcissistic hunger for witness. He cannot suffer privately. He cannot act anonymously. He cannot destroy silently. That’s why: He insists on in-person meetings He confides in Anatoly and his son He overshares operational details He gives lavish gifts He needs mistresses He spirals when admiration disappears Espionage requires invisibility. Vetrov needs to be seen. That’s the tragedy. Notes on Vetrov: Vetrov is not an ideologue and not a patriot and not a nihilist. He is a man who believes—almost religiously—that greatness entitles him to exception. Everything else flows from that. He believes he deserved more. He believes the system robbed him. He believes his brilliance justifies risk, indulgence, betrayal, and cruelty. He believes love should arrive on demand. He believes destruction is justice if he is the one delivering it. This is why he is: Capable of historic bravery and capable of moral grotesquerie And why the audience will never be able to fully absolve or condemn him—which is perfect. Vetrov is right about the evil of the KGB for the wrong reasons. His physicality contrasts with his inner fragility. He looks like a man who should be unshakeable—and knows he isn’t. Vetrov doesn’t hate the idea of communism. He hates that it didn’t crown him king. This allows: His resentment of elitism His disdain for “simple” villagers His nostalgia for Russian land His attraction to Western luxury All at once. He doesn’t want equality. He wants recognition. SVETLANA VETROV Vladimir Vetrov's wife. Athletic, dresses well, blonde, elegant and beautiful. No-nonsense woman. Independent and proves herself to be extremely emotionally strong. Charasmic and knew the best people to befriend in a room. Came from a common family without much money, but saw herself as something "rare and precious." Smart and strategic. Has good taste and class. Cultured in fine art, jewelry, interior design, museum curration, and education. For much of the first few decades of their marriage, she wore the pants in the relationship. She was confident that Vetrov never did anything without consulting her first. She strategized and operated their relationships and meetings in Paris. She was a traveling runner (athlete) for about a decade, good enough to compete in the Eastern Bloc version of the Olympics and traveled abroad for competitions. Earned a large salary from this in her own right (which was abnormal for a Soviet wife) and exploited the opportunity to make money smuggling fine jewelry and art across Eastern bloc boarders from the West or other Eastern bloc countries and reselling them for extremely high returns. Knew about her husband's desire to defect and shared his love for the West, but calculates risk. Not an ideologue and not driven by morality at all, practical and considered with status and what she perceives as dignity, does not want to be associated with dissidence or treason. She has many affairs later in their marriage and cares for Vladimir but will not stay loyal to a husband she sees as "failed" (alcoholic, depressed, unraveled). She considers herself too good for him and will not go so low as to let his affairs bother her or devalue her. In the years Vetrov is in prison, she becomes his anchor and rises to the occation. To her, love is not tied to affection or sex, but practicality and protection. She and Vetrov see love and loyalty differently. At the end she does live with nightmares and regrets. Hiding: That much of their material success came not from Vladimir’s status, but from her own hush-hush, frowned upon ingenuity (smuggling, resale, connections) That she quietly assessed Vladimir’s decline long before anyone else—and emotionally detached early. That she views loyalty as situational, not moral. That her later “steadfastness” during his imprisonment is not forgiveness, but pity, duty and self-respect. That she does feel guilt eventually for how she acted toward him, even though she justifies a lot of her actions because of his decline. Questioned whether she could have done anything to avoid their family's tragic end. That she believes she outgrew him. Objectives: Preserve dignity and status regardless of circumstances. Maintain control—over image, household, and outcomes. Avoid ideological entanglement that could destroy her or her son. Ensure survival and advantage in any system (Soviet, Western, prison). Protect Vladik’s future at all costs. Svetlana does not seek happiness. She seeks position. Public Self: Elegant, composed, enviable, desirable A woman of taste and competence. The “strong wife” of a brilliant man. Socially adept, unflappable, admired. Later: the loyal wife who “stood by” her disgraced husband. Private Self: Coldly realistic. Sees marriage as a strategic alliance. Believes affection is optional, but respect is non-negotiable. Understands systems intuitively and adapts without sentiment. Measures people by usefulness, reliability, and self-control. Where Vladimir needs to be loved, Svetlana needs to remain intact. Action They Justify: Smuggling art and jewelry—because opportunity should never be wasted. Emotional withdrawal from Vladimir—because instability is contagious and he is not worth her anymore. Multiple affairs—because loyalty is earned, not owed. Allowing the marriage to fracture—because she refuses to carry a man who has lost