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- Actress
- Producer
- Stunts
Natalie Burn is an accomplished actress of Ukrainian heritage, now holding American citizenship. She boasts a distinguished career, marked by her commitment to excellence in the performing arts. Natalie is proud to be a lifetime member of The Actors Studio and an active member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
In her latest project, "Til Death Do Us Part," which was released in AMC theaters nationwide, Natalie received critical acclaim for her portrayal as a runaway bride in danger. Several reviewers and articles like Hollywood Reporter, CBS News and LA Times praised Burn's ability to do her own stunts as well as her dramatic performance alongside esteemed actors Cam Gigandet and Jason Patric. Her recent credits encompass a range of notable productions, including Warner Brothers' DC Comic film "Black Adam," starring Dwayne Johnson, and "The Enforcer," opposite Antonio Banderas and Kate Bosworth. She shone in "The Expendables 3" alongside Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Mel Gibson. Her upcoming film, "The Movers," features Academy Nominee Terence Howard and Jena Malone.
Natalie's television work includes co-starring roles in the Amazon Prime Emmy Award-winning Limited Drama Series "Studio City," which earned her an Indie Series Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actress, and the Lifetime Original movie "Vanished: Search for My Sister.
Also recognized for her exceptional skills in martial arts, Natalie has starred in several action movies across industry legends like Bruce Willis and Jason Statham. Recently, she commanded the screen as the lead in the action-packed thriller "Acceleration," alongside Dolph Lundgren and Sean Patrick Flanery. Later this year she can be seen starring in the upcoming medieval epic "The Last Redemption."
In addition to her acting prowess, Natalie is a classically trained ballet dancer, having graduated from The Royal Ballet School in London and Bolshoi Ballet Academy. Fluent in four languages, she brings a global perspective to her artistic endeavors.
As a producer, Natalie owns two production companies, 7Heaven Productions and Born To Burn Films, with a track record of producing a dozen successful films to date and several more in pre-production.
Driven by a desire to inspire and empower women in the entertainment industry worldwide, Natalie Burn sets a high standard as a role model for artistic excellence and professionalism.- Alec Utgoff is a British actor best known for playing 'Alexei' in the Netflix hit show, 'Stranger Things'. He was born in Kiev, Ukraine. After moving to UK at a young age, Alec pursued acting and attended the prestigious Drama Centre London where he graduated in 2010 after completing his BA and MA degrees. He appeared in numerous Films and TV series including 'Stranger Things', 'Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit', 'Mission Impossible...' and others...
His parents and his older brother still live in Kiev. Alec's father, Vladimir, is a heart surgeon and his mother, Roza, is a musical conductor. His brother, Alan, is an economist. - Producer
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Gene Stupnitsky was born on 26 August 1977 in Kiev, Ukraine. He is a producer and writer, known for The Office (2005), Good Boys (2019) and No Hard Feelings (2023).- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Ilia Volok trained at the Moscow Art Theatre School under Russian actor Aleksandr Kalyagin and is a lifetime member of The Actors Studio. He has appeared in over 150 films, television shows, and video games. He is known for his work on Gemini Man opposite Will Smith for director Ang Lee, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull directed by Steven Spielberg; Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol with Tom Cruise; Air Force One opposite Harrison Ford directed by Wolfgang Peterson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button opposite Brad Pitt, directed by David Fincher, Water For Elephants opposite Reese Witherspoon, Swordfish opposite John Travolta and Hugh Jackman and The Immigrant opposite Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix and Jermey Renner directed by James Grey, .
Additionally, he has guest starred in major television including "The Punisher", "Magnum PI", "McGuyver", "Counterpart", "Shameless", "NCIS" and "NCIS: New Orleans", "Criminal Minds", "The Americans", "Baskets", recurring roles on Michael Bay's series "The Last Ship" and "Scandal" and an episode at the height of 'Friends" in which reference was made to the Air Force One without mentioning him as one of its actors.
The character Vladimir Kamarivsky in the Electronic Arts video game Battlefield 3 is modeled after and voiced by Volok.
His life took an unexpected turn when after being a professional athlete, 3rd place at the world championship in rowing, he left to pursue acting at one of the most prestigious acting colleges, the Moscow Art Theatre School. To the complete surprise of his friends and relatives, he passed a rigorous competition (200 hundred contestants per one spot) and was accepted to study under the direction of one of the top stars of Russian theatre and cinema - Alexandr Kalyagin. Upon graduation he was invited to work in several top theatre companies the Moscow Art Theatre being one of them. But once again he changed the direction of his life, and with $300.00 in his pocket, without any knowledge of English, he came to America to pursue his dream of being a working as Hollywood actor.
He was working at a cemetery as a funeral service attendant where he enjoyed quiet surroundings and fresh air, later he was promoted to selling cemetery plots. Volok got his acting break in the movie Hail Ceaser, opposite Samuel Jackson, Robert Downey Jr. and Michael Anthony Hall. Volok also appeared in Oliver Stone's U-Turn, The Soloist, Abduction, GI Joe 2 and Pawn Sacrifice.
Ilia often performs on stage. His Theater credits include: "The Awful Grace of God" at The Actors Company, "The Revisionist" at The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing arts, co-starred opposite Tony award winner Deanna Dunagan, "Who Killed Comrade Rabbit" at the Blank Theater), co writer and producer, "Vivien" at the Actor's Circle, co-produced, the one man show "Diary of a Madman", Just a Song at Twilight at Write Act Repertory, Cat's Paw at the Actor's Studio, "Ferdinand" at Promanade Playhouse, "Cassat & Degas" at The Hudson Theater, "Destiny's Calling" at the Stella Adler Theater, "Chekhov in Yalta" at Theater 40) and "Fakov in America" at the American Renegade Theater. His one-man show Diary of A Madman won the LA Weekly Theater Award for Best Solo Performance. Ilia is a Faculty of the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in Los Angeles. Volok is represented at Endorse Management Group.- Oleg Zagorodnii is an Ukrainian film, theater and TV actor. Zagorodnii was born on October 27, 1987 in Kyiv. He studied Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema and Television University, graduating in 2010. Since 2010, the actor of the Lesya Ukrainka National Academic Theater. In 2015 he was invited to the troupe of the Moscow Theater Gogol Center. Since 2010, he has been acting in films, making his debut in the films "Demons" and "1942". In 2021, Zagorodnii starred in Firebird as Roman. The film is set in the 1970s at the height of the Cold War and tells about the love relationship that broke out between Soviet Air Force Lieutenant Roman Matveev (Oleg Zagorodnii) and Private Sergey Serebrennikov.
- Larisa Polonsky was born on 30 March 1982 in Kiev, USSR [now Ukraine]. She is an actress, known for Person of Interest (2011), Leaving Circadia (2014) and Trust, Greed, Bullets & Bourbon (2013).
