Viktor Lakisov

Viktor Lakisov, born smack in the middle of the ‘70s in Tselinograd (yeah, that’s Astana now, but back then it was deep in the Kazakh SSR), has carved himself a pretty wild path in the movie biz. He’s not some Hollywood regular, but you’ll see his name pop up if you dig into quirky animation or genre-bending flicks. The dude’s got his fingerprints all over “Quackerz,” this animated romp from 2016 where ducks get tangled up in ancient legends, zappy martial arts, and a dash of slapstick. It’s weird, it’s colorful, and you can tell Lakisov was having a blast behind the scenes. But that’s not all—he’s also credited in “Nochnoy dozor” (Night Watch), which, if you’re into Russian cinema at all, you know is kind of a big deal. That’s the one where Moscow goes full supernatural chaos, with shape-shifters, witches, and enough moody atmosphere to drown in. Lakisov wasn’t the main guy there, more like the right-hand man, but his influence still comes through. And let’s not forget “Blood Hockey”—just from the title you can tell it doesn’t pull punches. He’s got a thing for stories that don’t quite fit in a box, mixing action, fantasy, and a streak of dark humor. Not the type to chase the spotlight, but his work? Definitely worth a double take.