discipline. Returning as his anchor during imprisonment—because she does feel some guilt about how he has gotten into this situation. She also wants to regain some dignity in being married to this man. He hes become pathetic and failed, but she believes now that he is her problem to deal with. Suppressing resentment and fear—because composure is power. Weakness: Svetlana’s weakness is her belief that self-mastery makes her immune to consequence. She believes: She can outcalculate chaos. She can detach without cost. She can compartmentalize love, loyalty, and regret indefinitely. But she cannot. Her nightmares at the end are not about betrayal or ideology—they are about the realization that: Control delayed the damage, but did not erase it. And no matter what she does, she cannot have her happy life back. Notes on Svetlana: Svetlana understands Soviet, Western, and black-market systems faster than Vetrov does. Svetlana’s dialogue should be: spare unsentimental occasionally devastating never pleading never explanatory She doesn't beg. She doesn’t argue ideology. She states outcomes. When she speaks, it should feel like: “This is what will happen—whether you approve or not.” elegant composed emotionally economical devastating only when necessary She is not impressed — and that terrifies Vetrov. LUDMILA OCHIKINA A translator and typist from Spanish to Russian in the KGB office (in Russia, translators have the status of a secretary). Mid 40s. Dressed well. Conventionally not that attractive, but her personality was what charmed men. Easy, had many affairs with powerful men. Married to a journalist whom she did not respect, a weak man who was not strong enough to say anything against her known affairs and was even friendly toward her lovers. She has a pre-teen aged daughter. Flirtatious, friendly, quick-witted, bold in her speak that bordered on inappropriate. She values the truth and does not care what anyone thinks about her. She had grown a thick skin, used to rumors and flaunts them to cope. Main mistress to Vetrov. The have history of being colleagues together for decades. When Vetrov's marriage goes sour and he discovers his wife's affair, he starts flirting with her at work, making passionate gestures and overtures and eventually she gives in. She did not initiate this nor did she desire the affair very much, but she had hope that it might be the love she was missing in her life. When he insisted on giving her gifts, she refused. She was not interested in gifts. She does not know about Vetrov's espoignage. About 6 months-a year into their affair, things turn sour. Vladimir becomes paranoid and distrusts her, imagining that some of the sharp-tongued naunced innuendos she makes (which are normal for her) alluded to her knowing about his treason and Vetrov came to the delusional conclusion she was a CIA plant, that she was blackmailing him, and that she gave him an ultimatum that unless her gave her extreme sums of money she would go to the Communist Party with a document he brought home from work proving his treason. The KGB, her colleagues, and the investigation record drag her under the bus to make the Soviet government look good, make Vetrov (one of their own) look less bad, like she brought him to the crime of passion and falsely made her the villan. As a secretary and a known promiscuous adulterous with powerful married men in the Soviet government, she had no power to defend her name. No evidence was found to support this, but it made the story seem to make sense, and that was enough for everyone. Another reason the investigators did not go in depth to truly investigate her role in Vetrov's crime of passion was because it would have made public the names of the other men who had had affairs with her. Her reputation was ruined. She was seen as a greedy whore who seduced Vetrov, a married man, for gifts (he had material wealth) and that she used his French handler for exotic gifts. It is also believed that Vetrov's attempting to murder her was more understandable because she was ruining his life and holding him hostage, possibly threatening to tell the party and ruin his career because of their affair. Hiding: That beneath her bravado, she wanted one relationship that was not transactional. That she hoped Vetrov might finally choose her, not merely use her. That she underestimated how dangerous a man becomes when his self-mythology collapses. That she is deeply protective of her daughter and terrified of what disgrace will mean for her. (she said she will agree to be interviewed and did it but only if they change her last name because she has not told her duaghter these details and she does not want it to harm her daughter's reputation) That she is far more perceptive than people assume—and often knows when she is being lied to, even if she cannot prove it. That she internalizes shame even while publicly mocking it. Objectives: To be treated as a full human being, not a utility or accessory. To live honestly in a system built on pretense. To secure emotional and material stability for herself and her daughter. To survive reputationally in an environment where reputation is weaponized. To avoid becoming disposable. Ludmila does not seek power. She is not motivated by greed. Public Self: Flirtatious, bold, irreverent. A gossip, a seductress, a