Fyodor Khitruk
Encyclopedia
Fyodor Savelyevich Khitruk is one of the most influential animator
s and animation
directors
in Russian animation.
, Russian Empire
and came to Moscow
to study graphic design at the OGIS College for Applied Arts. He graduated in 1936 and started to work with Soyuzmultfilm
in 1938 as an animator. From 1962 onwards, he worked as a director. His first film The Story of a Crime
was an immense success. Today, this film is seen as the beginning of a renaissance of Soviet animation after a two-decade-long life in the shadows of Socialist realism
.
Diverging from the “naturalistic” Disney-like canons that were reigning in the 1950-60s in Soviet animated cartoons, he created his own style, which was laconic yet multi-level, non-trivial and vivid.
He is the director of outstanding animated short films including such classics as his social satire of bureaucrats, Chelovek v ramke (The Man in the Frame) (1966), the philosophic parable, Ostrov (Island) (1973) about the loneliness of a man in modern society, the biographical film Ein Junger Mann namens Engels - Ein Portrait in Briefen (1970), based on drawings and letters of young Engels
, the parody Film, film, film! (1968), and the anti-war film, Lev i byk (The Lion and the Bull) (1984).
During his long career, he was awarded innumerable awards by all major film festivals. Today, Fyodor Khitruk lives in Moscow.
In April 1993, Khitruk and three other leading animators (Yuriy Norshteyn
, Andrey Khrzhanovsky, and Eduard Nazarov) founded SHAR Studio, an animation school and studio in Russia
. The Russian Cinema Committee is among the share-holders in the studio.
In 2008, he released a two-volume book titled The Profession of Animation («Профессия – аниматор»). He is the grandfather of violin virtuoso Anastasia Khitruk
.
Awards
Biography Information about OGIS Soyuzmultfilm's Homepage (requires Macromedia Flash)
Animator
An animator is an artist who creates multiple images that give an illusion of movement called animation when displayed in rapid sequence; the images are called frames and key frames. Animators can work in a variety of fields including film, television, video games, and the internet. Usually, an...
s and animation
Animation
Animation is the rapid display of a sequence of images of 2-D or 3-D artwork or model positions in order to create an illusion of movement. The effect is an optical illusion of motion due to the phenomenon of persistence of vision, and can be created and demonstrated in several ways...
directors
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
in Russian animation.
Biography
Khitruk was born in TverTver
Tver is a city and the administrative center of Tver Oblast, Russia. Population: 403,726 ; 408,903 ;...
, Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
and came to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
to study graphic design at the OGIS College for Applied Arts. He graduated in 1936 and started to work with Soyuzmultfilm
Soyuzmultfilm
Soyuzmultfilm is a Russian animation studio based in Moscow. Over the years it has gained international attention and respect, garnering numerous awards both at home and abroad. Noted for a great variety of style, it is regarded as the most influential animation studio of the former Soviet Union...
in 1938 as an animator. From 1962 onwards, he worked as a director. His first film The Story of a Crime
The Story of a Crime
The Story of a Crime is a 1962 Soviet animated film directed by Fedor Khitruk based on a screenplay by Michael Volpin. Produced by Soyuzmultfilm. Music score by Andrey Babaev, sound editing by George Martynuk. Runtime - 19 min...
was an immense success. Today, this film is seen as the beginning of a renaissance of Soviet animation after a two-decade-long life in the shadows of Socialist realism
Socialist realism
Socialist realism is a style of realistic art which was developed in the Soviet Union and became a dominant style in other communist countries. Socialist realism is a teleologically-oriented style having its purpose the furtherance of the goals of socialism and communism...
.
Diverging from the “naturalistic” Disney-like canons that were reigning in the 1950-60s in Soviet animated cartoons, he created his own style, which was laconic yet multi-level, non-trivial and vivid.
He is the director of outstanding animated short films including such classics as his social satire of bureaucrats, Chelovek v ramke (The Man in the Frame) (1966), the philosophic parable, Ostrov (Island) (1973) about the loneliness of a man in modern society, the biographical film Ein Junger Mann namens Engels - Ein Portrait in Briefen (1970), based on drawings and letters of young Engels
Friedrich Engels
Friedrich Engels was a German industrialist, social scientist, author, political theorist, philosopher, and father of Marxist theory, alongside Karl Marx. In 1845 he published The Condition of the Working Class in England, based on personal observations and research...
, the parody Film, film, film! (1968), and the anti-war film, Lev i byk (The Lion and the Bull) (1984).
During his long career, he was awarded innumerable awards by all major film festivals. Today, Fyodor Khitruk lives in Moscow.
In April 1993, Khitruk and three other leading animators (Yuriy Norshteyn
Yuriy Norshteyn
Yuriy Borisovich Norshteyn , or Yuri Norstein is an award-winning Soviet and Russian animator best known for his animated shorts, Hedgehog in the Fog and Tale of Tales...
