My favourite Russian directors (contemporaries)
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Director and screenwriter Andrey Zvyagintsev is the winner of the Venice Film Festival (2003) and the Cannes Film Festival (2011, 2014, 2017). Two-time the Academy Awards and the BAFTA Awards nominee. Winner or the Golden Globe Awards (2015) for his film "Leviathan". In 2018, his latest work "Loveless" was awarded Best Foreign Film by the César Academy, France.
Born on the 6th of February in 1964 in Novosibirsk, Andrey Zvyagintsev attended the Novosibirsk Theatrical School, class of Lev Belov, before pursuing his studies in Moscow. In 1990, he graduated from the acting faculty of the Russian Institute of Theater Arts (GITIS), class of Evgeny Lazarev. In the following years Andrey gave several theatre, film and TV appearances as an actor.
In 2000, he debuted as a director. He made three short films for REN TV Channel's "The Black Room" series - "Bushido", "Obscure", "The Choice" - that was followed by his first full-length feature.
In 2003, "The Return", a debut not only for the director but also for the majority of the crew, played the main competition at the 60th Venice Film Festival and won its highest prize, the Golden Lion. Besides, Zvyagintsev was awarded the Lion of the Future for best debut, "a very delicate film about love, loss and growing". It captured the attention all over the world becoming one of the cinema sensations of the year.
His second film, "The Banishment", competed for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2007 and won Best Actor (Konstantin Lavronenko) - the first-ever for a Russian artist.
In 2011, Zvyagintsev's third film, "Elena", premiered at the 64th Cannes Film Festival and won the Special Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section.
His fourth film, "Leviathan", screened in competition at the Cannes Film Festival in 2014 and won Best Screenplay (Andrey Zvyagintsev and Oleg Negin). In 2015, the film won the Golden Globe becoming the first Russian feature to win this award since 1969. The film got an Oscar nomination in the same category at the 87th Academy Awards.
Zvyagintsev's next film, "Loveless", won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017 and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards in 2018. "Loveless" was released in all major territories earning nominations for all acclaimed cinema awards worldwide including The Golden Globe Awards and BAFTA. It was awarded Best Foreign Film at France's César Awards, for the first time in history of both Soviet and Russian cinema.
In 2018, Andrey Zvyagintsev served on the Cannes Film Festival jury.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Aleksey Balabanov was born on 25 February 1959 in Sverdlovsk, Sverdlovskaya oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Ekaterinburg, Russia]. He was a director and writer, known for Brother (1997), Cargo 200 (2007) and Of Freaks and Men (1998). He was married to Irina ? and Nadezhda Vasileva. He died on 18 May 2013 in Solnechnoye, Leningradskaya oblast, Russia.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Nikita Mikhalkov is the son of the famous communist poet Sergey Mikhalkov, who wrote the lyrics of the Soviet national anthem and had strong connections to the Communist Party. Nikita Mikhalkov's mother, Natalya Petrovna Konchalovskaya, was also a poet and daughter of famous painter Pyotr Petrovich Konchalovsky and his wife Olga Vasilievna Surikova, and by her the great granddaughter of another great painter Vasily Surikov. And then last, but not least, Nikita Mikhalkov is the brother of Andrey Konchalovskiy, also a distinguished film director who, unlike Nikita, has worked in the USA.
Not only did Mikhalkov direct the Academy Award-winning film "Burnt by the Sun" but he is also well-known as a versatile actor, having appeared in over 40 films, including the role of the Russian Tsar Alexander III in his own "The Barber of Siberia" (1998).
Mikhalkov has an impressively long list of wins at the most prestigious film festivals, like Cannes, Venice, Moscow or Karlovy Vary.
Following his movie's Oscar win for Best Foreign Language Film, Nikita Mikhalkov won a parliamentary seat in the then Prime Minister Victor Chernomyrdin's party.
