Tatiana Yevgenyevna Samoilova (; 4 May 1934 – 4 May 2014) was a Soviet and Russian film actress best known for her lead role in ''

The Cranes Are Flying ''The Cranes Are Flying'' (, translit. ''Letyat zhuravli'') is a 1957 Soviet war drama film directed by Mikhail Kalatozov at Mosfilm, written by Viktor Rozov, and starring Aleksey Batalov and Tatiana Samoilova. It depicts the cruelty an ...

'' (1957). She received a number of awards for the film, including a special mention at the

Cannes Film Festival The Cannes Film Festival (; ), until 2003 called the International Film Festival ('), is the most prestigious film festival in the world. Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from all around ...

. Samoilova had several major roles in the 1960s before largely disappearing from public life. In 1993, she was named a

People's Artist of Russia People's Artist of the Russian Federation (, ''Narodnyy artist Rossiyskoy Federatsii''), also sometimes translated as National Artist of the Russian Federation, is an honorary and the highest title awarded to citizens of the Russian Federation ...

. She made a comeback in the 2000s and received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2007

Moscow Film Festival The Moscow International Film Festival (, translit. ''Moskóvskiy myezhdunaródniy kinofyestivál''; abbreviated as MIFF) is a film festival first held in Moscow in 1935 and became regular since 1959. From its inception to 1959, it was hel ...

Early life

The only daughter of actor Yevgeny Samoilov (or Samojlov) and Zinaida Samoilova (née Levina), Samoilova was born in

Leningrad Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...

on 4 May 1934. Soon after her birth, Samoilova's father moved the family to Moscow. As a young girl, Samoilova was interested in ballet and studied music with her mother. She attended the prestigious Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Music Theatre to study ballet, but chose to attend the

Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute The Boris Shchukin Theatre Institute () is a Russian Federation, Russian drama college in Moscow, formed in 1914 as part of the Vakhtangov Theatre. In 2002 it was granted the Academy status. History The history of the Shchukin Institute (or Shchu ...

to study acting instead of pursuing a ballet career. While still in school, she appeared in one film – ''The Mexican'' by director Vladimir Kaplunovskiy.

Film career

After three years at the Boris Shchukin Theater, Samoilova landed the lead role of Veronika in

Mikhail Kalatozov Mikhail Konstantinovich Kalatozov ( ka, მიხეილ კალატოზიშვილი, ; 28 December 1903 – 26 March 1973), born Mikheil Kalatozishvili, was a Soviet film director of Georgians, Georgian origin who contributed to b ...

's war film ''

'' in 1957. The film was a tremendous success, becoming the only Soviet movie to win the

Palme d'Or The (; ) is the highest prize awarded to the director of the Best Feature Film of the Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival. It was introduced in 1955 by the festival's organizing committee. Previously, from 1939 to 1954, the festiv ...

, at the

1958 Cannes Film Festival The 11th Cannes Film Festival took place from 2 to 18 May 1958. French writer Marcel Achard served as Jury President for the main competition. The '' Palme d'Or'' was awarded to '' The Cranes Are Flying'' by Mikhail Kalatozov. Juries The follo ...

. Samoilova received a special mention for "Most Modest and Charming Actress". She went on to win Best Foreign Actress at the

Jussi Awards The Jussi Awards are Finland's premier film industry prizes, awarded annually to recognize the achievements of directors, actors, and writers. History The first Jussi Awards ceremony was held on 16 November 1944 at the Restaurant Adlon in Hel ...

and the German Film Critics Award for Best Actress in 1958. In 1959, she was nominated for Best Foreign Actress at the

BAFTA Awards The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs or BAFTA Awards, is an annual film award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best Cinema of the United Kingdom, British and Worl ...

. While on tour promoting ''The Cranes Are Flying'', Samoilova met

Pablo Picasso Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, Ceramic art, ceramicist, and Scenic ...

who boldly predicted "tomorrow you will be driving in a car through Hollywood". The prediction nearly came true, as she received offers to work in Hollywood and other foreign film industries. However, upon returning home she learned the Soviet government would forbid her taking foreign roles because she was still a student at the time. Instead, Samoilova followed up her role in ''The Cranes Are Flying'' with the lead role in ''Cranes'' director

's next film, '' Letter Never Sent'' (1959). In 1960, she lost her job at the

Mayakovsky Theatre Mayakovsky Theater () is a theater in Moscow, Russia, founded in 1920, first as ''Terevsat'' (Theater of Revolutionary Satire, 1920-1922), then ''Revolution Theater'' (1922-1943) and ''Drama Theater'' (1944-1953). In 1954 it was renamed after Vlad ...

and was unemployed for several years. Samoilova starred in

Giuseppe De Santis Giuseppe De Santis (11 February 1917 – 16 May 1997) was an Italian film director. One of the most idealistic neorealist filmmakers of the 1940s and 1950s, he wrote and directed films punctuated by ardent cries for social reform. He was ...

' war drama ''

Attack and Retreat ''Attack and Retreat'' (, ) is a Soviet-Italian war drama film directed by Giuseppe De Santis and Dmitri Vasilyev in 1964. The movie follows the steps of Italian soldiers of the Italian Army in Russia fighting on the Eastern Front on Hitler's ...

