Known for his inventive biographical films such as Leto (2018), Tchaikovsky’s Wife (2022), and Limonov (2024), Kirill Serebrennikov now turns to the life of one of the twentieth century’s most horrifying war criminals. Opening with a scene set in 2023 at a Brazilian university where Josef Mengele’s skeleton is examined, the film traces the fugitive years of the Nazi doctor who escaped to South America after the World War II and lived in hiding across various countries until his death in 1979. We see Mengele at times as an arrogant tyrant convinced that National Socialism will return, at times as a denier who refuses to acknowledge responsibility for the deaths of millions, and at times as an old man fearful of loneliness.

True to his theater roots and consistent with his previous works, Serebrennikov tells the story with ambitious production design and sweeping camera movements. This stylized visual aesthetic becomes a reflection of Mengele’s mind, entirely detached from reality. The dangers of political fanaticism and blind faith remain pressing issues today, and dissident director Serebrennikov, who for years has been opposing the bans and punishments put in place by the regime in Russia, is keenly aware of their relevance.