**Aleksandr Sokurov** (1951) is an acclaimed Russian film director, known for his deeply meditative and visually distinctive cinema. His style is characterized by painterly compositions, slow camera movements, and contemplative narration, exploring universal themes such as memory, history, power, and the human condition.

Among his most celebrated works are the trilogy "Mother and Son" (Мать и сын, 1997) and "Father and Son" (Отец и сын, 2003), noted for their emotional intensity. The innovative "Russian Ark" (Русский ковчег, 2002) was filmed in a single, uninterrupted sequence shot inside the Hermitage Museum. He received the Golden Lion at Venice for "Faust" (2011), the culmination of his Tetralogy of Power (which includes "Moloch," "Taurus," and "The Sun"). Sokurov is considered a spiritual heir to Tarkovsky, yet with a unique authorial voice, enriching world cinema with his aesthetic and philosophical sensibility.