Ilya Khrzhanovsky

Early career

Educated at the Bonn Academy of Fine Arts (1992–1993) and the All-Russian State Institute of Cinematography (1998) (VGIK), Khrzhanovsky's directorial debut was the production of That Which I Feel (Russian: «То, что чувствую») at the Kukart Festival at Peterhof in 1997. Khrzhanovsky also co-directed Stop (Russian: «Остановка»), which is a short film, together with Artyom Mikhalkov in 1998.

Between 1998 and 2002, Khrzhanovsky worked as a director and producer in commercial advertising. He was also the responsible producer of a Russian TNT Channel TV project The List of Lovers of the Russian Federation, a series directed by leading Russian movie directors. In 2003, the project became a part of the Berlin International Film Festival program, as well as other Russian and international film festivals.

4

Khrzhanovsky directed the film 4, which had earned him several awards including a Golden Cactus and Tiger Award at the Rotterdam International Film Festival in the Netherlands, Best Director Prize at the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema; Grand Jury Prize as Best New Director at the Seattle International Film Festival; the Best Film and Best Camera Prize at the Transylvania International Film Festival; the Best Director Prize at the Athens International Film Festival, and nominated for Fassbinder Prize European Film Award. It was included into official programs of more than 50 international film festivals, including Venice Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Los Angeles Film Festival, Seattle International Film Festival, and Tribeca Film Festival. 4 was also distributed in the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, the United States, and also Scandinavian and South Asian countries.

Dau

Dau is an unfinished (as of 2017) film based on the life of Soviet physicist Lev Landau. Khrzhanovsky started developing the project in 2005. It is the biggest co-production of Russia and Europe. From the Russian side, DAU is produced by Phenomen Films. From the European side, the participants of the project are some of the most important funds, TV channels, and film companies, including - European Cinema Support Fund Eurimages; Arte France Cinema - production company (France), Société Parisienne de Production - Coproduction Office - production company (France); WDR/Arte - production company (Germany), Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg - funding (Germany), Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung - funding (Germany), Essential Filmproduktion - production company (Germany); Swedish Film Institute - funding (Sweden), Film I Väst - production company (Sweden), Plattform Production - production company (Sweden); Hubert Bals Fund (Netherlands), AG Interfilm B.V. (Netherlands). "DAU" was awarded as the best presentation at European Film Market, Sofia, Bulgary. It was included in the best 10 projects at International Film Festival CineMart (Rotterdam, Netherlands). In 2006, DAU became a part of the Cannes Film Festival official program and was selected as one of the 17 best world projects at the Atelier of the Cannes Film Festival.

Film production

In 2005, Khrzhanovsky co-founded Phenomen Films production company. Phenomen Films developed and produced, among others, the filmPaper Soldier by Aleksei German, which received a Silver Lion award and a Golden Osella award (for cinematography) at the Venice Film Festival. It was also nominated for the European Film Award, and received other awards and nominations in 2008.

In 2010, Khrzhanovsky co-founded Phenomen Berlin Filmproduktions GmbH (Germany). In 2011, he co-founded Phenomen UK Ltd. (UK).

Stop (1998) (Co-directed with Artyom Mikhalkov)

4 (2004)

DAU (release date TBA)