Taxi Blues

Pavel Semyonovich Lungin (Russian: Павел Семёнович Лунгин; born July 12, 1949) is a Russian film director. Born July 12, 1949 in Moscow, Lungin is the son of a scriptwriter and philologist. He later attended Moscow State University from which he graduated in 1971. Lungin worked primarily as a scriptwriter until given the opportunity to direct “Taxi Blues” at age 40. Lungin was awarded the Best Director Prize at 1990 Cannes Film Festival for the film “Taxi Blues” starring Pyotr Mamonov. That same year he took up residence in France, while making films in and about Russia with French producers. Two years later, his next film Luna Park would also compete at Cannes. In 2006 he directed a religious film “The Island” (Russian “Остров”) which also starred Mamonov. The film – which has English subtitles – closed the 2006 Venice Film Festival and was praised by the Russian Orthodox Church leader Alexis II. Lungin was awarded the distinction People’s Artist of Russia in 2008. —wikipedia read more