Following theSoviet Union'sdissolution, Mikhalkov directed, co-wrote and starred in the historical dramaBurnt by the Sun (1994), for which he won theGrand Prix at theCannes Film Festival and the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. He received the "Special Lion" at theVenice Film Festival for his contribution to the cinematography and an Academy Award nomination for the legal drama12 (2007).
Mikhalkov was born inMoscow into the noble and distinguishedMikhalkov family. His great-grandfather was the imperial governor ofYaroslavl, whose mother was a princess of theHouse of Golitsyn. Nikita's father,Sergey Mikhalkov, was best known as writer of children's literature, although he also wrote lyrics to his country's national anthem on three occasions spanning nearly 60 years – two sets of lyrics used for theSoviet national anthem, and the current lyrics of theRussian national anthem. Mikhalkov's mother, poet Natalia Konchalovskaya, was the daughter of theavant-garde artistPyotr Konchalovsky and granddaughter of another outstanding painter,Vasily Surikov. Nikita's older brother is the filmmakerAndrei Konchalovsky, primarily known for his collaboration withAndrei Tarkovsky and his own Hollywood action films, such asRunaway Train andTango & Cash.
Career
Early acting career
Mikhalkov studied acting at the children's studio of theMoscow Art Theatre and later at the Shchukin School of theVakhtangov Theatre. While still a student, he appeared inGeorgiy Daneliya's filmWalking the Streets of Moscow (1964) and his brother Andrei Konchalovsky's filmHome of the Gentry (1969). He was soon on his way to becoming a star of the Soviet stage and cinema.
Directing
While continuing to pursue his acting career, he enteredVGIK, the state film school in Moscow, where he studied directing under filmmakerMikhail Romm, teacher to his brother andAndrei Tarkovsky. He directed his first short film in 1968,I'm Coming Home, and another for his graduation,A Quiet Day at the End of the War in 1970. Mikhalkov had appeared in more than 20 films, including his brother'sUncle Vanya (1972), before he co-wrote, directed and starred in his first feature,At Home Among Strangers in 1974, anOstern set just after the 1920s civil war inRussia.
Mikhalkov established an international reputation with his second feature,A Slave of Love (1976). Set in 1917, it followed the efforts of a film crew to make a silentmelodrama in a resort town while theRevolution rages around them. The film, based upon the last days ofVera Kholodnaya, was highly acclaimed upon its release in the U.S.
Incorporating several short stories by Chekhov,Dark Eyes (1987) starsMarcello Mastroianni as an old man who tells a story of a romance he had when he was younger, a woman he has never been able to forget. The film was highly praised, and Mastroianni received the Best Actor Prize at the1987 Cannes Film Festival[2] and anAcademy Award nomination for his performance.
Mikhalkov used the critical and financial triumph ofBurnt by the Sun to raise $25 million for his most epic venture to date,The Barber of Siberia (1998). The film, which was screened out of competition at the1999 Cannes Film Festival,[6] was designed as a patriotic extravaganza for domestic consumption. It featuredJulia Ormond andOleg Menshikov, who regularly appears in Mikhalkov's films, in the leading roles. The director himself appeared as TsarAlexander III of Russia.
The film received theRussian State Prize and spawned rumours about Mikhalkov's presidential ambitions. The director, however, chose to administer the Russian cinema industry. Despite much opposition from rival directors, he was elected the President of the Russian Society of Cinematographers and has managed theMoscow Film Festival since 2000. He also set the Russian AcademyGolden Eagle Award in opposition to the traditionalNika Award.[citation needed]
In 2005, Mikhalkov resumed his acting career, starring in three brand-new movies –The Councillor of State, aFandorin mystery film which broke the Russian box-office records,Dead Man's Bluff, a noir-drenched comedy about theRussian Mafia, andKrzysztof Zanussi'sPersona non grata.
In 2007, Mikhalkov directed and starred in12, a Russian adaptation ofSidney Lumet's court drama12 Angry Men. In September 2007,12 received a special Golden Lion for the “consistent brilliance” of its work and was praised by many critics at theVenice Film Festival. In 2008,12 was named as a nominee for Best Foreign Language Film for the80th Academy Awards. Commenting on the nomination, Mikhalkov said, "I am overjoyed that the movie has been noticed in the United States and, what's more, was included in the shortlist of five nominees. This is a significant event for me."
He also served as the executive producer of an epic film1612.
Mikhalkov's first wife was renowned Russian actressAnastasiya Vertinskaya, whom he married on 6 March 1967. They had a son, Stepan (born September 1966).
With his second wife, former model Tatyana, he had a son Artyom (born 8 December 1975), and daughtersAnna (born 1974) andNadya (born 27 September 1986).
Mikhalkov is actively involved in Russian politics. He is known for his at timesRussian nationalist andSlavophile views. Mikhalkov was instrumental in propagatingIvan Ilyin's ideas in post-Soviet Russia. He authored several articles about Ilyin and came up with the idea of transferring his remains from Switzerland to theDonskoy Monastery in Moscow, where the philosopher had dreamed to find his last retreat. The ceremony of reburial, also ofAnton Denikin, a general whose slogan was ‘Russia, one and indivisible’ was held on 3 October 2005.
In October 2006, Mikhalkov visitedSerbia, giving moral support toSerbia's sovereignty over Kosovo.[9] In 2008, he visitedSerbia to supportTomislav Nikolić who was running as the ultra-nationalist candidate for the Serb presidency at the time. Mikhalkov took part in a meeting of "Nomocanon", a Serb youth organization which denieswar crimes committed bySerbs in the 1992–99Yugoslav Wars. In a speech given to the organization, Mikhalkov spoke about a "war against Orthodoxy" wherein he citedOrthodox Christianity as "the main force which opposes cultural and intellectualMcDonald's". In response to his statement, a journalist asked Mikhalkov: "Which is better, McDonald's orStalinism?" Mikhalkov answered: "That depends on the person".[10] Mikhalkov has described himself as amonarchist.[11][12]
Mikhalkov has been a strong supporter of Russian presidentVladimir Putin. In October 2007, Mikhalkov, who produced a television program for Putin's 55th birthday, co-signed an open letter asking Putin not to step down after the expiry of his term in office.[13]
Mikhalkov'svertical of power-style leadership of theCinematographers' Union[14] has been criticized by many prominent Russian filmmakers and critics as autocratic, and encouraged many members to leave and form a rival union in April 2010.[15][16]
In 2015, Mikhalkov was banned from enteringUkraine for 5 years because of his support for the2014 Russian annexation of Crimea.[17][18] Despite his support for the annexation of Crimea he also called for the release of imprisoned Ukrainian filmmakerOleg Sentsov.[19]
2nd class (21 October 2005) – for outstanding contribution to the development of national culture and art, and many years of creative activity
3rd class (17 October 1995) – for services to the state, a great contribution to the development of motion picture arts and culture
4th class (21 October 2010) – for outstanding contribution to the development of the domestic art of film, many years of creative and social activities
^Ragozin, Leonid (21–27 January 2008)."Точка невозврата".Russian Newsweek.4 (178). Archived fromthe original on 11 February 2009. Retrieved14 May 2009.Михалков прищурился еще хитрее и нанес главный риторический удар: «Потому что православие – это основная сила, противостоящая культурному и интеллектуальному макдоналдсу»...Вдруг из зала раздался провокационный вопрос: «А что лучше – макдоналдс или сталинизм?» – «Ну это кому как», – ответил сын лауреата Сталинской премии.
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