- Born
- Birth nameAndrey Sergeevich Mikhalkov-Konchalovskiy
- The Russian theatre and film director Andrei Konchalovsky is an elder brother of Nikita Mikhalkov, born August, 20, 1937. As a youngster he planned to pursue a career of a musician and learned to play piano but his love for cinema outweighed and he entered VGIK-the major state film school where he studied under Mikhail Romm. At VGIK he met Andrei Tarkovsky, they collaborated on Ivan's Childhood (1962) and Andrei Rublev (1966). For his feature debut The First Teacher (1965), he chose the book by Chingiz Aitmatov about the post-1917 Revolution period in the southern Russia. His next film Istoriya Asi Klyachinoy, kotoraya lyubila, da ne vyshla zamuzh (1966) although made in 1966 was not released until a decade later because it failed to comply with the strict requirements of the Russian censorship of the period. A Nest of Gentry (1969) - a study of the 19 c. aristocracy - was praised for its visual beauty but attacked by critics as mannered. Konchalovsky's powerful Uncle Vanya (1970) from the play by 'Anton Chekhov_ is regarded by many people as one of the best films in the Russian language ever. Siberiade (1979) - a dramatic and realistic story of the lives of the people of Siberia - was internationally acclaimed and brought Konchalovsky to the attention of American and European producers. From then on-wards his career has been international in scope. Pleasing critics and audiences worldwide, he made the English language films Maria's Lovers (1984), Runaway Train (1985), Duet for One (1986) (praised for Max von Sydow's brilliant performance), and the award-winning Homer and Eddie (1989) starring Whoopi Goldberg. Konchalovsky moved to the mainstream territory with the action packed Tango & Cash (1989). Charasteristically he still insists that this work is no less laudable than any of his others. He also directed plays and operas in a number of European cities. In the early 1990s he returned to Russia and directed several theatre productions most notably "The Seagull" by Chekhov and "Miss Julie" by August Strindberg. Residing in Moscow Konchalovsky sometimes makes short excursions to Hollywood to make mainstream TV productions like the Emmy-winning The Odyssey (1997) and The Lion in Winter (2003) in which Glenn Close gave an award-winning performance. His Russian-French co-production House of Fools (2002) - a story set in an asylum that stands on the border between Russia and Chechenya during the war in Chechenya - was warmly received in Europe and won an honor at the 2002 Venice Film Festival. However the film antagonized the critics in Russia. In the very beginning of his career he was credited as Mikhalkov- Konchalovsky. Later he adopted his mother's maiden name to distinguish himself from his younger brother, Nikita Mikhalkov, who was rapidly becoming a famous filmmaker himself. For his last feature film The Postman's White Nights (2014), shot digitally in his home country Russia, Andrey Konchalovsky won the 'Best Director' award at the 'Venice International Film Festival' in 2014.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Mike (hfhfdfse@rol.ru)
- Director, screenwriter and producer Andrei Konchalovsky has enjoyed equally distinguished directing careers for both the stage and screen. His best-known film credits range from international pictures such as 'Uncle Vanya', based on the Chekhov play and regarded as one of the best Russian films, and 'House of Fools', a Russian-French co-production about an asylum along the Russian-Chechnya border, to such popular English language fare as 'Runaway Train', which earned three Academy Award® nominations, 'Maria's Lovers', 'Duet for One' and 'Shy People'.
He has earned acclaim for such landmark television epics as 'The Odyssey', for which he won an Emmy Award as best director, and 'Lion in Winter', which received a Golden Globe Award for costumes, as well as multiple Emmy awards and nominations.
Born in Moscow, Konchalovsky studied music in his youth, becoming a skilled pianist, before enrolling in the cinema program at VGIK - the major state film school, where he studied under Mikhail Romm. His debut feature film, 'The First Teacher', based on the book by Chingis Aitmatov, concerned post-1917 southern Russia. His subsequent films include 'The Story of Asya Klyachina', which was held back from release until 1988 because of government censorship, and received the Russian academy award for best picture, 'A Nest of Gentry', 'Romance for Lovers', and 'Siberiade', a realistic portrayal of the lives of the people of Siberia which earned international acclaim and brought him to the attention of American and European producers. This led him to such mainstream Hollywood projects as 'Tango & Cash' and 'Homer & Eddie'.
