In 1990 the film “Taxi Blues” written by Lungin, brought him both the Special Mention prize and Best Director at Cannes. This movie featured for the first time the musician Pyotr Mamonov as an actor, and was the beginning of the long partnership between Lungin and Mamonov.

In 2006 the film “Ostrov” (“The Island”) with Mamonov as a main lead scored a number of domestic awards, as well as the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance.

In November 2008, Pavel Lungin was awarded the title of National Actor of Russia. In a decree by President Dmitry Medvedev, it was underlined that the director is noted “for the merits in the development of Russian cinema.”

Frame from the movie 'Tsar' (Photo from site www.lunginstudio.ru)

This year Lungin represented Russia at Cannes with “Tsar.” Here Mamonov plays the role of Ivan the Terrible, “a monster who prevented Russia from moving into the Renaissance by keeping his country in The Middle Ages, and in a certain way we are still there today,” said Lungin. “Tsar” will open the 31st Moscow International Film Festival.

The festival will open on June 19 and will last until June 28. The exact program of the festival has not yet been fully organized. The complete list of entries will be announced on June 3.

Among out-of-competition programs are the retrospective show “1959-2009”, dedicated to 50 MIFF anniversary; programs “Socialist avant-garde (part 2)”; author’s projects “Moscow euphoria” and “Eight and a half”; and also traditional Gala-premieres.