Vladimir Bortko
Encyclopedia
Vladimir Vladimirovich Bortko (Russian
: Владимир Владимирович Бортко), born on May 7, 1946 in Moscow
, is a Russian film director, screenwriter and producer.
and his military service in 1965-1966, he worked three years as an electrical engineer in Kiev.
In 1969 he went to to the Karpenko-Kary State University of Theatre , Film and Television
in Kiev. After graduating in 1974 he worked as an assistant director at the Dovzhenko Film Studios. In 1975 he was directing his first film, entitled Channel.
In 1980, Vladimir Bortko became production leader in the Kinostudiya Lenfilm
in Leningrad
, the largest film production company of the Soviet Union
after Mosfilm
in Moscow. He received relative fame in the Soviet Union, but his big breakthrough he realized with the film adaptation of the novel Heart of a Dog written by the Russian author Mikhail Bulgakov
. He was awarded it a Grand Prix at the Film Festival in Perugia
.
In 1991 he made Afghan Breakdown
, a film about the intervention of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan with the Italian actor Michele Placido
. It was the first film in the newly created Russian Federation
which approached the military activities of the Soviet Union critically.
After the turn of the century Vladimir Bortko accepted the challenge to realize two of the biggest projects ever in the history of Russian cinema for the television channel Telekanal Rossiya. The first was an adaptation of the novel The Idiot
written by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky into a television series of 10 episodes in 2002. The series clinched all the major television prizes in Russia, and actor Yevgeny Mironov
received the award for Best Actor at the Monte Carlo Television Festival
.
Three years later followed an adaptation of the novel The Master and Margarita written by Mikhail Bulgakov
, also into a TV series of 10 episodes. The first broadcast of December 19, 2005 was preceded by months of controversy in the media. Opponents feared that by the filming, the layered narrative of the novel and the complexity of the socio-political and metaphysical themes would be sacrificed to the popular demands of the medium television. Bortko had been following carefully the dialogues of the novel though, and the series became the most successful ever on Russian television. On December 25, 2005 40 million Russians were watching the seventh episode.
In 2009, Bortko caused another big controversy, followed by a huge public success, with his film adaptation of the historical drama Taras Bulba written by the Russian author Nikolai Gogol
. This time the criticism came from Ukraine
, because while Bortko allowed the Polish actors in the film to speak Polish, the Ukrainian Cossacks had to express themselves in poor Russian. Yet this film was also a big success, with nearly 4 million paying visitors in Russian cinemas.
Bortko is a member of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation
(CPRF), and has claimed that Russia now can only "export oil, gas and prostitutes."
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
: Владимир Владимирович Бортко), born on May 7, 1946 in 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...
, is a Russian film director, screenwriter and producer.
Biography
Vladimir Bortko was born May 7, 1946 in Moscow. He grew up in the family of the Ukrainian Soviet playwright Aleksandr Korneychuk. After his studies in the Geological College in KievKiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
and his military service in 1965-1966, he worked three years as an electrical engineer in Kiev.
In 1969 he went to to the Karpenko-Kary State University of Theatre , Film and Television
National University of Theatre, Film and TV in Kiev
The National University of Theatre, Film and TV of Karpenko-Kary is a theatrical national university in Kiev, the capital of Ukraine. It is a multidisciplinary institution of artistic education.-History:...
in Kiev. After graduating in 1974 he worked as an assistant director at the Dovzhenko Film Studios. In 1975 he was directing his first film, entitled Channel.
In 1980, Vladimir Bortko became production leader in the Kinostudiya 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,...
in Leningrad
Leningrad
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...
, the largest film production company of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
after Mosfilm
Mosfilm
Mosfilm is a film studio, which is often described as the largest and oldest in Russia and in Europe. Its output includes most of the more widely-acclaimed Soviet films, ranging from works by Tarkovsky and Eisenstein , to Red Westerns, to the Akira Kurosawa co-production and the epic Война и Мир...
in Moscow. He received relative fame in the Soviet Union, but his big breakthrough he realized with the film adaptation of the novel Heart of a Dog written by the Russian author Mikhail Bulgakov
Mikhail Bulgakov
Mikhaíl Afanásyevich Bulgákov was a Soviet Russian writer and playwright active in the first half of the 20th century. He is best known for his novel The Master and Margarita, which The Times of London has called one of the masterpieces of the 20th century.-Biography:Mikhail Bulgakov was born on...