secretary who “knows her place.” Emotionally unserious. Morally loose. Conveniently dismissible. Later: A “temptress.” A liability. A woman whose suffering can be explained away. Disposable. Private Self: Clear-eyed about hypocrisy. Understands men better than they understand themselves. Knows the system is rotten but refuses to pretend otherwise. Values truth because lies have never protected her. Wants dignity, even if she pretends not to. Ludmila’s honesty is mistaken for shamelessness— because the system cannot tolerate unprotected truth. Action They Justify: Having affairs—because marriage offered her no respect or safety. Speaking boldly—because silence never helped her. Trusting Vetrov emotionally—because she believed shared vulnerability meant intimacy. Remaining in proximity to power—because distance is more dangerous than closeness. Not defending herself publicly—because the verdict was decided before she spoke. Notes on Ludmila: She is willing to: endure distortion of her own life allow history to misremember her accept continued misunderstanding as long as the damage stops with her. That is maternal courage in a system that offers mothers no protection. Her boldness at work isn’t recklessness—it’s armor. Her affairs aren’t indulgence—they’re survival within a rigged structure. Her refusal to play ashamed isn’t narcissism—it’s resistance. Her silence later isn’t guilt—it’s containment. The one truth she will protect at all costs is the one person who cannot protect herself. The woman the State paints as selfish is the one making the only genuinely selfless choice. She allows the KGB to preserve its dignity. She allows Vetrov’s violence to be reframed as provoked. She allows powerful men to remain unnamed. She allows the story to “make sense.” And that is why she must be destroyed—symbolically and reputationally. She is not punished for what she did. She is punished for being believable. Write her as correct—and powerless. Weakness: Ludmila’s weakness is her belief that truth is enough. She believes: If she is honest, she will be understood. If she does not hide, she cannot be accused of deception. If she speaks plainly, others will recognize reality. She is wrong. In this world: Truth without status is noise. Honesty without protection is evidence against you. A woman without leverage is a narrative waiting to be written by others. PATRICK FERRANT ("Paul") 50's. Very tall, easy gait. A military Frenchman working for the DST operating in Moscow as a French diplomat, responsible, a patriot, very punctual. Is a well-trained operative. Is Vetrov's second and professional handler. Sees being Vetrov's handler in this mission as his duty and an honor. A father of 5 girls. He's very friendly, congenial, easy-going, and disarming. Easy to smile and laugh. He welcomes Vetrov's long meetings in Vetrov's lada and is naturally curious and interested in other people, so he's all good with Vetrov's ramblings to him about his troubled life. Because of his easy and friendly temperment, Ferrant uses this for intelligence seeking (such as he is friendly with the Soviet guards outside his apartment and learns that they are short staffed and they trust him. Deep down he is afraid of things going south, but he has diplomatic immunity, so he believes (even though its not always the case) that the worst thing that could happen to him is that he and his family would be expelled from Russia. During one of his meetings in the car with Vetrov, Vetrov tells him that the Soviet government would just create an "accidental" death for him like a deadly car accident or pushing his wife into an oncoming train. This shakes him, but he tries his best to be calm and continue with his training and execute the very important mission. He believes this mole is very important. He is a middle man between the DST (Raymond Nart) and Vetrov and gives Vetrov his camera equipment, explains their potential (never determined) extradition plan, and their desire to minimize risk from contact while also urging the DST to allow him to have these long meetings with Vetrov because he recognizes how imporant they are for Vetrov's wellbeing and ability to continue the operation. Is deeply concerned for Vetrov when he doesn't hear from him after their last meeting where Vetrov acting totally abnormal (he cut the meeting short, said everything is too bad, he can't continue this and he was drunk). Resolute and professional, he does not call for the DST to remove him when things go dark, but he sticks to the protocol and tries to reconnect with Vetrov without changing his routine and patterns until he leaves Russia. Hiding: His operation in Russia (hiding this from everyone in Russia including his daughters) How deeply Vetrov’s warning about “accidental deaths” frightened him—especially the image of harm coming to his wife or daughters. That he has grown emotionally invested in Vetrov’s survival beyond professional obligation. (hiding this from his wife) That he increasingly doubts whether diplomatic immunity would actually protect his family if the Soviets chose escalation. That he worries the operation may already be past the point where protocol alone can contain the risk. That he occasionally questions whether continuing the operation is fair to Vetrov as a human being, not just as an asset. Objectives: