"Red Army" Hockey Film Debuts At Cannes

Getty Images Viacheslav Fetisov has two Stanley Cup, two Olympic gold medals, the Order of Lenin, and an asteroid under his belt, and now he can add a movie

Getty Images

Viacheslav Fetisov has two Stanley Cup, two Olympic gold medals, the Order of Lenin, and an asteroid under his belt, and now he can add a movie in the estimable Cannes Film Festival to his long list of accomplishments. Red Army is a documentary about the sociopolitical changes underwent by the Soviet Union as it turned back into Russia filtered through the adventures of the national hockey team. The film premiered out of competition at Cannes this week, out of competition.

The film's director, Gary Polsky, said of the film's inspiration:

“You, know I preferred [the Russians' unique] style of play and I think it really evolved sport and hockey to another level,” said the director in an interview here last week. “That really piqued my interest about the Soviet Union and my roots, through hockey, and I wanted to explore why, how they got so good and what was going on over there.”

Fetisov was one of the most important figures in ending the restrictions prohibiting Soviet players from playing in the NHL, and the film focuses largely on his transition from the USSR to American soil. The transition wasn't easy for the Russian player, who spoke no English. He was viewed as a traitor in Russia and unwelcome in American locker rooms, but he ultimately bloomed into a captain who would lead the Detroit Red Wings to two Stanley Cups.

You can watch a trailer for the film here:

[SportsNet]

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