Eldar Alexandrovich Ryazanov (Russian: Эльда́р Алекса́ндрович Ряза́нов; 18 November 1927 – 30 November 2015) was a Russian film director and screenwriter whose popular comedies, satirizing the daily life of the country, are celebrated throughout the former Soviet Union.

He was named a People's Artist of the USSR in 1984, and received the USSR State Prize in 1977. He won the Nika Award for Best Director in 1991 for the film Promised Heaven.

Among his most famous films are Carnival Night (1955), Hussar Ballad (1962), Beware of the Car (1966), The Irony of Fate (1975), Office Romance (1977), The Garage (1979), and A Cruel Romance (1984). Ryazanov's main genre was tragicomedy.

The asteroid 4258 Ryazanov is named after him.

Filmography

• 2007 The Irony of Fate 2 – Actor (Cameo appearance)
• 2006 Andersen. Life Without Love.
• 2006 Carnival Night 2 (TV)
• 2003 Klyuch ot spalni (Ключи от спальни) – Director / Screenwriter
• 2000 Still Waters (Тихие омуты) – Director
• 2000 Starye Klyachi (Старые клячи) – Director/ Actor: Judge
• 1996 Privet, Duralei! (Привет, дуралеи!) – Director
• 1994 Predskazaniye (Предсказание) – Director / Screenwriter / Short Story Author
• 1991 Promised Heaven (Небеса обетованные) – Director / Actor: Man in Diner
• 1988 Dear Yelena Sergeevna (Дорогая Елена Сергеевна) – Director / Actor: Neighbour
• 1987 Forgotten Melody for a Flute (Забытая мелодия для флейты) – Director / Screenwriter
• 1984 A Cruel Romance (Жестокий романс) – Director / Screenwriter
• 1982 Station for Two (Вокзал для двоих) – Director / Screen Story / Screenwriter / Actor: Railroad Supervisor
• 1981 Say a Word for the Poor Hussar (О бедном гусаре замолвите слово) – Director / Screenwriter
• 1979 The Garage (Гараж) – Director / Screenwriter / Actor: Sleeping Man
• 1977 Office Romance (Служебный роман) – Director / Screenwriter
• 1975 The Irony of Fate (Ирония судьбы или с легким паром!) – Director / Screenwriter / Actor: Airplane Passenger
• 1974 Unbelievable Adventures of Italians in Russia (Невероятные приключения итальянцев в России)
• 1971 Stariki-razboyniki (Старики-разбойники) – Director
• 1968 Zigzag of Success (Зигзаг удачи) – Director
• 1966 Beware of the Car (Берегись автомобиля) – Director / Screenwriter
• 1965 Give me a complaints book (Дайте жалобную книгу) – Director / Actor: Chief editor
• 1962 Hussar Ballad (Гусарская баллада) – Director
• 1961 Chelovek Niotkuda (Человек из ниоткуда) – Director
• 1961 Kak Sozdavalsya Robinzon (Как создавался Робинзон) – Director
• 1957 The Girl Without Address (Девушка без адреса) – Director
• 1956 Carnival Night (Карнавальная ночь) – Director
• 1955 Vesenniye Golosa (Весенние голоса) - second Director
• 1954 Ostrov Sakhalin
• 1953 Nedaleko ot Krasnodara
• 1953 Tvoi Knizhki
• 1952 Na Pervenstve mira po shakhmatam
• 1951 Doroga imeni Oktyabrya
• 1950 Oni Uchatsya v Moskve

Honours and awards

• Order of Merit for the Fatherland;
  • 2nd class (3 July 2008) – for outstanding contribution to the development of national cinema and many years of creative activity
  • 3rd class (20 June 1996) – for services to the state, an outstanding contribution to the development of national cinema and culture
• Order of the Red Banner of Labour, twice (1969, 1977)
• Order of Friendship of Peoples (1987)
• Order of the "Key of Friendship" (Kemerovo Region, 2007)
• Commander of the Order of Arts and Letters (France)
• Commander of the Order of Honour (Georgia) (2008)
• People's Artist of the RSFSR (1974)
• People's Artist of the USSR (1984)
• USSR State Prize (1977) (for the film "Irony of Fate, or Enjoy Your Bath!")
• State Prize of the RSFSR Vasiliev brothers (1979) (for the film "Office Romance")
• Winner of the All-Union Film Festival in the "First Prize among the comedies" for 1958
• Winner of the All-Union Film Festival in the "Special Award" for 1983
• Nika awards;
  • Best Director (1991)
  • Best Fiction Film (1991)
  • Honour and dignity (2006)
• Winner of Tsarskoye Selo Art Prize (2005)

Health and death

Ryazanov suffered an acute ischemic stroke in November 2014. He was admitted to a Moscow hospital on 21 November 2015 due to shortness of breath. He died around midnight on 30 November 2015, of heart and lung failure, at the age of 88.

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