Well, this is a strange one. Kevin Spacey was in Venice this weekend, showing off a new film. It’s a science fiction project, and it’s got a backstory that’s, frankly, more convoluted than the plot probably is.
The movie is called “Holigaurds Saga—The Portal of Force.” Spacey directed it. But the writer, and a star, is a man named Vladimir “Lado” Okhotnikov. And that’s where things get complicated.
A Complicated Backer
Okhotnikov is a co-founder of a decentralized finance app called Forsage. Back in 2022, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission sued him and his partners. The accusation? Running a crypto scheme that allegedly defrauded investors out of more than $300 million.
Then, the Department of Justice got involved. The following year, they brought criminal charges. They called it a “global Ponzi and pyramid scheme.” Federal prosecutors even said it was the first criminal case of its kind involving a so-called DeFi Ponzi.
The DOJ’s claim is that the operation used smart contracts to automatically funnel money from new investors to earlier ones. They allege a vast majority of people—over 80%—lost their money. Okhotnikov, for his part, has always denied it. In a YouTube video, he argued that “real scams can never win people’s hearts.” His criminal case is still pending. He lives in Dubai, out of reach of U.S. authorities for now.
The Venice Premiere
None of that seemed to dampen the festivities in Venice. The trailer premiere was an elaborate event. There was a speech from Spacey, an opera singer, and a troupe of two dozen Georgian dancers in costume. It was a full-blown gala.
The film itself is planned as the first part of a trilogy. It’s about a war between two ancient supernatural species. The cast includes some familiar faces: Dolph Lundgren, Tyrese Gibson, and Eric Roberts. And Spacey, of course.
This is his first time directing a film since 2004. It’s part of his attempt to return to filmmaking after those sexual misconduct allegations derailed his career. He was acquitted on sexual assault charges in London in 2023.
More Than Just a Movie
According to an interview Okhotnikov gave, the film isn’t just entertainment. He says he wrote it to reflect his libertarian worldview. It’s apparently an examination of the struggle between conformity and freedom. A pretty heavy theme for a sci-fi epic.
Meanwhile, Okhotnikov is also working on a new venture. It’s a metaverse wellness startup called Holiverse. The idea is to virtually simulate users’ bodies by mixing biohacking, genetics, and self-development. The goal, he suggests, is to potentially extend human lifespans. It’s a big idea. Perhaps too big.
So, a film directed by a controversial star, written by a man accused of running a massive scheme. It’s a comeback story, but one with a lot of unanswered questions hanging over it. You have to wonder how audiences will react, if they get a chance to see it at all.
