Biography
Who is Andrey Zvyagintsev?
Early life and education
Andrey Zvyagintsev was born in Novosibirsk, Siberia. He initially trained at the local theater school in his home city, graduating as an actor at age 20 in 1984. Seeking to broaden his artistic horizons, he moved to Moscow in 1986. He enrolled at the Russian Institute of Theatre Arts, continuing his studies there until 1990.
For the next decade, from 1992 to 2000, he worked consistently as a performer in various film and theater projects. His professional evolution continued in 2000 when he joined the television station REN TV. There, he directed three episodes of the series The Black Room, providing him with early experience in the director's chair before his feature film debut.
Career highlights
Andrey Zvyagintsev gained global attention with his first feature film, The Return, released in 2003. This drama about two brothers and their father won the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival. He continued to build his reputation with The Banishment in 2007, which competed for the Palme d'Or at Cannes. His 2011 film, Elena, secured the Special Jury Prize in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes.
His 2014 drama, Leviathan, earned him a Golden Globe nomination and the Best Screenplay award at Cannes. In 2017, he released Loveless, which received the Jury Prize at Cannes and secured him the César Award for Best Foreign Film. More recently, in 2026, he premiered his drama Minotaur, which was filmed in Latvia and received the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.
Health crisis and exile
In mid-2021, Andrey faced a severe health crisis after contracting COVID-19. His condition worsened, leading to an extended hospital stay in Moscow where he developed sepsis. He was transferred to a medical facility in Germany, where he entered a medically induced coma. Upon waking, he faced complications including polyneuropathy, which impacted his ability to walk and speak.
His recovery process lasted eleven months, and he was discharged in May 2022. During this difficult time, he had been developing a project titled What Happened, which was subsequently paused. Since 2022, Andrey has resided in France. He has been a vocal critic of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and in September 2026, he was designated as a foreign agent by Russian authorities.
Family and personal life
Andrey Zvyagintsev was previously married to the actress Irina Grinyova, but the couple divorced after six years. His current wife is the film editor Anna Matveeva. They have a son named Pyotr, who was born in 2009.
Beyond his personal life, he remains an active voice in cinema, known for exploring bleak themes within modern society. During the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, he publicly called for an end to the violence in the Russo-Ukrainian war while accepting his award for Minotaur.
Birthday and age
Andrey Zvyagintsev was born on February 6, 1964, which makes Andrey 62 years old today. That birthday falls under the Aquarius sign. Andrey shares the date with 35 other famous people.
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