Kirill Mikhanovsky

Kirill Mikhanovsky
Born
Moscow, USSR
Nationality United States
Occupation(s)director, screenwriter, producer

Kirill Mikhanovsky is a Russian–American director, screenwriter, editor, and producer, best known for directing the critically acclaimed 2019 American comedy drama Give Me Liberty.[1]

Biography

Mikhanovsky grew up in Moscow. While attending the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, where he majored in linguistics, Mikhanovsky drove medical transport for disabled people. Around that time, Mikhanovsky wrote and directed a short film, Terra, Terra. While in the NYU Grad Film Program Mikhanovsky studied directing under Boris Frumin.[2][3]

Career

Mikhanovsky made his directorial debut with Sonhos de Peixe, shot with non-actors in a fishing village in the Northeast of Brazil. Sonhos de Peixe premiered in the Semaine de la Critique section of the 59th Cannes Film Festival, where it was awarded Prix Regards Jeunes.[4][5][6]

Mikhanovsky directed Give Me Liberty, which had its world premiere in the Directors' Fortnight section of the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival.[7] "Working from a screenplay he wrote with Alice Austen (who’s also a producer), Mikhanovsky proves to be a virtuoso of chaos," wrote Manohla Dargis of The New York Times.[8] Give Me Liberty made the Top Independent Films list of the 91st National Board of Review Awards.[9] It received four Independent Spirit Award nominations, including Best Editing for Mikhanovsky and Best Feature Under $500,000 (John Cassavetes Award), winning in the last category.[10][11]

Mikhanovsky co-wrote Fellipe Gamarano Barbosa's Gabriel and the Mountain.[12][13]

Mikhanovsky spent five years researching and developing a modern-day tragicomedy set in Havana, Cuba. The film wasn't produced.[14][15]

Mikhanovsky is a co-founder of Give Me Liberty, Mfg., a film and TV production company.

Filmography

Year Title Credited as Notes
Director Writer Editor Camera Producer
2001 Terra, Terra Yes Yes Yes No Yes Short fiction; in collaboration with Ikeguchi Yasuhiro
2002 Dead Roosters No No Yes No No Short film. Directed by Andrij Parekh
2003 Inhale, Exhale Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Short Documentary
2005 Martillo No Yes No No No Short film. Directed by Miguel Salazar
2006 The Debt No No No Yes No Short film. Directed by Levan Koguashvili
2006 Sonhos de Peixe Yes Yes Yes No Yes Feature debut
2009 Women from Georgia No No No Yes No Documentary. Directed by Levan Koguashvili
2014 Dubrovsky Yes Yes No No No TV mini-series, Episodes 1 and 2
2017 Gabriel and the Mountain No Yes No No No Directed by Fellipe Gamarano Barbosa
2019 Give Me Liberty Yes Yes Yes No Yes Co-written with Alice Austen

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Nominated work Result Notes
2006 Cannes Film Festival Critics' Week. Prix Regards Jeunes Sonhos de Peixe Won
2019 The Golden Unicorn Awards Best Foreign Film with a Russian Connection Give Me Liberty Won
2019 International Film Festival & Awards Macao Best Film Give Me Liberty Won
2020 Independent Spirit Awards John Cassavetes Award Give Me Liberty Won
2020 Independent Spirit Awards Best Editing Give Me Liberty Nominated

References

  1. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 28, 2020). "'Give Me Liberty' Indie Spirit Winners Kirill Mikhanovsky & Alice Austen Sign With WME". Deadline Hollywood. Deadline Hollywood.
  2. ^ Snyder, Molly (November 23, 2014). "Russian immigrant aims to tell his Milwaukee story through film". onmilwaukee.com. OnMilwaukee.
  3. ^ Zilko, Christian (August 5, 2019). "'Give Me Liberty' Trailer: Sundance Breakout Follows One Man in a Real-Time Race Against the Clock". indiewire.com. IndieWire.
  4. ^ Young, Deborah (May 22, 2006). "Sonhos de Peixe". variety.com. Variety.
  5. ^ Brunette, Peter (July 4, 2006). "Fish Dreams (Sonhos De Peixe)". screendaily.com. Screen International.
  6. ^ "Sonhos de peixe by Kirill Mikhanovsky". semainedelacritique.com. La Semaine de la Critique.
  7. ^ "Give Me Liberty". quinzaine-realisateurs.com. Directors' Fortnight.
  8. ^ Dargis, Manohla (August 22, 2019). "'Give Me Liberty' Review: A Wild Ride With a Virtuoso of Chaos". The New York Times.
  9. ^ "National Board of Review announced 2019 Award Winners". nationalboardofreview.org. National Board of Review. December 1, 2019.
  10. ^ Warren, Matt (November 21, 2019). "The 2020 Film Independent Spirit Award Nominees are Here!". filmindependent.org. Film Independent Spirit.
  11. ^ "2020 Film Independent Spirit Awards Winners Announced". filmindependent.org. Film Independent Spirit. February 8, 2020.
  12. ^ "Gabriel e a montanha". semainedelacritique.com. La Semaine de la Critique.
  13. ^ Scott, A.O. (June 18, 2018). "Review: In 'Gabriel and the Mountain,' Recalling a Tragic Adventure". The New York Times.
  14. ^ Saito, Stephen (August 30, 2019). "Interview: Kirill Mikhanovsky on Bringing the Fire to the Melting Pot of "Give Me Liberty"". moveablefest.com. The Moveable Fest.
  15. ^ Schwinke, Theodore (February 27, 2009). "Kirill Mikhanovsky – your man in Havana". screendaily.com. Screen International.