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Ana Layevska was born on 10 January 1982 in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. She is an actress, known for The War Next-door (2021), La Muchacha Que Limpia (2021) and Yankee (2019). She has been married to Rodrigo Moreira since 13 April 2014.- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Vadim Perelman was born in 1963 in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. He is a director and producer, known for House of Sand and Fog (2003), Persian Lessons (2020) and The Life Before Her Eyes (2007).- Actor
- Additional Crew
Andy Scott Harris began performing in commercials and industrial films at age four, after being spotted by an agent in a talent show. By age seven, he had decided that acting was his true calling. He moved with his family from Minneapolis to Los Angeles in 2008 and immediately booked the lead in the award-winning short film, "The Closet". He broke into Prime Time television later that year when he co-starred on House "Big Baby", earning him his SAG membership. Andy was a stand-up comedian with the comedy troupe "Standing Tall Comedy Kids & Teens", and regularly performed at the Improv Comedy Club.- Director
- Producer
- Writer
The distinguished film director Anatole Litvak was born in the Ukrainian city of Kiev, the son of Jewish parents. His very first job was as a stage hand. In 1915, he became an actor, performing at a little-known experimental theater in St. Petersburg, Russia. As a teenager, he witnessed the 1917 Russian Revolution and the consequent nationalization of all theaters and drama schools. It was at this time Litvak decided to quit the stage and join the burgeoning Soviet film industry. He was given a job at the Leningrad Nordkino studio as a set designer, but, before long, he worked his way up to directing short features, notably Tatiana (1925), a film about children.
In 1925, he left the Soviet Union for Berlin and was hired by the renowned director Georg Wilhelm Pabst to edit The Joyless Street (1925) starring Greta Garbo. He then began directing numerous short films for Ufa, and, eventually, moved on to full-length features. The most important of these was the romantic comedy Dolly macht Karriere (1930). Litvak's stay in Germany was cut short by the rise to power of Adolf Hitler. Litvak moved to France, and directed Mayerling (1936), starring Charles Boyer and Danielle Darrieux. This production was the turning point in Litvak's career, being a major hit on both sides of the Atlantic. He received effusive praise from critic Frank S. Nugent of the New York Times, who commented on the director's "superb assembling of scenes" and the "matchless performances" of the stars (September 14,1937). Hollywood soon beckoned, and, from 1937 to 1941, Litvak became a contract director for Warner Brothers. His first film was The Woman I Love (1937), which starred his future wife Miriam Hopkins. His experience with diverse aspects of stagecraft, as well as his fluency in four languages (Russian, German, French and English), enabled him to competently tackle a wide variety of subjects: from sophisticated continental comedy (Tovarich (1937)) to historical drama (Anastasia (1956)) and romance (All This, and Heaven Too (1940)).
Litvak was at his best directing taut, suspenseful crime dramas, such as The Amazing Dr. Clitterhouse (1938) with Edward G. Robinson and Humphrey Bogart, hailed by Variety as "an unquestionable winner"; and two tough action films starring John Garfield: Castle on the Hudson (1940) and Out of the Fog (1941). Having become an American citizen in 1940, Litvak enlisted in the US army and collaborated with Frank Capra on the wartime "Why we Fight" series of documentaries. At war's end he left the army with the rank of colonel and returned to Hollywood to direct the classic thriller Sorry, Wrong Number (1948) with Barbara Stanwyck. Arguably his best film was the superb psychological drama The Snake Pit (1948), Hollywood's first attempt to seriously examine the treatment of mental illness. Indeed, the film was so influential that it precipitated changes in the American mental health system. Litvak was nominated for an Academy Award as Best Director, but lost out to John Huston for The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948).
In 1949, the director -- who had once described Hollywood as a "Mecca" -- returned to Europe and settled in Paris, working only infrequently. He undertook several projects under contract to 20th Century Fox (in 1951, and from 1955 to 1956). Notable among his later efforts are two contrasting films with Ingrid Bergman: the lavishly produced Anastasia (1956), about a woman claiming to be the Romanoff dynasty's last living direct descendant; and the moody, introspective romantic drama Goodbye Again (1961), shot on location in Paris. In stark thematic contrast to these, he also directed the suspenseful wartime thriller The Night of the Generals (1967), starring Peter O'Toole.
Anatole Litvak died in a hospital in Neuilly, Paris, in December 1974 at the age of 72.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Alex Feldman was born in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. He is an actor and director, known for The Americans (2013), Eternity Hill (2016) and Law & Order (1990).- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Born in Russian Empire to a Ukrainian father and a Swedish mother, Anna Sten studied at the Russian Film Academy and joined the Moscow Art Theater. Strikingly beautiful, she went on to appear in a number of Russian silent films, but it was in the German film Der Mörder Dimitri Karamasoff (1931) that Anna gained notice. Samuel Goldwyn saw a picture of Anna in the paper and rushed to view the film. After the first reel he sent word to sign her, hoping to develop her into a star of the magnitude of Greta Garbo or Marlene Dietrich. His agent signed Anna to a contract but forgot to mention the fact that she didn't speak a word of English, which made her appearance in sound pictures questionable. She spent a year studying English every day and working out makeup and acting. Goldwyn publicity called her "The Passionate Peasant" and sold her image to papers all over America. However, her first American picture, Nana (1934), even though almost completely rewritten and re-shot from the original, didn't bring audiences into the theaters. While Anna was looked great, the script and picture were average. Her second film, We Live Again (1934), marginally better suited to her style, also died within weeks at the box office. After her third film for Goldwyn, The Wedding Night (1935), also flopped, she and Goldwyn parted company after it became known around Hollywood as "Goldwyn's Last Sten." Anna made a few more movies, but by the end of the decade she was forgotten.- Additional Crew
- Producer
- Actor
Mayer was born Lazar Meir in the Ukraine and grew up in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada after his parents fled Russian oppression in 1886. He had a brutal childhood, raised in poverty and suffering physical and emotional abuse from his nearly-illiterate peddler father. In the early 1890s, he changed his name to Louis and fudged his birth date to reflect the more "patriotic" date of July 4, 1885. He moved to Boston in 1904 and struggled as a scrap-metal dealer until he was able to purchase a burlesque house. Although he made large sums by showing films (he made a sizable fortune off The Birth of a Nation (1915)), his early business ventures favored legitimate theater in New England. As his theater empire expanded, he had acquired and refurbished enough small movie theaters that he was able to move his business to Los Angeles and venture into movie production in 1918. Along with Samuel Goldwyn and Marcus Loew of Metro Pictures, he formed a new company called Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM).
