{{Short description|Biographical film}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}} {{Infobox film | name = Words of War | image = Words of War Poster.jpg | caption = Theatrical release poster | director = [[James Strong (director)|James Strong]] | producer = {{Plainlist| * Miriam Segal * [[Mark Maxey]] * [[Sean Penn]] * Kia Jam }} | screenplay = Eric Poppen | starring = {{Plainlist| * [[Maxine Peake]] * [[Jason Isaacs]] * [[Ciarán Hinds]] * [[Ellie Bamber]] * [[Harry Lawtey]] * [[Naomi Battrick]] }} | music = Snorri Hallgrímsson | cinematography = Mike Eley | editing = David Charap | studio = {{Plainlist| * Rolling Pictures * Good Film Collective * K Jam Media }} | distributor = {{Plainlist| * [[Decal (company)|Decal]] (United States) * [[Signature Entertainment]] (United Kingdom)<ref name="BBFC">{{Cite web |last= |date=2025-05-01 |title=''Words of War'' (15) |url=https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/words-of-war-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdi5nzgy |access-date=2025-05-02 |website=[[British Board of Film Classification]] |language=en}}</ref> }} | released = {{Film date|2025|5|2|United States|2025|6|27|United Kingdom}} | runtime = 117 minutes<ref name="BBFC" /> | country = {{Plainlist| * United States * United Kingdom }} | language = English | budget = }}
'''''Words of War''''' is a 2025 [[biographical film|biographical]] [[drama film]] about the late Russian journalist [[Anna Politkovskaya]]. Directed by [[James Strong (director)|James Strong]], [[Maxine Peake]] as Politkovskaya, [[Jason Isaacs]] as her husband [[Alexander Politkovsky]], and [[Ciarán Hinds]] as her [[Nobel Peace Prize]]–winning editor at the ''[[Novaya Gazeta]]'', [[Dmitry Muratov]].
==Synopsis== Anna Politkovskaya was a journalist and human rights activist who persisted with reporting on the conflict in [[Second Chechen War|Chechnya]] despite considerable danger to herself and tried to expose corruption within Russia under the governance of [[Vladimir Putin]]. She continued in the face of poisoning, intimidation and violence before [[Assassination of Anna Politkovskaya|being the victim of a contract killing]] in the elevator of her house on October 7, 2006.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/05/maxine-peake-to-play-fearless-russian-journalist-ciaran-hinds-co-stars-with-jason-isaacs-1235022625|title=Maxine Peake To Play Fearless Russian Journalist & Putin Scourge Anna Politkovskaya In Timely Cannes Package 'Mother Russia'; Ciaran Hinds Co-Stars With Jason Isaacs|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=May 13, 2022|access-date=January 5, 2023|archive-date=December 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221215024541/https://deadline.com/2022/05/maxine-peake-to-play-fearless-russian-journalist-ciaran-hinds-co-stars-with-jason-isaacs-1235022625/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Cast== * [[Maxine Peake]] as [[Anna Politkovskaya]] * [[Ciarán Hinds]] as [[Dmitry Muratov]] * [[Jason Isaacs]] as [[Alexander Politkovsky]] * [[Naomi Battrick]] as Vera Politkovskaya * [[Harry Lawtey]] as Ilya Politkovsky * [[Ellie Bamber]] as [[Elena Milashina]] * [[Fady Elsayed]] as Anzor
==Production== The project was announced as ''Mother Russia'' at the [[2022 Cannes Film Festival]] with [[Maxine Peake]], [[Jason Isaacs]], and [[Ciarán Hinds]] attached to the main roles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.filmstories.co.uk/news/maxine-peake-jason-isaacs-set-for-mother-russia-movie|title=Maxine Peak, Jason Isaacs set for Mother Russia movie|website=Filmstories.co.uk|date=May 16, 2022|access-date=January 5, 2023|archive-date=October 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221008002641/https://www.filmstories.co.uk/news/maxine-peake-jason-isaacs-set-for-mother-russia-movie/|url-status=live}}</ref> The film had [[James Strong (director)|James Strong]] attached as director, working from a screenplay by Eric Poppen, with filming scheduled for UK and Latvia in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.afisha.london/en/2022/05/13/a-film-about-anna-politkovskaya-will-be-filmed-in-the-uk|title=A film about Anna Politkovskaya will be filmed in the UK|website=afisha.london|date=May 13, 2022}}</ref>
In December 2022, it was announced by [[Deadline Hollywood]] that Good Films Collective had teamed with Burbank-based Rolling Pictures on the production. Producers were listed as Miriam Segal and Mark Maxey. Principal photography was revealed to have commenced in Latvia, with filming scheduled to last into February 2023.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/12/maxine-peake-russian-journalist-putin-anna-politkovskaya-first-look-image-1235185864/|title='Anna': First Look At Maxine Peake As Russian Journalist Anna Politkovskaya, Film Bridge Takes Over Sales Duties|website=Deadline|date=December 1, 2022|last=Wiseman|first=Andreas|access-date=March 13, 2023|archive-date=March 25, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325025839/https://deadline.com/2022/12/maxine-peake-russian-journalist-putin-anna-politkovskaya-first-look-image-1235185864/|url-status=live}}</ref>
