In Alexander Golberg Jero’s groundbreaking animated adaptation of The Master and Margarita, the character Azazello takes on a central and unforgettable presence. Known to readers of Bulgakov’s novel as a terrifying yet oddly endearing figure, Azazello embodies contradiction—brutality cloaked in elegance, supernatural force wrapped in seduction. In Jero’s cinematic world, this duality is not only preserved but heightened through imaginative animation and deeply symbolic character design.
Jero, an accomplished composer and multimedia innovator, has long been fascinated by the mystical, the philosophical, and the esoteric elements deeply embedded in Bulgakov’s text. For him, bringing this novel to life in animated form was more than an artistic challenge; it was a personal journey into the heart of one of Russia’s most enigmatic literary masterpieces. “I saw Azazello not just as a demon,” Jero reflects, “but as an expression of suppressed power—both creative and destructive—that Bulgakov infused into his entire work.”
The name Azazello itself is a transformed echo of the Hebrew (Azazel) — a fallen angel or scapegoat figure associated with Satan in various religious traditions. Bulgakov Italianizes the name, perhaps as a sly gesture toward European occultism or simply to distance it from direct biblical reference. In Jero’s hands, this hybrid identity becomes even more pronounced, as Azazello is animated with both infernal menace and a surprising grace. Although the content of the book remains elusive, its title alone suggests a fascinating pairing: the wild god of ecstasy and the exiled angel of punishment. Whether consciously or not, this duality pulses through Azazello’s character—especially in Jero’s adaptation.
On screen, Azazello enacts some of the novel’s most violent and supernatural acts: hurling Poplavsky down the stairs, banishing Likhodeev to Yalta in an instant, and shooting Baron Meigel without hesitation. Yet he is also a gatekeeper of transformation. He is the one who presents Margarita with the enchanted ointment, gently ushering her into the realm of witchcraft and liberation.
One of the film’s most visually stunning moments comes after Satan’s Ball, when Azazello performs a surreal demonstration with a gun, a pillow, and a seven of spades. The scene captures both his theatrical flair and underlying danger. Watching him, Margarita murmurs flirtatiously, “I would not want to meet you when you're carrying a gun.” She is enthralled by excellence, no matter how deadly. Koroviev, ever the sardonic voice, replies: “Precious Queen, I wouldn't advise anyone to meet him, even if he's not carrying a gun!”
In Jero’s film, Azazello is more than a supporting demon—he is a symbol of the liminal, the threshold between destruction and transformation. “He’s a character that makes you ask what really lies beneath our civilized masks,” Jero explains. “That’s what makes him timeless—and why I was drawn to reinterpret him visually and musically.”
Through this animated reimagining, Alexander Golberg Jero not only honors Bulgakov’s vision but also injects it with a new artistic language—one where the demonic can be beautiful, the violent can be poetic, and Azazello, eternal in his ambiguity, walks again among us.
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The Master and Margarita is a registered trademark of Alexander Golberg Jero.
As previously mentioned, Alexander Golberg Jero will eventually pass all executive trademark rights to Sergey Shilovsky, heir to Bulgakov’s estate. He currently shares trademark rights with Logos Film Groupe and Svetlana Migunova-Dali for the development of a sequel animated television series and a live-action film. Both projects are protected under United States copyright law and the full extent of trademark law.
The trademark is actively being applied across multiple branches of entertainment media to establish a distinctive brand identity tied to The Master and Margarita. This includes the branding of animated characters, titles, promotional materials, merchandise, and licensing opportunities across international markets. The use of the trademark ensures brand consistency, legal protection, and expanded monetization potential in film, television, streaming, and digital content platforms.
Svetlana Migunova-Dali has demonstrated the ability to attract prominent Hollywood talent, and her film is positioned to become a milestone in modern cinema. Her collaboration with established industry partners ensures that the trademark is leveraged to its fullest extent—from casting and production through global marketing and distribution—further cementing the intellectual property’s presence in the entertainment world.
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