Elem Klimov, a Russian film director and screenwriter, died on Oct. 26 from natural causes. He was 70.
Born in Stalingrad, Klimov studied at the Higher Institute of Aviation in Moscow, and graduated from the State Institute of Cinematography. He spent 20 years satirizing Communist rule in motion pictures, a risky move in the former U.S.S.R., then received international acclaim for his fifth and final film, “Come and See.” The 1985 war movie chronicled the slaughter of Belorussians by the Nazis during World War II; it won the Grand Prize at the Moscow International Film Festival.
Klimov was a judge at the Cannes Film Festival and served as the president of the U.S.S.R. Cinema Association. He was married to filmmaker Larisa Shepitko, who died in a car accident in 1979. She was filming “Farewell” at the time of her death — a movie Klimov finished for her and released in 1981.
November 16, 2003 by
Elem Klimov
Categories: Artists
Thank you, Elem, for your acheivement with “Come and See”. You have told a story I have wanted to know since I was a young boy growing up during the cold war.
I have only just recieved the news that one of the best Film Directors of all time has passed away.
You have been an inspiration to Me with your films Agony and Come and See.
My deepest respect and sympathy from a fellow artist and film maker
Scott Buchanan Barden
Elem Klimov definitely was one of the best Russian directors
I have only seen ‘Proscanie’ and I have been trying to find out about Klimov since 1987 when this film was shown at the filmhouse in Edinburgh.
I am so sad to learn that Klimov died last year and will endeavour to see the films that I have missed by him.
‘Farewell’ was a marvellous film. Farewell to a great Director.
ps the friends who saw ‘Farewell’ all loved it too.
Ann Cruickshank.
Un gran artista de la imagen nos ha dejado, pero su obra permanecera siempre entre todos nosotros.
A truly great director. Farewell is one of my all-time favourite films. I have spent 10 years looking for it on video and more recently on DVD. If anyone knows how I can get hold of a copy, please contact me on raskolnikov@NOSPAM.dsl.pipex.com
Realmente el director que jam
Gracias Elem, a trav