Nikita Mikhalkov, director/actor/scriptwriter (Russia)
Nikita Sergeyevich Mikhalkov is not only a world renowned filmmaker, but also a personality associated invariably with one of the greatest masterpieces of Russian cinema. Mikhalkov released his directorial debut feature Friend among Strangers, Stranger among Friends in 1974. Ever since his first film Nikita Mikhalkov began a quest for his own way in cinema. His melodrama Slave of Love (1975) demonstrated his class, but he also made several screen adaptations of works by classical Russian writers: Unfinished Piece for Mechanical Piano (1977) and A Few Days in the Life of I. I. Oblomov (1980). He tried his hand at psychological drama with Five Evenings (1979) и In Private (1983) and returned to melodrama once more with Relatives (1981). His films received international recognition and garnered distinctions at world film festivals. During the 1980s Mikhalkov’s passion for acting rekindled and he appeared in a number of performances worth remembering, and in particular the roles in Siberiade (1979) directed by his brother Andrey Konchalovsky and A Railway Station for Two (1982) and Ruthless Romance (1984) directed by Eldar Ryazanov. Mikhalkov continued in his well-known vein with his next feature film, Dark Eyes starring Marcello Mastroianni that screened to wide acclaim at film festivals worldwide, including in Bulgaria, but was condemned by its contemporary Soviet critics. Burnt by the Sun (1994) was awarded an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and the Grand Prix of the Jury at the film festival in Cannes in 1994. In 1999 The Barber of Siberia gathered more viewers in Russia than Titanic. Mikhalkov’s 12 had a special gala opening at the 12th edition of Sofia International Film Festival.
Follow the link for an interview with N. Mikhalkov.