To Kill a Dragon

In a totalitarian city ruled by the fearsome Dragon — a tyrant who demands loyalty and crushes all dissent — people have long surrendered their will to resist. When the wandering knight Lancelot arrives, he vows to free them and slay the monster. Yet, he soon discovers that the Dragon’s true power lies not in his might, but in the fear and obedience rooted in every citizen’s heart. To defeat the Dragon, Lancelot must first awaken courage and freedom in those who have forgotten what they mean — only then can the final battle between man and his own fear truly begin.

The film is adapted from Evgeny Schwartz’s allegorical play Dragon, originally written during wartime; Zakharov transforms it into a parable about tyranny and complicity, embedding visual references to Soviet life (e.g. “Council meetings” as party sessions, children as pioneers).

Though released in 1988, To Kill a Dragon was a joint Soviet–West German production, made by Mosfilm along with Bavaria Film and ZDF, which was quite rare during the late Cold War.

It was Zakharov’s only major theatrical film for many years; he was primarily known for his stage direction and television work.

The film won two Nika Awards (a top Russian film prize): for Costume Design (Natalya Moneva) and Music (Gennady Gladkov).

Alexandra Zakharova (playing Elsa) is Mark Zakharov’s daughter, merging personal and creative lines in this production.