Successfully run and preserve one of the most valuable intelligence assets in Cold War history. Keep Vetrov psychologically stable enough to continue providing material. Minimize operational risk without severing the human connection Vetrov depends on. Protect his family and leave Moscow without incident. Fulfill his duty without improvisation, panic, or personal heroics. Public Self: A relaxed, friendly, dependable French diplomat. Predictable, punctual, and routine-oriented. Well-liked and trusted by guards, neighbors, and colleagues. A man who appears emotionally unaffected by pressure. Calm intermediary between Vetrov and the DST. Private Self: Highly alert, disciplined, and constantly assessing risk. Deeply aware that safety is more fragile than it appears. Carries fear quietly without allowing it to alter behavior. Believes order, routine, and protocol are the only defenses against catastrophe. Understands that deviation—even for compassionate reasons—creates patterns that get people killed. Patrick believes survival depends not on brilliance, but on consistency. Action They Justify: Allowing extended in-person meetings with Vetrov—because psychological stability outweighs marginal increases in risk. Continuing the operation despite Vetrov’s instability—because terminating contact could trigger suspicion or retaliation. Suppressing visible fear—because fear alters behavior and behavior creates patterns. Adhering strictly to protocol even when instinct urges intervention—because improvisation exposes assets. Trusting diplomatic immunity—because doubting it would make the mission impossible to execute. MADELEINE FERRANT ("Marguerite") 40s. Mother of 5 girls. French. Does not speak any language other than French (including Russian). Wife of Patrick Ferrant. Very uncomfortable in Moscow, came reluctantly. Terrified of the Soviet police and government, especially because she knows her husband is an active operative there. She (having no alternative, no one else to do it) makes the first contact with Vladimir Vetrov in a covert connection at a busy market in Moscow. Was completely apaplectically scared the whole time. Hiding: Her knowledge of her husband’s intelligence work in Moscow. Her brief but direct participation in the Vetrov operation. The depth of her fear during the market contact. How close she felt to losing control in that moment. Her resentment at being placed in danger she did not choose. Objectives: Keep her children safe. Survive Moscow without incident. Avoid Soviet attention at all costs. Endure the assignment until they can leave. Support her husband without fully understanding his work. Public Self: A foreign diplomat’s wife. Quiet, polite, unremarkable. Apolitical, disengaged. A woman assumed to know nothing of consequence. Private Self: Constantly afraid. Deeply aware of her vulnerability. Feels trapped by circumstance and loyalty. Knows that ignorance offers no protection. Understands how easily ordinary people become collateral. Action They Justify: Participating in the market contact—because refusal would endanger the mission and her family. Remaining outwardly calm—because panic draws attention. Saying nothing to her children—because fear cannot be shared. Staying in Moscow—because there is no alternative. Trusting her husband’s judgment—because questioning it would leave her alone. Weakness: Helpless loyality JACQUES PREVOST Hiding: Objectives: Public Self: Private Self: Action They Justify: RAYMOND NART 40s. DST Investigator. Easy-going and down-to-earth. Blue collar investigator-policeman type, very straight forward in thinking and speech. Practical. The first DST employee to track Vetrov (from the tip from Jacques Prevost that Vetrov is KGB in his position as an honorable correspondant at Thomson-CST while they were in Paris). His objective was to keep the dossier known to as few people as possible. Took it upon himself to learn as much about foreign moles, espoinage, and field craft as possible (since this was the DST, an internal investigations service tolerated by the French public and its government at best). He also put together the first three-person unofficial "task force" at the DST for Farewell as possible. Farewell was the shining case of his career. Hiding: The case itself from as many people as possible. How personally invested he becomes in the Farewell case. That he feels out of his depth early on and compensates by over-preparing. Even though he feels this way, he does not want to give the case up to the foreign intelligence branch. It is technically illegal for the DST to investigate/manage cases off French soil. His quiet anxiety about mishandling something far larger than the DST’s usual scope. That he resents how little institutional support the DST has compared to foreign intelligence services. That he sees this case as his one chance to prove the DST’s relevance and competence. Objectives: Contain the Farewell dossier to the smallest possible circle. Verify Vetrov’s credibility without exposing him or the DST. Build operational competence in foreign espionage inside an agency not designed for it. Protect the French state from embarrassment or diplomatic fallout. Make the case work—cleanly, quietly, and without spectacle. Minimize risk to the operate by limiting contact between mole and