Eldar Ryazanov

Eldar Ryazanov
Eldar Ryazanov after receiving the Order of Merit for the Fatherland award in 2008
Born	Eldar Alexandrovich Ryazanov 18 November 1927[1] Kuybyshev (now Samara), USSR
Died	30 November 2015 (aged 88) Moscow, Russia
Spouse(s)	Emma Abaydullina

Eldar Alexandrovich Ryazanov (Russian: Эльда́р Алекса́ндрович Ряза́нов; 18 November 1927 – 30 November 2015) was a Russian film director and screenwriter whose popular comedies, satirizing the daily life of the Soviet Union and Russia, are celebrated throughout the former Soviet Union.^[2][3]

Biography

He was named a People's Artist of the USSR in 1984, and received the USSR State Prize in 1977. He won the Nika Award for Best Director in 1991 for the film Promised Heaven.

Among his most famous films are Carnival Night (1955), Hussar Ballad (1962), Beware of the Car (1966), The Irony of Fate (1975), Office Romance (1977), The Garage (1979), and A Cruel Romance (1984). Ryazanov's main genre was tragicomedy.

Health and death

Ryazanov had an acute ischemic stroke in November 2014. He was admitted to a Moscow hospital on 21 November 2015 due to shortness of breath. He died around midnight on 30 November 2015, of heart and lung failure, at the age of 88.^[1][4]

Honours and awards

• Order of Merit for the Fatherland;
  • 2nd class (3 July 2008) – for outstanding contribution to the development of national cinema and many years of creative activity
  • 3rd class (20 June 1996) – for services to the state, an outstanding contribution to the development of national cinema and culture
• Order of the Red Banner of Labour, twice (1969, 1977)
• Order of Friendship of Peoples (1987)
• Order of the "Key of Friendship" (Kemerovo Region, 2007)
• Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters (France)
• Commander of the Order of Honour (Georgia) (2008)
• People's Artist of the RSFSR (1974)
• People's Artist of the USSR (1984)
• USSR State Prize (1977) (for the film "Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!")
• State Prize of the RSFSR Vasiliev brothers (1979) (for the film "Office Romance")
• Winner of the All-Union Film Festival in the "First Prize among the comedies" for 1958
• Winner of the All-Union Film Festival in the "Special Award" for 1983
• Nika awards;
  • Best Director (1991)
  • Best Fiction Film (1991)
  • Honour and dignity (2006)
• Winner of Tsarskoye Selo Art Prize (2005)
• The asteroid 4258 Ryazanov is named after him.

Filmography

• 2007 The Irony of Fate 2 – Actor (Cameo appearance)
• 2006 Andersen. Life Without Love – Director / Screenwriter (with I. Kvirikadze) / Actor / Producer
• 2006 Carnival Night 2 (TV) – Actor (Cameo appearance)
• 2003 The Key of Bedroom (Ключи от спальни) – Director / Screenwriter
• 2000 Still Waters (Тихие омуты) – Director
• 2000 Old Hags (Старые клячи) – Director/ Actor: Judge
• 1996 Hello, Fools! (Привет, дуралеи!) – Director
• 1993 Prediction (Предсказание) – Director / Screenwriter / Short Story Author
• 1991 Promised Heaven (Небеса обетованные) – Director / Actor: Man in Diner
• 1988 Dear Yelena Sergeevna (Дорогая Елена Сергеевна) – Director / Actor: Neighbour
• 1987 Forgotten Melody for a Flute (Забытая мелодия для флейты) – Director / Screenwriter
• 1984 A Cruel Romance (Жестокий романс) – Director / Screenwriter
• 1982 Station for Two (Вокзал для двоих) – Director / Screen Story / Screenwriter / Actor: Railroad Supervisor
• 1981 Say a Word for the Poor Hussar (О бедном гусаре замолвите слово) – Director / Screenwriter
• 1979 The Garage (Гараж) – Director / Screenwriter / Actor: Sleeping Man
• 1977 Office Romance (Служебный роман) – Director / Screenwriter
• 1975 The Irony of Fate (Ирония судьбы или с легким паром!) – Director / Screenwriter / Actor: Airplane Passenger
• 1974 Unbelievable Adventures of Italians in Russia (Невероятные приключения итальянцев в России)
• 1971 Grandads-Robbers (Старики-разбойники) – Director
• 1968 Zigzag of Success (Зигзаг удачи) – Director
• 1966 Beware of the Car (Берегись автомобиля) – Director / Screenwriter
• 1965 Give me a complaints book (Дайте жалобную книгу) – Director / Actor: Chief editor
• 1962 Hussar Ballad (Гусарская баллада) – Director
• 1961 Nowhere Man (Человек ниоткуда) – Director
• 1961 How Robinson Was Created (Как создавался Робинзон) – Director
• 1957 The Girl Without Address (Девушка без адреса) – Director
• 1956 Carnival Night (Карнавальная ночь) – Director
• 1955 Vesenniye Golosa (Весенние голоса), documentary - second Director
• 1954 Island of Sakhalin (Ostrov Sakhalin), documentary – Director
• 1953 Near Krasnodar (Nedaleko ot Krasnodara), documentary – Director
• 1953 Your Books (Tvoi Knizhki), documentary – Director (in co-operation with Z. Fomina)
• 1952 On the World Chess Championship (Na Pervenstve mira po shakhmatam), documentary – Director
• 1951 The Way Named October (Doroga imeni Oktyabrya), documentary – Director (in co-operation with L. Derbysheva)
• 1950 They are Studying in Moscow (Oni Uchatsya v Moskve), documentary – author (in co-operation with Z. Fomina)

References

1. "Умер Эльдар Рязанов" (in Russian). Lenta.ru. 30 November 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
2. "Eldar Ryazanov Soviet comedy film giant dies". BBC News. 30 November 2015. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
3. Grimes, William (30 November 2015). "Eldar Ryazanov, Russian Film Director Known for His Satire, Dies at 88". The New York Times. Retrieved 1 December 2015.
4. Shannon Baxter (30 November 2015). "Eldar Ryazanov: Film director whose light touch helped his comedies avoid attention from the Soviet censors". The Independent. Retrieved 2 December 2015.

Additional sources

• David MacFadyen, The Sad Comedy of Elʹdar Riazanov: An Introduction to Russia's Most Popular Filmmaker, McGill-Queen's Press: 2003, ISBN 0-7735-2636-6

External links

• Official website (Russian)
• Eldar Ryazanov at the Internet Movie Database
• Russian fan site