After Sergio Leone died unexpectedly, he was officially approached to take over Leone's epic about the siege of Leningrad (also known as The Leningrad Blockade) in World War II. The director refused, saying: "I will never be able to shoot that in color. That just won't do".
Was fired from Lenfilm studio after every film he'd made during the
Soviet Regime days. He was never formally hired back, yet kept working
at the studio nonetheless.
Has co-written every film with his wife of many years.
After three years of shooting has almost completed his fifth
film 'Hard to Be a God'.
Member of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1990.