The Russian Academy Of Arts

On May 29, 2024 in the Moscow “Khudozhestvenny” movie house there was a premiere of “Zurab” documentary film timed to the 90^th anniversary of one of the eminent masters of the 20^th – 21^st century Russian art, People’s Artist of the USSR and Russia, President of the Russian Academy of Arts Zurab K. Tsereteli. The film screening has been attended by the Master, his relatives and friends, as well as noted artists, scientists, figures of art and culture.

The film “Zurab” (2024, 73 minutes) presents the story of Tsereteli’s becoming an artist  - from a boy who grew up in the hard war time till the sculptor whose name is known worldwide. The important role in the picture is given to the detailed artistic filming of the artist’s creative process. The unique archive footage and frank interviews with the Master, members of his family and his colleagues give us  a possibility to feel the spirit of various eras reflected in the work of Tsereteli.

Zurab K. Tsereteli was born in1934 in Tbilisi (the USSR, now Georgia) in a Georgian family of a noble origin. The father of the future sculptor was an engineer. Young Zurab was much influenced by the brother of his mother – painter George Nizharadze in whose home the boy got acquainted with peculiarities of a creative process and many Georgian artists. Zurab entered the Painting Department of the Tbilisi Academy of Arts, after which graduation he started working for the Georgian Academy of Sciences and showed interest in history and archaeology. In 1964 he went to France and had fruitful contacts with the outstanding artists Pablo Picasso and Marc Chagall. Since the late 1960s he was actively involved into monumental art and in various periods headed major art projects: in the 1970s – 1980s - the Chief Artist of the USSR Foreign Ministry; in 1980 – the Chief Designer of the Summer Olympic Games in Moscow; in 1995 – Art Head of the construction of the Memorial Complex on Poklonnaya Hill in Moscow; in 1995-2000 – the Chief Artist of the Project for Recreation of the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Moscow. Besides Russia, Zurab Tsereteli’s sculptural works are in Brazil, Great Britain, Spain, Italy, France, USA, Japan, Georgia, Belarus, Lithuania and other countries.  

In 1992 Zurab Tsereteli became the President of the Moscow International Foundation for Support to UNESCO and later was elected as UNESCO Ambassador of Good Will. Since 1997 he has been the President of the Russian Academy of Arts. In 2010 Zurab Tsereteli was awarded the French Order of the Legion of Honor. He is also a founder of the Moscow Museum of Modern Art and Tsereteli Art Gallery in Prechistenka street.

The film Director is Ashot Gevorkyan. The screenwriters are: Marika Chirkina-Gevorkyan; Yana Belyakova; Ilya Ipatov; Ashot Gevorkyan. The composers are: Maxim Savchenkov; Hayk Karapetyan, Eugen Nikonovich, Ashor Gevorkyan. The      

cameraman is Yury Danilov. The artists are: Anastasia Tokareva; Anton Motovitsa. The studio-producer is “Ami Production”. The General Producer is Alexey Poltavchenko. The producers are: Ilya Ipatov; Anna Ipatova. The leading roles are played by: Damian Navadze, Adam Kuvaev; Ekaterina Sharikadze; Georgy Okropidze; Zurab Ortavidze; Romani Mshvildadze; Lasha Japaridze; Alexey Gribov.

The film can be seen in the online cinema “Premiere” and on the “Rutube” platform in June, 2024.

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