Vasily Shukshin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vasily Shukshin
Born	(1929-07-25)25 July 1929 Srostki, Biysky District, Siberian Krai, RSFSR, USSR
Died	2 October 1974(1974-10-02) (aged 45) On board the ship Dunai, on the Volga river near Kletskaya, Volgograd Oblast, RSFSR, USSR
Notable work	The Red Snowball Tree (1974)

Vasily Makarovich Shukshin (Russian: Василий Макарович Шукшин; 25 July 1929 – 2 October 1974) was a talented Soviet Russian writer, actor, screenwriter, and film director. He came from the Altai region and was known for telling stories about everyday life in the countryside. Vasily was a key part of the "Village Prose" movement, which focused on rural themes. He started writing short stories when he was a teenager and later became an actor in his late 20s.

About Vasily Shukshin

Early Life and Education

Vasily Makarovich Shukshin was born on July 25, 1929. His family lived in a village called Srostki in Siberian Krai, which is now part of Altai Krai, Russia. In 1933, his father faced difficulties during a time of big changes in the country. Vasily's mother, Maria Sergeyevna, worked hard to take care of their family.

By 1943, Vasily had finished seven years of village school. He then went to an automobile technical school in Biysk. In 1945, he left school early to work on a farm.

Working and Serving

In 1946, Vasily left his home village. He worked as a metal craftsman in different factories. For example, he worked at a turbine plant in Kaluga and a tractor plant in Vladimir.

In 1949, Vasily joined the Navy. He served as a sailor and then as a radio operator. In 1953, he left the Navy due to a stomach illness. He went back to his village. After passing a special exam, he became a Russian teacher. Later, he even became the principal of the school in Srostki.

Becoming a Filmmaker

In 1954, Vasily decided to study film direction. He joined the VGIK, a famous film school in Moscow. He learned from well-known directors like Mikhail Romm. He graduated from film school in 1960.

While still a student in 1958, Vasily got his first main acting role. This was in the film Two Fedors. He also appeared in a student film by the famous director Andrei Tarkovsky.

His Stories and Films

Vasily Shukshin published his first short story, "Two on the cart," in a magazine in 1958. His first collection of stories, called Village Dwellers, came out in 1963. That same year, he started working as a director at the Gorky Film Studio in Moscow.

He wrote and directed his first film, There Is This Lad. The film was released in 1965. It won top awards at film festivals, including the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. Vasily Shukshin received the Order of the Red Banner of Labour in 1967. He was also named a Distinguished Artist of the RSFSR in 1969.

Vasily was most interested in showing the lives of ordinary people in the Soviet Union. His films often had both funny and sad moments.

Family and Legacy

In 1964, Vasily married actress Lidiya Fedoseyeva. She also acted in some of his films. They had a daughter named Mariya, who was born in 1967 and later became a TV presenter.

Vasily Shukshin died suddenly on October 2, 1974. He was on a ship called Dunai on the Volga river while filming They Fought for Their Country. He is buried in Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow.

Filmography