Aleksei German
Encyclopedia
Aleksei Yuryevich German (in ) (born on June 20, 1938) is a Soviet and Russia
n filmmaker, most active as a director and screenwriter. His last name is pronounced with a hard "g" and in English is frequently spelled Guerman or Gherman to avoid confusion.
Almost all of German's films have been set during the Stalin era and have shown the time period in a critical light. His films, shot mostly in black and white or very muted color, have a distinctive "murky" look and are often described as looking "aged."
His son, a film director, is also named Aleksei German.
(now St. Petersburg, Russia) in 1938; his father was the writer Yuri German
. He studied under Grigori Kozintsev
until 1960, and then moved on to working in theatre before joining the Lenfilm
studio as an assistant director
. He made his directing debut with Sedmoy Sputnik
, co-directed with Grigory Aronov in 1967.
Over the course of his career, many of his projects have met with production difficulties or official opposition; in 40 years, he has managed to complete just five feature films, with a sixth (a science fiction film
) entering production in 2007.
His most celebrated film "Trial on the Road" that made Alexei German famous was banned for twenty five years and was "on the shelves" of the Ministry of Culture of the Soviet Union until its triumphal release during Gorbachev era. However names of all of the crew members who emigrated to the United States (DP Yasha Sklansky, Assistant Director Leo Zisman and Production Manager and Assistant Director Leon Weinstein) were erased.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n filmmaker, most active as a director and screenwriter. His last name is pronounced with a hard "g" and in English is frequently spelled Guerman or Gherman to avoid confusion.
Almost all of German's films have been set during the Stalin era and have shown the time period in a critical light. His films, shot mostly in black and white or very muted color, have a distinctive "murky" look and are often described as looking "aged."
His son, a film director, is also named Aleksei German.
Biography
German was born in LeningradLeningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
(now St. Petersburg, Russia) in 1938; his father was the writer Yuri German
Yuri German
Yuri Pavlovich German was a Soviet Russian writer, playwright, screenwriter, and journalist.- Life :German was born in Riga and accompanied his father, an artillery officer, during the Civil War. He graduated from high school in Kursk and studied at the Technical School of Performing Arts in...
. He studied under Grigori Kozintsev
Grigori Kozintsev
Grigori Mikhaylovich Kozintsev was a Jewish Ukrainian, Soviet Russian theatre and film director. He was named People's Artist of the USSR in 1964.He studied in the Imperial Academy of Arts...
until 1960, and then moved on to working in theatre before joining the Lenfilm
Lenfilm
Kinostudiya "Lenfilm" is a production unit of the Russian film industry, with its own film studio, located in Saint Petersburg, Russia, formerly Leningrad, R.S.F.S.R. Today OAO "Kinostudiya Lenfilm" is a corporation with its stakes shared between private owners, and several private film studios,...
studio as an assistant director
Assistant director
The role of an Assistant director include tracking daily progress against the filming production schedule, arranging logistics, preparing daily call sheets, checking cast and crew, maintaining order on the set. They also have to take care of health and safety of the crew...
. He made his directing debut with Sedmoy Sputnik
Sedmoy Sputnik
The Seventh Companion is a 1967 black-and-white Soviet film set in St. Petersburg in the years following the Russian Revolution; its title is commonly translated as The Seventh Companion. The film marked the directorial debut of Russian director Aleksei German, who co-directed it with Grigori...
, co-directed with Grigory Aronov in 1967.
Over the course of his career, many of his projects have met with production difficulties or official opposition; in 40 years, he has managed to complete just five feature films, with a sixth (a science fiction film
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
) entering production in 2007.
His most celebrated film "Trial on the Road" that made Alexei German famous was banned for twenty five years and was "on the shelves" of the Ministry of Culture of the Soviet Union until its triumphal release during Gorbachev era. However names of all of the crew members who emigrated to the United States (DP Yasha Sklansky, Assistant Director Leo Zisman and Production Manager and Assistant Director Leon Weinstein) were erased.
as director
- 1967 - Sedmoy sputnik (The Seventh Companion)
- 1971 - Proverka na dorogakh (Trial on the Road)
- 1976 - Dvadtsat dney bez voyny (Twenty Days Without War)
- 1984 - Moy drug Ivan Lapshin (My Friend Ivan LapshinMy Friend Ivan LapshinMy Friend Ivan Lapshin is a 1984 Soviet criminal drama film directed by Aleksei German and produced by Lenfilm. Based on a novel by Yuri German adapted by Eduard Volodarsky. Music composed by Arkadi Gagulashvili, sound by Nikolai Astakhov. Cinematography by Valeri Fedosov, film editing by Leda...
) - 1998 - Khrustalyov, mashinu! (Khrustalyov, My Car!Khrustalyov, My Car!Khrustalyov, My Car! is a 1998 Russian drama film directed by Aleksei German based on a story by Joseph Brodsky, screenplay by Svetlana Karmalita. It was produced by Canal+, CNC, Goskino, Lenfilm and VGTRK.-Plot summary:...
) - 2012? - Istoriya Arkanarskoy rezni (History of the Arkanar massacre)