Documentary About Putin’s Foe Stolen in Berlin

German director Cyril Tuschi says whoever broke into his office and stole the film has done an excellent job scaring him

Talk about piracy.

Only days before its scheduled premiere at the Berlin Film Festival, the final cut of Cyril Tuschi's documentary "Khodorkovsky" — about a jailed Russian oligarch and harsh critic of President Vladimir Putin — was stolen from the director's office in Berlin, The Guardian reported Monday.

But not to worry: unless there's another break-in, the film will premiere as planned. Tuschi already sent a copy to the film festival's office.

The newspaper reports, entirely seriously, that "there is suspicion that the theft is politically motivated."

The director, who was born in Germany to Russian parents, told the newspaper that "Someone is trying to scare me and I must admit that they are succeeding."

Putin, meanwhile, apparently is a film lover. He has plans to double the number of movie theaters in Russia.

"Khodorkavsky" likely won't be shown at any of them.

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