Viking. To See to Believe

For eight years, a team of specialists created a whole world about which almost nothing was known. The world of Kievan Rus of the tenth century. They managed to make historical films with documentary accuracy. Icelandic sagas and the works of Oriental travelers, Byzantine books and, of course, ancient Russian chronicles were studied and researched. The oldest dated chronicle is kept in the Russian National Library in St. Petersburg. It was these texts that formed the basis of the script. Five built cities, hand—sewn costumes, forged weapons, a Viking ship — a drakkar — built according to the drawings of that time, complex computer graphics - all in order for the viewer to fully immerse himself in the atmosphere of the early Middle Ages of the Viking film.

Directed by Julia Ermolina, Viking. To See to Believe leans on a strong ensemble — Konstantin Ernst, Anatoliy Maksimov, Andrey Kravchuk — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about documentary titles of 2017.