Vitaly Melnikov (film director)

Vitaly Vyacheslavovich Melnikov (Russian: Виталий Вячеславович Мельников; born 1 May 1928) is a Soviet and Russian film director and screenwriter. He was named People’s Artist of the RSFSR in 1987 and awarded Order of Honour in 2002 and IV Class Order "For Merit to the Fatherland" in 2010.[1][2][3] He is also a member of the Russian Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences and was awarded the special Nika Award in 2016 "For outstanding contribution to national cinema".[4]

Vitaly Melnikov
Born
Vitaly Vyacheslavovich Melnikov

(1928-05-01) 1 May 1928
Svobodny, Far Eastern Krai, RSFSR, USSR
OccupationFilm director, screenwriter

Biography

Vitaly Melnikov was born at the maternity hospital of the Svobodny town (modern-day Svobodny, Amur Oblast of Russia), although his birth place was written down as Mazanovo village where his parents lived at the moment.[5] His maternal grandfather Danilo Fomich Trapeznikov, a peasant from the Tobolsk Governorate, served at the Far East during the Russo-Japanese War and enjoyed the area so much that he chose to stay there; during the Russian Civil War he was mobilized by the White Army, and during the 1930s he was arrested and executed "for collaboration with Alexander Kolchak". Vitaly's mother Avgusta Danilovna Melnikova was a teacher.[6]

His paternal grandparents, Vladimir and Eudokia, lived at the Far East near golden mines.[6] His father Vyacheslav Vladimirovich Melnikov was a forester, regularly moving with the family "from one wilderness to another". Vitaly grew up in Blagoveshchensk.[5][7] During the Great Purge his father was also arrested, declared the enemy of the people and executed. His mother was told that her husband had been sentenced to 10 years in prison and suggested to leave the Far East, so she moved to her relatives in Omsk, and then — to a village near Khanty-Mansiysk in Western Siberia where Vitaly finished secondary school. He also got addicted to cinema during that time.[6]

In 1947 he moved to Moscow and entered director's courses at VGIK led by Sergei Yutkevich. He graduated in 1952 and started making documentary movies at Lennauchfilm (15 movies total[7]). From 1963 on he worked at Lenfilm.[1] His comedy movie Seven Brides of Gefreiter Zbruev (1970) based on the screenplay by Vladimir Valutsky became the only comedy released in 1971 as well as one of the leaders of the Soviet box office (11th place), seen by 31.2 million people.[8][9] Together they produced four movies in total, including another popular comedy The Head of Chukotka (1966) and a TV adaptation of Fyodor Dostoevsky's story Another Man’s Wife and a Husband Under the Bed (1984).

His social drama Mother Got Married (1969) based on Yuri Klepikov's screenplay had been postponed for a long time and was finally released during the 1970s as a TV movie, while the psychological drama September Vacation (1979) adapted from Alexander Vampilov's play Duck Hunting was banned for 8 years and released only in 1987.[7] Prior to that he directed an adaptation of another Vampilov's play The Elder Son (1976) which turned into one of his most popular movies since.[10]

In 1990 Melnikov turned to the Russian history, directing the so-called Empire. The Beginning (or Empire. The XVIII Century) trilogy: The Royal Hunt dedicated to the times of Catherine the Great, Tsarevich Alexei about Alexei Petrovich, Tsarevich of Russia and Poor Poor Paul about Paul I of Russia, both based on Dmitry Merezhkovsky's writings.[11] The films received various national awards and nominations, including a number of Nika Awards.[12][13][14][15]

Melnikov and his wife, Tamara Aleksandrovna Melnikova, lived together for over 60 years. They have two daughters, Irina and Olga.[5][16]

Filmography
Year Title Original title
Director Screenwriter
1963 Happiness Day День счастья second unit director
1964 Berbos Visiting Bobik Барбос в гостях у Бобика
Y
1966 Chief of Chukotka Начальник Чукотки
Y
1969 Mama Married Мама вышла замуж
Y
1970 Seven Brides of Gefreiter Zbruev Семь невест ефрейтора Збруева
Y
1972 Hello and Goodbye Здравствуй и прощай
Y
1974 Ksenia, Fedor's Beloved Wife Ксения, любимая жена Фёдора
Y
1976 The Elder Son Старший сын
Y
Y
1977 Marriage Женитьба
Y
Y
1979 September Vacation Отпуск в сентябре
Y
Y
1981 Two Lines in Small Font Две строчки мелким шрифтом
Y
Y
1983 Phenomenon Уникум
Y
Y
1984 Another Man’s Wife and a Husband Under the Bed Чужая жена и муж под кроватью
Y
1985 To Marry a Captain Выйти замуж за капитана
Y
1987 First Meeting, Last Meeting Первая встреча, последняя встреча
Y
1990 The Royal Hunt Царская охота
Y
1991 Chicha Чича
Y
1994 Varyony's Last Case Последнее дело Варёного
Y
1997 Tsarevich Alexei Царевич Алексей
Y
Y
2000 The Garden Was Full of Moon Луной был полон сад
Y
2003 Poor Poor Paul Бедный, бедный Павел
Y
Y
2007 Agitbrigade Агитбригада "Beat the Enemy!"
Y
Y
2012 The Admirer Поклонница
Y
Y

Literature

Vitaly Melnikov (2011). Cinema. Life. — St. Petersburg: BXV-Peterburg, 416 pages ISBN 978-5-9775-0669-4 (Memoirs)

References
  1. Cinema: Encyclopedic Dictionary // ed. Sergei Yutkevich. — Moscow: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1987, p. 265
  2. President's Decree № 316 from 03.04.2002 at Kremlin.ru (in Russian)
  3. President's Decree № 957 from 30.07.2010 at Kremlin.ru (in Russian)
  4. Nick Holdsworth. Controversial War Film Wins Russia's NIKA Prize at The Hollywood Reporter, 4 March 2016
  5. Interview with Vitaly Melnikov at Rossiyskaya Gazeta, 13 April 2016 (in Russian)
  6. Vitaly Melnikov. Vitaly Melnikov. Life — Cinema. Director's Memoirs excerpts from memoirs at Iskusstvo Kino №4, April 2005 (in Russian)
  7. Islands. Vitaly Melnikov documentary by Russia-K, 2008 (in Russian)
  8. Seven Brides of Gefreiter Zbruev at Vokrug.TV (in Russian)
  9. Seven Brides of Gefreiter Zbruev at KinoPoisk
  10. The Elder Son at Vokrug.TV (in Russian)
  11. Svetlana Mazurova. History through the eyes of Vitaly Melnikov interview from East Siberian Pravda newspaper, 22 November 2003 (in Russian)
  12. Vitaliy Melnikov. Awards at IMDb
  13. 1990 Nika Awards at the official site (in Russian)
  14. 1997 Nika Awards at the official site (in Russian)
  15. 2003 Nika Awards at the official site (in Russian)
  16. Anatoly Agrafenin. Vitaly Melnikov article from Petersburg's Addresses №36/50, 2010 (in Russian)
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