In 2024, [[Sean Penn]] joined the project as an executive producer.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/09/anna-politkovskaya-movie-words-of-war-maxine-peake-gets-us-deal-1236087080/|title=Anna Politkovskaya Movie ''Words of War'' Starring Maxine Peake, Ciaran Hinds & Jason Isaacs, Gets U.S. Deal Out Of TIFF Market; Sean Penn Aboard As Exec Producer|website=Deadline|date=September 13, 2024|last=Wiseman|first=Andreas|access-date=January 8, 2025|archive-date=January 8, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250108054411/https://deadline.com/2024/09/anna-politkovskaya-movie-words-of-war-maxine-peake-gets-us-deal-1236087080/|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Casting === In September 2022, [[Emma D'Arcy]], [[Harry Lawtey]] and [[Ellie Bamber]] were added to the cast.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/09/house-dragon-emma-darcy-industry-willow-ellie-bamber-anna-movie-1235115537/|title='House Of The Dragon' Star Emma D'Arcy, 'Industry' Actor Harry Lawtey & 'Willow' Star Ellie Bamber Join Movie 'Anna' About Murdered Russian Journalist & Putin Scourge Anna Politkovskaya|website=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=September 12, 2022|access-date=January 5, 2023|archive-date=November 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221124141632/https://deadline.com/2022/09/house-dragon-emma-darcy-industry-willow-ellie-bamber-anna-movie-1235115537/|url-status=live}}</ref> Lawtey confirmed his role as Anna Politkovskaya's son and discussed the film within a geo-political context saying "The film has been planned for years and obviously now it has unfortunately become too relevant...being part of a project that feels current and meaningful is a privilege."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zonadeprensard.com/harry-lawtey-esta-sopesando-el-precio-del-exito/|title=Harry Lawtey is weighing the price of success|website=zonadeprensard.com}}</ref> D'Arcy was replaced by [[Naomi Battrick]] due to scheduling issues.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/11/house-of-the-dragon-emma-darcy-naomi-battrick-anna-maxine-peake-jason-isaacs-1235180788/|title=House Of The Dragon' Star Emma D'Arcy Drops Out Of Anna Politkovskaya Biopic 'Anna', Replaced By Naomi Battrick|website=Deadline|date=November 23, 2022|access-date=January 5, 2023|archive-date=December 29, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221229161344/https://deadline.com/2022/11/house-of-the-dragon-emma-darcy-naomi-battrick-anna-maxine-peake-jason-isaacs-1235180788/|url-status=live}}</ref>
=== Controversy === In February 2023, the family of Anna Politkovskaya released a joint statement expressing concern about the factual accuracy of the script they had been given at the start of production, that they had not contributed in any way, nor had they granted permission for their names to be used in the film.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/03/anna-politkovskaya-anna-grossly-inaccurate-1235281496|website=Deadline|title=Family Of Russian Journalist Anna Politkovskaya Claim Upcoming Biopic Is "Grossly Inaccurate"|date=March 7, 2023|first=Zac|last=Ntim|access-date=March 8, 2023|archive-date=March 8, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230308014732/https://deadline.com/2023/03/anna-politkovskaya-anna-grossly-inaccurate-1235281496/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
==Release== In May 2024, it was reported that sales agent Concourse Media presented the film to buyers in Cannes under the title of ''Words of War.'' <ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/05/words-of-war-maxine-peake-ciaran-hinds-jason-isaacs-concourse-media-cannes-market-1235905394/ |title= 'Words of War:' Maxine Peake, Ciarán Hinds & Jason Isaacs Political Thriller Heading To Cannes Market With Concourse Media, First Look Images Revealed |first= Zac |last=Ntim|date=May 6, 2024|accessdate=May 6, 2024}}</ref>
Following the Toronto International Film Festival market in September 2024, it was announced that domestic distribution rights for the ''Words of War'' film were acquired by Decal Releasing and a theatrical release scheduled for 2025.<ref name=":0" />
Variety reported that ''Words of War'' was released in U.S. theaters starting on May 2, 2025.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2025/film/news/words-of-war-may-release-date-sean-penn-executive-produced-1236311689/ |title=Sean Penn Executive Produced Thriller 'Words of War' Gets May Release Date |first=Jazz |last=Tangcay|date=February 18, 2025|accessdate=February 22, 2025}}</ref> The film was released in UK and Ireland cinemas on June 27, 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dalton |first=Ben |title=UK-Ireland film cinema release dates: latest updates for 2025 |url=https://www.screendaily.com/news/uk-ireland-film-cinema-release-dates-latest-updates-for-2025/5200243.article |access-date=2025-06-26 |website=[[Screen Daily]] |language=en}}</ref>
== Reception == {{Rotten Tomatoes prose|75| |24|ref=yes|access-date=August 6, 2025}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=''Words of War'' |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/words_of_war |access-date=May 13, 2025 |website=Rotten Tomatoes}}</ref> {{Metacritic film prose|63|7|ref=yes|access-date=August 6, 2025}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Words of War Reviews |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/words-of-war/ |access-date=May 13, 2025 |website=Metacritic}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{IMDb title|8679660}}
[[Category:2025 American films]] [[Category:2025 British films]] [[Category:2025 English-language films]] [[Category:2025 biographical drama films]] [[Category:American biographical drama films]] [[Category:British biographical drama films]] [[Category:Films about journalists]] [[Category:Films set in Russia]] [[Category:Films about murder]] [[Category:Films about assassinations]] [[Category:English-language biographical drama films]] [[Category:Films directed by James Strong (director)]]