Vladimir Menshov

Vladimir Menshov - Russian director and actor, noted for the depicting of the Russian Everyman and working class life in his films. Born on September, 17, 1937 in Baku (then USSR, now the territory of Azerbaijan) like many Russian directors and actors Menshov studied acting and directing at the state film school VGIK. Although his filmography as actor is superior to that as director (actually confined to only five movies), he will be remembered first of all as Academy Award (Oscar) winning film director, one of the most popular and beloved directors in Russia.

A great melodrama in the first place, on a close analysis, the film can be seen as a biography of a whole generation since in the late 1970s lots of young people abandoned their provincial towns with no opportunities for good jobs and strove to settle in Russian capital.

His only second feature length Moscow Does Not Believe In Tears (1979) (starring his wife Vera Alentova) brought him international recognition and Oscar for the Best Foreign Film. Menshov did not attend the Academy Award ceremony personally because he could not leave the country due to some problems of political nature and the prize statuette was accepted by the USSR Commissioner to the US. The film itself is a moving story of three girlfriends who arrive in Moscow in search for a better life.

An immensely popular comedy of manners Love and Pigeons (1984) about a rural farmer peasant falling in love with a glamor urban lady ensured that his career continued to glitter. In a decade that followed he refrained from directing and in his rare interviews was very critical of the cinema industry.

In 1995 he made What a Mess! - a very long extravaganza satirizing practically every aspect of cultural and political life in Russia. The film showed that these "off the job" years had not affected his talent.

In 1999 the 20th anniversary of the film's original release was celebrated at a series of events around Russia.