On Monday, July 5, at the age of 82, Soviet and Russian director and actor Vladimir Menshov died.

The cause of his death was the consequences of coronavirus infection.

According to media reports, Menshov was previously diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia and the third stage of respiratory failure.

The artist will be buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery, the farewell ceremony will be held on July 8 at the House of Cinema.

Condolences on the death of Vladimir Menshov were expressed by Vladimir Putin. 

Sergei Sobyanin noted the artist's contribution to the art of cinema and stressed that his death was a great loss for Russian culture.

“The deep, subtle films of Vladimir Valentinovich have become truly popular.

He was able to show our distinctive character, the fate of several generations, stories of true love and friendship.

Great master!

My condolences to family, friends and fans, ”Sobyanin wrote on his Instagram page.

According to the first deputy head of the State Duma Committee on Culture Elena Drapeko, all Menshov's films became popular, because they “are not about the creator, not about him and his experiences, but about the people who lived around him, suffered, loved, something wanted ".

“And as an actor, he showed himself very well.

He played in wonderful films ... I believe that we have lost a very bright, wonderful artist.

And, of course, we have lost a citizen, a great citizen of our country.

Because he always had his own position, he had a good, analytical mind, ”Drapeko told RT.

Human Rights Ombudsman in Russia Tatyana Moskalkova called Vladimir Menshov "a real master of his craft, an outstanding actor and director, a man of high moral qualities with an active civil position," and Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Konstantin Kosachev emphasized in an interview with RIA Novosti that the death of an artist is a loss not only for cinematography, but for the entire country that grew up on his films. 

The news of the death of Vladimir Menshov was also commented on by the Mosfilm collective, within the walls of which the artist has worked several times.

“We have lost our dear friend, a Mosfilmist who gave all his creative powers and bright talent to his native film studio, a truly popular director, whose wonderful films are known and loved by millions of people,” reads a statement published on the website of the film concern.

The director and general director of Mosfilm Karen Shakhnazarov noted that with the death of Menshov, a whole era of Soviet cinema is leaving.

“I would like to express my condolences to the entire Russian people, to the entire Russian-speaking world, because Menshov is an absolutely epochal figure.

His paintings - "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears", "Love and Doves" - and those pictures in which he starred as an actor, shaped the worldview of any person for whom Russian is their native language.

This is a huge loss.

Together with him, the great Soviet era in cinema is leaving, "the radio station" Moscow Says "quotes Shakhnazarov.

Actor and director Alexander Mikhailov, in a conversation with RT, called Vladimir Menshov a talented and strong director, and also spoke about his relationship with him.

“In life, a very talented, truly Russian director.

Very talented.

With your position, your vision.

A man who felt the pulse of time, the pulse of Russia, and he felt her pain as his own.

Gone, of course, is a very strong, very powerful director.

I will not say that we were so friendly, we called back every day.

No, we were friends by roots, by foundations, by fundamental principles.

Sometimes they argued, but it was always interesting ... I want to express my condolences to Vera Alentova and Yulechka, my daughter.

Indeed, I am happy that I knew him for almost 50 years and worked in such a film as Love and Doves ... An amazing, great Russian director.

I'm shocked, "Mikhailov admitted.

Theater critic, rector of GITIS Grigory Zaslavsky also noted the talent of Vladimir Menshov and told how the artist was in life.

“Not every director can boast that he has shot a cult tape, and a film that becomes not only such an expression of thoughts, aspirations, hopes of a generation, but begins to live its own long life, acquiring new and new fans in every generation of viewers.

Menshov could boast (although he was a very modest and, I would even say, a shy person, in spite of his profession) that at least three of his paintings became just like that, ”Zaslavsky stressed.

Actor Valery Garkalin also shared his memories of working with Vladimir Menshov.

“I am now driving around Moscow, sunny, so cheerful, and I understand that my friend, my teacher, is no longer alive ... It's hard to believe.

It is difficult to overestimate his role.

I was happy to work with him, to work, and I liked doing it.

Our joint work brought us great success, in general, all of his paintings had this quality, "Garkalin said in an interview with RT.

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  • © Vladimir Astapkovich

Vladimir Menshov was born on September 17, 1939 in Baku, where the first years of his life passed.

For some time, his family also lived in Arkhangelsk and Astrakhan.

The future director, in the first grade, became interested in literature, and a few years later he became interested in art history and cinema.

After school, Vladimir Menshov tried to enter GITIS, but did not pass the exams and returned to Astrakhan, where he soon got a job at the Drama Theater.

Later Menshov became a student at the Moscow Art Theater School.

The artist also completed his postgraduate studies at the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography at the directing department.

Its master was Mikhail Romm.

In 1970, Vladimir Menshov made his acting debut - he played the main role in the short film "Happy Kukushkin".

Soon the artist appeared in the films "A Man in His Place", "Salty Dog", "The Tale of How Tsar Peter the Arap Married" and others.

Vladimir Menshov attracted the attention of many directors, but his acting career was less interested in him - Menshov was burning with directing.

His first full-length work was the 1976 melodrama "The Joke", written by Semyon Lungin, which was loved by many viewers.

Even more resounding success awaited the next project of Vladimir Menshov - the film "Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears."

The painting was incredibly popular: in the first year alone, 90 million people saw it.

The film was awarded an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

In 1984, Vladimir Menshov released another film that became a classic of Soviet cinema - "Love and Doves".

Also, Menshov's directorial filmography includes the tapes "Shirley-Myrli" and "The Envy of the Gods".

At the same time, Vladimir Menshov continued to act in films.

He performed more than 100 roles in such popular films as Legend No. 17, Yolki 2, Night Watch, Day Watch, High Security Vacation, What Men Else Talk About, and many others.

The actor also took part in the performances of the Pushkin Theater "The Leaning Tower of Pisa" and "Love.

Letters ".

The creative activity of Vladimir Menshov was awarded the Order of Merit for the Fatherland, II degree, state prizes of the RSFSR and the USSR, and other awards.

In 1989, the filmmaker was awarded the title of People's Artist of the RSFSR.

In addition to working in cinema, Vladimir Menshov taught at the Higher Courses for Scriptwriters and Directors, and for several years he headed the director's workshop together with Vladimir Tumaev and Natalia Ryazantseva.

While still a student, Vladimir Menshov met his future wife, actress Vera Alentova, with whom he repeatedly worked on the site.

The daughter of artists, Yulia Menshova, also linked life with cinema and television.