Showtime has released the first look at its upcoming four-part documentary series from director Oliver Stone, entitled The Putin Interviews.
The Oscar-winning director traveled to Russia to interview Russian President Vladimir Putin on four separate occasions over two years, and the pair reportedly discussed everything from notorious NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden to allegations that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
“It’s not a documentary as much as a question and answer session,” Stone told the Sydney Morning Herald in an interview in May. “Mr. Putin is one of the most important leaders in the world and in so far as the United States has declared him an enemy – a great enemy – I think it’s very important we hear what he has to say.”
Stone told the paper that he hopes the series can help explain Putin’s worldview to the rest of the world. He also said he believes the accusations surrounding Russia’s involvement in the election is “a path that leads nowhere.”
“That’s an internal war of politics in the US in which the Democratic party has taken a suicide pact or something to blow [Donald Trump] up; in other words, to completely de-legitimise him and in so doing blow up the US essentially,” he told the Herald. “What they’re doing is destroying the trust that exists between people and government. It’s a very dangerous position to make accusations you cannot prove.”
The trailer features footage of Stone’s meetings with Putin, including the director telling the president that Americans believe the Russian government is as “bad” as the U.S. when it comes to surveillance.
“I think you are a cunning person,” Putin replies.
The Putin Interviews airs over four consecutive nights starting June 12 on Showtime.
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