Over the next 25 years, MGM was "the Tiffany of the studios," producing more films and movie stars than any other studio in the world. Mayer became the prime creator of the enduring Hollywood of myth, home to stars like Clark Gable, Judy Garland, Joan Crawford, and Jean Harlow. Mayer became the highest-paid man in America, one of the country's most successful horse breeders, a political force and Hollywood's leading spokesman. Both he and MGM reached their peaks at the end of World War II, and Mayer was forced out in 1951. He died of leukemia in 1957.- Actor
- Camera and Electrical Department
- Soundtrack
Eugene Hutz was born on 6 September 1972 in Boyarka, Kiev Oblast, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. He is an actor, known for Everything Is Illuminated (2005), Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006) and Filth and Wisdom (2008).- Director
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Writer
Born in Kyiv (Ukraine) in 1974, Myroslav Slaboshpytskyi graduated from the filmmaking department of the Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema and Television University, majoring in feature film directing. He has worked at various Ukrainian film studios in Kyiv (such as the Dovzhenko Film Studio) and Russian film studios in St. Petersburg (such as the Lenfilm Studios). He also worked as a script writer on numerous TV films and published a number of stories, one of which The Chornobyl Robinson won the prize of the All-Ukrainian Script Contest Coronation of the Word (2000). His debut short "The Intsydent" has competed in 25 festivals in 17 countries. His second feature film "Diagnosis" has been nominated for Golden Bear. His latest short film "Deafness" is his second Berlinale outing that got him another Golden Bear nomination. In autumn 2010 Myroslav received a grant to create his first full-length feature film 'The Tribe" from the Hubert Bals Fund of Rotterdam Film Festival. In 2012, Myroslav won the Silver Leopard of the Locarno Film Festival's competition program "Pardi di domani" for his film "Nuclear Waste". "Nuclear Waste" was nominated for an EFA Award in 2013. His latest film, "The Tribe" (2014), won the Nespresso Grand Prize for La Semaine de la Critique in 2014.- Director
- Writer
- Actress
Maya Deren came to the USA in 1922 as Eleanora Derenkowsky. Together with her father Solomon Derenkowsky, a psychiatrist, and her mother Maria Fidler, an artist, she fled the pogroms organized by the Bolsheviks against the Jews. She studied journalism and political science at the Syracuse University in New York, finishing her BA at the New York University (NYU) in June 1936, and then received her MA in English literature from the Smith College in 1939.
In 1943, she made her first film Meshes of the Afternoon (1943), co-starring with Alexander Hammid. Through this association, at Hammid's suggestion, she changed her name to Maya, meaning "illusion." Overall, she made six short films and several incomplete films, including Witch's Cradle (1944) starring Marcel Duchamp.
Deren is the author of two books, "An Anagram of Ideas on Art, Form, and Film" 1946 (reprinted in "The Legend of Maya Deren," vol 1, part 2) and "Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti" (1953)--a book that was made after her first trip to Haiti in 1947 and which is still considered one of the most useful on Haitian Voudoun. Deren wrote numerous articles on film and on Haiti. Maya Deren shot over 18,000 feet of film in Haiti from 1947 to 1954 on Haitian Voudoun, parts of which can be viewed in Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti (1993) made after her death by her then-husband Teiji Ito and his new wife Cherel Ito.
In 1947, Maya Deren became the first filmmaker to receive a Guggenheim grant for creative work in motion pictures. She wrote film theory, distributed her own films, traveled across the USA, and went to Cuba and Canada to promote her films using the lecture-demonstration format to teach film theory, and Voudoun and the interrelationship of magic, science, and religion. Deren established the Creative Film Foundation in the late 1950s to reward the achievements of independent filmmakers.- Producer
- Actor
- Executive
Alexander Tsekalo was born March 1961 in Kiev, Ukraine. Alexander is a US producer that's also a musician, actor, radio and TV host. He studied at Stage Performance Academy in Kiev, Ukraine. Currently, Alexander is the CEO & Founder of Sreda Global, a TV production company based out of Los Angeles, California.- Joseph Conrad was born in Berdichev, Kiev Province, now the Ukraine, to Polish parents Apollo Korzeniowski and Ewa Bobrowska. His father was a political activist and he and his family were exiled after he was suspected of involvement with revolutionary activities. Conrad had no friends as a child and rarely associated with boys or girls. His mother had always been a sickly person and died of tuberculosis in 1865. Conrad's father sent him to live with his uncle and pursue his education in France. Conrad's father died in 1869, also of tuberculosis. Conrad became an officer on British ships and spent two decades on various ships. Conrad was inspired to write "Heart of Darkness" after voyaging to Congo in 1890. In 1894, Conrad published his first novel and in 1896 he married Jessie George, an on-again off-again girlfriend. Conrad had few friends in adulthood, mainly fellow authors such as Stephen Crane and Henry James. Conrad died of a heart attack in 1924.
- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Juliette Marquis was born in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. She is an actress and producer, known for Horn Maker, Dent (2017) and Into the Sun (2005).- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Alexander Rodnyansky was born on July 2nd of 1961 in Kiev. He graduated from Kiev's National University of Film, Theatre and Television as a documentary director. In 1983 he started his career at "KievNauchFilm" studio.
As a director Mr. Rodnyansky won numerous awards for his documentaries. From 1990 till 1993 he worked as a producer and film director at the German television channel ZDF.
In 1994 he returns to Ukraine to create the first independent television channel in the country 1+1. In a matter of months 1+1 became the leader of the television market in Ukraine. Mr. Rodnyansky served as CEO of 1+1 and was a co-owner of the company together with Central European Media Enterprises (CME). Later he sold his interest in 1+1 to CME.
In 2002 Mr. Rodnaynsky was asked to head the American company Story First Communication (later renamed CTC Media) which operated one TV-channel - CTC. Under his leadership the company transformed into an international television powerhouse with five channels in three countries.
Mr. Rodnyansky was responsible for making CTC Media the first ever Russian media company to have an IPO on NASDAQ. In 2002 the CTC channel had a market value of approximately $40 million, when Mr. Rodnyansky left CTC Media in 2008 the company's market capitalization was over $4 billion; CTC doubled its audience share and became the fourth most popular channel in Russia.
During his career Mr. Rodnyansky produced over 30 films and more than 20 television series. As producer Mr. Rodnyansky had made box-office hits such as The 9th Company, The Heat, Piter FM, Inhabited Island and critically acclaimed films - The Sun by Alexander Sokurov, Les Mille et une Regettes du Cuisinier Amoreux, Driver for Vera by Pavel Chuhray and East-West by Régis Wargnier.
In 2009 Rodnyansky has founded AR Films through which he now controls a movie production company Non-Stop Production, the leader of the distribution of independent films Cinema without frontiers (Kino Bez Granits) and the most important film festival in Russia - Kinotavr.- Ekaterina Kuznetsova was born on 12 July 1987 in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. She is an actress, known for Bystree, chem kroliki (2014), Chastnoe pionerskoe 2 (2015) and Samka bogomola (2021).
- Sergei Makovetsky is a popular Russian actor best known for his leading roles in Duska (2007) by director Jos Stelling and in 12 (2007) by director Nikita Mikhalkov.
He was born Sergei Vasilevich Makovetsky on June 13, 1958, in Darnitsa, a suburb of Kiev, Soviet Union (now Kyiv, Ukraine). He was raised by a single mother, was a good swimmer and water polo player and candidate to Soviet National Team, but his mother strongly objected his sports career. After failing to enter the Kiev Theatrical College, he worked as a stage decorator for one year, then moved to Moscow in his pursuit of an acting career. In Moscow Makovetsky was rejected by several acting schools, then he was drafted in the Soviet Army, but he managed to fool the Army doctors by using his acting skills to show symptoms of serious illnesses. Eventually his persistence and determination paid off, and his natural talent was recognized. From 1977 - 1980 he studied acting at the Shchukin Theatrical School of Vakhtangov Theatre in Moscow, graduating as an actor in 1980 from the class of Alla Kazanskaya.
