Yuli Gusman
Encyclopedia
Yuli Solomonovich Gusman (born 8 August 1943, Baku
) is a Soviet, Russia
n and Azerbaijan
i film director and actor. He is the founder and CEO of the prestigious Nika Award
.
, Azerbaijan to military physician Solomon Gusman and actress Lola Barsuk, who later became a translator and professor at the Azerbaijan University of Languages
. His brother Mikhail is the vice-president of the Information Telegraph Agency of Russia
. In 1966 Yuli Gusman graduated from the Azerbaijan Medical University
, majoring in therapeutics, and in 1970 earned a Master's Degree in Psychology and Psychiatry. He wrote a research paper to defend a thesis for another medical degree, but chose not to do so after being admitted to the Higher Film Directing Courses at Goskino
. Upon graduating in 1976 he worked at Azerbaijanfilm
where he created and directed stage performances and was the director of the satirical newsreel
Mozalan. In the 1970s and the 1980s he worked as manager and director of the Azerbaijan State Theatre of Musical Comedy and the Song Theatre. He has directed seven films, including outside the Soviet Union (in the United States
, Japan
and China
).
In 1965–1972 he was head of Baku's KVN
team. He introduced the uniform practice for all KVN teams. In 1993 he was elected to the State Duma
of the first convocation (1993–1995). In 1988–2002 Gusman was chairman of the Cinematography Centre (Dom Kino) in Moscow
. In 1996–2000 he hosted the primetime talk-show Tema and the weekly talk-show Vecher s Yuliem Gusmanom ("An Evening with Yuli Gusman") on Channel One (Russia)
. In 1996 he founded and became one of the CEOs of the Russian Jewish Congress
. In 2004 he was awarded with the Order of Friendship
.
He is married to Valida Gusman, a French language
teacher and lecturer in the Slavic Languages Department at Georgetown University
. They have a daughter named Lola and a grandson named Maximilian.
Baku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
) is a Soviet, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n and Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan , officially the Republic of Azerbaijan is the largest country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, Armenia to the west, and Iran to...
i film director and actor. He is the founder and CEO of the prestigious Nika Award
Nika Award
The Nika Award is a prestigious annual ceremony held by the Russian Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences which was established in 1987 in Moscow, Russia by Yuli Gusman, and ostensibly modelled on the Academy Awards . Russian Academy Award takes its name from Nike, the goddess of victory...
.
Life and career
Yuli Gusman was born in BakuBaku
Baku , sometimes spelled as Baki or Bakou, is the capital and largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and of the Caucasus region. It is located on the southern shore of the Absheron Peninsula, which projects into the Caspian Sea. The city consists of two principal...
, Azerbaijan to military physician Solomon Gusman and actress Lola Barsuk, who later became a translator and professor at the Azerbaijan University of Languages
Azerbaijan University of Languages
Azerbaijan University of Languages is a public university located in Baku, Azerbaijan. The student body consists of approximately 4000 undergraduates and 900 graduate students...
. His brother Mikhail is the vice-president of the Information Telegraph Agency of Russia
Information Telegraph Agency of Russia
The Information Telegraph Agency of Russia , is the major news agency of Russia. It is headquartered in Moscow.- History :Its origin is in a letter sent by Finance Minister Vladimir Kokovtsov to foreign minister in March 1904 writing that "our trade and industrial circles, as well as the Finance...
. In 1966 Yuli Gusman graduated from the Azerbaijan Medical University
Azerbaijan Medical University
Azerbaijan Medical University, named after Nariman Narimanov is the formal name of the public medical school located in Baku, Azerbaijan. Due to difficulties with translation, the school is sometimes called: Azerbaijan Medical University, Azerbaijan State Medical University, Azerbaijan State...
, majoring in therapeutics, and in 1970 earned a Master's Degree in Psychology and Psychiatry. He wrote a research paper to defend a thesis for another medical degree, but chose not to do so after being admitted to the Higher Film Directing Courses at Goskino
Goskino
Goskino USSR is the abbreviated name for the USSR State Committee for Cinematography in the Soviet Union...
. Upon graduating in 1976 he worked at Azerbaijanfilm
Azerbaijanfilm
Azerbaijanfilm is an Azerbaijani state film production company. It was established in 1920 as a photo-cinema department at Azerbaijan SSR People's Commissariat, and in 1923 renamed to "Azerbaijani Photo-Cinema Office"...
where he created and directed stage performances and was the director of the satirical newsreel
Newsreel
A newsreel was a form of short documentary film prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, regularly released in a public presentation place and containing filmed news stories and items of topical interest. It was a source of news, current affairs and entertainment for millions of moviegoers...
Mozalan. In the 1970s and the 1980s he worked as manager and director of the Azerbaijan State Theatre of Musical Comedy and the Song Theatre. He has directed seven films, including outside the Soviet Union (in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
).
In 1965–1972 he was head of Baku's KVN
KVN
KVN is a Russian humour TV show and competition where teams compete by giving funny answers to questions and showing prepared sketches. The programme was first aired by the First Soviet Channel on November 8, 1961...
team. He introduced the uniform practice for all KVN teams. In 1993 he was elected to the State Duma
State Duma
The State Duma , common abbreviation: Госду́ма ) in the Russian Federation is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia , the upper house being the Federation Council of Russia. The Duma headquarters is located in central Moscow, a few steps from Manege Square. Its members are referred to...
of the first convocation (1993–1995). In 1988–2002 Gusman was chairman of the Cinematography Centre (Dom Kino) in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. In 1996–2000 he hosted the primetime talk-show Tema and the weekly talk-show Vecher s Yuliem Gusmanom ("An Evening with Yuli Gusman") on Channel One (Russia)
Channel One (Russia)
Channel One is the first television channel to broadcast in the Soviet Union. The channel was renamed Ostankino Channel 1 in 1991, after the Soviet Union broke up and the Russian SFSR became the Russian Federation. According to a recent government publication, the Russian government controls 51%...
. In 1996 he founded and became one of the CEOs of the Russian Jewish Congress
Russian Jewish Congress
The Russian Jewish Congress is a non-profit charitable fund and the largest secular organisation of Russian Jews. It was established in 1996 by the initiative group of the Jewish businessmen, active workers and religious figures for revival of the Jewish life in Russia...
. In 2004 he was awarded with the Order of Friendship
Order of Friendship
The Order of Friendship is a state decoration of Russia established by decree # 442 of March 2, 1994 of the President of the Russian Federation....
.
He is married to Valida Gusman, a French language
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
teacher and lecturer in the Slavic Languages Department at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
. They have a daughter named Lola and a grandson named Maximilian.
As a director
- On One Fine Day (Azerbaijanfilm, 1977)
- Cottage for a Family (Azerbaijanfilm, 1978)
- Don't Be Afraid, I'm with You (Azerbaijanfilm, 1981)
- The Soviet Period Park (Slovo, 2006)
As an actor
- Nastya (MosfilmMosfilmMosfilm is a film studio, which is often described as the largest and oldest in Russia and in Europe. Its output includes most of the more widely-acclaimed Soviet films, ranging from works by Tarkovsky and Eisenstein , to Red Westerns, to the Akira Kurosawa co-production and the epic Война и Мир...
, 1993), as TV-host - The Soviet Period Park (Slovo, 2006), as himself