Sergei Appolinarievich Gerasimov (russian: Серге́й Апполина́риевич Гера́симов; 21 May 1906 – 26 November 1985) was a

Soviet The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen nation ...

film director and

screenwriter A screenplay writer (also called screenwriter, scriptwriter, scribe or scenarist) is a writer who practices the craft of screenwriting, writing screenplays on which mass media, such as films, television programs and video games, are based. ...

. The oldest film school in the world, the

Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography The Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography (russian: Всероссийский государственный институт кинематографии имени С. А. Герасимова, meaning ''All-Russian State Institute of Cinemat ...

(VGIK), bears his name.

Early life and education

Gerasimov was born on 21 May 1906.

Career

Gerasimov started his film industry career as an actor in 1924. At first he appeared in Kozintsev and Trauberg films, such as ''

The Overcoat "The Overcoat" (russian: Шине́ль, translit. Shinyél’; sometimes translated as "The Cloak") is a short story by Russian author Nikolai Gogol, published in 1842. The story has had a great influence on Russian literature. Eugène-Me ...

'' and ''

The New Babylon ''The New Babylon'' (russian: Новый Вавилон, Novyy Vavilon alt. title: russian: Штурм неба, Shturm neba) is a 1929 silent historical drama film written and directed by Grigori Kozintsev and Leonid Trauberg. The film deals w ...

''. Later, he was commissioned to produce screen versions of the literary classics of

socialist realism Socialist realism is a style of idealized realistic art that was developed in the Soviet Union and was the official style in that country between 1932 and 1988, as well as in other socialist countries after World War II. Socialist realism is ch ...

. His epic screenings of Alexander Fadeyev's '' The Young Guard'' (1948) and Mikhail Sholokhov's '' And Quiet Flows the Don'' (1957–58) were extolled by the authorities as exemplary. During several decades of their teaching in the

VGIK The Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography (russian: Всероссийский государственный институт кинематографии имени С. А. Герасимова, meaning ''All-Russian State Institute of Cinemat ...

Gerasimov and his wife

Tamara Makarova Tamara Fyodorovna Makarova (russian: Тама́ра Фёдоровна Мака́рова; 13 August 1907 – 19 January 1997) was a Soviet and Russian film actress and pedagogue. People's Artist of the USSR (1950) and Hero of Socialist La ...

prepared many generations of

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

n actors. He also taught acclaimed actor

Georgiy Zhzhonov Georgiy Stepanovich Zhzhonov (russian: Гео́ргий Степа́нович Жжёнов, ; 22 March 1915 – 8 December 2005), was a Soviet and Russian stage and film actor and writer. He is known for playing the spy Mikhail Tulyev in the "R ...

at the Leningrad Theatrical School. In his last film Gerasimov played

Leo Tolstoy Count Lev Nikolayevich TolstoyTolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; russian: link=no, Лев Николаевич Толстой,In Tolstoy's day, his name was written as in pre-refor ...

, while Makarova was cast as Tolstoy's wife. Gerasimov is buried in the Novodevichy Cemetery of

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 million ...

. A rare glimpse of Sergei Gerasimov can be found in a one and a half minute behind the scenes documentary featured as part of the 'Coming From The Movies Set' series of Soviet film promos. In this piece Gerasimov can be seen in

Norilsk Norilsk ( rus, Нори́льск, p=nɐˈrʲilʲsk, ''Norílʹsk'') is a closed city in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia, located south of the western Taymyr Peninsula, around 90 km east of the Yenisey River and 1,500 km north of Krasnoyarsk. Norilsk ...

on the set of his film "Town Planners". It's a story of two young architects struggling to build a new town in the Polar Regions. The film stars

Ivan Negonov Ivan () is a Slavic male given name, connected with the variant of the Greek name (English: John) from Hebrew meaning 'God is gracious'. It is associated worldwide with Slavic countries. The earliest person known to bear the name was Bulgari ...

as the director of an Iron & Steel Works,

Anatoly Solonitsyn Anatoly (Otto) Alekseyevich Solonitsyn (russian: Анатолий (Отто) Алексеевич Солоницын; 30 August 1934 – 11 June 1982) was a Soviet actor known for his roles in Andrei Tarkovsky's films. He won the Silver Bear for ...

as architect Kolmykov,

Lyubov Virolainen Lyubov, Liubov or Lubov is a female given name, meaning “love”. It is of Slavic origin, coming from the basic word ''l'ub'' ( la, caritas). Variants * Russian: ''Любовь'' (Lyubov, Liubov, Lubov), ''Люба'' (Lyuba, Liuba, Luba) * Uk ...

as architect Arkhipova; and can be found as an extra on the 2003 DVD release of Andrei Tarkovsky's 1974 film The Mirror.

