Yakov Protazanov (1881-1945)
Protazanov was a pioneer in Tsarist cinema. His career spanned over thirty years, with stints in Moscow, Yalta, Paris and Berlin. He managed to survive and work despite political upheavals and regime changes—a unique feat in Russian cinema history.
Protazanov was born in Moscow in 1881. He began his film career with an apprenticeship with Gloria Films, which later became Thiemann and Reinhardt. After brief stints as a scriptwriter and actor, he moved on to directing with his first feature, The Prisoner’s Song (1911). He went on to make several films starring one of Russia’s leading actors, Ivan Mozhukin, including Nicolai Stavrogin (1915), and The Queen of Spades (1916), Public Prosecutor (1917), Satan Triumphant (1917), and Father Sergius (1918). The latter, based on a story by Leo Tolstoy, is considered Protazanov’s masterpiece and features a tour-de-force performance by Mozhukin. By the end of World War I, Protazanov directed some forty films.
Due to political instability resulting from the Russian Revolution, Protazanov relocated to Constantinople, where he made L'Angoissante Aventure (1920). He eventually moved on to Paris and continued to make films out of Méliès’ old studio at Monteuil.
Protazanov returned to the Soviet Union in 1923. The following year, he directed what is arguably the first Soviet film, Aelita (1924).
In 1937, Protazanov made his last acclaimed film, an adaptation of Alexander Ostrovsky’s play Without Dowry. He continued making movies into the 1940s, before passing away in 1945 at the age of 64.
Sources
Protazanov was born in Moscow in 1881. He began his film career with an apprenticeship with Gloria Films, which later became Thiemann and Reinhardt. After brief stints as a scriptwriter and actor, he moved on to directing with his first feature, The Prisoner’s Song (1911). He went on to make several films starring one of Russia’s leading actors, Ivan Mozhukin, including Nicolai Stavrogin (1915), and The Queen of Spades (1916), Public Prosecutor (1917), Satan Triumphant (1917), and Father Sergius (1918). The latter, based on a story by Leo Tolstoy, is considered Protazanov’s masterpiece and features a tour-de-force performance by Mozhukin. By the end of World War I, Protazanov directed some forty films.
Due to political instability resulting from the Russian Revolution, Protazanov relocated to Constantinople, where he made L'Angoissante Aventure (1920). He eventually moved on to Paris and continued to make films out of Méliès’ old studio at Monteuil.
Protazanov returned to the Soviet Union in 1923. The following year, he directed what is arguably the first Soviet film, Aelita (1924).
In 1937, Protazanov made his last acclaimed film, an adaptation of Alexander Ostrovsky’s play Without Dowry. He continued making movies into the 1940s, before passing away in 1945 at the age of 64.
Sources
ESSENTIAL FILMOGRAPHY
1916 – The Queen of Spades
1928 – Father Sergius
1918 – Aelita: Queen of Mars
1937 – Without Dowry
Complete Filmography
1928 – Father Sergius
1918 – Aelita: Queen of Mars
1937 – Without Dowry
Complete Filmography