'' (1964). Samoilova had the title role in

Aleksandr Zarkhi Aleksandr Grigoryevich Zarkhi (; 18 February 1908 – 27 January 1997) was a Soviet and Russian film director and screenwriter. People's Artist of the USSR (1969). Hero of Socialist Labour (1978). His film ''Twenty Six Days from the Life of ...

's ''

Anna Karenina ''Anna Karenina'' ( rus, Анна Каренина, p=ˈanːə kɐˈrʲenʲɪnə) is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published in book form in 1878. Tolstoy called it his first true novel. It was initially released in serial in ...

'' (1967), appearing beside her former husband

Vasily Lanovoy Vasily Semyonovich Lanovoy (16 January 193428 January 2021) was a Soviet Union, Soviet and Russia, Russian actor who worked in the Yevgeny Vakhtangov, Vakhtangov Theatre, Moscow. He was also known as the President of Artek (camp), Artek Festiv ...

in the film.

Nirvana Nirvana, in the Indian religions (Jainism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism), is the concept of an individual's passions being extinguished as the ultimate state of salvation, release, or liberation from suffering ('' duḥkha'') and from the ...

(2008) was Samoilova's final film as an actor.

Legacy

After several roles during the 1970s, Samoilova largely avoided the public light. Even so, she remained one of Russia's most popular actresses. In 1993, Samoilova was named a

, one of the state's highest honors. In 2007, she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award at the

29th Moscow International Film Festival The 29th Moscow International Film Festival was held from 21 to 30 June 2007. The Golden George was awarded to the Russian film '' Travelling with Pets'' directed by Vera Storozheva. Jury * Fred Schepisi (Australia – Chairman of the Jury) * ...

. Samoilova made a comeback in the 2000s, appearing in a number of television programs. Her final role was in Igor Voloshin's film ''

'' (2008). In honor of her 80th birthday, Russian state television broadcast a series of programs about Samoilova on 4 May 2014.

Personal life and death

Samoilova was married four times; the last of these was to author

Sol Shulman Solomon Efimovich "Sol" Shulman (20 January 1936 – 6 September 2017), Semion Shulman, was a Belarusian author, screenwriter, film director and adventurer. Biography Shulman's first profession was engineering. In 1966 he completed his secon ...

. All of her marriages ended in divorce. On 3 May 2014, the eve of her 80th birthday, Samoilova was taken to hospital in serious condition with

coronary heart disease Coronary artery disease (CAD), also called coronary heart disease (CHD), or ischemic heart disease (IHD), is a type of cardiovascular disease, heart disease involving Ischemia, the reduction of blood flow to the cardiac muscle due to a build-up ...

and

hypertension Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a Chronic condition, long-term Disease, medical condition in which the blood pressure in the artery, arteries is persistently elevated. High blood pressure usually does not cause symptoms i ...

. She died the following day at 23:30, and was buried at Novodevichy cemetery on 7 May. President

Vladimir Putin Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who has served as President of Russia since 2012, having previously served from 2000 to 2008. Putin also served as Prime Minister of Ru ...

sent his condolences upon Samoilova's death. At her funeral, movie industry insiders spoke of Samoilova's artistic gifts, but also spoke about how the Soviet government had in effect cheated her out of the fortune she should have earned. Singer and Member of Parliament

Iosif Kobzon Joseph Davydovich Kobzon (11 September 1937 – 30 August 2018) was a Soviet-born Russian singer, known for his crooner style. Early life Kobzon was born to Jewish Ukrainian parents in the mining town of Chasiv Yar, in the Donbas region of ...

remarked, "She didn't have money. It’s shameful how cultural figures are treated." Samoilova was survived by a brother, her son from her third marriage, and a granddaughter, who was named after her.

Filmography

* ''

The Mexican ''The Mexican'' is a 2001 American romantic crime comedy film directed by Gore Verbinski. The film stars Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt, with James Gandolfini, Bob Balaban, J. K. Simmons, and Gene Hackman in supporting roles. It tells th ...

'' (1955) as Mariya * ''

'' (1957) as Veronika * '' Letter Never Sent'' (1959) as Tanya * '' Vingt Mille Lieues sur la Terre'' (1960) as Natasha * '' Alba Regia'' (1961) as Alba * ''

'' (1964) as Sonya * ''

'' (1967) as Anna Karenina * ''Nechayannye radosti'' (1970) * ''Gorod na Kavkaze'' (1972 short film) as Nadezhda * ''Okean'' (1974) as ''Masha'' * ''Vozvrata net'' (1975) as Nastyura Shevtsova * ''Diamonds for the Dictatorship of the Proletariat'' (1977) as Olenetskaya * ''24 Hours'' (2000) as Mama * ''

Moscow Saga ''Moscow Saga'' () is a Russian television series loosely based on the eponymous trilogy Vasily Aksyonov. The shooting took place in the winter and spring of 2004. It aired from 11 October to 12 November 2004 on Channel One Russia. Plot ''Moscow ...

'' (2004 TV Series) as the professor * ''Far from Sunset Boulevard'' (2006) as Lidiya Polyakova * ''

'' (2008) as Margarita Ivanovna

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Samoilova, Tatiana 1934 births 2014 deaths Russian film actresses Soviet film actresses People's Artists of Russia Actresses from Moscow Actresses from Saint Petersburg Russian people of Jewish descent