In Moscow, they said goodbye to the former Minister of Cinematography Armen Medvedev

“I’m a movie boy”

In Moscow, at the Cinema House, they said goodbye to Armen Medvedev, a brilliant film critic who for many years headed the Foundation for the Development of Film and Television for Children and Youth named after. Rolan Bykov, until the last days, the current president of the Window to Europe festival. In the 1990s, he was the Minister of Cinematography, headed the State Film Agency. As time shows, Medvedev turned out to be the best film official of this rank in history. He was 84 years old. For several years he courageously fought against a serious oncological disease.

In one of our interviews, Armen Nikolaevich said: “Now the main thing is not to lose self-esteem.” He didn’t lose it himself. Medvedev was a significant person, but none of those who knew him well perceived Armen Nikolayevich as a powerful figure, let alone an official. Many called him Alik. He was a warm-hearted, benevolent, witty man. He was interested in everything in life, each of us. He loved cinema and did a lot to ensure that it did not disappear in the most difficult years. Cameraman Anatoly Mukasey once joked: “Medvedev has been retired for a long time, and everyone takes him for a minister.” Armen Nikolaevich told how they constantly call him at home early in the morning and late in the evening, asking him to read the script, talk to someone, put in a word. “I was only fourteen years in the civil service. I am a movie boy. Somehow Nonna Mordyukova told me that I grew up before her eyes. This is my happiness,” said Armen Medvedev in our conversation.

He was the editor-in-chief of the magazines “Art of Cinema” and “Soviet Film”, and headed Goskino from 1992 to 1999, in every possible way promoting Russian films to cinemas, where they were not really expected. He was a member of the Guild of Film Critics and Critics, which we were all proud of. When it was necessary to look presentable, Medvedev was certainly put forward in the front ranks, since he was an authority for everyone without exception.

Not so long ago, Armen Nikolayevich gave an interview to MK on the occasion of the 85th birthday of Andrei Konchalovsky, with whom he studied at the same school, as well as with Alexander Shirvindt and Konstantin Shcherbakov. He then recalled many friends of childhood and youth who had already gone to another world, grieved that almost no one was left. Medvedev entered VGIK in 1955 in the workshop of the outstanding director Alexander Dovzhenko, but a year later he moved to the film studies department. With many legendary people of the era – Gennady Shpalikov, Andrei Tarkovsky, Rolan Bykov (the list is huge) – Medvedev was well acquainted and friendly. He himself is a living legend of Russian cinema. In order to teach at VGIK, he did not need textbooks.

It was under Medvedev that open jury meetings appeared in Vyborg, where its members expressed their opinions on the state of cinema, and it was possible to determine the vector of development of domestic cinema. In August, he spent an evening in Vyborg dedicated to the anniversary of Tarkovsky, and it was so good, it turned out at home. Only he could do that. Everyone thought that he had a special, exclusive relationship with Medvedev, and he had them with many. He was a sincere person. And the festival “Window to Europe” had a democratic spirit, which was largely determined by Armen Nikolayevich. There is a tradition in Vyborg to open the festival with a general procession. Guests and participants of the “Window to Europe” are walking around the city, accompanied by an orchestra. Along the way, they are joined by the townspeople. And Armen Medvedev always went ahead. Everyone knew him, they constantly approached him, asked about something. In recent years, it was already difficult for him to take such walks, his voice weakened, but he did not give up.

A year and a half before leaving, 83-year-old Armen Medvedev in Vyborg resembled Figaro. He was here and there, moving from one point to another. Having presented the award to Alexei German Jr., Medvedev went to the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, where a concert was held in honor of one of the founders of the festival, composer Mikael Tariverdiev. And then Armen Nikolayevich managed to return to the opening ceremony.

In May, at the Vivat Cinema of Russia! Medvedev took part in the debate about the abolition of Russian cinema in the world. He, who at one time was also “cancelled”, unexpectedly dismissed from the post of minister and, as they say, not without the participation of Mikhalkov, told a funny story related to Anatoly Sobchak. Once they appeared at the festival ceremony in the same blazers. Sobchak said that if Medvedev was fired, he would take him to his job. As for the abolition of Russian culture, Medvedev recalled the huge baggage of films and actors that our cinema has. All this wealth, as he believed, could not be canceled in principle.

Armen Medvedev died on December 13. On the same day, a year ago, the film director Sergei Solovyov, with whom he had a very warm relationship, died. After the funeral, Armen Nikolaevich said that Solovyov seemed to him a teenager: “I went up to the coffin and could not understand where Serezha was? Empty space. How fragile he is.” This is the whole Medvedev. It has never been formal. It is very good that on the day of farewell to him, the ceremony was led by the poet and playwright Vadim Zhuk, which sounded like a living word, which Armen Medvedev himself masterfully owned. Once, in our interview, he remembered Mark Rudinshtein and his offspring Kinotavr at a difficult moment for the festival: “If I had met Mark, I would have told him: “Don’t be nervous. On our graves with you, for various reasons, they will write: “He tried.” You’ve done a lot, but times have changed.”

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