Barcelona’s Cinemes Girona hosted the premiere of Boris Skossyreff, the conman who became king, a documentary by Jorge Cebrián that delves into one of Europe’s strangest episodes. The film recounts how Boris Skossyreff, a Russian adventurer with a chequered past, declared himself King of Andorra in 1934 before swiftly being dethroned.
The screening drew notable guests, including Francesc Xavier Vila, the Generalitat’s Secretary for Language Policy, and Mònica Bonell, Andorra’s Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports. Both praised the project as a model of cross-border cultural cooperation. Vila described it as ‘a chance to strengthen ties through audiovisual storytelling’, while Bonell stressed that ‘collaboration makes us stronger’ and highlighted her government’s aim to boost both the Catalan language and Catalan-language audiovisual content.
For director Jorge Cebrián, the film marks the end of a long journey of research into the life of Skossyreff, a man whose exploits read like fiction. Skossyreff was at various points a Russian nobleman, a British spy, an aide to the Queen of the Netherlands, a Nazi collaborator, a skilled forger, a gigolo and an organiser of notorious parties across Europe. His colourful life eventually led him to a brief but infamous reign in Andorra.
Produced by Qucut Producció S.L., the Catalan-Andorran documentary will not only run in Barcelona and Andorra but also reach cinemas in Madrid, Mallorca, Igualada, the Seu d’Urgell and several French towns. It will later stream on Filmin and air on public broadcasters TV3, IB3 and RTVA. Filming took place across Andorra, France, Portugal, Germany, the Netherlands, Mallorca, Sitges and the Pyrenees. Actor Manel Piñero stars in the central role.
Having already toured international festivals, the film offers a vivid portrait of a man who embodied the turbulence of 20th century Europe. For Barcelona’s audiences, it provides both entertainment and a window into the curious history of their neighbour in the Pyrenees.
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