Andrei Tarkovsky

Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky (April 4, 1932 - December 29, 1986) was a Russian film director, writer and opera director. Although Tarkovksy directed only seven feature films during his twenty-year active career, he is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmaker of the late 20th century. He attained critical acclaim for directing such films as Andrei Rublev, Solaris and Stalker. Tarkovsky also worked extensively as a screenwriter, film editor, film theorist and theater director. He directed most of his films in the Soviet Union, with the exception of his last two films which were produced in Italy and Sweden. His films are characterized by Christian spirituality and metaphysical themes, extremely long takes, lack of conventional dramatic structure and plot, and memorable images of exceptional beauty. Tarkovsky was born in the village of Zavrazhye in Kostroma Province as the child of the poet and translator Arseny Alexandrovich Tarkovsky and Maria Ivanova... full article at wikipedia