The new book tells the true story of the man who inspired the critically acclaimed film Firebird. A kickstarter campaign has been announced to release a never-before-seen English language edition.

The creative team behind Firebird, 2022’s hit Indie LGBTQIA+ romance drama, announced the Kickstarter campaign to release the English translation of Firebird: The Story of Roman, the memoir by Sergey Fetisov that inspired the film.

Almost as if ripped from today’s news, Sergey Fetisov’s telling of his experience as a conscript on a Soviet Airforce base during late 1970’s Communist rule tells a tale of queer romance, the terror of authoritarian rule, and the constant threat that LGBTQIA+ citizens lived under at the time.

“This sweeping yet intimate story, so rich and romantic, needs now more than ever to be widely known” – Stephen Fry

Initially written by Fetisov under a pseudonym and published in Russian, the memoir inspired the Indie film hit Firebird, currently in distribution globally but banned in Russia. Fans worldwide have clambered for a copy of the book in English. The film director/co-writer, Peeter Rebane, and lead/co-writer, Tom Prior, have picked up that charge and just started a Kickstarter campaign to fund an English version of the book.

“Six years ago, we promised Sergey Fetisov that we would do everything in our power to share his story and book, THE STORY OF ROMAN,” states Rebane. “Since then, we created FIREBIRD, the feature film inspired by the memoir, and have had the opportunity to share his love with millions of people. Now, we are fulfilling the second half of our promise and working on publishing Sergey’s memoir to cement his legacy in his own words. So, have launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the publication, marketing, and distribution of his book in English worldwide.”

Rebane was first approached at the Berlin Film Festival in 2011 and was so moved by the story he decided to turn it into his first feature film which has played in festivals and cinemas globally, now available worldwide on most VOD platforms. “I read the story of Roman alone over the weekend at home, cried and decided I needed to turn this into a film. What appeals to me the most about this book is the simple, human love story,” Rebane states.

The power of the film has found strong support from celebrity activists like broadcaster and writer Stephen Fry. He says, “This sweeping yet intimate story, so rich and romantic, needs now more than ever to be widely known. It has been made into a beautiful film and stands as a powerful testament to love, courage and honour.”

Tom Prior adds, “The story was so important for me when I first came across it because there was something so electric in the connection between Sergey and Roman. And, I was astounded by how determined people act out of love. Sergey did not allow anything to stop him, overcoming the most extraordinary circumstances to follow his heart into real danger.”

Rebane continues, “It was humbling to meet the real Sergey and to see that through all his suffering and pain, he had retained his compassion and love for other people. We believe it is important to help uplift LGBTQIA+ voices and stories to ensure they are heard worldwide. Sharing first-hand accounts like Sergey’s is one of the most powerful ways to support our community and incite positive change. This change and empowerment have become more vital than ever in a society that seems to be set on pushing back against LGBTQIA+ individuals with anti-queer policies.