Sony’s Columbia Pictures will release Fedor Bondarchuk’s “Stalingrad” in the United States for a one-week exclusive engagement in Imax 3D theaters nationwide on Feb. 28.
The World War II drama has recently become the highest-grossing Russian movie of all time, earning $66.1 million in its six-week run.
“Stalingrad,” which is Russia’s official entry for Best Foreign Language Film to the Academy Awards, is the first Russian movie made completely in 3D and the first Russian film to be released in the Imax format.
“‘Stalingrad’ is not only an incredibly well-told story, it is visually spectacular with an amazing use of 3D, and is perfect for the IMAX format,” said Sony distribution chief Rory Bruer. The studio plans a wider release subesequently.
“Stalingrad” looks at the battle that helped turn the tide of World War II. A band of determined Russian soldiers fight to hold a strategic building in their devastated city against a ruthless German army, and in the process become deeply connected a Russian woman who has been living there.
It is directed by Bondarchuk (“The 9th Company”), with a screenplay by Ilya Tilkin and Sergey Snezhkin. The film stars Thomas Kretschmann (“King Kong,” “The Pianist”), Petr Fedorov, Sergey Bondarchuk, Mariya Smolnikova and Yanina Studilina.
“We are proud and pleased to be collaborating with Imax and Sony and very excited to be bringing it to American audiences,” said Alexander Rodnyansky, one of the film’s producers.