Alexander Sokurov
b. 1951
Alexander Sokurov was born in 1951 in Russia in the village of Podorvikha (Irkutsk district). His father was a military officer, a veteran of World War II. During Sokurov's childhood his family frequently moved from one place to another, thus he first went to school in Poland and graduated in Turkmenia. After graduating from high school in 1968, the future filmmaker entered Gorky University (Department of History). While a student he began working as a staff member for the Gorky television Ñ first as a producer's technical assistant and later as a producer's assistant. During his work at the television station Sokurov obtained wide experience in film and television technology; and, at the age of 19, he made his first television shows as a producer. In 1975 Sokurov entered the Producer's Department at the All-Union Cinematography Institute (VGIK, Moscow) (Documentary Film studio of Alexander Zguridi). In 1979 Sokurov had to pass external exams and to graduate from VGIK one year early because of his conflict with the administration of the Institute and the leadership of Goskino (State Office of Cinematography): his student works in cinematography were deemed unacceptable, and he w…
Films