Andrei Konchalovsky

Andrei Konchalovsky

Andrei Konchalovsky in 2010
Born Andron Sergeyevich Mikhalkov
August 20, 1937
Moscow, USSR
Other names Andron Sergeyevich Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky
Occupation Film director, film producer, screenwriter
Years active 1964–present
Website
http://konchalovsky.ru

Andrei Sergeyevich Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky (Russian: Андре́й Серге́евич Михалко́в-Кончало́вский; born August 20, 1937) is a Russian-American film director, film producer and screenwriter.[1] He was a frequent collaborator of Andrei Tarkovsky earlier in his career.

He is the son of Natalia Konchalovskaya and Sergey Mikhalkov, and brother to Nikita Mikhalkov who is also a well known Russian film director.

Biography

Early years

Born as Andron Sergeyevich Mikhalkov in Moscow, Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to an aristocratic family of Mikhalkovs with centuries-old artistic and aristocratic heritage tracing their roots to the Grand Duchy of Lithuania,[2] he changed his first name to Andrei and took his maternal grandfather's surname (Konchalovsky) as his stage name. He is the brother of Nikita Mikhalkov and the son of Sergei Mikhalkov.

He studied for ten years at the Moscow Conservatory, preparing for a pianist's career. In 1960, however, he met Andrei Tarkovsky and co-scripted his movie Andrei Rublev (1966).

Career

His first full-length feature, The First Teacher (1964), was favourably received in the Soviet Union and screened by numerous film festivals abroad. His second film, Asya Klyachina's Story (1967), was suppressed by Soviet authorities. When issued twenty years later, it was acclaimed as his masterpiece. Thereupon, Konchalovsky filmed adaptations of Ivan Turgenev's A Nest of Gentle Folk (1969) and Chekhov's Uncle Vanya (1970), with Innokenty Smoktunovsky in the title role.

In 1979 he was a member of the jury at the 11th Moscow International Film Festival.[3] His epic Siberiade upon its 1979 release was favourably received at Cannes and made possible his move to the United States in 1980.

His most popular Hollywood releases are Maria's Lovers (1984), Runaway Train (1985) based on a script by Japanese director Akira Kurosawa, and Tango & Cash (1989), starring Sylvester Stallone and Kurt Russell. In the 1990s Konchalovsky returned to Russia, although he occasionally produced historical films for U.S. television, such as his adaption of The Odyssey (1997) and the award-winning remake, The Lion in Winter (2003).

Konchalovsky's full-length feature, House of Fools (2003), with a cameo role by Bryan Adams as himself, set in a Chechen psychiatric asylum during the war, won him a Silver Lion at the Venice Film Festival.

His film, The Nutcracker in 3D had its American release on November 24, 2010 and will premiere in Estonia and Russia on January 1, 2011.[4] The film had a reported $90,000,000 budget and brought in a total of $65,944 in its U.S opening weekend.[5] The film was also critically derided, with Roger Ebert stating in his review of the film, "From what dark night of the soul emerged the wretched idea for 'The Nutcracker in 3D?' Who considered it even remotely a plausible idea for a movie?"[6]

His upcoming film The Postman's White Nights has been selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 71st Venice International Film Festival.[7][8]

Personal life

Konchalovsky has been married five times. His first wife was Irina Kandat. His second wife was Kazakh actress Natalia Arinbasarova, with whom he has one son: Yegor, born January 15, 1966. His third wife was Viviane Godet, with whom he has a daughter, Alexandra Mikhalkova, born October 6, 1971. His fourth wife is Irina Ivanova, with whom he has two daughters: Nathalia and Elena. His fifth wife is Yulia Vysotskaya, with whom he has two children: Maria and Piotr.

After he came to America, while not working, he lived with Shirley MacLaine, then left her for Nastassja Kinski, who helped him secure a contract with producer Menahem Golan for Maria's Lovers.[9] He is currently married to Russian actress Yuliya Vysotskaya.

Accolades

Filmography

Director

Documentaries

Screenplays

Music videos

Production

Acting

Films about Konchalovsky

Theatre projects

Operas

Bibliography

References

  1. Andrei Konchalovsky. New York Times
  2. http://www.15min.lt/naujiena/ziniosgyvai/a-koncialovskio-viesnage-proteviu-zemeje-10-76080
  3. "11th Moscow International Film Festival (1979)". MIFF. Retrieved 2013-01-14.
  4. The Nutcracker in 3D (2010), IMDB.com
  5. The Nutcracker in 3D (2010). Box Office Mojo (2010-12-16). Retrieved on 2011-01-06.
  6. The Nutcracker in 3D :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews. Rogerebert.suntimes.com. Retrieved on 2011-01-06.
  7. "International competition of feature films". Venice. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  8. "Venice Film Festival Lineup Announced". Deadline. Retrieved 24 July 2014.
  9. Организуй себя в библиотеке FictionBook. Fictionbook.ru. Retrieved on 2011-01-06.
  10. "20th Moscow International Film Festival (1997)". MIFF. Retrieved 2013-03-22.
  11. "Berlinale: 1992 Programme". berlinale.de. Retrieved 2011-05-22.

External links

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