Biography
Director Alexey Uchitel has made more than one film, awarded with prizes and audience sympathy. However, he is still a doubtful person, but it’s not noticeable on the court.
“A person who considers himself a literal genius ends there, so I always have doubts about myself and what I’m doing, and at any stage of working on a picture.”
The Teacher's scrupulousness in selecting performers of the main roles is compared to a disease - a 100%, perfect hit is required. If this does not happen, casting will continue even when filming begins. In the team, Alexey is known as a despot, he does not forgive the slightest detail, although he admits that he only allows himself to lose his temper with close people, and then tries to make amends.
The ex-wife of Alexei Uchitel - Kira Saksaganskaya
The ex-wife of Alexei Uchitel, Kira Saksaganskaya, is a producer. Also, together with her husband, she runs the Rock film studio. They met back in 1981. The director has repeatedly appeared in gossip columns as a famous ladies' man. However, the wife never caused any loud scandals, apparently having come to terms with the fact that he could not do otherwise.
Kira Saksaganskaya gave birth to two sons and always helped her husband on the set. Together they made many good films.
Even after Alexey Uchitel officially declared that he was the father of Yulia Peresild’s two daughters, they did not file for divorce. The paparazzi saw him more than once together with his new lover, but the couple did not comment on this.
Now Kira Saksaganskaya continues to manage all the affairs at her husband’s film studio. He also holds the post of General Director of the international competition “Message to Man”, which is held every year.
Childhood and youth
Alexey Efimovich Uchitel was born on August 31, 1951 in Leningrad. His father Efim Yulievich is an outstanding Soviet documentary director, winner of the Stalin Prize. He became famous for a series of documentaries dedicated to the heroic struggle of the residents of besieged Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War.
Alexei Uchitel's father is documentary director Efim Uchitel
The future director learned a lot from his father, because Efim Yulievich took his son to filming from an early age. As a child, Alexey Uchitel attended creative workshops at the Palace of Pioneers, where he first studied cinematography and later switched to photography. The question of choosing a profession never faced Alexey: from childhood he knew that he would be a director, like his father.
After school, Teacher Jr. goes to Moscow to enroll in VGIK, but not in the directing department, but in the cinematography department. My father insisted on this, convinced that in order to lay the foundation for the craft of a film director, it is necessary to first be in the role of a cameraman in order to better understand the visual component of the profession. Later, Alexei Uchitel recalled with gratitude his father’s valuable recommendation.
Alexey Uchitel in his youth and now
The first attempt at admission was unsuccessful - Alexey was not accepted, despite high grades in exams and a well-known surname in cinematic circles. During an interview, the head of the department of documentary cinematography at VGIK recommended that Alexey first gain experience in army service, after which he promised to accept him without exams.
Fortunately, Alexey Uchitel did not listen to this advice and for the next year he worked as an assistant cameraman at a documentary film studio. The director recalls that for a successful result it was necessary to pass 8 exams, of which 7 were with A’s and only 1 with four. Such strict rules were due to a huge competition, which amounted to 300 people per place. However, in 1969, Alexey Uchitel passed the exams and was enrolled in VGIK.
Instagram and Wikipedia of Alexey Uchitel
Instagram and Wikipedia of Alexei Uchitel will help fans get to know this outstanding person better. He doesn’t like to share much about his personal life, but as for work, the information is comprehensive.
Alexey Efimovich also has an official website. Here you can find materials related to all his works.
Alexey Uchitel keeps up with the times. He maintains his own microblog. In it, the director could not resist and posted pictures of his daughters.
It is noteworthy that the Teacher never divorced his wife, Kira Saksaganskaya, she is still considered his legal wife.
Movies
After studying in Moscow for 5 years, the 24-year-old certified director returned to his native Leningrad and began working at a documentary film studio. Having started working at this film studio in his youth, Alexey Uchitel still remains faithful to it, although he has long had his own - “Rock”.
In 1977, the debut film “One Hundred Thousand Selves” was shot. Three years later, a documentary short film appeared dedicated to the best dance floors of the Soviet Union, called by the Teacher “How many faces does the disco have?” This was followed by 10 more documentary projects, which the director released on average, one every 2 years.
Director Alexey Uchitel
Honing his style and gaining experience, Alexey Uchitel takes part in the creation of cinematic films of the era, responding with his creativity to current events in the country's social life.
The turning point in the master’s life came in 1986. Then Alexey Uchitel made the legendary film “Rock”, in which, in the form of several film novels, he captured the life of famous musicians, but at that time leading a semi-underground existence. The director set himself the task of showing rock musicians in their natural habitat.
