MOSCOW, August 27 Director Gleb Panfilov's innovation was profound, working with him was a great happiness, quotes the words of People's Artist of the RSFSR, director Nikita Mikhalkov, his press office.
Panfilov passed away at the age of 89 on Saturday.
«However strange it may sound, I believe that Gleb Panfilov was an absolute innovator, and his innovation is not external, not ostentatious, not PR, but deep — he found the new not so much in the form, but, strange as it may seem, in a very religious content,» the message says.
According to him, Panfilov was one of the few directors who was not ashamed of all his paintings. He possessed «the subtlest humor and paradoxical thinking.» «Our joint work with him was a great happiness for me,» Mikhalkov stressed.
The director also understood that Panfilov would not be able to live long without his wife, actress Inna Churikova, who died in January 2023, the press service added.
«Their connection was too inseparable, sensual and active. By and large, they were one whole — an incredible combination of male and female and infinitely complementary talents. I loved Gleb very much, like Inna. And for me these are inseparable losses,» Mikhalkov's words are given.
Panfilov was born on May 21, 1934 in Magnitogorsk. In 1966, he began working at Lenfilm, where he filmed his feature debut «There is no ford in the fire» (received the main prize at the Locarno Film Festival). Panfilov also shot the pictures «I ask for words», «Theme», «Valentina», «Vassa», «Mother» and others, staged performances at Lenkom and the Theater of Nations. In 1970, he made the film «The Beginning» with Inna Churikova in the title role, during the filming they got married and lived together for more than 50 years. People's Artist of the USSR Churikova died on January 14, 2023 in Moscow after a long illness.