Since 1980 Makovetsky has been member of the troupe at Vakhtangov Theatre in Moscow. There his stage partners were such actors as Mikhail Ulyanov, Vasiliy Lanovoy, Yuliya Borisova, Lyudmila Maksakova, Alla Kazanskaya, Irina Kupchenko, Lyudmila Tselikovskaya, Mariya Aronova, Marianna Vertinskaya, Elena Dobronravova, Yuriy Yakovlev, Vladimir Etush, Vyacheslav Shalevich, Nikolai Timofeyev, Aleksandr Grave, Vladimir Simonov, Vladimir Koval, Viktor Zozulin, Evgeniy Karelskikh, Aleksandr Koznov, Vladimir Vdovichenkov, Mikhail Vaskov, Andrei Zaretsky, Nonna Grishaeva, Mariya Aronova, Elena Sotnikova, Anna Dubrovskaya, Olga Tumaykina, Maksim Sukhanov, and Viktor Dobronravov, among others.
His most memorable stage performances included such roles as Iago in the Shakespeare's 'Othello' (1980s), as Gorodnichy in 'Revizor' (1990s) (aka.. Ispector general) based on the classic play by Nikolay Gogol, and as Gan-za-Lin in 'Zoikina kvartira' based on the eponymous play by Mikhail A. Bulgakov, among other plays. In 1998 Makovetsky created the title character in Molière's 'Amfitrion' and the play has been a continuous success for 9 seasons in a row. Since the 2003 premiere of 'Chaika', Makovetsky has been delivering critically acclaimed performances as Trigorin opposite Lyudmila Maksakova and Yuriy Yakovlev. He also appeared in several stage productions by director Roman Viktyuk.
Sergei Makovetsky was designated People's Actor of Russia, and received numerous awards for his works on stage and in films. He is one of the highest paid actors in today's Russia. Sergei Makovetsky is living and working in Moscow, Russia. - Soundtrack
She initially grew up in Pinsk. However, due to the anti-Jewish riots in Russia, the family emigrated to the USA in 1906, where they set up a small business in Milwaukee (Wisconsin). At the age of 14, Mabovitch ran away from home to live with her older sister in Denver. There in 1915 she came into contact with a socialist wing of the Zionist movement, which called the "Poale Zion" movement in the USA and advocated the establishment of an equal Jewish society in Palestine. In 1917 she married Morris Meyerson, whose name was Hebraized to "Meir" in 1956. In 1921 the couple emigrated to Palestine, where they joined Kibbutz Merhavia. In 1922 they moved to Jerusalem, where their first child, Menachem, was born a year later.
In 1928, Meir was appointed secretary of the Workers' Council of Histradut, the Jewish Workers' Union of Palestine. From 1932 to 1934 she worked as a representative of the women's organization in the USA. During this time she separated from her husband, who died in 1951. After her return, Meir was accepted into the Histadrut's executive committee in 1934 and made head of the political department. During the Second World War she was a member of the War Economic Advisory Board set up by the British Mandate Government for Palestine. In the last years of the British mandate after the war, Meir was the most important representative of the Jewish cause in Palestine. In 1947/48 she was actively involved in the preparations for the founding of the State of Israel. She was one of the 25 signatories of the Declaration of Independence of May 14, 1948, which is considered Israel's founding act.
As the first Israeli ambassador to the Soviet Union, Meir was sent to Moscow in 1948, where she soon began to initiate the emigration of numerous Jews to Israel and the West. In 1949, Meir returned to Israel, where she worked as a member of the Labor Party (Mapai) in the Knesset until 1974 and also in numerous government functions. As Minister of Labor from 1949 to 1955, she made outstanding progress in building a social system and creating jobs for the masses of immigrants. In the decade 1955 to 1965, Meir made a recognized name for herself at the international level as Israel's Foreign Minister. In this role, she primarily built a comprehensive development program for African states with which Israel had worked closely for a long time.
In 1965, Meir was promoted to general secretary of the Labor Party, as which she subsequently contributed to the unification of the three Labor parties to form the Israel Labor Party. On March 7, 1969, Meir was appointed Prime Minister of Israel, succeeding the late Eshkol. As head of government, the politician advocated negotiations and a peace solution with the Arab world. At the same time, however, it rejected talks with the PLO under Yasser Arafat because it viewed it as a terrorist organization. Meir was the first Jewish head of government to meet with Pope Paul VI at the beginning of 1973. together. In the fall it had to overcome a serious foreign policy crisis with the Yom Kippur War. In the general election of December 1973 the Labor Party was confirmed in government.
However, in 1974, Meir resigned from her position as head of government in connection with a parliamentary investigation into the military events during the Yom Kippur War. As a result, Meir continued to appear in public and in the press as an advocate for the Israeli cause.
Golda Meir died on December 8, 1978 in Jerusalem (Israel).- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Aleksey Gorbunov was born on 29 October 1961 in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. He is an actor and writer, known for 12 (2007), Sherlock Holmes (2013) and Mechenosets (2006).- Actress
Ireesha was born in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. She is known for Click (2006), Q: Secret Agent (2008) and Two and a Half Men (2003).- Actress
- Additional Crew
Janina Elkin is a British-German actress. Born in Kiev (Ukraine) and raised in Germany, she works between London, Berlin, and Los Angeles. Known for her roles in "The Queen's Gambit," "The Undeclared War," "Tatort," and "Sayonara Loreley," She speaks fluent German, Russian, English, Spanish, and Ukrainian. She studied acting at the Lee Strasberg Institute in New York and has been working as an actress on stage as well as in film and television.- Mikhail A. Bulgakov was a Russian writer and medical doctor known for big screen adaptations of his books, such as Beg (1971) and Master i Margarita (2006).
He was born Mikhail Afanasievich Bulgakov on May 15, 1891, in Kiev, Russia (now Kiev, Ukraine). He was the first of six children in the family of a theology professor. His family belonged to the intellectual elite of Kiev. Bulgakov with his brothers took part in the demonstration commemorating the death of Lev Tolstoy. Bulgakov graduated with honors from the Medical School of Kiev University in 1915. He married his classmate Tatiana Lippa, who became his assistant at surgeries and in his Doctor's office. He practiced medicine, specializing in venereal and other infectious diseases from 1915 to 1919.
Bulgakov wrote about his experiences as a doctor in his early works "Notes of a Young Doctor." In 1917-1919, he suffered from an infection that caused him an unbearable painful itch requiring him to take morphine; which he became addicted to, but he managed to overcome the dependency and quit. He joined the anti-communist White Army in the Russian Civil War. After the Civil War, he tried to emigrate from Russia, to reunite with his brother in Paris. But he became trapped in Soviet Russia. Several times he was almost killed by opposing forces on both sides of the Russian Civil War, but soldiers needed doctors, so Bulgakov was left alive. He provided medical help to the Chehchens, Caucasians, Cossacs, Russians, the Whites, the Reds... Bulgakov was the Doctor to all the sick people.
In 1921, Bulgakov moved to Moscow. There he became a writer and made friends with Valentin Kataev, Yuriy Olesha, Ilya Ilf, Yevgeni Petrov, and Konstantin Paustovsky. Later, he met Mikhail Zoschenko, Anna Akhmatova, Viktor Ardov, Sergey Mikhalkov, and Korney Ivanovich Chukovskiy. Bulgakov's plays at the Moscow Art Theatre were directed by Konstantin Stanislavski and Vladimir Nemirovich-Danchenko. "Days of the Turbins," about the demise of the White Army, was performed more than 200 times at the Moscow Art Theatre, and also at other Soviet theatres until it was banned.