Moscow Film Festival

Gerasimov was the President of the Jury at the

1959 Events January * January 1 - Cuba: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana when the forces of Fidel Castro advance. * January 2 - Lunar probe Luna 1 was the first man-made object to attain escape velocity from Earth. It reached the vicinity of E ...

1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is Second inauguration of Lyndo ...

, 1969 and the 1985

Moscow International Film Festival The Moscow International Film Festival (russian: Моско́вский междунаро́дный кинофестива́ль, translit. ''Moskóvskiy myezhdunaródniy kinofyestivál''; abbreviated as MIFF) is the film festival first h ...

. He was a member of the jury in

1961 Events January * January 3 ** United States President Dwight D. Eisenhower announces that the United States has severed diplomatic and consular relations with Cuba ( Cuba–United States relations are restored in 2015). ** Aero Flight 311 ...

and

1971 * The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses ( February 25, July 22 and August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 10, and August 6). The world population increased by 2.1% this year, the highest increase in history. Events Ja ...

. In 1967 his film '' The Journalist'' won the Grand Prix at the 1967 festival.

Awards and honours

* Hero of Socialist Labour (1974) * Four

Orders of Lenin The Order of Lenin (russian: Орден Ленина, Orden Lenina, ), named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was established by the Central Executive Committee on April 6, 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration b ...

Order of the October Revolution The Order of the October Revolution (russian: Орден Октябрьской Революции, ''Orden Oktyabr'skoy Revolyutsii'') was instituted on October 31, 1967, in time for the 50th anniversary of the October Revolution. It was conferr ...

Order of the Red Banner of Labour The Order of the Red Banner of Labour (russian: Орден Трудового Красного Знамени, translit=Orden Trudovogo Krasnogo Znameni) was an order of the Soviet Union established to honour great deeds and services to th ...

, twice (1940, 1950) *

Order of the Red Star The Order of the Red Star (russian: Орден Красной Звезды, Orden Krasnoy Zvezdy) was a military decoration of the Soviet Union. It was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 6 April 193 ...

(1944) * People's Artist of the USSR, 1948 *

Stalin Prize Stalin Prize may refer to: * The State Stalin Prize in science and engineering and in arts, awarded 1941 to 1954, later known as the USSR State Prize The USSR State Prize (russian: links=no, Государственная премия СССР, ...

; **1941 2nd class – for the film "Master" (1939) **1949 1st class – for the film "Young Guard" (1948) **1951 1st class – for the film "Liberated China" (1950) *

Lenin Komsomol Prize Lenin Komsomol Prize () was a Soviet annual award for the best works in science, engineering, literature or art carried out by young authors of age not exceeding 33 years. Komsomol was the abbreviated name of The Communist Union of Youth (Russia ...

(1970) – the creation of films about young people, and the Lenin Komsomol bolshuyuobschestvenno and political activities *

USSR State Prize The USSR State Prize (russian: links=no, Государственная премия СССР, Gosudarstvennaya premiya SSSR) was the Soviet Union's state honor. It was established on 9 September 1966. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, t ...

(1971) – for the film "The Lake" (1969) * Lenin Prize (1984) – for the movies in recent years *

Order of the White Lion The Order of the White Lion ( cs, Řád Bílého lva) is the highest order of the Czech Republic. It continues a Czechoslovak order of the same name created in 1922 as an award for foreigners (Czechoslovakia had no civilian decoration for its ...

, 3rd class (Czechoslovakia) * Professor of the

in Moscow (1946) * Member of the USSR Academy of Pedagogical Sciences (1978) * Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union (1950–1958) *

Doktor nauk Doctor of Sciences ( rus, доктор наук, p=ˈdoktər nɐˈuk, abbreviated д-р наук or д. н.; uk, доктор наук; bg, доктор на науките; be, доктар навук) is a higher doctoral degree in the Russi ...

(1967) * Member of the Presidium of the

Soviet Peace Committee The Soviet Peace Committee (SPC, also known as Soviet Committee for the Defense of Peace, SCDP, russian: Советский Комитет Защиты Мира) was a state-sponsored organization responsible for coordinating peace movements active ...

