Larisa Shepitko and Elem Klimov: The most beautiful and most tragic love story of Soviet cinema

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The most beautiful and most tragic love story in Soviet cinema ended on July 2, 1979. "Volga", in which a film crew headed by Larisa Shepitko was driving along the Leningradskoye Highway, crashed into an oncoming truck. Larisa's husband Elem Klimov did not accept the loss until the end of his life.

Do you remember how it all started…

Larisa Shepitko was the most beautiful student at VGIK. But she studied not at the acting, but at the directing department, choosing for herself a tough male profession. She did not even want to accept documents at the institute, recommending to become an actress. But she still became a student of the course of Alexander Dovzhenko. The master took care of her in a completely paternal way.

Elem Klimov appeared at the institute three years later. By that time, he managed to graduate from the Aviation Institute. He immediately drew attention to the beauty in which almost all the men of VGIK were in love. She tactfully rejected Elem's courting. And for a while they coexisted in parallel. Until one day he called her with a request to visit him. Larisa felt sorry for her unlucky admirer, and when she saw him, exhausted by a sore throat, she changed her attitude.

And Elem himself began to actively help her in the preparation of her thesis. For the film "Heat" based on Chingiz Aitmatov, it was he who found scriptwriters, actors, composers.

On the set in Kyrgyzstan, Larisa fell ill with jaundice, but refused to return to Moscow. She was carried in her arms to the site. She returned to the capital only after she finished filming. Klimov helped to edit the film.

Two geniuses in one house

Elem, making an offer to his beloved, promised never to put pressure on her. And she agreed to become his wife. It was a union of two characters, two strong personalities, close to each other in spirit and outlook.

Films by Elena Klimov were removed from the box office just a few days after the release. Thesis "Welcome or No Unauthorized Entry" was on the screens for only a couple of weeks.

The painting "Adventures of a Dentist" practically predicted the fate of Elem Klimov himself. A talented director, just like his hero-dentist, was constantly oppressed, crushed, not allowed to work.

However, Larisa Shepitko's paintings also did not fit into the canons of Soviet cinema. Her second film, Wings, was a hit with audiences but earned criticism from the party leadership. However, it was after the "Wings" that the film director Larisa Shepitko was recognized.

Larisa and Elem were distinguished by some special adherence to principles in their paintings. They were ready not to shoot films at all, than to shoot something that went against their idea of art, honesty, and the mission of cinema. And at the same time, they were by no means supporters of dissidence, considering it a game for the public.

Test of Glory

Larisa Shepitko became famous after her film "Ascent" This picture was doomed to lie on the shelf for many years. She was so tough, even in a sense cruel. Larisa turned for help to the First Secretary of the Central Committee of Belarus, Peter Masherov. He could not hold back his tears during the viewing, and after that he did everything to get the picture out on the screens.

The film has won numerous awards, including the main prize at the Berlin Film Festival. She went for, famous actors declared their love to her, and Liza Minnelli said about her that she knew the most beautiful woman in Europe.

And Elem at this time was experiencing the closure of his next picture. In this regard, he developed a nervous disorder, skin diseases, felt disgusting and frankly suffered. He was offended by the lack of attention from his wife, and on some particularly dreary day he simply left.

Larisa, returning from another trip, began to look for her husband, who all the time lived with friends. Then he called her, they met. To declare his love again and never think about separation again.

Mystic or predestination?

At 35, Larisa Shepitko fulfilled their main dream with Klim: they had a child. The pregnancy was very difficult, and then the expectant mother suffered a spinal injury and did not get out of bed for several months. But Antosha was born. He was destined to be with his mother until he was six years old. These were the years of unconditional happiness for Larisa, Elem and their son.

During a trip to Bulgaria, Larisa, who believed in predictions and mysticism, visited the famous Vanga. And she warned Larisa against filming a tragic picture. But Larisa, as always, had to bring her plan to the end.

Leaving for the shooting of "Farewell to Matera", she said goodbye to everyone. Except for Elem. She said goodbye to him in a dream that he saw at a time when her car was already rushing towards the truck. Elem Klimov finished shooting, started by Larisa, but called the picture simply "Farewell".

He was also a mystic and believed that Grigory Rasputin took revenge on him, a film about which Elem Klimov shot shortly before the death of Larisa. He never fell in love again and never made films. At the end of his life, he frankly dreamed of quickly reuniting with the love of his life.

Elem Klimov's film "Larisa", 1980

They were infinitely happy, Elem Klimov and Larisa Shepitko. The story is filled with the tragedy of unfulfilled love.