The play was later restored to the repertoire and at least fifteen performances of this play were attended by Joseph Stalin. Stalin liked the play and later, in his official speeches, he used some of the well-written lines that were spoken from the stage by the Bulgakov's characters. In 1941, after the Nazi invasion in Russia during the Second World War, Joseph Stalin started his first radio address to the people of the Soviet Union with Bulgakov's words from the play, "Brothers and Sisters..."
Bulgakov's political independence was expressed in his article on the death of the first Soviet dictator Vladimir Lenin, "He killed a river of people..." wrote Bulgakov in 1924.
Bugakov's own way of life and his witty criticism of the ugly realities of life in the Soviet Union caused him much trouble. In 1925 he released 'Heart of a Dog', a bitter satire about the loss of civilized values in Russia under the Soviet system. Soon after, Bulgakov was interrogated by the Soviet secret service, OGPU. After interrogations, his personal diary and several unfinished works were confiscated by the secret service.
His plays were banned in all theaters, which terminated his income. Being financially broke, he wrote to his brother in Paris about his terrible life and poverty in Moscow. Bulgakov distanced himself from the Proletariat Writer's Union because he refused to write about the peasants and proletariat. He made adaptation of the "Dead Souls" by Nikolay Gogol for the stage; it became a success but was abruptly banned.
He took a risk and wrote a letter to Joseph Stalin with an ultimatum: "Let me out of the Soviet Union, or restore my work at the theaters." On the 18th of April of 1930, Bulgakov received a telephone call from Joseph Stalin. The dictator told the writer to fill an employment application at the Moscow Art Theater. Gradually, Bulgakov's plays were back in the repertoire of the Moscow Art Theatre. But most other theatres were in fear and did not stage any of the Bulgakov's plays for many years.
Joseph Stalin, who was increasingly paranoid, ordered massive extermination of intellectuals during the repressions known as the "Great Terror" (aka.. Great Purge). Many of Bulgakov's friends and colleagues, like Vladimir Mayakovsky, Osip Mandelstam, Vsevolod Meyerhold, Anna Akhmatova, Mikhail Zoschenko and many others were censored, banned, prosecuted, exiled, imprisoned, executed, found dead, or just disappeared without a trace.
At that time Bulgakov started his masterpiece - "Master and Margarita." It was slowly evolving from the series of chapters, initially titled "The Black Magician" in 1929. That was changed to "The Prince of Darkness" in 1930. Then it was changed again to "The Great Chancellor" in 1934. Finally, the novel was titled as "Master and Margarita" in 1934 and was rewritten and updated constantly until the writer's death in 1940.
While writing the novel, Bulgakov met Elena Sergeevna Shilovskaya, who became his wife. She was, in part, the model for Margarita in the novel. Secret service agents were spying on Bulgakov and learned about his new novel. Bulgakov was interrogated again and was ordered to destroy the manuscript under the threat from the government agents. He had to be very cautious. Bulgakov split the manuscript in two parts and destroyed one half in a fire.
Soon, he restored the missing part from memory and continued writing the novel. He was writing the novel in secrecy, hiding its manuscript for many years until his death in 1940. The main character in the novel, Voland, alludes to Stalin, or Beria, or any dictator who plays a semi-god. Voland was modeled after Satan in "Faust" by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The novel has many parallels with the Bible and the "Divine Comedy" by Dante Alighieri. The characters and events in "Master and Margarita" are alluding to Bulgakov's experiences in Moscow under the dictatorship of Joseph Stalin.
Five days before his death, Bulgakov accepted an unusual promise from his loving wife. She swore to live a humble life and wait as long as it would take for Bulgakov's masterpiece to be published. The original manuscript of "The Master and Margarita" was preserved by Bulgakov's wife, Elena Sergeevna, until its first publication in 1966. It is a Menippean satire, a cross-genre comedy, drama, and fantasy, regarded by many as the best of the 20th century Russian novels.
Mikhail Bulgakov died of a kidney failure, on March 10, 1940, in Moscow. He was laid to rest in the Novodevichy Monastery Cemetery, next to other Russian cultural luminaries. - Marina has built a career in Film/TV and Digital appearing in various series such as Transporter (HBO), Rogue (DirecTV), Lost Girl (SyFy), and MudPit (Teletoon).
She was most recently featured in the digital pilot On a Quest.
As a special skill, Marina is also fluent in Russian and has been called on to perform multilingual parts throughout the industry. - Producer
- Writer
- Director
Julia Davis is a Columnist for The Daily Beast, Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) and a Washington Post contributor. Julia is a Russian Media Analyst and served as a featured Russian expert with the Atlantic Council's Disinformation Portal in Washington, DC, targeting Russian propaganda, disinformation and corruption.
Julia served as a former Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), federal law enforcement officer, in the new Department of Homeland Security she served as an Acting Supervisor, Customs and Border Protection, Port Enforcement Team (PET) at the San Ysidro, CA, Port of Entry.
Julia has provided her expertise on National Security, Counterterrorism and Immigration matters to various media outlets. She graduated with honors from the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) and received a certificate of outstanding achievement upon graduation. Julia studied Basic Farsi at Cal-State Northridge, CA prior to her federal service. Julia is fluent in Ukrainian (Native), Russian (Native), Spanish and conversive in several other languages. Her coverage of Russian propaganda has exposed the Kremlin's cyber-warfare, fake news and disinformation efforts against the United States and other countries.
Julia created and is Editor-In-Chief of the website "Russian Media Monitor," (TV News Series) and "RussiaLies.com," (ongoing TV series) both of which actively debunk propaganda and monitor Russian media. Julia showcases foreign policy, international and domestic affairs, and other issues. Her articles about Russian propaganda have been read, translated, and shared all over the world. Julia's investigative reports and articles debunking Russian propaganda have prompted retractions and corrections by RT (formerly Russia Today) and other media outlets, domestically and internationally.
Julia Davis appears on prime-time news outlets in her diverse fields of expertise, including "CBS Mornings," "CBS News," "CBS Evening News with Norah O'Donnell," "CNN," "Erin Burnett: Out Front," "Reliable Sources with Brian Stelter," "New Day with John Berman & Brianna Keilar," "CNN ," "Rachel Maddow," "The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle," "The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell," "Morning Joe," "The ReidOut," "Politics Nation with Rev. Al Sharpton," "Alex Witt Reports," "The Beat with Ari Meltzer," "Ayman Mohyeldin Reports," "The News with Shepherd Smith," "MSNBC LIVE," "PBS," "AM Joy," "BBC," "The 11th Hour," "News Nation," "MSNBC LIVE," "The Doctors", "Access Hollywood", "Good Morning America", "Inside Edition", "Entertainment Tonight", "HLN", "Nancy Grace", "BBC/Discovery Channel, "Wake Up Australia," CBS Austin, and others.
As an Investigative Journalist, Julia Davis has been published, featured and quoted by the United Nations, The Daily Beast, Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), The Washington Post, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, BBC, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, Forbes, Atlantic Council, Atlantic Council's Disinformation Portal, The Pentagon, The Hill, International Business Times, The Hollywood Reporter, People, Cosmopolitan, Time Magazine, The Wrap, Entertainment Weekly, Yahoo! News, Fox News, US Magazine, Politico, E!-Online, Miami Herald, Bulwark+, The Guardian, MSN, The International Business Times, Metro (UK), Salon, Wall Street Journal, San Diego Reader, Dallas News, Kyiv Post, Los Angeles Times, New York Times, New York Daily Post, Rand Corporation, Democratic National Committee, US House of Representatives, Kennan Institute of the Woodrow Wilson International Center, IMDB IN THE NEWS, Business Ukraine, multiple other publications and media outlets domestic and internationally. Featured Guest Speaker at Yale and Stanford University, amongst others.
