Roman Balayan

Personal Info

Known For Director

Birthday 1941-04-15 (83 years old)

Also Known As Роман Балаян

Roman Balayan

Biography

Roman Gurgenovich Balayan (Armenian: Ռոման Գուրգենի Բալայան, Russian: Рома́н Гурге́нович Балая́н; born 15 April 1941, Nerkin Horatagh, Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Oblast, Soviet Union) is a Ukrainian-Armenian film director. In 1997 Balayan was awarded the title People’s Artist of Ukraine. Balayan worked as an actor in the theater of Stepanakert (located in the Nagorno-Karabakh region) in 1959–1961. He studied directing at the Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography and film directing at the Kyiv National I. K. Karpenko-Kary Theatre, Cinema and Television University, graduating in 1969. Since 1970, he has worked at the Dovzhenko Film Studios in Kiev. Balayan calls himself a student of Sergei Parajanov. He was nominated and won several international prizes. He is well-known for his literary adaptations; authors whom Balayan has adapted for the screen are Anton Chekhov (Kashtanka, 1975; The Kiss, 1983, TV), Ivan Turgenev (The Lone Wolf, 1977; First Love, 1995), and Nikolai Leskov (Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District, 1989). His film Flights in Dreams and Reality (1982), a drama about depression and a midlife crisis, is one of his most well-known works. Oleg Yankovsky portrays a creative man in his 40s who feels alienated in society. At the time of its release, politically minded viewers perceived it as a critique of Brezhnevian “stagnation”. His 1986 film Guard Me, My Talisman was entered into the main competition at the 43rd edition of the Venice Film Festival and won the Golden Tulip at the 1987 International Istanbul Film Festival. His 1977 film Lone Wolf was entered into the 28th Berlin International Film Festival and his 2008 film Birds of Paradise was shown at the 30th Moscow International Film Festival. In 2018 he announced, that he may be shooting his next film in Ukrainian language.

Known For

Director

2008
Birds of Paradise

as Director

2004
1998
1995
The First Love

as Director

1987
The Spy

as Director

1986
1983
The Kiss

as Director

1977
Lone Wolf

as Director

1975
Kashtanka

as Director

1973
Romashkin Effect

as Director

1969
Thief

as Director

1969
Palm Sunday

as Director

Writer

2004
1998
1995
The First Love

as Writer

1992
The Lady in the Car

as Screenplay

1987
The Spy

as Writer

1983
The Kiss

as Writer

1977
Lone Wolf

as Writer

1975
Kashtanka

as Writer

Actor

2023
1993
To Remember

as Narrator

Producer

2003
Summer Rain

as Producer

2001
Shoes from America

as Line Producer