, Andrey Khrzhanovsky, and Eduard Nazarov) founded SHAR Studio, an animation school and studio in Russia
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...
. The Russian Cinema Committee is among the share-holders in the studio.
In 2008, he released a two-volume book titled The Profession of Animation («Профессия – аниматор»). He is the grandfather of violin virtuoso Anastasia Khitruk
Anastasia Khitruk
Anastasia Khitruk is a Russian born violin virtuoso. She was a student of Dorothy Delay at the Juilliard School. She has made many recordings of which three were for Naxos: Khandoshkin #8.570028, Grammy nominated Miklos Rozsa Violin Concerto #8.570350, and Leon de Saint-Lubin #8.572019. Several...
.
Filmography
- The Story of a CrimeThe Story of a CrimeThe Story of a Crime is a 1962 Soviet animated film directed by Fedor Khitruk based on a screenplay by Michael Volpin. Produced by Soyuzmultfilm. Music score by Andrey Babaev, sound editing by George Martynuk. Runtime - 19 min...
(История одного преступления, 1962) - Toptyzhka (Топтыжка, 1964)
- Boniface's Holiday (Каникулы Бонифация, 1965)
- The Man in the Frame (Человек в рамке, 1966)
- Othello 67 (Отелло-67, 1967)
- Film, Film, FilmFilm, Film, FilmFilm, Film, Film is a satirical animated short film made in 1968 in the Soviet Union by Fyodor Khitruk.It is a parody of the filmmaking process in the USSR...
(Фильм, фильм, фильм, 1968) - Winnie-the-Pooh (Винни-Пух, 1969)
- The Young Friedrich Engels (Юноша Фридрих Энгельс, 1970)
- Winnie-the-Pooh Goes on a Visit (Винни-Пух идет в гости, 1971)
- Winnie-the-Pooh and the Day of Concern (Винни-Пух и день забот, 1972)
- Island (Остров, 1973)
- I Grant You A Star (Дарю тебе звезду, 1974)
- Icarus and the Wise Men (Икар и мудрецы, 1976)
- Olympians (Олимпионики, 1982)
- The Lion and the Bull (Лев и бык, 1983)
Honours and awards
- Honoured Artist of the RSFSR
- People's Artist of the RSFSR (1977)
- People's Artist of USSR (1987)
- Order of the Red Banner of LabourOrder of the Red Banner of LabourThe Order of the Red Banner of Labour was an order of the Soviet Union for accomplishments in labour and civil service. It is the labour counterpart of the military Order of the Red Banner. A few institutions and factories, being the pride of Soviet Union, also received the order.-History:The Red...
(1971) - Order of the Patriotic WarOrder of the Patriotic WarThe Order of the Patriotic War is a Soviet military decoration that was awarded to all soldiers in the Soviet armed forces, security troops, and to partisans for heroic deeds during the German-Soviet War, known by the former-Soviet Union as the Great Patriotic War.- History :The Order was...
, 2nd class (1985) - Order of Merit for the FatherlandOrder of Merit for the FatherlandThe Order of Merit for the Fatherland was instituted on 2 March 1994 by Presidential Decree. The statutes describe it as a decoration for merit, not an order of knights....
, 3rd class (1998)
Awards
- San Francisco International Film FestivalSan Francisco International Film FestivalSan Francisco International Film Festival is the oldest continuously running film festival in the Americas. Organized by the San Francisco Film Society, the International is held each spring for two weeks, presenting an average of 150 films from over 50 countries...
- "Golden Gate" Prize for the film "The Story of a crime" (1962) - International Short Film Festival OberhausenInternational Short Film Festival OberhausenThe International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, founded in 1954, is one of the oldest short film festivals in the world and one of the major international platforms for the short form...
- Honorary diploma film "The Story of a Crime" (1963) - All-Union Film FestivalAll-Union Film FestivalThe All-Union Film Festival was one of the most important film festivals of the Soviet Union. It was founded in 1958 and held regularly from 1964-1988. It was held annually from 1972 onwards, and bi-annually before that...
- First Prize in the animated films section, for "The Story of a crime" (1964)
- First Prize in the animated films section, the film "Boniface's Holiday" (1966)
- Venice Film FestivalVenice Film FestivalThe Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
- Prize "Bronze Lion of St. Mark", the film "Toptyzhka" (1964) - Cork Film FestivalCork Film FestivalThe Cork Film Festival is a film festival held annually in Cork City, Ireland. It was established in 1956 and has grown to be an internationally recognised festival, particularly in the area of short films....
- Honorary Diploma for the film "Boniface's Holiday" 1965 - International Animation Film Festival in MamaiaMamaiaMamaia is a resort on the Romanian Black Sea shore, considered to be Romania's most popular resort. It is situated immediately north-east of Constanţa...
