**Andrei Tarkovsky (1932-1986)** was an acclaimed Soviet film director and screenwriter, considered one of the greatest masters of auteur cinema. His filmography, though brief with only seven feature films, is profoundly influential.

Among his most celebrated works are *Ivan's Childhood* (Golden Lion at Venice, 1962), the epic *Andrei Rublev* (1966), his forays into philosophical science fiction with *Solaris* (1972) and *Stalker* (1979), and the evocative *The Mirror* (1975). His last films, *Nostalghia* (1983) and *The Sacrifice* (1986), were shot in the West.

His style is unmistakable: a meditative pace, long takes, and a dreamlike and deeply symbolic aesthetic. Tarkovsky explored universal themes such as spirituality, memory, time, faith, art, and the complex relationship between humanity and nature, offering a dense and profoundly reflective cinematic experience.