Died Nikolai Dostal: director who did not compromise

On January 18, at 18:00, film director Nikolai Dostal died at the age of 77. He made the films “Ilf and Petrov rode the tram”, “The Little Giant of Big Sex”, “The Man with the Accordion”, “Cloud-Paradise”, “Small Demon”, “Penal Battalion”, “Petya on the Road to the Kingdom of Heaven”, “ Kolya – Roll the Field”, “Split”, “Monk and the Demon”, “Citizen Chief”, “Policemen and Thieves”. He began his career in cinema as a very young man, starring in the film “Goodbye, Boys” by Mikhail Kalik in 1964.

Producer Vladimir Dostal, who once headed Mosfilm, announced the death of his younger brother. He did not say anything about the cause of death. After the funeral service for Marlen Khutsiev and Georgy Daneliya at the Cinema House, Nikolai Nikolayevich told his colleagues and his relatives that he would not want this for himself.

Nikolai Dostal is from a cinematic family. His father, Nikolai Vladimirovich Dostal, was also a director, filmed The Case of the Motley and We Met Somewhere. He tragically died at the age of 49 on the set of the film Everything Starts on the Road in 1959. Then he was next to a camera installed on the hood of a truck that crashed into a pole, and died from a head injury. Even earlier, his wife, the mother of Vladimir and Nikolai, the cellist Jahantab Sarafi Ali-kyzy, also died. It happened shortly after the birth of the youngest son in 1946. Nikolai Dostal graduated from the Faculty of Journalism of Moscow State University and the Higher Courses for Scriptwriters and Directors, where Georgy Danelia was his master. In recent years, he has repeatedly said, including in an interview with MK, that now there is no money to be found for a great human cinema. I could still shoot and shoot, but I didn’t want to waste time on nonsense.

With the actor Sergei Batalov, whom Nikolai Dostal greatly appreciated, we talked as soon as the message of death appeared.

– Tears are choking. He is like a relative to me. Since 1990 and for 33 years we have known each other. I don’t know anything about the cause of death, says Sergey Batalov. – Irina Rozanova called me, and Gennady Khazanov informed her about the incident, who said: “Kolya died.” Khazanov was friends with the brother of Nikolai Nikolaevich Vladimir Dostal. They worked together on the painting “The Little Giant of Big Sex”. Yesterday I wanted to congratulate Nikolai Nikolaevich on Baptism, but I thought that it was too early, I would have time. He has recently become a churchgoer, went to church, although he did not advertise this. He’s modest and doesn’t give interviews very well.

– Recently, he somehow calmed down, did not appear anywhere. Those who saw him at the Cinema House say that he looked very weak.

– We met with him for the last time last year. On New Year’s Eve, I was on tour, spun, did not congratulate anyone. For the first time in many years, Nikolai Dostal and I did not congratulate each other. Maybe he was already sick. Don’t know. I have known his wife Evgenia for a long time. She always worked with Nikolai Nikolaevich in his paintings as a costume designer. Their sons also work in the cinema. Alexander became a producer, Eugene – a director and followed in his father’s footsteps, becoming the second director. Yes, and Vladimir Dostal started as a second director with Sergei Bondarchuk, rose to the rank of general director of Mosfilm. When we were filming Cloud-Paradise, he headed Mosfilm.

– The parents of Nikolai and Vladimir Dostaly are buried at the Novodevichy cemetery. Perhaps now the son will lie next to them.

– I don’t know where they will be buried. Maybe next to your parents. Nikolai Nikolaevich’s father, Nikolai Dostal, died when one son was seven years old and the other ten. Nikolai Nikolaevich told us on the set about the death of his father in a car accident. Many years have passed since the death of his parents. Most likely there will be no memorial service at the Cinema House. Nikolai Nikolaevich was opposed to this. He either has a relative, or a close friend – a priest in the temple in Fili. Probably there will be a funeral.

– Did Nikolai Nikolayevich’s mother have Eastern roots?

– Iranian. On my mother’s side. He once said to us, “You think I’m a Jew? I am not a Jew. I am half Iranian.” He looks like an Iranian.

– What was your first meeting?

– It took place at Mosfilm after the performance “Illusion” staged by Sergei Zhenovach at the theater-studio “Man” was watched by the assistant of Nikolai Nikolayevich. She came up after the performance and said that the film was being launched, and photo tests had to be done. Then, according to the laws of still Soviet cinema, Mosfilm and other studios first made photo tests, then screen tests. I came. “Mosfilm” then seethed. After photo tests, they told me: “Wait. They will call you.” And suddenly Nikolai Nikolayevich himself appeared. When he saw me, he said: “Come to my office.” We talked. And then there were screen tests with cameraman Yuri Nevsky. It was May, the sun was shining brightly. I remember that day well. The artist immediately feels what attitude to him. So I realized that Dostal would take me. The samples were good. I was approved for the role. Who hasn’t tried it! Mom don’t worry! Mashkov, Mokhov, Garmash… They approved our team. In it, everyone was absolutely on their own. place. We – Ira Rozanova, Andryusha Zhigalova, Anna Ovsyannikova from Bratsk, Vladimir Tolokonnikov, Lev Borisov – went on an expedition to Petrozavodsk. Somewhere in October, the shooting ended. The film was quickly edited, and at the beginning of 1991, Clouds-Paradise was shown in the screening room of Mosfilm. We were there with my wife. And she said, “Brilliant film.” And in April, the premiere took place at the Cinema House. There weren’t many actors who were filming. Andryusha Zhigalov has already gone abroad, he is a clown. We were with Ira Rozanova. The audience did not disperse. We were surrounded. It was a triumph. I believe that “Cloud Paradise” is the best film of Nikolai Nikolaevich. Then, somehow, things immediately went uphill, although before that there was a wonderful “Man with an Accordion” with Valery Zolotukhin in the title role. But Cloud Paradise is the pinnacle. Then he made very serious films, such as “Penal Battalion”.

– You starred at Dostal and in “Small Demon” based on the novel by Fyodor Sologub, “Lenin’s Testament” based on Shalamov’s Kolyma Tales.

– “Small Imp” is a beautiful and underestimated picture. I have a small role in Lenin’s Testament. I always asked Nikolai Nikolaevich: “Why don’t you shoot me?” And he said: “Okay, Batalov. Soon I will shoot, and you will play a Tatar. “Well, what kind of Tatar am I?” I asked. And he replied: “We will repaint you.” For the sake of Dostal, I was ready for anything.

– In life, Nikolai Nikolayevich was an intelligent, principled person, he knew how to defend the truth. What was he like on set?

– He was very demanding, if necessary, tough. He got what he wanted from the actors. There was no such thing as: “Well, okay. Do as you please.” On the set, he did not compromise. Ira Rozanova once told him: “Your last name suits you very well. You will get everyone, but you will do your job. He was meticulous. I checked every button on the set: “No, not this one. Should be different. There were none at that time.” And next to him was his wife Zhenya, a costume designer. She altered, altered the way he wanted. And Dostal was meticulous, because he worked as a second director. And what is it in Soviet times? Like the chief of staff. The second director decided a lot. It is now more of an executive position. Both brothers went this way and became professionals.