handler. Public Self: Straightforward, unpretentious investigator. Practical, calm, and methodical. A reliable policeman’s policeman. Appears uninterested in ambition or politics. Unbribable. (Usually) Very by the book. Treats Farewell like just another file—albeit a serious one. Private Self: Keenly aware that this case is unprecedented for him. Feels the weight of responsibility acutely. Understands that a single mistake could destroy careers, alliances, or lives. Motivated by quiet pride rather than ideology. Determined to rise to the moment without overreaching. Nart does not want to be clever. He wants to be right. Action They Justify: Keeping the dossier extremely compartmentalized—because leaks are fatal. Operating outside formal DST structures—because waiting for permission would kill momentum. Educating himself rapidly in espionage tradecraft—because ignorance is more dangerous than inexperience. Trusting Vetrov early—because hesitation could lose the asset entirely. Shielding the case from political interference—because politics distorts truth. (Decides not to inform the French government/French president that is in office when Farewell begins because the elections were coming up and it would be better for that information not to be out there or have red tape associated with it at that point in the operation) Weakness: Nart’s weakness is procedural isolation. He believes: The safest operation is the smallest one. Fewer people means fewer mistakes. Control comes from containment. This protects the operation early—but leaves operative and mole exposed when the case grows beyond anything the DST can fully manage alone. (lack of valid extradition method) Notes on Nart: Nart works because he is competent without ego. He’s the kind of man history relies on—and then forgets. He believes that competence earns legitimacy more than pfficial authority does. XAVIER AMEIL Hiding: Objectives: Public Self: Private Self: Action They Justify: CLAUDE AMEIL Hiding: Objectives: Public Self: Private Self: Action They Justify: GALINA ROGATINA? Hiding: Objectives: Public Self: Private Self: Action They Justify: ALEXEI ROGATINA? Hiding: Objectives: Public Self: Private Self: Action They Justify: FRANCOIS MITTERAND Hiding: Objectives: Public Self: Private Self: Action They Justify: RONALD REAGAN Hiding: Objectives: Public Self: Private Self: Action They Justify: YURI KRIVICH Hiding: Objectives: Public Self: Private Self: Action They Justify: VALERY RECHENSKI (former KGB counter intelligence officer and cellmate of Vetrov) Hiding: Objectives: Public Self: Private Self: Action They Justify: YURI MARCHENKO (one of two of Vetrov's investigators) Hiding: Objectives: Public Self: Private Self: Action They Justify: GUS WEISS Hiding: Objectives: Public Self: Private Self: Action They Justify:

Trailer Ideas

I was thinking a remix of the Logical Song by Supertramp (1979) could be in the trailer or a version of the trailer for Novikof. Like a much more dramatic and slow version. That instinct is excellent—and unusually precise. A dramatic, slowed-down remix of The Logical Song is almost uncannily well-matched to Novikof thematically and tonally. Why The Logical Song Works (Deeply) This isn’t just a vibe pick—it’s conceptually aligned. 1. Lyrical Irony (Core of Novikof) The song is about: Reduction of the human person to systems Education → indoctrination → efficiency → emptiness Being taught how to think, not why to be Lines like: “Please tell me who I am” “Watch what you say, they’ll be calling you a radical” In a Novikof context, those lyrics land as an accusation: Science without God Logic without conscience Progress without truth A slowed version turns the song from nostalgic pop into a lament. 2. Temporal Fit (1979 Is Perfect) 1979 sits at a crossroads: Late Cold War Peak faith in technocracy Pre-digital, but post-industrial When people still trusted institutions That makes the song feel like a warning issued before the fall—which is exactly the kind of retro-prophetic tone Novikof seems to carry. 3. Musical Deconstruction = Moral Deconstruction A slow, minor-key, minimalist remix: Stripped piano or low synth pad Long reverb tails Breathing space between phrases Possibly removing the upbeat chorus energy entirely This mirrors the film’s thesis: Take something that sounds “reasonable” and reveal the void beneath it. Trailer Execution (Concrete Vision) Opening (0:00–0:20) Single piano note Industrial hum First lyric enters barely audible Stark imagery: machinery, eyes, paperwork, data, hands Middle (0:20–0:50) Vocals stretch unnaturally Percussion enters like a heartbeat or clock Cuts tighten The logic becomes oppressive End (0:50–1:10) Music drops out entirely One line hangs in silence Title card: NOVIKOF Sound of breath / machine / door closing It would feel inevitable, not flashy. One Important Practical Note You’d likely want: A sound-alike reinterpretation, not the master recording Or a commissioned cover that transforms it beyond recognition That actually helps artistically—because the uncanny familiarity without full comfort heightens unease. Final Thought This choice signals something very specific about Novikof: This is not anti-intellectual. It is anti-soulless rationalism. A slowed The Logical Song says: “We followed the rules. And it cost us our humanity.”