Julia earned a Master's Degree in Aviation and Spacecraft Engineering. Julia's parents were both accomplished engineers in their respected fields. Julia's creative experience is vast, as an investigative journalist, accredited producer, director, award-winning screenwriter for film and television.
Julia is featured in a long list of Top Ukrainian Producers, Directors, Writers and on-screen Talent in the entertainment industry on IMDb, along with fellow Ukrainian, Academy Award winner, the late, great Jack Palance, both having been featured in the Academy Awards 70th Annual presentation.
Julia produced the first American film score utilizing the talent of the world renowned National Ukrainian Orchestra for Paramount Pictures. Julia was honored with the Order of "Yaroslav the Wise," having been recognized as a "Friend of Ukraine" by the Kyiv Post newspaper.
Julia created, wrote, produced, and directed the first "Medal of Honor" television series in conjunction with the Medal of Honor Society and former MOH President Paul Bucha, hosted by the late, great Academy Award nominee Burt Reynolds.
During her years in the film industry, Julia Davis served as a stunt double to Academy Award winners Angelina Jolie and Helen Hunt, worked in the international film franchise, "The Amazing Spider-Man 2," served as a Stunt Coordinator and Second Unit Director in her multi-faceted career. Julia is well-versed in production from all aspects, from concept to delivery, as a writer, producer and director for feature and television, for all media venues.
Julia is a member in good standing with the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Screen Actors Guild, Women In Film and Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association.
Julia Davis works in support of charitable organizations, such as the City of Hope, Wounded Warriors, Therapeutic Living Center for the Blind (sponsored by the Conrad Hilton Foundation), American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Humane Society and Feeding America.
Julia is the former CEO of Fleur De Lis Film Studios and dedicates her career to fulltime journalism.
IMDB, IMDB, Amazon, Amazon Fulfillment Services, Col Needham, its agents, representatives and contributors, John Does 1-25, have censored this resume and biography of Julia Davis, BJ Davis, Fleur De Lis Film Studios, their intellectual properties, titles and placard card credits, titles, film and episodic television series data and information, to include but not limited to "IMDB Exposed," "Russian Media Monitor," "Russia Lies," "Workers Con", "Room and Board," "Whistleblowers: The Untold Stories", "Rogues In Robes," "Confessions Of A Hollywood Stuntman".
IMDB and affiliates, third party volunteers allowed with no indemnification, and assumes all legal and financial liabilities in disrupting their economic entitlements, making these copyright infringements, censorship, discrimination, harassment any and all unconstitutional, first amendment right violations.- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Director
Sergei Ivanov was born on 22 May 1951 in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. He was an actor and assistant director, known for Medovyy mesyats (1991), 72 gradusa nizhe nulya (1977) and Ar-khi-me-dy! (1975). He died on 15 January 2000 in Kyiv, Ukraine.- Ukrainian theatre and film actress. She was born in Kyiv to a family of engineers. She has a degree in philology. She studied at the Black Square improvisation studio and the Dakh theatre. She has worked with various Kyiv theaters: "Suzirya", "Wild theatre", and theatre agency "Teart". Played several leading roles in Ukrainian TV shows. Voice actress.
- Daria Kalinina was born in Kiev, Ukraine. She is known for Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995) and Cirque du Soleil: Alegría - A Spark of Light (2020).
- Real name Harry/Herschel Goldberg. Born in Russia in 1901, son of Israel and Celia Goldberg, emigrated to USA in 1905. Dropped out from schooling at grade 7. Brother of Hyman Goldberg, a syndicated columnist and food critic for the New York Post and author of several books including "Our Man in the Kitchen", a compilation of recipes from his column as "Prudence Penny".
In 1912 Harry's father, Israel, became seriously ill and had to be taken to hospital for an operation. During his stay there Celia began cooking meals for men in the neighborhood who were saving money to bring their families to America from Europe. When Israel came out of hospital he found that Celia had a flourishing business and Israel started a restaurant. All the children helped out.
In 1932 Harry married Mildred Becker, a College graduate and had three children, Beverle, Harvey and Simeon. After being hospitalized by an accident in his fifties, Harry decided to write about life in the twenties and thirties and the syndicates that controlled businesses in New York.
To protect himself and his family he changed the family name to Grey. He authored several best sellers, among them, "Call Me Duke", "Portrait of a Mobster" and "The Hoods", all translated into foreign languages and successes at home and abroad.
"Portrait of a Mobster", depicting the life story of Dutch Schultz, became a successful motion picture. "The Hoods" became the epic movie, "Once Upon A Time In America", starring Robert DeNiro, playing loosely Harry's life as "Noodles". The stellar cast included James Woods, Joe Pesci and Tuesday Weld.
Harry died in October 1980 shortly before filming of "Once Upon A Time in America" began. - Actress
- Composer
- Producer
Anna Sedokova was born on 16 December 1982 in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. She is an actress and composer, known for Anna Sedokova: Santa Barbara (2019), Anna Sedokova: Ne tvoja vina (2017) and Anna Sedokova: Graal (2020). She has been married to Jannis Timma since 6 September 2020. She was previously married to Maksim Shevchenko and Valentin Belkevich.- Anna Adamovych was born on 9 November 1993 in Kiev, Ukraine. She is an actress, known for Battle for Sevastopol (2015), Dvoe na Kryishe (2022) and Squat32 (2019).
- Anna Safroncik was born on 4 January 1981 in Kiev, Ukraine. She is an actress, known for Nine (2009), Il traduttore (2016) and Don Matteo (2000).
- Mila Sivatskaya was born on 3 December 1998 in Kiev, Ukraine. She is an actress, known for The Last Warrior (2017), Grand (2018) and Cossacks (2020).
- Radmila Shegoleva was born on 23 March 1973 in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR. She is an actress, known for The White Suit (1999), Ruka na schaste (2008) and DAU. Degeneratsiya (2020).
- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Liza Maiska was born on 4 May 1985 in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR. She is an actress and director, known for Steklyannaya Komnata (2019), Khudshaya podruga (2020) and Ya tebya naydu (2019).- Director
- Writer
- Art Department
Aleksander Ford was born on 24 November 1908 in Kiev, Russian Empire [now Ukraine]. He was a director and writer, known for Five from Barska Street (1954), Knights of the Teutonic Order (1960) and The Eighth Day of the Week (1958). He was married to Eleanor Griswold, Olga Minska and Janina Wieczerzynska. He died on 4 April 1980 in Naples, Florida, USA.- Writer
- Script and Continuity Department
Oscar-nominated Hollywood screenwriter Jo Swerling, who also was a Tony Award-winning Broadway writer and lyricist, was born in Berdichev, Ukraine in what was then the Russian Empire. His family emigrated from Czarist Russia and he grew up on the Lower East Side in New York City.