He is always in the spotlight, especially in Moscow, where he resides.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Alexei Popogrebsky was born on 7 August 1972 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He is a director and writer, known for How I Ended This Summer (2010), Koktebel (2003) and Prostye veshchi (2007).- Actress
- Writer
- Director
Renata Litvinova was born on 12 January 1967 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. She is an actress and writer, known for Poslednyaya skazka Rity (2012), Boginya: kak ya polyubila (2004) and Peterburg. Tolko po lyubvi (2016). She was previously married to Leonid Dobrovskiy and Aleksandr Antipov.- Director
- Editor
- Cinematographer
Sergey Loban was born on 3 September 1972 in Moscow, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He is a director and editor, known for Shapito-shou: Lyubov i druzhba (2011), Pyl (2005) and Shapito-shou: Uvazhenie i sotrudnichestvo (2011).- Director
- Actress
- Writer
Lyubov Arkus was born on 20 September 1960 in Lvov, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Lviv, Ukraine]. She is a director and actress, known for Anton's Right Here (2012), What Beat You Nothing (2021) and Balabanov. Kolokolnya. Rekviyem (2022).- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Boris Khlebnikov was born on 28 August 1972 in Moscow, Russian SFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He is a producer and director, known for Koktebel (2003), Svobodnoe plavanie (2006) and Arrhythmia (2017).- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Anna Melikian (born February 8, 1976) is an Armenian-Russian film and TV director/ producer whose work has been recognized with several awards. After her participation at Sundance Film Festival she was listed in the TOP 10 of most perspective film directors by Variety magazine.
Melikian studied at the All-Russian State University of Cinematography film school in Moscow (classes of prof. Sergey Solovyov and Valery Rubinchik), where she was awarded by the university prize of "Saint Anna" for Poste restante (2000). After the graduation she was granted by GosKino Russian organization, made various documental and TV films. In 2008 Melikian's Rusalka (2007) was awarded by the Berlin International Film Festival Prize.- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Aleksey Fedorchenko was born on 29 September 1966 in Sol-Iletsk, Sol-Iletskiy rayon, Orenburgskaya oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He is a director and producer, known for Angels of Revolution (2014), The Last Darling Bulgaria (2021) and First on the Moon (2005).- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Kirill Serebrennikov was born on 7 September 1969 in Rostov-na-Donu, Rostovskaya oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He is a director and writer, known for Leto (2018), The Student (2016) and Izobrazhaya zhertvu (2006).- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Nikolay Khomeriki was born on 17 April 1975 in Moscow, Russian SFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He is a director and writer, known for 977 (2006), Heart's boomerang (2011) and Freeze Dance (2021).- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Sergei Bodrov was born on 28 June 1948 in Khabarovsk, Khabarovskiy kray, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He is a writer and director, known for Mongol: The Rise of Genghis Khan (2007), Prisoner of the Mountains (1996) and The Amateurs (1985).- Producer
- Writer
- Director
Valeriy Todorovskiy was born on 9 May 1962 in Odessa, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. He is a producer and writer, known for Hipsters (2008), Ottepel (2013) and Country of the Deaf (1998). He was previously married to Evgenia Brik and Natalya Tokareva.- Director
- Writer
- Set Decorator
Aleksandr Rogozhkin was born on 3 October 1949 in Leningrad, RSFSR, USSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia]. He was a director and writer, known for Blokpost (1999), The Cuckoo (2002) and Peculiarities of the National Hunt (1995). He was married to Yuliya Rumyantseva. He died on 23 October 2021 in St. Petersburg, Russia.- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Andrey Kravchuk was born on 13 April 1962 in Leningrad, RSFSR, USSR [now St. Petersburg, Russia]. He is a director and writer, known for The Italian (2005), Admiral (2008) and Union of Salvation (2019).- Director
- Writer