- "Golden Pelican" Prize in the children's films category for "Boniface's Holiday" (1966) - International Festival of Films for Children in Tehran - Encouraging diploma film "Boniface's Holiday" (1967)
- International Short Film FestivalKraków Film FestivalThe Kraków Film Festival is one of Europe's oldest events dedicated to documentary, animation and other short film forms. It has been organised year after year since 1961....
in Krakow - Honorary Diploma for "Film, film, film!" (1969) - International Short Film FestivalTampere Film FestivalThe Tampere Film Festival is a short film festival held every March in the Finnish town of Tampere. It is accredited by the film producers' society FIAPF, and together with the short film festivals in Oberhausen and Clermont-Ferrand, it is among the most important European short film festivals.The...
in Tampere - prize, the movie "Film, film, film!" (1970) - International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated FilmInternational Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated FilmThe International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film , also known as the Leipzig DOK Festival, is a film festival that takes place annually in Leipzig, Germany. It was founded in 1955 under the name "1st All-German Leipzig Festival of Cultural and Documentary Films" and was the...
- "Golden Dove" Prize for "The Young Friedrich Engels" (1970) - International Short Film Festival OberhausenInternational Short Film Festival OberhausenThe International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, founded in 1954, is one of the oldest short film festivals in the world and one of the major international platforms for the short form...
- Award International Jury of Public Universities for "The Young Friedrich Engels" (1971) - National Prize of the GDR - "The Young Friedrich Engels" (1971)
- International Animation Film Festival in New York - Silver Medal for the movie "Film, film, film!" (1973)
- All-Union Film FestivalAll-Union Film FestivalThe All-Union Film Festival was one of the most important film festivals of the Soviet Union. It was founded in 1958 and held regularly from 1964-1988. It was held annually from 1972 onwards, and bi-annually before that...
- Second Prize in the section of animated films, the movie "Island" (1974) - Cannes International Film Festival - "Golden Palm" for short films, for "Island" (1974)
- International Short Film FestivalKraków Film FestivalThe Kraków Film Festival is one of Europe's oldest events dedicated to documentary, animation and other short film forms. It has been organised year after year since 1961....
in Krakow - Grand Prix "Golden Dragon of Wawel", Cash Prize, Diploma SIDALK for "The Island" (1974) - Cannes Film FestivalCannes Film FestivalThe Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
- Special Jury Prize (the main competition of short films), the film "I Grant You A Star" (1975) - USSR State PrizeUSSR State PrizeThe USSR State Prize was the Soviet Union's state honour. It was established on September 9, 1966. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the prize was followed up by the State Prize of the Russian Federation....
- the film "Winnie the Pooh", "Winnie-the-Pooh Goes on a Visit", "Winnie-the-Pooh and the Day of Concern", "I Grant You A Star", "Island", "Film, film, film!" (1976) - USSR State PrizeUSSR State PrizeThe USSR State Prize was the Soviet Union's state honour. It was established on September 9, 1966. After the breakup of the Soviet Union, the prize was followed up by the State Prize of the Russian Federation....
- animation film "O Sport, You - the world!" 1982 - International Film Festival «Cinanima» in Espinho - Honorary Diploma in the category of films from 3 to 12 minutes for the movie "The Lion and the Bull" (1983)
- International Short Film FestivalTampere Film FestivalThe Tampere Film Festival is a short film festival held every March in the Finnish town of Tampere. It is accredited by the film producers' society FIAPF, and together with the short film festivals in Oberhausen and Clermont-Ferrand, it is among the most important European short film festivals.The...
in Tampere - "For the mastery of the classical style of animation" for the film "The Lion and the Bull" (1983) - International Festival of Animation films in Toronto - audience prize for the film "The Lion and the Bull" 1984
- Prize of the President of the Russian Federation in the field of literature and art (1998)
- Annecy International Animated Film FestivalAnnecy International Animated Film FestivalThe Annecy International Animation Film Festival was created in 1960 and takes place at the beginning of June in the town of Annecy, France. Initially occurring every two years, the festival became annual in 1998...
- Jury Award "for achievements in the profession" (2006) - Nika AwardNika AwardThe Nika Award is a prestigious annual ceremony held by the Russian Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences which was established in 1987 in Moscow, Russia by Yuli Gusman, and ostensibly modelled on the Academy Awards . Russian Academy Award takes its name from Nike, the goddess of victory...
- "Honour and Dignity" (the only cartoonist who has received a "Nika" in this category; 2006)
External links
- Fyodor Khitruk at animator.ruAnimator.ruAnimator.ru is a Russian website chronicling the films, people and studios of the animation industry in Russia, the former Soviet Union and the CIS. It also includes a forum, a news block, a photo-gallery and an animators labour exchange...
(complete filmography) (incomplete filmography) - Biography
Biography Information about OGIS Soyuzmultfilm's Homepage (requires Macromedia Flash)