. He was awarded it a Grand Prix at the Film Festival in Perugia
Perugia
Perugia is the capital city of the region of Umbria in central Italy, near the River Tiber, and the capital of the province of Perugia. The city is located about north of Rome. It covers a high hilltop and part of the valleys around the area....
.
In 1991 he made Afghan Breakdown
Afghan Breakdown
Afghan Breakdown is a 1990 war drama film about the Soviet war in Afghanistan directed by Vladimir Bortko and co-produced by Italy and the Soviet Union...
, a film about the intervention of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan with the Italian actor Michele Placido
Michele Placido
Michele Placido is an internationally known Italian actor and director. He is best known for the role of Corrado Cattani in the TV series La Piovra.-Life and career:...
. It was the first film in the newly created Russian Federation
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...
which approached the military activities of the Soviet Union critically.
After the turn of the century Vladimir Bortko accepted the challenge to realize two of the biggest projects ever in the history of Russian cinema for the television channel Telekanal Rossiya. The first was an adaptation of the novel The Idiot
The Idiot (TV series)
The Idiot is a costume drama TV series produced by Russia TV Channel in 2003 based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel with the same title.Series script is very close to original text of Dostoevsky and well-known Russian actors are playing in the film...
written by the Russian author Fyodor Dostoevsky into a television series of 10 episodes in 2002. The series clinched all the major television prizes in Russia, and actor Yevgeny Mironov
Yevgeny Mironov (actor)
Yevgeny Mironov is a Russian film and stage actor, Meritorious Artist of Russian Federation , People's Artist of Russia , State Prize of the Russian Federation laureate . Yevgeny Mironov lives and works in Moscow, Russia.- Early life :Yevgeny Mironov was born in Saratov...
received the award for Best Actor at the Monte Carlo Television Festival
Festival de Télévision de Monte-Carlo
The Monte-Carlo Television Festival was created in 16-20 January 1961 by Prince Rainier III of Monaco, who wished to “encourage a new art form, in the service of peace and understanding between men”....
.
Three years later followed an adaptation of the novel The Master and Margarita written by Mikhail Bulgakov
Mikhail Bulgakov
Mikhaíl Afanásyevich Bulgákov was a Soviet Russian writer and playwright active in the first half of the 20th century. He is best known for his novel The Master and Margarita, which The Times of London has called one of the masterpieces of the 20th century.-Biography:Mikhail Bulgakov was born on...
, also into a TV series of 10 episodes. The first broadcast of December 19, 2005 was preceded by months of controversy in the media. Opponents feared that by the filming, the layered narrative of the novel and the complexity of the socio-political and metaphysical themes would be sacrificed to the popular demands of the medium television. Bortko had been following carefully the dialogues of the novel though, and the series became the most successful ever on Russian television. On December 25, 2005 40 million Russians were watching the seventh episode.
In 2009, Bortko caused another big controversy, followed by a huge public success, with his film adaptation of the historical drama Taras Bulba written by the Russian author Nikolai Gogol
Nikolai Gogol
Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol was a Ukrainian-born Russian dramatist and novelist.Considered by his contemporaries one of the preeminent figures of the natural school of Russian literary realism, later critics have found in Gogol's work a fundamentally romantic sensibility, with strains of Surrealism...
. This time the criticism came from Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, because while Bortko allowed the Polish actors in the film to speak Polish, the Ukrainian Cossacks had to express themselves in poor Russian. Yet this film was also a big success, with nearly 4 million paying visitors in Russian cinemas.
Bortko is a member of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation
Communist Party of the Russian Federation
The Communist Party of the Russian Federation is a Russian political party. It is the second major political party in the Russian Federation.-History:...
(CPRF), and has claimed that Russia now can only "export oil, gas and prostitutes."
Film and television
- 1974 – Doctor (Thesis short film)
- 1975 – Channel
- 1984 – The Blonde from around the Corner
- 1988 – Heart of a Dog
- 1991 – Afghan BreakdownAfghan BreakdownAfghan Breakdown is a 1990 war drama film about the Soviet war in Afghanistan directed by Vladimir Bortko and co-produced by Italy and the Soviet Union...
- 2000 – Gangsters of Saint-Petersburg (TV-series)
- 2002 – The IdiotThe Idiot (TV series)The Idiot is a costume drama TV series produced by Russia TV Channel in 2003 based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel with the same title.Series script is very close to original text of Dostoevsky and well-known Russian actors are playing in the film...
(TV-series) - 2005 – The Master and Margarita (TV-series)
- 2009 – Taras Bulba
- 2011 - The Will. Peter the Great (TV-series)