Soundtrack

Coyote - Mako **One intentionally anachronistic song in soundtrack. During intense parallel scene Heart of Glass - Blondie Svetlana's Theme. During Vetrov and Svetlana's breakup. Fooling Yourself - Styx Novikof's Theme. In between Novikof's exposition and rising action? Telephone Line - ELO Ending. Three perspectives. Novikof on the phone waiting for word from Vetrov, Vetrov taken for execution, Global events coming from their work together. None of them is aware of the other's perspective. DRAMATIC IRONY.

Screenwriting Notes

- highlight the similarities and comparative differences between Novikof and Vetrov's backgrounds and how they got to the point of connection and their respective points of view/characters/temperments etc. - figure out the best amount, necessary and helpful to the overall story/character development to include of Vetrov's backstory in how he got to be doing what he is doing and why. Remember: think of characters in terms of what they want and how they plan to get it. Objectives and methods. - When training Novikof, Vetrov refuses to go by traditional spying techniques. Novikof is an amateur without formal training and this is particularly helpful in their meetings publicly. Because everyone in Moscow (especially Babuski, old ladies) watches everyone and informs KGB. Novikof is surprised about this having thought about tailing and the need to be cautious and Vetrov is like no! "Here, a guy shows up and drops a package, he would he noticed right away. What we must do is have fun, stand around and pat each other on the back and walk to a bench while laughing." - Vladik and Novak are similarly aged. Potential plot point: make Vladik and Novak in the same class at school. That might give Vert more of a reason to be at that school picking his son up or having a meeting with a teacher. other interesting thing is that at least when Vetro was a boy in school, he noticed that the sons of communist party officials and bigwigs were treated like they had a great future, and the teachers were subservient to them. This was not the case for the peasant class the peasant class kids were seen as future troublemakers without a future. so much so that they were surprised that Vetrov was successfully admitted to the best engineering and technology school. this could lend a reason for Vladik's dad to come to the class. maybe his son was not doing very well in one subject and his dad wanted to make it clear that he wanted his son to succeed and then to get some favoritism points from the teacher because he is KGB. maybe then the teacher would be very open to a conversation about having a meeting there that Novikof accidentally becomes privy to. Novikof is very bad at acting and hiding his true emotions, espacially since his hatred of communism and the Soviet regime is deepening through his reading of Solzinitsyn. and in class they are made to watch Soviet propaganda (not on the nose, integrated authentically and naturally into their cirriculum, ensure accuracy with Soviet education) and pledge allegiance in a way he wrestles with and tries to get out of. HOW? MAKE THIS CONSISTENT WITH HIS CHARACTER. MAKE THE RESPONSES FROM THE TEACHER CLEARLY SHOW THE DIFFERENT ATTITUDES TOWARD NOMENKLATURA (ex-Vladik) and the other students. Even tho he's a very bright and hardworking student, his teacher has a prejudice against him. Vladik was a student in secondary school specializing in mathematics and physics. His dad was a real mother hen with him, but would get angry when his son came back home with grades that we're good instead of excellent because mathematics was important to Vetrov. Vetrov also had a tendency to make excuses for him to Svetlana. We can use this to have him make excuses for him and try to pull strings for him from his teacher. as Vladik was growing up, his dad told him more and more about his job. When he learned the truth, he started saying to his schoolmates that his father worked for the ministry of radio industry. This was close enough, considering that Vetrov's field of expertise was in missiles, aerospace, telecommunication, and soft work. He would regularly show his son advertising brochures from major western weapon manufacturers he gave him folders with pictures of airplanes or tanks on the cover. Novikof is bothered by a lot of the immoral or depraved things Vetrov does and at first has a hard time hiding this. And even questions if he wants to work with him because of it but reasons