Lado Okhotnikov
Lado Okhotnikov | |
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| Born | March 27, 1978 Kokchetav, Kazakh SSR |
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| Organization | Lado Film |
| Website | ladookhotnikov |
Lado Okhotnikov is a film director, producer and investor. He is the founder of the film production company Lado Film.
His creative work spans film, acting, comics and digital storytelling.
Okhotnikov co-wrote the screenplay and played one of the leading roles in Holiguards Saga — The Portal of Force, an action film directed by Kevin Spacey. He also contributed to the development of the concept and screenplay for the animated project The Call of Lumara, in which he also performed as an actor.
Early life and education
Lado Okhotnikov was born on 27 March 1978 in Kokchetav, Kazakh SSR. He spent his childhood in Tatarstan, where he began practising Greco-Roman wrestling at school age under the guidance of his father, a decorated athlete. He won several regional championships.
He later moved to Moscow with his family and enrolled in the directing department of the Institute for Advanced Training of Cinematography Workers at the S. A. Gerasimov All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK). He specialised in film and media production directing.
While a student, he staged theatrical productions and explored business opportunities. In 2003, he completed a course at the International Tea School, where he studied the preparation and tasting of tea and mate, as well as their cultivation, production and trade.
Career beginnings
Okhotnikov began his professional career in the film industry, making his screen debut in 1996 in the film The Scientific Section of the Pilot. While studying, he directed several short films for television. From 1999 to 2004, he worked as an assistant director on several film projects associated with the St. Anna Student Film Festival.
From 2001 to 2010, Okhotnikov worked as a regional director for the international biotechnology company Tiens Group. He later worked as a partner and regional representative on international distribution and health-related projects for 4Life, Talk Fusion, Vie Science and Galaxy Mate.
Lado Okhotnikov and creative projects
Okhotnikov became involved in filmmaking in the mid-1990s. During this period, he developed an interest in film directing and production, which later became an ongoing part of his professional activities.
He made his screen debut in 1996 in The Scientific Section of the Pilot. While studying film directing at VGIK, he directed several short films for television. From 1999 to 2004, he worked as an assistant director on student and independent film projects associated with the St. Anna Student Film Festival, including:
- Milaia moia (1999)
- The Hare in Ground Transport (2000)
- Professor Trubochkin (2000)
- Degradar (2000)
- Short Tragedies about Love (2004)
Okhotnikov co-wrote the screenplay and played one of the leading roles in Holiguards Saga — The Portal of Force, a supernatural action film directed by Kevin Spacey. The film features an international cast and combines elements of fantasy, action and mythology. Okhotnikov is credited as a co-writer and as a member of the leading cast.
In 2023, he co-wrote the screenplay for the Holiguards Saga trilogy with Sergey Torchilin and participated in the project as an actor in 2023–2024. A private presentation of the project took place in Berlin. The production attracted international attention for its cast and crew.
In 2024, Okhotnikov founded Lado Film in the United Arab Emirates. The company produces feature films, television series, comics and other forms of entertainment content and digital storytelling. Production of the animated film The Call of Lumara began under the Lado Film banner that year. An official teaser for The Call of Lumara was released in spring 2026. The project has been described as the first animated spin-off set in the Holiguards universe. Its stated target markets are divided into three tiers: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia as its primary commercial markets; Europe, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia as markets for international expansion; and major markets in Asia and Latin America, including India, Japan, Mexico and Brazil, as part of its intended global audience.