Saltykov, Aleksei

Born May 13, 1934, in Moscow. Soviet motion picture director. Honored Art Worker of the RSFSR (1964).

In 1959, Saltykov graduated from the department of direction of the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography. His first films included Kids From Our Yard (1959), My Friend, Kol’ka! (1961, with A. N. Mitta), and Beat the Drum! (1962). He then addressed himself to the fates of people and to real-life situations characterized by intense drama and openly expressed social conflicts. Saltykov’s major film is Chairman (1965), whose central character is a contemporary positive hero who is a Communist and a kolkhoz chairman.

The Russian countryside during the fascist occupation and the postwar restoration is depicted in Saltykov’s films Women’s Kingdom (1968) and A Point of No Return (1974). These films, as well as the film The Siberian Woman (1972), which is about the secretary of a party raion committee, are distinguished by an interesting treatment of the female character. In 1970, Saltykov directed the film Director, which re-created the authentic biography of one of the builders of Soviet industry. In 1971, Saltykov directed There Was Evening, and There Was Morning…, which is about the revolutionary seamen of the Baltic Fleet.