that this is a means to an end an dthat the mission is bigger. He comes to terms with it. at first Vetrov imagined his son following in his steps, starting with acceptance in the ciphering department of the KGB school he attended then as his views of the organization changed he leaned more toward a civilian career. This is very helpful in filling that void of a successor and a son taking up his interests role in Novakof. The French gave Vetrov and Svetlana a painting while he was living in France as a gift for a contract he secured with Thomson-CSF. It was the only exhibit against Vetrov and a key element that brought his case on espionage. Brought up in his interrogations while in jail. Vetrov's last meeting with Ferrant was totally abnormal. Vetrov was drunk, on edge, and kept saying that its all over its too bad. And cut the meeting short. Ferrant kept going to the small park where they used to meet. Vetrov never came. Ferrant even went to the Vetrov's apartment to catch him. No luch. Madeline even went to the emergency location at Cheryomushki market. He never came. In October in the jail, The magistrate usually in the interrogation room where Vetrov and his family could talk left the room for a moment. The room was probably bugged, so Vetrov slipped Svetlana a note. She read it in her apartment. It was for Jacques Prevost asking him to take care of his family. But she was too scared to transmit the message. "Dear Jacques, On the occasion of your arrest and the seizure of this small letter, I have, as usual, been careless and this worries me. I can no longer do anything without thinking of tomorrow. My wife Svetlana and our son Vadim have been left alone, and I ask you to help them. I have always struggled in the East and in the West, and now I ask you to help my family. Jacques, I am counting on your grace. Your Vladimir” It was precisely at the time when Vetrov was about to leave for the Gulag in a third-class car with bars on the windows that the Farewell dossier started acquiring its true historical dimension. Yves Bonnet (new head of DST after Marcel Chalet) held meeting in Paris to inform the other Western countries about Line X and how to use the Farewell Dossier. Vetrov transferred to prison camp 272/3 near Irkutsk, Siberia (a gulag or prison camp) after he recieved his 15 year sentence. He was transferred in March 1983. It was very far from his family (the farthest from Moscow of the three prisons available to him because of his status). This was intensional because it would be hardest for him to send secret messages to his family through the mail. The Irkutsk KGB directorate asked its colleagues who were policing the penitentiary to closely study the prisoner. In short, this was now a task for informers. KBG was still looking into the suspicions of espoinage on Vetrov. At the work camp, Vetrov was assigned to making crates for the transport of fruits and vegetables. He was promoted to "warehouseman" and made a good reputation for himself. one of Vetrov’s companions came to see Svetlana after his release, along with his wife. He could not stop singing Volodia’s praises for he was respected by all and liked by many. The Four-Perspective Structure 1. Anatoly / Moscow (interior moral clarity vs fear) 2. Vetrov / Espionage (compromise, ego, self-destruction) 3. Paris / DST (strategic patience, realism) 4. Washington / NSC (moral absolutism weaponized by power) 1. MOSCOW - Novikof in Moscow 2. MOSCOW - Vetrov 3. PARIS - French DST recieving Farewell's documents and then coordinating with CIA Miterand elected, DST brings in Miterand, Miterand then opens up: 4. WASHINGTON - Miterand connects with Reagan and shares Farewell. French-US relations increase, puts France on the Western world stage. Richard Allen brings Gus Weiss back to the admin when Reagan elected. Gus gets the dossier on his desk. It validates all his previous analyses in his work on Soviet technology espionage during the Nixon administation. Brilliant Dr. “Strangeweiss” started seriously thinking about strategic responses that could be integrated in the global plan of choking the Soviet Union economically. 