The name of the People's Artist of the Russian Federation, director, screenwriter and producer Shakhnazarov Karen Georgievich is familiar not only to Russian viewers, but also to foreign ones. Many of his films have already become classics, and surely many will become imperishable examples of cinema art.
Karen was born in 1952 in Krasnodar, in the family of a descendant of Armenian aristocrats - princes Melik-Shakhnazaryans and a Russian Muscovite. The entire childhood of the future director was spent in Moscow, in the constant environment of famous people of that time - politicians and artists who came to visit their parents.
This environment prompted the boy to choose a creative profession, and he decided to become an artist. However, over time, he changed his mind and entered VGIK to direct. He was in good standing with the teachers, and early began to assist in filming.
The creative biography of Karen was briefly interrupted by service in the army, in the reconnaissance company, and only after that he began his independent work as a director.
Film career
His first film - "Good Men" (1979) - went unnoticed. However, the following year, according to his script, the film "Ladies Invite Gentlemen" was shot, and it was a success. But Shakhnazarov saw himself not as a screenwriter, but as a director, and his aspiration was realized in 1983, when the film "We are from jazz" was released on the screens of the country. Shakhnazarov put together such a great team of actors, so they rallied together that it turned out not a film, but "just a song." Igor Sklyar, Borislav Brondukov, Alexander Pankratov-Cherny, Evgeny Evstigneev made this film the best picture of the year in the USSR.
After this film, the director released a whole clip of film masterpieces: "Winter Evening in Gagra", "City of Zero", "The Tsaricide", "Dreams".
In the new century, the films "American Daughter", "The Horseman Called Death", "Ward No. 6", "Anna Karenina" and others were shot.
In 1998, Shakhnazarov had to become the General Director of Mosfilm, and he did a lot to ensure that this organization had state status, and did not pass into private hands. He managed to achieve this.
Among other things, Karen Georgievich is a public figure. He not only appears in popular TV talk shows, but is engaged in specific affairs: he was a member of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation, a member of the People's Headquarters, a confidant of the United Russia party, and also a confidant of the President in the 2018 elections.
Karen Georgievich has many awards, including the Order of Alexander Nevsky, the Order for Merit to the Fatherland, and the Order of Honor. He is also a laureate of several State awards and many awards in the field of motion picture art.
Personal life
Karen Georgievich was married three times, and all marriages were not entirely successful. They lived with their first wife for only six months, and divorced, because the director was very worried about the first failure because of the film, and showed all his emotions at home.
The second wife is Elena Setunskaya, now the TV personality Alena Zander. At first, everything was fine in their life: they understood each other, they had a daughter, Anna. But here the director's profession turned a different side - a test with "copper pipes". The wife could not stand Karen's riotous life and left for America, taking her daughter with her. Its director saw only 20 years later.
For the third time, Karen Georgievich married Daria Mayorova, an actress. They have two sons - Vasily and Ivan, both are interested in the director's profession. Despite the fact that the couple divorced, the father often sees his sons, supports them in everything.