For the stage, Konchalovsky has directed numerous opera and theatrical production across Europe and the US, including 'King Lear' in Poland, 'Miss Julie' and Chekhov's 'The Seagull' in Russia, 'War and Peace' at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, 'Oedipus at Colonus' in Italy, and 'Queen of Spades' and 'Eugene Onegin' at La Scala in Italy, the latter which was also staged in Paris.
Early in his career he used a double surname and was credited as Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky. Later he adopted his mother's maiden name to distinguish himself from his younger brother, Nikita Mikhalkov, himself an accomplished director. Indeed, his entire family is artistic: his great-grandfather, grandfather and mother are celebrated poets, and his father is a noted playwright.
2010 marked the release of Andrei Konchalovsky's much-anticipated cinematic adaptation of the traditional fairy tale, 'The Nutcracker in 3D'. This musical CGI-spectacular featured Elle Fanning in the role of little Mary, as well as Nathan Lane, Richard E Grant and John Turturro in the principal roles. Lyrics were provided by Academy Award® winner Sir Tim Rice. In the same year, Konchalovsky also featured in, 'Hitler in Hollywood', a bio-doc about Micheline Presle which evolves into a thrilling investigation of the long-hidden truth behind European cinema. This mockumentary thriller uncovers Hollywood's unsuspected plot against the European motion picture industry. The film won the FIPRESCI Prize at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and picked up a Crystal Globe nomination in July, 2010.
In 2012, Konchalovsky wrote, directed and produced 'The Battle for Ukraine', which provided an in-depth analysis of how the Ukraine to this day struggles to escape from the close embrace of its former big brother, Russia. This extensive study lasted for almost three years and involved an array of Ukrainian, Russian and American historians, politicians and journalists, as well as the ex-President of Poland Aleksander Kwasniewski, the ex-President of Slovakia Rudolf Schuster, the ex-President of Georgia Eduard Shevardnadze, the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations Kofi Annan, the ex-Prime Minister of Russia Viktor Chernomyrdin, and the businessman Boris Berezovsky.
2013, saw Konchalovsky co-produce a story previously untold on film. Film-maker Margy Kinmonth invited HRH The Prince of Wales to make a journey through history to celebrate the artistic gene in his family and reveal an extraordinary treasure trove of work by royal hands past and present, many of whom were accomplished artists. Set against the spectacular landscapes of the Royal Estates and containing insights into works by members of The Royal Family down the centuries and The Prince of Wales's own watercolours, 'Royal Paintbox' explores a colourful palette of intimate family memory and observation.
In 2014, Konchalovsky was awarded a Silver Lion at the 71st Venice Film Festival for 'The Postman's White Nights', the true story of Aleksey Tryaptisyn, a real-life postman based in a remote Russian village surrounding the Kenozero lake. Andrei directed, produced and co-wrote the script for the film with Elena Kiseleva.
In 2016, Konchalovsky returned to the Venice Film Festival with 'Paradise,' the compelling story of three individuals, whose paths cross amidst the devastation of World War II. The film, again directed and produced by Konchalovsky with a screenplay co-written with Elena Kiseleva, went on to win another Silver Lion for the acclaimed filmmaker, during the festival's 73rd edition.
Konchalovsky's latest opus, Italian language epic 'Il Peccato (Sin)' is a gripping tale of the agony and ecstasy of individual greatness, following the life of Michelangelo as he struggles to complete the tomb of the late Pope Julius II and the façade of the San Lorenzo basilica, is captivated by visions, and becomes entangled in the corruption of noble factions.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Andrei Konchalovsky Studios
- SpousesYuliya Vysotskaya(1998 - present) (2 children)Irina Martynova(1990 - 1997) (2 children)Viviane Gaudet(1969 - 1980) (divorced, 1 child)Natalya Arinbasarova(1964 - 1967) (divorced, 1 child)Irina Kandat(1957 - ?) (divorced)
- RelativesNikita Mikhalkov(Sibling)
- Frequently casts Yuliya Vysotskaya
- Often uses non-professional actors
- Older brother of Russian director Nikita Mikhalkov.
- Member of the 'Official Competition' jury at the 31st Cannes International Film Festival in 1978.
- Member of the 'Official Competition' jury at the 27th Berlin International Film Festival in 1977.
- Father of a girl named Alexandra Mikhalkova (b. October 6, 1971), with Viviane Gaudet.
- Father, with actress Yuliya Vysotskaya, of a girl named Maria (b. 1999) and a boy named Petr (b. 2003).
- Any art is a lie, but great art is a lie that helps you understand the truth of life.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content