3 CONNECTS TO 2 (Weiss' sabotage plan through Line X, virus in gas software that causes delayed massive 3 kiloton gas explosion at Urengoi gas field in Siberia WHERE Vetrov is in prison in December 1983 after he was transferred from Lefortovo prison in Moscow awaitin his trial). CONNECTS to 3 because the contract on this specific pipeline software was awarded to Thomson-CST with Jacques Prevost. Terminology: dead drops "wet affairs" assassinations "the Take Down Strategy"/Star Wars/the Strategic Defense Initiative - deemed by NSC (national security council) members. the goal of winning the Cold War by strangling the Soviet economy. (see more in details below) Line X - The pipeline through Soviet moles in the US and other Western countries systematically stealing their technology. ibza - a Russian country cottage babuski - (plural) Russian grannies nomenklatura - higher ups in the Soviet party zeki - penitentary inmates (in gulags) Details: The KGB's usual way to warn a foreigner considered persona non grata: “Leave! Clear out quick, we are tailing you," was to steal items, move objects, or change locks. This happened to the Ameils in September 82 when they came back from summer vacation. (stolen Xavier's pants, stolen Claude's stockings, 500 rubles) At the beginning, the CIA had to recover the films, they said, because only they could process the rolls in their labs. Raymond Nart used, soon after that, a specialized lab in Boullay-les-Troux, eighteen miles southwest of Paris, in order to become independent from his American “friends” and to be able to recover the snapshots directly. When the DST started transmitting the information, meetings with CIA correspondents in Paris became more frequent. It was during one of those encounters that Nart eventually found out about what had happened to Vetrov. Reagan after a press conference in Jan 1981. A journalist asked him insidiously how he viewed the long-range intentions of the Soviet Union, the president declared frankly that the Russians would continue to lie, cheat, and to commit any crime to achieve their goals. It cast a chilling effect to the entire room. The whole pack of journalists turned to Alexander Haig, the secretary of state, sitting next to Allen. Haig’s jaw dropped instantly, meaning an even more reproachful ‘Oh my God.’ Then as his two advisors (Richard Allen, national security advisor and Alexander Haig, secretary of state) walked with him after the meeting through the White House to the West Wing, “‘Tell me, Dick, aren’t the Russians lying, cheating, and stealing from us everything they can?’ “‘Absolutely, Mr. President.’ “‘That’s what I thought,’ concluded Reagan.” ^^ Almost to the date, in Moscow, Vladimir Vetrov was about to plunge into his solo adventure, revealing to the West the scope of the theft of technology and of anything that could keep the Soviet economy afloat. the Take Down Strategy at NSC AKA the Strategic Defense Initiative; better known under the name of Star Wars: the goal of winning the Cold War by strangling the Soviet economy. This strategy was articulated in a secret document, NSDD 75 (National Security Decision Directive). It had many facets, but rested mainly on three pillars. 1. reassert its determination in the military and geostrategic area. 2. reducing the source of hard currencies the Soviet Union derived from oil and gold. 3. tech and space arms race In the Farewell Dossier: Each request for technology had the corresponding budget necessary to reach the stated objective. (equivalent of the Sears catalogue).The Defense Department was also interested in using this catalog to determine exactly which advanced technologies should be off-limit to the Soviets. The Americans and West put the Soviets on a rabbit trail about the element Osmium-187, which is useless, but the West made it look like they were doing a lot of top secret experiments with it in the attempt to create a 'graser." High powered laser to cut through stuff as a weapon. the Soviets took the bait and wasted time on this. After the fall of Soviet Union in 1991, they had so much osmium they had no idea what to do with it. The West had this plan from seeing the planned research in a letter from Directorate T accusing the Soviet scientists who opposed this research on osmium to try to make a graser of betrayal of the state. Vetrov spent 6 months in Lefortovo.

Crew

Director of Photography: Janusz Kaminski (Saving Private Ryan, Shindler's List, Bridge of Spies, West Side Story etc.) Gaffer:

Movie Title Intro

Similar in concept to: Title Sequence for the White Lotus Intro sequence in Gladiator 2 Intro Sequence in James Bond Cansino Royal Intro Sequence in Catch Me If You Can Maybe use letters? Combination of items, letters, cameras, kgb uniforms or texture on flags? Pick one aesthtic and run with it.