A week after it hit the Venice Film Festival, the movie “Twelve” finally arrives in Russia. The controversial drama comes seven years after director Nikita Mikhalkov's last film

Nikita Mikhalkov is arguably Russia’s most famous living filmmaker and actor. He boasts several awards from European film festivals and an Oscar for his “Burnt in the Sun”.

His new film “Twelve”, a remake of Sydney Lumet’s courtroom drama, has just premiered in Moscow.

Set in Chechnya, the film explores modern Russian society through twelve different characters. They are to decide the fate of a Chechen boy accused of murder.

The lead actor is not a professional. He was cast by chance.

“I’m a dancer. I’ve been working with my company for eight years now. We had auditions, and Nikita Mikhalkov pitcked on me. He also filmed my brother,” says Abti Magamaev, an actor.

The Venice film festival was almost over when the Russian drama hit the screen two days before the closing ceremony, throwing the jury into turmoil.

“You have to understand that the award we received, simply does not exist. It was invented by the jury, which puzzled for ten hours over how to reward the film. The list of winners had already been decided by then, De Palma and Ang Li were on their way to grab Lions. We broke through unexpectedly,” says Nikita Mikhalkov, the director.

It was indeed a breakthrough. Seventy-nine interviews in two days. The Western media literally attacked the troupe.

No one expected that a seemingly Russian-only topic, life in troubled Chechnya, would be greeted with such interest abroad.

The film's popularity at home will become clear in a week, when the first box-office revenues are announced.