(since 1950) * Secretary of the Composers' Union * Member of the USSR Writers' Union

Filmography

Director

*'' Seven Brave Men'' (1936) *''City of Youth'' (1938) *'' Komsomolsk (1938) *'' The New Teacher'' (1939) *'' Masquerade'' (1941) *''The Mainland'' (1944) *'' The Young Guard'' (1948) *''

The Village Doctor ''The Village Doctor'' (russian: Сельский врач, Selskiy vrach) is a 1951 Soviet Union, Soviet drama film directed by Sergei Gerasimov (film director), Sergei Gerasimov. Plot A young doctor Tatyana Kazakova comes in a direction from M ...

'' (1951) *''

The New China ''The New China,'' also rendered in English as ''Liberated China'' (russian: Освобождённый Китай, translit=Osvobozhdyonnyy Kitay), is a 1950 Soviet documentary film A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional mot ...

'' (1952) *'' Great Mourning'' (1953) *'' And Quiet Flows the Don'' (1958) *''

Men and Beasts ''Men and Beasts'' (russian: Люди и звери) is a 1962 Soviet-German drama film directed by Sergei Gerasimov. Plot The film tells about a man named Alexei, who returns home after wandering and as a result of misunderstanding by his fami ...

'' (1962) *'' The Journalist'' (1967) *''

By the Lake ''By the Lake'' (russian: У озера, U ozera) is a two-part 1969 Soviet film directed by Sergei Gerasimov. In 1971 the USSR State Prize for this film was awarded to Sergei Gerasimov, cinematographer Vladimir Rapoport, art director Pyotr Gal ...

'' (1969) *''The Love of Mankind'' (1972) *'' Daughters-Mothers'' (1974) *''Red and Black'' (1976) *''

The Youth of Peter the Great ''The Youth of Peter the Great'' (russian: Юность Петра, Yunost Petra) is a first part of a two-part film, which was based on a novel Peter I, written by Aleksey Tolstoy. The film was directed by a famous Russian director Sergey Gerasi ...

'' (1980) *''

At the Beginning of Glorious Days ''At the Beginning of Glorious Days'' (russian: В начале славных дел, V nachale slavnykh del) is the second part of a two-part film that started with The Youth of Peter the Great. Both parts were released in the Soviet Union in 19 ...

'' (1980) *''

Lev Tolstoy Count Lev Nikolayevich TolstoyTolstoy pronounced his first name as , which corresponds to the romanization ''Lyov''. () (; russian: link=no, Лев Николаевич Толстой,In Tolstoy's day, his name was written as in pre-refor ...

'' (1984)

Actor

*''

Mishki versus Yudenich ''Mishki versus Yudenich'' (russian: Мишки против Юденича, Mishki protiv Yudenicha) is a 1925 Soviet silent comedy film directed by Grigori Kozintsev and Leonid Trauberg. Acting debut of Yanina Zhejmo. The film is believed to ...

'' (1925) *''

The Devil's Wheel ''The Devil's Wheel'' (russian: Чёртово колесо, Chyortovo koleso) is a 1926 Soviet silent crime film directed by Grigori Kozintsev and Leonid Trauberg. Plot During a walk in the garden of the People's House, sailor Ivan Shorin m ...

'' (1926) *''

'' (1926) *'' The Club of the Big Deed'' (1927) *'' Somebody Else's Coat'' (1927) *'' Little Brother'' (1927) *''

Fragment of an Empire ''Fragment of an Empire'' (russian: Обломок империи, Oblomok imperii) is a 1929 Soviet silent drama film directed by Fridrikh Ermler. Plot A soldier called Filimonov lost his memory due to shell shock during the Russian Civil W ...

'' (1929) *''

'' (1929) *'' Alone'' (1931) *''

The Deserter The Deserter or Deserter (s) may refer to: Film and television * ''The Deserter'' (1912 film), a silent film by Thomas H. Ince * ''The Deserter'' (1933 film), a film by Vsevolod Pudovkin * ''The Deserter'' (1971 film), a film by Burt Kennedy ...

'' (1933)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Gerasimov, Sergei 1906 births 1985 deaths Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography faculty High Courses for Scriptwriters and Film Directors faculty Male screenwriters Russian film directors Russian male film actors Russian male silent film actors Russian male writers 20th-century Russian screenwriters 20th-century Russian male writers Soviet film directors Soviet male film actors Soviet screenwriters Heroes of Socialist Labour People's Artists of the USSR Stalin Prize winners Lenin Prize winners Commanders of the Order of the White Lion Recipients of the Lenin Komsomol Prize Recipients of the Order of Lenin Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner of Labour Recipients of the Order of the Red Star Recipients of the USSR State Prize Burials at Novodevichy Cemetery