Pavel Chukhray is a Russian screenwriter and film director. He graduated from VGIK (All-Union State Institute of Cinematography): in 1971 -- from the cameraman's department, in 1974 -- from the director's department. He began his film career as a cameraman assistant, a director of photography, and then a feature film director. He wrote a number of scripts including "Who Will Pay For the Fortune" (directed by Konstantin Khudyakov). He is best known for his film The Thief (1997), which was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and won the Nika Award for Best Picture and Best Directing. He is the son of the prominent Russian film director Grigory Chukhray. Steven Spielberg invited Pavel Chukhray to participate in his project: "Broken Silence " (2002), an international documentary mini-series about the holocaust. Pavel Chukhray directed the segment "Children from the Abyss."- Director
- Writer
- Actress
Valeriya Gay Germanika (born on March 1, 1984, Moscow, USSR) - a Russian film director. Guild member of the Filmmakers Union of the Russian Federation. Graduated from the School of Cinematography and Television "Internews" in 2008. General director of the film company "Leosfilm". Was awarded with "Nika" and "Discovery of the Year" awards (2008), Jeunes Prize of the Cannes Film Festival (2008), "CineVision" of the International Film Festival in Munich (2008), "Silver George" award for the best directing at the Moscow International Film Festival (2014).- Writer
- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Aleksey Mizgiryov was born on 1 July 1974 in Myski, Kemerovskaya oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. Aleksey is a writer and director, known for Buben, baraban (2009), Kremen (2007) and Konvoy (2012).- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Pavel Semyonovich Lungin (born July 12, 1949) is a Russian film director. He is sometimes credited as Pavel Loungine (as in the American release of Tycoon).
Born 12 July 1949 in Moscow, Lungin is the son of a scriptwriter and linguist. He later attended Moscow State University from which he graduated in 1971. Lungin worked primarily as a scriptwriter until given the opportunity to direct Taxi Blues at age 40.
Lungin was awarded the Best Director Prize at 1990 Cannes Film Festival for the film Taxi Blues starring Pyotr Mamonov. That same year he took up residence in France, while making films in and about Russia with French producers. Two years later, his next film Luna Park would also compete at the 1992 Cannes Film Festival. In 1993 he was a member of the jury at the 18th Moscow International Film Festival.
He was the librettist for Nikolai Karetnikov's opera Till Eulenspiegel (written 1983) and Karetnikov's oratorio The Mystery of St. Paul.
In 2006 he directed the religious film The Island which also starred Mamonov. The film closed the 63rd Venice International Film Festival and was praised by the Russian Orthodox Church leader Alexis II.
Lungin was awarded the distinction People's Artist of Russia in 2008.
In 2009 he was the President of the Jury at the 31st Moscow International Film Festival.- Writer
- Director
Alyona Zvantsova was born on 11 September 1971 in Tomsk, Russia, USSR. She is a writer and director, known for The Norseman (2015), The Sky Court (2011) and Ottepel (2013).- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Sergei Loznitsa, Ukrainian film maker, was born on September, 5th 1964 in Baranovichi, USSR. He grew up in Kiev, and in 1987 graduated from the Kiev Polytechnic with a degree in Applied Mathematics. In 1987-1991 Sergei worked as a scientist at the Kiev Institute of Cybernetics, specializing in artificial intelligence research. He also worked as a translator from Japanese. In 1997 Loznitsa graduated from the Russian State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) in Moscow, where he studied feature film making. Loznitsa has been making documentary films since 1996 and is the author of 21 documentaries, as well as 4 feature films. In 2013 Sergei Loznitsa launched a film production and distribution company ATOMS & VOID. Currently working in both documentary and feature genres.- Writer
- Director
- Producer
Vasiliy Sigarev was born on 11 January 1977 in Verkhnyaya Salda, Sverdlovskaya oblast, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He is a writer and director, known for Volchok (2009), Living (2012) and The Land of Oz (2015). He has been married to Yana Troyanova since 2003. They have one child.- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Karen Shakhnazarov was born on 8 July 1952 in Krasnodar, Krasnodarskiy kray, RSFSR, USSR [now Russia]. He is a producer and director, known for Ward No. 6 (2009), Zerograd (1988) and White Tiger (2012).