The extraordinary adventures of a Russian director in Hollywood

The name of the Hollywood director, Russian Vladislav Kozlov, is unlikely to say anything even to the most avid movie fan. Meanwhile, it was this Russian director who had just taken the top prize at the prestigious Sedon Film Festival for the film A Silent Life. It is worth recalling that the first winner of the Sedona international film festival 38 years ago was Martin Scorsese’s black comedy After Work, which also received an award for best director at Cannes.

Nothing less than Isabella Rossellini, Franco Nero and the legend of Hollywood, the oldest actress Terry Moore, played in Kozlov’s film, which the director shot for fifteen (!) years.

Today Vladislav Kozlov is perhaps the only Russian director who lives and shoots independent films in Hollywood. Moreover, his own path to the top resembles a famously twisted movie script. And one more thing – a fairy tale about Cinderella, which, more than expected, became her own in the royal palace. Only now, a kind sorceress helped Cinderella in her dream to be at the ball, and Vladislav stubbornly went to the award himself.

Patience and work, as they say, grind everything. Vladik Kozlov seriously stuttered during his school years, which did not stop him from dreaming of becoming a famous artist. At the turn of the epochs, in 2000, he turned twenty-four years old, and the young man decides to go to Hollywood, taking with him from Russia only a bag with things and 200 dollars. And he practically does not know English.

Once in a completely unknown world, he spends some time sleeping on benches, and during the day he earns money in Russian stores. But after some time, he gets a job as an extra in Hollywood and a little later, on naked enthusiasm, begins to shoot a picture about the silent screen movie star Rudolfo Valentino. The director decided to play the main role of Valentino on his own.

Marveling at the incredible involvement of the Russian guy in the project, many representatives of the American film industry respected him and extended a helping hand. As a result, Vladislav Kozlov got the opportunity to use film cameras, lighting fixtures, expensive costumes and historical props, as well as filming locations for free. It looks like a fairy tale that the Hollywood Museum allowed the Russian director to use the original costume of Valentino from his famous film “The Sheik” for free. And the great actress Isabella Rossellini, who received fabulous fees, accepted the invitation of the Russian director to play Valentino’s mother for very conditional money for her. Further – more: the Warner Brothers film studio provided Vlad with an entire street for filming the city, and the famous actor Franco Nero agreed to voice the main character. In this film, and it already seems quite incredible, the legend of American cinema starred Terry Moore, who played the role of a fan of Valentino – “Women in Black”. The 94-year-old actress is the epitome of the Golden Hollywood era. An Oscar nominee, she was secretly married to Howard Hughes, an American billionaire aviation pioneer and Hollywood producer. Her contribution to the US film industry has been recognized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The world premiere of the film “The Silent Life” by Vladislav Kozlov took place at the Sedona Film Festival, now the film is sent to Texas for the festival. Well, our viewers will have the opportunity to watch “A Silent Life” in the competition program of the upcoming Moscow International Film Festival.

Elena Bulova.

Photos provided by director Vladislav Kozlov