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Alexander Sokurov, October 2011-by Premier.gov.ru-Wikipedia Commons

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Alexander Sokurov

Alexander Sokurov was a Russian filmmaker born on 14th June 1951 in Podorvika, Irkutsk District, in Siberia into a military officers family. In 1974, he graduated from the history department of the Nizhny Novgorod university and joined one of the VGIK studios in 1975.

He produced many documentaries in his early life. His film Mournful Unconcern was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 37th Berlin International Film Festival in 1987. His first internationally acclaimed feature film was Mother and Son in 1997which was entered into the 20th Moscow International Film Festival and won unique silver at st. George mirrored by Father and Son in 2003.

Sokurov received the Master of Cinema Award from the International Film Festival Mannheim Heidelberg in 2006. He is a regular Cannes Film Festival, with four of his movies being performed there. He has filmed a tetralogy discussing the corrupting effects of power with his first three installments dedicated to prominent 20th-century rulers.

He is widely known as the people’s artist of Russia. Here are 10 interesting facts about Alexander Sokurov.

1. Sokurov has significant works as a Russian filmmaker

Alexander Sokurov Faust 2010-by -Wikipedia Commons

His most significant works include a feature film, Russian Ark in 2002 celebrated primarily for its visually hypnotic images and single unedited shot where its last part of the series was shot in 2011 Faust a retelling of Goethe’s tragedy.

The film represents the instincts and schemes of Faust in his lust for power and premiered in competition at the 68th Venice International Film Festival on 8th September 2011 which won the Golden Lion, the highest award of the Venice festival.

The film was said to have no relevance to present-day events in the world which were set in the early 19th century reflecting Sokurovs enduring attempts to understand the man and his inner forces.

2. He received the Master of Cinema Award in 2006

In 2006, Sokurov received the Master of Cinema Award from the International Filmfestival Mannheim, Heidelberg.IFFMH is an annual film festival held jointly by the cities of Mannheim and Heidelberg in Baden-Wurttemberg. After his most commercially and successful film Russian Ark, Sokurov did not win top awards in the major international festivals until 2011.

3. He has an interest in the military world of the former USSR

Series millitars Sokurov al MACBA-by Kippelboy-Wikipedia Commons

The military world of the former USSR is one of Sokurov’s ongoing Interests. This is because the military marked the lives of a large part of the population of the USSR and also for his personal connections to the subject. Three of his works revolve around military life which are; Spiritual Voices from the diaries of a war, Confession from the commander’s Diary, and soldier’s Dream. Confession has been screened at several independent film festivals while the other two are nearly unknown.

4. His feature film, Russian Ark was honored with Golden Lion Award

For a long time, Sokurov’s successful film was the semi-documentary Russian Ark in 2002, which is celebrated for its visually mesmerizing images and single unedited shot. The film was first performed on 8th September 2011, in competition at the 68th Venice International Film Festival. The film won the Golden Lion, the highest award of the Venice Festival which remains a historic achievement that will be watched and talked about by many generations.

5. He accompanied Russian Troops to a post on the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border

In 1994, Sokurov was in the company of Russian troops at a post on the Tajikistan-Afghanistan border which resulted in Spiritual Voices; From the Diaries of a War, a 327-minute cinematic meditation on the war and the spirit of the Russian Army.

Landscape photography music and the sound featured in the film are important with soldiers Jargon and the combination of animal sounds, sighs, and other visual effects gave the film a fabulous feel.

6. Sokurov has collected a number of Awards

Alexander Sokurov in Fajr Inernational Film Festival-by Foad Ashtari-Wikipedia Commons

In 2001, State Prize of the Russian Federation(Moloch, Taurus), 2002, his film Russian Ark was filmed in a single unedited shot, and Faust in 2011, was honored with the Golden Lion, the highest prize for the best film at the Venice Film Festival, in 1987, his film Mournful Unconcern was nominated for the Golden Bear.

At the 37th Berlin International Film Festival, in 1997, Mother and Son entered the 20th Moscow International Film Festival winning the special silver st. George, in 2006, received the Master of Cinema Award from the International film festival, Mannheim Heidelberg.

Venice Film Festival Robbert Bresson Award for spiritual search and promotion of human culture in 2007, and FEST Belgrade Winner Award for his lifetime contribution to the art of film in 2015and International Film Festival of Kerala Lifetime Achievement Award, for his lifetime contribution to world cinema in 2017.

7. Sokurov has filmed a tetralogy discussing the corrupting effects of power

Meeting_of_the_Council_for_Civil_Society_and_Human_Rights_2019-by -Wikipedia Commons

His first three installments were dedicated to prominent 20th-century rulers; Moloch in 1999 about Hitler, Taurus in 2001, about Lenin The Sun in 2005 about Hirohito. The last part of the series was shot in 2011, the film depicts the schemes of Faust in his lust for power.

8. Most of his early features were banned by Soviet authorities

Alexander started out with documentaries because his feature films were mostly banned by the Soviet Censors. During his early period, he produced numerous documentaries including The Dialogues with Solzhenitsyn and a reportage about Grigori Kozinsev’s flat in Saint Petersburg.

9. He struggles for acceptance in Russia

Despite prizes and influential admirers, the country’s star film-maker struggles to be accepted. His film Faust was not shown on television in Russia and it was in cinemas for a very limited time. In one of his interviews, Sokurov quoted”there is no place for me in the Russian cinema work and never will be”.In the December 2016 meeting of the council for Culture and Arts, Sokurov appealed to President Vladimir Putin to reconsider the judgment against filmmaker Oleg Sentsov which Putin refused.

10. He is Russia’s most distinguished living filmmaker

Sokurov is a Golden Lion winner for his film Faust, nominated for the Golden Bear for his film Mournful Unconcern, and also received the master of cinema award. He has many influential admirers with Martin Scorsese terming him a pioneer.

While mostly known for his feature films, Alexander Sokurov, a Russian filmmaker has directed over 50 films, both fiction and documentaries. He is now 71years and lives in Russia where he still continues his filmmaking career.