Alexey Uchitel
Among the heroes of the film are Boris Grebenshchikov, with whom the director talks at his home, Viktor Tsoi, who works in the now legendary boiler house "Kamchatka", Yuri Shevchuk with the group "DDT", the experimental theater studio of Anton Adasinsky, the group "AuktYon". The painting became unique and, perhaps, the only professionally made documentary evidence of the era.
Later, Alexey Uchitel admitted that after filming and communicating with the rockers, he felt like a different, completely liberated person. Then for the first time he wanted to make a feature film.
Alexey Uchitel directed the documentary “Obvodny Canal”
The next film is especially beloved and dear to the director - the documentary “Bypass Canal”. As you know, the Obvodny Canal in St. Petersburg is an artificially created 5 kilometers of waterway, driving along which Alexey Uchitel drew attention to the proximity of a variety of institutions on its banks: 3 insane asylums, palaces of culture, a theological academy. The main idea of the film, according to the director, was that you can never say with certainty which wall the madhouse is hiding behind.
Having directed more than 10 documentaries and earned himself fame as a cult director, Alexey Uchitel turns to the genre of feature cinema.
Still from Alexei Uchitel’s film “Giselle Mania”
The transition from documentary to feature films occurred thanks to a fateful coincidence of circumstances. In 1995, Uchitel was preparing to film the biography of the great ballerina Olga Spesivtseva. Soon after filming began, the main character, who was at a very advanced age, dies. It was possible to complete the picture by collecting the missing material from the memories of people who knew Olga Spesivtseva closely, but this method ran counter to the master’s creative credo.
The fact is that Alexey made it a rule not to use interviews in documentaries. The Teacher's style consists of capturing the hero's natural reactions that manifest themselves in different circumstances. But when the main character of the film died, the director had an idea to get out of the situation by changing the concept. So, instead of a documentary film, he made a feature film for the first time. The script for the drama was written by Avdotya Smirnova, and the main role in the film was played by Galina Tyunina. Key characters in the drama were also played by Mikhail Kazakov and Evgeny Sidikhin.
Alexey Uchitel and Avdotya Smirnova
Having shot an artistic film called “Giselle Mania,” Alexey Uchitel realized how different two seemingly similar professions are from each other. The film was a resounding success and received a number of prestigious awards both in Russia and at film festivals in France and Italy.
Alexey Uchitel continued his collaboration with Dunya Smirnova, who wrote the script for his next biographical film - a drama about the Russian writer Ivan Bunin. At first it was supposed to call the film “A Woman’s Name,” but in 2000 a film called “The Diary of His Wife” was released. Critics and viewers appreciated the project, awarding the Kinotavr Grand Prix and Nika Awards in three categories. The role of Ivan Bunin went to Andrei Smirnov, the other main characters were played by Galina Tyunina, Evgeny Mironov and Olga Budina.
Trailer for the film "The Walk"
In 2003, viewers saw another joint “product” of Uchitel and Smirnova - the feature film “Walk”, which opened the 15th Moscow Film Festival. This film is recognized as a modern classic of Russian cinema and has received a number of prestigious film awards in Russia and far beyond its borders. The main roles in the film went to young actors Irina Pegova, Pavel Barshak and Evgeniy Tsyganov, who were just starting their journey in cinema.
Still from Alexei Uchitel’s drama “Space as a Premonition”
In 2005, fans of Teacher’s talent saw a new project - the drama “Space as a Premonition”. Favorite artists appeared in it again, whom the director often invites to his own projects: Evgeny Mironov, Irina Pegova and Evgeny Tsyganov. For his directorial work, Alexey Uchitel received the Golden Eagle award.
Alexey accompanied the melodrama “Communication”, the script for which was again written by Smirnova, as a producer. Avdotya sat in the director’s chair for the first time, and her debut was appreciated by her colleagues, presenting the director with the Kinotavr Award in the corresponding category. The main characters, performed by Anna Mikhalkova and Mikhail Porechenkov, live in different cities, each with a family and an established life. A chance meeting awakens forgotten feelings and makes you wonder what people are ready for for the sake of love.
Anna Mikhalkova and Mikhail Porechenkov in the film “Communication”
And in 2008, demanding viewers who know a lot about quality cinema received a new surprise from the master - the film “Prisoner”. This is a Russian-Bulgarian project by Alexei Uchitel, based on the work of Vladimir Makanin “Prisoner of the Caucasus”.
The premiere took place in St. Petersburg in September 2008 and caused fierce controversy and conflicting reviews. She did not receive a single award at Kinotavr, but she represented the country at the 43rd International Film Festival in Karlovy Vary, where she earned the prize for Best Director. After this, “Prisoner” opened the Russian film festival “Window to Europe”, which was held in Vyborg.
