Georgia / Russia

Mikhail Konstantinovich Kalatozov, born Mikheil Kalatozishvili, was a Georgian / Russian film director. Born in Tiflis (now Tbilisi), he studied economics before starting his film career as an actor and later cinematographer and filmmaker. He directed several documentary films, but was forced to withdraw from his profession after his film Lursmani cheqmashi (Nail in the Boot - 1931) was banned by Stalinist censors. During World War II he directed several propaganda films and worked as a cultural attaché at the Soviet embassy in the United States. During the 1950s he directed several other films. His four final features, Letyat zhuravli (The Cranes Are Flying -1957), Neotpravlennoye pismo (Letter Never Sent - 1960), Soy Cuba (I Am Cuba - 1964), and Krasnaya palatka (The Red Tent - 1969) are among his most famous works. Kalatozov passed away in Moscow in 1973. Biography Source

Filmography

Zahesis I turbinis gakhsna (1927)
Tskhenebis pabrika / Stud Farm (1927)
Mati samepo / Their Empire (1928)
Avganeli khanis chamosvla Tbilisshi / Afghan Khan in Tbilisi (1928)
Mkhatis teatris gastrolebi / Moscow MXAT Theatre in Tbilisi] (1929)
Usinatlo / Little Blind Girl (1930)
Jim Shvante (Marili Svanets) / Jim Shvante (Salt for Svaneti) (1930)
Lursmani cheqmashi / Nail in the Boot (1931)
Muzhestvo / Courage (1939)
Valeriy Chkalov / Wings of Victory (1941)
Nepobedimye / Invincible (1943)
Kinokontsert k 25-letiyu Krasnoy Armii / Moscow Music Hall (1946)
Zagovor obrechyonnykh / Conspiracy of the Doomed (1950)
Vikhri vrazhdebnye / Hostile Whirlwinds (1953)
Vernye druz’ya / True Friends (1954)
Pervyy eshelon / The First Echelon (1957)
Letyat zhuravli / The Cranes Are Flying (1957)
Neotpravlennoye pismo / Letter Never Sent (1960)
I Am Cuba / Soy Cuba (1964)
Krasnaya palatka / The Red Tent (1969)