The film ‘The Palace’ by renowned Academy Award-winning director Roman Polanski was released in 2023. The screenplay was written by Polanski together with Polish filmmaker Jerzy Skolimowski and his co-writer, producer, and wife Ewa Piaskowska.
The story takes place in a luxurious castle designed in the early 1900s by a mysterious architect. Located in the Swiss mountains, in the middle of a snowy valley, the Palace Hotel exudes a gothic and fairytale-like atmosphere. Every year, on New Year’s Eve, wealthy and spoiled millionaire guests from all over the world gather there. On the morning of December 31, 1999, Hansueli, the devoted fifty-year-old hotel manager, inspects the staff with almost military precision as they prepare for the arrival of guests on the eve of the new millennium. Countless waiters, porters, chefs, and administrators get ready to meet the absurd demands of some of the world’s most extravagant visitors. The intertwining stories of these characters bring to life an absurd, dark, and provocative comedy.
The film’s cast includes an impressive lineup of international actors: Oliver Masucci, Fanny Ardant, John Cleese, Joaquim de Almeida, Luca Barbareschi, Milan Peschel, Bronwyn James, Fortunato Cerlino, Michel Chapatte and Mickey Rourke.
Alongside them appears well-known and highly sought-after Russian actor Alexander Petrov. His journey into the project was rather unusual. Initially, his audition tapes did not reach Polanski. However, thanks to the persistence of his agent, Ekaterina Kornilova, the casting director eventually received them. After watching the tapes, Polanski immediately approved Petrov for the role. The director later personally thanked the casting director for bringing him the actor, while she herself expressed her gratitude to Kornilova, whose long letter convinced her to request the missing audition materials.
Petrov traveled to Gstaad, an elite ski resort in the Swiss Alps, for the shoot. During breaks in filming, he took the opportunity to travel across Europe, describing the period as an extraordinary chapter of his life.
In 2022, Petrov shared his impressions of Polanski, portraying the Oscar-winning director as a remarkably simple person. Despite his age, he remained deeply involved in the filmmaking process, offering actors subtle guidance and even running to give them quiet notes during takes rather than shouting from behind the monitor. Petrov emphasized his admiration for Polanski’s old-school approach to working with actors, which left a strong impression on him.
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