Alexey Uchitel on the set of the film “Prisoner”
2 years later, a new film hit by Alexei Uchitel was released, which received unconditional success both in Russia and abroad. This is the dramatic film “The Edge,” which was originally going to be called “Gustav.” The main characters were performed by Vladimir Mashkov, Anyorka Strechel and Yulia Peresild. The premiere took place in September 2010 at the Toronto Festival, and was released in Russia 2 weeks later. We saw the new film masterpiece Teacher at festivals in Warsaw, Thessaloniki, Marrakech and Les Arcs.
The Edge won four Golden Eagle Awards and was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Foreign Language Film. The film's budget was $12 million, and the state did not participate in financing the project.
In 2013, at the next film festival in Toronto, Alexey Uchitel presented the crime drama Eight. This is a film adaptation of the story of the same name by Russian writer Zakhar Prilepin.
And in 2020, information appeared about a new historical project by Alexei Uchitel, which caused loud controversy even before the release of the film. This is a dramatic film “Matilda”, the plot of which is based on the fate of the ballerina Matilda Kshesinskaya and her romance with Tsarevich Nikolai Alexandrovich, the future Emperor Nicholas II.
Alexey Uchitel on the set of the film "Matilda"
Alexey Uchitel used a whole constellation of actors in the film: Danila Kozlovsky, Ingeborga Dapkunaite, Sergei Garmash and Evgeny Mironov. But the main characters were played by foreign actors: Polish artist and violinist Mihalina Olshanskaya played Matilda Kshesinskaya, and German actor Lars Eidinger played the role of Tsar Nicholas II.
The film premiered in October 2020, but after the release of the official trailer for the drama in 2016, which included an erotic love scene, representatives of the social movement “Royal Cross” protested, declaring “distortion of historical events” and “anti-Russian and anti-religious provocation.” " Russian State Duma deputy Natalya Poklonskaya appealed to the Prosecutor General's Office, believing that the film contains scenes that would offend the feelings of believers.
Trailer for the film "Matilda"
According to Uchitel, an inspection by the Prosecutor General’s Office did not reveal any violations, and director Stanislav Govorukhin, who heads the Duma Committee on Culture, criticized the very idea of inspecting the film and said that such initiatives should be “cut off in the bud.”
From Giselle to Matilda
In the mid-90s, Alexey Uchitel first turned to feature films. This happened due to a coincidence of certain circumstances. The director intended to make a documentary about the life and fate of the outstanding ballerina Olga Spesivtseva. But by the time filming was completed, the great dancer, who lived a long life, died.
After this tragic event, the Teacher decided to change the concept of his project and make a feature film. He invited Galina Tyunina to play the main role in the film “Giselle Mania”. Despite the fact that the feature film “Giselle Mania” was a debut, it was warmly received by the public and film experts . The work of Alexey Uchitel was awarded prizes at several prestigious film festivals.
Inspired by the success, the director began to consider scripts for other feature films with interest. Together with screenwriter Dunya Smirnova, he made films such as “The Diary of His Wife” and “The Walk.” Then he pleased cinema fans with the drama “Space as a Premonition” and the war film “Prisoner”.
At the moment, film experts consider the drama “The Edge,” which starred Yulia Peresild, Vladimir Mashkov and Anyorka Strechel, to be the pinnacle of Alexei Uchitel’s creativity. The film received several Golden Eagles, was included in one of the Golden Globe nominations and won many other awards.
In 2013, the director turned to the work of Russian writer Zakhar Prilepin , adapting his crime story “The Eight”. The drama of the same name did not cause heated debate among movie fans.
But Alexei Uchitel’s next project, the historical drama “Matilda,” caused heated controversy and indignation even before its release. The director began filming the script, the plot of which revolves around the dancer Matilda Kshesinskaya and the future Emperor Nicholas II. A whole constellation of popular actors worked on the film: Ingeborga Dapkunaite, Danila Kozlovsky, Lars Eidinger, Evgeny Mironov, Mikhalina Olshanskaya, Sergei Garmash.
After the release of the film’s trailer, which included an erotic love scene with the participation of the future emperor, its creators were accused of “distorting historical events” and attributed to them an anti-religious and anti-Russian provocation. The situation was reviewed by the Prosecutor General's Office of the Russian Federation, but no violations were found.
In October 2020, the film premiered officially in Russia and Latvia.
Personal life
Alexey Uchitel lived in marriage with producer Kira Saksaganskaya for more than 30 years. Two sons appeared in the family one after another, the youngest of whom, Ilya, followed in the footsteps of his famous father and had already taken his first steps in the short film genre.
Alexey Uchitel with his wife Kira
The director's wife has always been the right hand of her famous husband, helping him on the set in both deed and word. Together they made more than one film. Kira Saksaganskaya still manages all processes at her husband’s film studio in St. Petersburg.