From a youthful job peddling newspapers, he worked his way up to becoming a journalist, working on newspapers and magazines in the 1920s, including the prestigious "Vanity Fair". He became a playwright, like other famous journalists of the era (most notably Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur of The Front Page (1931) fame). Swerling wrote the stage show "Street Cinderella" for the The Marx Brothers and the screenplay for their first film, the 1921 comedy short Humor Risk (1921), starring Chico, Groucho, Harpo and Zeppo. Groucho supposedly hated it so much, he burned the negative. The movie was never released.
Swerling's first legitimate production on the Great White Way was the musical-revue "The New Yorkers", which ran for a then-respectable 52 performances in March and April 1927. Swerling wrote the book and the lyrics for the songs. His next foray on Broadway was the more successful "Kibitzer", an original comedy he co-wrote with Edward G. Robinson (who also co-starred in the show). It ran for 120 performances in February through June 1929.
Wall Street famously laid an egg in October 1929, and Swerling would not be back on Broadway for 21 years. Hollywood beckoned.
In 1929, Universal adapted his play "The Understander" into the movie Melody Lane (1929) while Paramount released The Kibitzer (1930) the following year (without the participation of Edward G. Robinson). Columbia Pictures, the premier studio on Hollywood's "Poverty Row", hired Swerling, and his first screen credit was for the screenplay for Frank Capra's Ladies of Leisure (1930). He would received screen credit on Capra's next five films in the period 1930-32, before Capra turned to Robert Riskin as his main collaborator. (Jo would work on the screenplay for Capra's classic It's a Wonderful Life (1946), providing additional scenes.)
Swerling worked on scores of films before he received his last screen credit for King of the Roaring 20's: The Story of Arnold Rothstein (1961) in 1961. He received his sole Oscar nomination for The Pride of the Yankees (1942). He was one of the many screenwriters, including Ben Hecht, who worked uncredited on the Oscar-winning Gone with the Wind (1939) screenplay (won by Sidney Howard).
Swerling's greatest professional success came when he returned to Broadway, co-writing the book for the classic musical Guys and Dolls (1955) with Abe Burrows, for which he shared the Tony and the New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards for Best Musical. The show was a smash, running from November 1950 to November 1953 for a total of 1,200 performances. The screenplay for the 1955 movie adaptation was written by director Joseph L. Mankiewicz, whose brother Herman J. Mankiewicz shared an Oscar nod for Best Screenplay in 1943 with Swerling.
Jo Swerling died in Los Angeles, California on October 23, 1964. He was 71 years old.- Director
- Writer
- Actor
Sergei Maslobojshchikov was born on 18 August 1957 in Kiev, Ukraine, USSR. He is a director and writer, known for ... from Bulgakov (1999), Shum vetra (2002) and Yasa (2022).- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Yuri Rutman is a Ukrainian born actor, director, writer, and producer who grew up in Chicago. His last film, "Trained", was acquired and released globally by the officially distributor of Academy Award Nominated Short Films, Shorts.TV. Shorts.Tv is partially owned by AMC Networks.
He has also guest starred on NBC's "Chicago PD", FOX's "The Unit", many indie films, and, he starred in a national tv commercial for letgo.com which was directed by Craig Gillespie ("Cruella", "I Tonya", "Fright Night", "The Finest Hours", "Mr. Woodcock").
Yuri was also an Executive Producer at Spike TV, Fremantle Media, and created the reality TV show "Warsaw Chicago".
His first film, "Mr. Id", was produced with the help of a venture capital investor he met in a Lions Gate Entertainment Stock message board who wired him the film investment without meeting him, based on his business plan and the screenplay for "Mr. Id".
Born in Kiev, Ukraine, his family relocated to Israel,and eventually settled in Chicago. He speaks fluent Russian. He is a Blue Belt In Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Rubens "Cobrinha" Charles Maciel, and, he started his BJJ training with Jeff Serafin in Chicago. He competed in the 2017 IBJJF Pan Ams In Irvine, CA. Yuri also holds a Level 2 Muay Thai rank under Rick Sollo & The Aiki Training Hall.
Apart from entertainment, he is also a venture advisor and co-founder in a few startups.- Anastasiia Ziurkalova was born on 23 October 1991 in Kiev, Ukraine. She is an actress, known for Space (2021), Zhenskaya intuitsiya 2 (2005) and Avrora (2006).
- Pyotr Krylov was born on 24 November 1987 in Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. He is an actor, known for Gypsy Layla (2014), Perekrestki (2017) and Illyuziya strakha (2008).
- Jack Chefe was born on 1 April 1894 in Kiev, Russian Empire [now Ukraine]. He was an actor, known for I Love Lucy (1951), Spy Hunt (1950) and The Mad Martindales (1942). He died on 1 December 1975 in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- Director
- Writer
- Producer
Grigori Mikhailovich Kozintsev was born on March 22, 1905, in Kiev, Russian Empire (now Kiev, Ukraine). His father, named Mikhail Kozintsev, was a medical doctor. Young Kozintsev studied at the Kiev Gymnazium. There, in 1919, he organized experimental theatre "Arlekin" together with his fellow students Sergei Yutkevich and Aleksei Kapler. During 1919 and 1920 Kozintsev studied art at the Kiev School of Art under the tutelage of Alexandra Exter.
Experiments. In 1920 Kozintsev moved to Petrograd (Leningrad or St. Petersburg). There he studied art at the "VKHUTEMAS" at the Academy of Fine Arts for two years. In 1921 Kozintsev with Sergei Yutkevich, Leonid Trauberg, and Leonid Kryzhitsky organized and led the Factory of Excentric Actors (FEKS). There Kozintsev directed radically avant-garde staging of plays "Zhenitba" (Marriage 1922) by Nikolay Gogol and "Vneshtorg na Eifelevoi Bashne" (Foreign trade on Eiffel Tower 1923). They were based in the former Eliseev Mansion on Gagarinskaya street No. 1 in St. Petersburg. Kozintsev and FEKS collaborated with writer Yuri Tynyanov, cinematographer Andrey Moskvin, young actor-director Sergey Gerasimov, artist Igor Vuskovich, and young composer Dmitri Shostakovich among others. Initially FEKS was the main platform for experimental actors, directors and artists, and was strongly influenced by Vsevolod Meyerhold and Vladimir Mayakovsky.
Artistic position. In 1924 Kozintsev and Trauberg came to "SevZapKino" Studios (now Lenfilm Studios). There Kozintsev continued his FEKS experiments in his first eccentric comedy 'Pokhozhdenie Oktyabriny' (1924). Kozintsev's early films were strongly criticized by official Soviet critics. His film 'Shinel' (1926) was compared to German Expressionism and accused of distortion of the original classic story by Nikolay Gogol. Kozintsev strongly argued against such comparisons with German expressionism; he was unhappy until the end of his life about such criticism of his early experimental works. Kozintsev insisted that his cheerful experiments were essential in the city of Petrograd (St. Petersburg) after the Russian Revolution of 1917, which brought destruction, depression, crime, and degradation of culture.
