Already well established as an actor and on the rise as a producer by the time he burst onto the scene as the director of 2005 war effort 9th Company, Fedor Bondarchuk's rise to the top of the heap in his native Russia has been swift and complete. As an actor his resume spans more than fifty titles. As a producer over thirty, among them some of the nation's biggest hits. And as a director? Bondarchuk moved from 9th Company to the large scale spectacle of The Inhabited Island to the massive scale destruction of Stalingrad and will next return to scifi with the upcoming Attraction (Притяжение).
With his taste for high end, VFX driven spectacle Bondarchuk is in many ways Russia's answer to Michael Bay, though his background as a performer has left him with a much higher degree of concern for character and performance than Bay normally indulges. and when you combine his populist impulses with his eye for emerging talent Bondarchuk becomes a talent very much worth watching out for.
Which brings us to the aforementioned Attraction. Though not due for theatrical release in Russia until January of 2017 the first teaser has just arrived and it is typically glossy and compelling stuff. We're clearly looking at an alien contact film here though where it goes from there is anybody's guess at this point. But, hey, while he may be holding back on the information he certainly knows his way around an iconic image or two. Take a look below.