In the fall of 2016, the media started talking about the 65-year-old master’s affair with Russian cinema star Yulia Peresild. Rumor has it that the couple was introduced by Yevgeny Mironov, after which Alexey Uchitel invited the girl to play a role in his film “Prisoner”. Then Julia appeared in the film “The Edge”.
Alexey Uchitel and Yulia Peresild
The actress is half the director's age. In the creative union of Teacher and Peresild, 2 girls were born - Anna and Maria. Julia admitted that Alexey is the father of the children only in 2020; before that, rumors were spread about the celebrity’s personal life, which were neither confirmed nor denied.
Alexey Uchitel spends his rare moments of relaxation with his family, playing tennis or going to St. Petersburg to take a steam bath. There, the director said, there is a magical massage therapist who “carries out truly restorative executions, massage with honey and salt.”
Alexey Uchitel with Yulia Peresild and children
Social networks did not receive the director’s attention; Uchitel opened an account on Instagram, but he is not pleased with the number of photos of his subscribers. Pictures are more often published on the page of his film studio “Rock” and by colleagues and actors involved in Alexey’s projects.
Family and children of Alexei Uchitel
The family and children of Alexei Uchitel are large and arouse great interest among both journalists and his fans. The talented director has always been a favorite of women. He married early, and two sons were born into the family. However, this did not stop him from paying attention to young actresses, periodically falling into the lens of the paparazzi.
Ultimately, he began to live with actress Yulia Peresild, who bore him two daughters. They are happy together and try to avoid questions from journalists about their personal lives. Recently, they can increasingly be seen with the whole family at social events.
Alexey Uchitel now
In 2020, Alexey Uchitel began filming 2 films about real personalities. The first, according to insiders, in the road movie genre, is dedicated to Viktor Tsoi, however, the leader of Kino will appear only in archival footage, and as such there will be no artist character.
The plot of the film covers the days during which the body of the deceased musician was transported to St. Petersburg. The director wants to focus the attention of the audience on the driver of the car, in a collision with which the idol of millions died. Filming will take place in the city on the Neva, Latvia and Lithuania. The film's budget is 150 million rubles, and Uchitel expects that 90 of them will be allocated by the Cinema Fund.
Alexey Uchitel is making a film about Viktor Tsoi
The second film is a biopic about lawyer Fyodor Plevako. Vladimir Mashkov has been invited to play the main role. The consultant for the film about a brilliant lawyer of the 19th century, whose appearances in court attracted crowds of people, was the famous lawyer of the 21st century, Henry Resnik, whom the stars of politics and show business turn to.
The filmography of the Teacher will also be supplemented by the film adaptation of the novel “My Children” by the Tatar writer Guzel Yakhina. Based on her famous work “Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes,” the Rossiya TV channel is making a film with Chulpan Khamatova in the title role.
Alexey Uchitel will film the novel “My Children”
It is still unknown who will participate in the new project, but the creators intend to invite artists from Germany, since the characters in the book are Volga Germans. Guzel herself refused to develop the script because she was busy with another novel. The film crew now faces the task of finding a screenwriter who would not distort the writer’s ideas, Alexey said.
Alexey Uchitel plans to translate the well-known “Matilda” into a series format and show it in prime time on Channel One. However, it is too early to talk about anything concrete. The original cast may change. The plot will include new, unexpected materials about Emperor Nicholas II. The guardians of morality will not have to worry - there will be no personnel “defaming the Tsar” in sight.
Alexey Uchitel in 2020
Another point in the director’s plans is to make a film about Dmitry Shostakovich. The teacher is interested not just in the life of an innovative composer. The main idea of the film is to show the relationship between a musician and government. The script was initially based on a novel, a biography of the Soviet composer “The Noise of Time,” written by British writer Julian Barnes. But the condition - to release the film in English - turned out to be impossible, because Alexey wants to again resort to state help, and the Cinema Fund finances only Russian-language projects. The search for a screenwriter is underway in England, America and Russia.
Alexei Uchitel's wife - Yulia Peresild
The wife of Alexei Uchitel, Yulia Peresild, is from Pskov. Since childhood, she dreamed of becoming a theater and film actress and confidently walked towards her goal. During school years, not a single holiday was complete without the participation of a girl. She performed in KVN, sang, and visited orphanages and boarding schools with concerts.
After school I went to the capital. Here she graduated from RATI and began collaborating with various theaters.
She started acting in films in 2003. Nevertheless, she gained widespread popularity only five years later, starring in the film “Prisoner.” It was on the set of this film that she met Alexei Uchitel.
The actress and director were not embarrassed by the age difference of more than thirty years. Julia became another muse for Alexey. They kept their relationship secret for ten years. Journalists attributed affairs with different men to the actress and tried to find out who the real one was, from whom the girl gave birth to two children.
Last year, Yulia finally admitted that Alexey was the father of her daughters. This information was later confirmed by the director himself.