Early films. Kozintsev made twelve films together with Leonid Trauberg. Their collaboration began in 1921, in Petrograd (St. Petersburg). Their film-trilogy about Russian revolutionary hero Maxim was made from 1935-1941, when people in the Soviet Russia were terrorized under the most brutal dictatorship of Joseph Stalin. In departure from experimental youthfulness and freedom of their FEKS years, the Maxim trilogy was a trade-off blend of experiment and Soviet propaganda. It was still a powerful work and was even banned by censorship in the United States from the 1930s-1950s. For that work Kozintsev and Trauberg were awarded the Stalin's State Prize in 1941. After the Second World War Kozintsev and Trauberg made their last film together: 'Prostye Lyudi (Plain People 1946), which was censored and remained unreleased until 1958, when "Nikita Khrushchev' lifted the ban imposed by Stalin's censorship.
Highlights. Grigori Kozintsev ascended to his best works after the death of Stalin. Then Nikita Khrushchev initiated the "Thaw" which played a role in some liberation of individual creativity in the Soviet film industry. Kozintsev's adaptations of classical literature combined some experimental elements of his earlier silent films with the approach of a mature master. His Don Quixote (1957), King Lear (1969) and especially Hamlet (1963) were recognized worldwide as his highest achievements. In _Korol Lir (1969)_ Kozintsev made a brilliant decision to cast actors from the Baltic States as the Lear's family. Jüri Järvet, Regimantas Adomaitis, Donatas Banionis, Juozas Budraitis, and Elza Radzina together with Oleg Dal, Galina Volchek, Aleksey Petrenko made a powerful acting ensemble.
Hamlet and King Lear. Kozintsev first staged Shakespeare's "Hamlet" and 'King Lear" in 1941. His collaboration with Boris Pasternak began in 1940, when Pasternak was working on his Russian translation of the Shakespeare's originals. Both plays were prepared for stage under direction of Kozintsev. King Lear was staged in 1941, but further work was interrupted because of the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union. Hamlet was staged in 1954. At the same time Kozintsev continued developing the idea of filming _Gamlet (1964)_, until everything came together in his legendary film. The adaptation by Boris Pasternak, the music by Dmitri Shostakovich, the direction by Kozintsev, and the acting talent of Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy produced special creative synergy. Innokentiy Smoktunovskiy was praised as the best Hamlet by Sir Laurence Olivier.
Legacy. In the 1920s Kozintsev taught at the Leningrad School of Acting. From 1944-1964 Kozintsev led his master-class for film directors at the Soviet State Film Institute (VGIK). Among his students were many prominent Russian directors and actors such as Sergey Gerasimov and others. Kozintsev was the head of master-class for film directors at Lenfilm Studios from 1964-1971. He wrote essays on William Shakespeare, Sergei Eisenstein, Charles Chaplin, and Vsevolod Meyerhold and published theoretical works on film direction. Grigori Kozintsev lived near Lenfilm Stidios in Leningrad (St. Petersburg) for the most part of his life. His work and presence was essential to the status of Lenfilm Studios as well as to the film community in Leningrad during the political and economic domination of Moscow as the Soviet capital. From his early works of the 1920s to his masterpiece _Gamlet (1964)_, Kozintsev was faithful to creative experimental approach.
Kozintsev was designated the People's Artist of the USSR. He was awarded the State Lenin's Prize of the USSR (1965), and received other awards and nominations. He died in Leningrad (St. Petersburg) on May 11, 1973, and was laid to rest in the Necropolis of the Masters of Art in St. Aleksandr Nevsky Convent in St. Petersburg, Russia.- Alex Melesh was born on 21 October 1890 in Kiev, Russian Empire [now Ukraine]. He was an actor, known for The Big Broadcast (1932), The Adventurer (1927) and The 3 Wise Guys (1936). He was married to Marie Melesh. He died on 5 March 1949 in Hollywood, California, USA.
- Born in Kyiv, Ukraine,graduated from the Kyiv National University of Theater, Cinema and Television named I. K. Karpenko-Kary. Department of theater and cinema. He worked in many theaters, starred in films and TV series. At the moment, his full filmography includes 69 roles, most of which are leading roles in television films, serials, feature films, and international festival films.Was a TV presenter of a tourist program, participated in more than 40 theater performances in various theaters, as well as in business projects. Almost all roles are main,has experience in dubbing and dubbing films,drives a car and a motorcycle, engages in all kinds of sports and all martial arts. Worked in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Germany, Italy, Greece and Poland. Completed a course of sports and fire training for filming in the military and action movies. speaks Ukrainian, Russian, English, Polish.
- Elina Bystritskaya was a Soviet - Russian actress, known as Aksinya in Quiet Flows the Don (1957) by director Aleksandr Gerasimov.
She was born Elina Avraamovna Bystritskaya on April 4, 1928, in Kiev, Ukraine, Soviet Union. Her father, Avraam Petrovich Bystritsky, was a notable medical doctor in Kiev, her mother, Esther Isaakovna, was a medical administrator. Young Elina worked as a medical nurse helping her parents in a Soviet military hospital during the Second World War. She was decorated by the Soviet State for her contribution to the Victory in the Second World War. From 1944 - 1947 she studied as a medical nurse at Nezhin Nursing School, graduating in 1947 as gynecological nurse, and then worked at a gynecological clinic. That same year she failed to enter the Kiev Acting School and studied to be a teacher, albeit her second attempt to acting school was successful. From 1948-1953 she attended the Kiev Theatrical Institute, graduating in 1953 as an actress.
Bystritskaya shot to fame in the Soviet Union with the role as a doctor in Neokonchennaya povest (1955) by director Fridrikh Ermler. In 1955, she was acclaimed as the "Best Soviet actress" of the year, and was a member of the Soviet delegation in Paris for the "Week of Soviet Film" there. A year later she was handpicked by writer Mikhail Sholokhov to co-star as Aksinya opposite Pyotr Glebov in Quiet Flows the Don (1957) by director Aleksandr Gerasimov. Her role as Aksinya in the 'Tikhiy Don' trilogy became her best known work in film.
As of 1958 Bystritskaya was a permanent member of the troupe with Maly Theatre in Moscow. There she appeared on stage with such actors as Nikolai Annenkov, Varvara Massalitinova, Varvara Ryzhova, Yevdokiya Turchaninova, Vera Pashennaya, Varvara Obukhova, Yelena Shatrova, Yelena Gogoleva, Rufina Nifontova, Tatyana Eremeeva, Aleksandr Ostuzhev, Vladimir Davydov, Sergei Aidarov, Stepan Kuznetsov, Prov Sadovsky, Boris Ravenskikh, Boris Babochkin, Mikhail Zharov, Mikhail Tsaryov, Igor Ilyinsky, Pavel Olenev, Mikhail Sadovsky, Konstantin Zubov, Viktor Khokhryakov, Vsevolod Aksyonov, Nikolai Ryzhov, Evgeniy Vesnik, Viktor Korshunov, Evgeniy Samoylov, Yuriy Solomin, and many other notable Russian actors.
In 1960, during the Thaw initiated by Nikita Khrushchev, Elina together with Sergey Bondarchuk and Nikolay Cherkasov was a member of the official Soviet delegation meeting with president Dwight D. Eisenhower in the White House. She was designated People's Actress of the USSR (1978), and received awards and decorations from the Soviet State. Outside of her acting profession, Bystritskaya was president of Soviet Gymnastics Federation from 1975 - 1990. She also taught acting at Shchepkin School of Maly Theatre, and at Soviet State Theatrical Institute (GITIS).
She lived in Moscow, Russia, where she died in the waning days of April 2019.