In terms of being able to see the good in just about anything while criticizing what he sees, Andrey Zvyagintsev is a rather skilled individual. He does see the enjoyment of mainstream films but he tends to think that there’s no artistic element to them as they are made for pure entertainment and don’t challenge the viewer in any way. This could be one of the reasons why he was chosen to be a judge at the Cannes Film Festival this year. Such a discerning look at film and the meaning behind each movement and sequence could come in handy on the judges panel.
Being a trained actor and skilled director does give him a slight edge.
5. He served in the Russian Army.
He was in the armed forces for a two-year stint in the early to mid-80’s and was then discharged. This could still be used as a way to glean a little bit about the military and could be used in his movies if he so chose to increase the level of accuracy and show that he has some knowledge of how things go on. Plus it means that he gladly served his country and is something of a patriot.
4. He spent some time as a street janitor.
After graduating from acting school he took a job as as street janitor and spent some time busting his hump as a regular everyday person. This is honestly something quite admirable and can be counted as a boon to his person since it makes him a lot easier to relate to and tells others that he’s paid his dues for as society goes. Anyone that can take a regular job and get down and dirty and then ascend to where he’s at has earned their respect.
3. He had a lot of trouble getting acting jobs.
People don’t seem to get the fact that for all the successful actors out there about a hundred or more won’t get accepted and will have to scratch and scrape for their roles. It’s no kinder of a world for actors than it is for anyone else trying to get attention for whatever it is they do. Plus, Andrey was a trained actor, which means that statistically speaking he should have been at the front of the line or somewhere close.
2. He’s an Art House director.
Art House Cinema is a lot different from mainstream in that it is far more cerebral and isn’t made to pander to the masses. Art House films tend to make the viewer think long and hard about what’s going on and are somewhat vague at times in order to make people come to their own conclusions about certain parts of the movie. These films don’t tend to give away a lot even if they show their meaning.
1. His first directed film came out in 2003.
He released The Return in 2003. The story is that of a man that returns home to his two sons after a 12-year absence. He then takes them to a remote island and puts them through a sort of test of manhood that they have to pass.
Andrey is something of a visionary really.
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