FRANCE: Legendary Russian hockey star and one of the organisers of the Sochi Winter Olympics takes centre stage in Cannes film

Record ID: 184457

  • Title: FRANCE: Legendary Russian hockey star and one of the organisers of the Sochi Winter Olympics takes centre stage in Cannes film
  • Date: 22nd May 2014
  • Summary: CANNES, FRANCE (MAY 17, 2014) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER RUSSIAN HOCKEY STAR AND MEMBER OF THE FEDERAL ASSEMBLY OF RUSSIA, VIACHESLAV 'SLAVA' FETISOV, SAYING: "Of course, when I stood up for my rights in the Soviet Union against communist system - the most powerful anti-human system - it was a very big challenge for me and to be a hero one day and then be an enemy for the system the next day it's very challenging but I beat the system and they let me go and I opened the gates not only for the hockey players but the rest of the Soviet people. I mean, it's.... you can feel you do something important to pay back for the love of the people and the fans who admire you."
  • Embargoed: 6th June 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: France
  • Country: France
  • Reuters ID: LVA39C4NR8RLG1H3SS9ODBBII3FA
  • Story Text: Viacheslav Alexandrovich "Slava" Fetisov, who was instrumental in bringing the XXII Olympic Winter Games to Sochi and is best known as an ice hockey player, arrived in Cannes for a documentary about his life.

    "Red Army" shows how Fetisov, who lived in poor conditions, aspired to be a player in the national hockey team known as the 'Red Army' at a very young age and eventually rose to prominence as one of the best in the world.
    The hockey team were the pride of Russia and Fetisov soon found himself a national hero before being branded a traitor when the Soviet Union dissolved after he fought authorities to go and play in the US.
    The film shows Fetisov as he struggles through the different states of the Soviet Union and Russia before finally being accepted again as a inspirational Russian.
    It also tackles how the Soviet Union and Russia is treated on the international stage.
    Speaking in Cannes, Fetisov told Reuters TV "I'm going to tell you, it's.... when I play for the Soviet national team you feel the world against you. You try to understand why. Russia has never been aggressive, never attack anybody and always defend ourselves. I remember Napoleon, World War One, World War Two, we always defend ourselves."
    After retiring from playing hockey, Fetisov became the Minister of Sport in Russia from 2002 and 2008 and now acts a member of the upper house of the Federal Assembly of Russia.
    Speaking about what his biggest challenge was, Fetisov replied "Of course, when I stood up for my rights in the Soviet Union against communist system - the most powerful anti-human system - it was a very big challenge for me and to be a hero one day and then be an enemy for the system the next day it's very challenging but I beat the system and they let me go and I opened the gates not only for the hockey players but the rest of the Soviet people. I mean, it's.... you can feel you do something important to pay back for the love of the people and the fans who admire you."
    Slava hopes that the film will change people's opinions on Russians.
    "You cannot leave stereotypes sitting in people's mind from Stalin time or Lenin time or Ivan the Terrible and stuff like that. Maybe this movie can show different Russians," he said.
    The film, directed by Gabe Polsky, is part of the Special Screenings section of the Cannes film festival.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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