For several decades now, works that are authored by Viktor Merezhko have been invariably attracted by the public. Films according to his scripts were watched by millions of viewers in Russia and far beyond its borders. What are the secrets to the success of a famous master?
Biography Facts
The future playwright, actor and director Viktor Merezhko was born in 1937 in the Rostov region. He was born into a family of modest rural employees, who for a long time balanced on the brink of poverty. The path to the profession was not very close for Victor. He changed several specialties and places of work, graduated from the Printing Department in the city of Lviv, before entering the screenwriting department of the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography in 1964 .
Viktor Merezhko could taste the taste of the first significant professional success even before completing his education - the first film in his scenario was put into production when his author was only a second-year student. It would seem that great prospects open up ahead.
After institute
Despite a successful start, the playwright’s career was not easy and cloudless. After graduating from VGIK, Viktor Merezhko worked hard and hard, but for several years he could not turn a single script into a film. At this time, he had to live in Moscow with his wife and young children in a rented apartment. Only in 1972, a film was put on Lenfilm according to Merezhko's script "Hello and Goodbye." This melodrama was favorably received by the audience and noticed by critics. It clearly outlined the characteristic copyright features, which the film playwright Viktor Merezhko is famous for to this day.
This is a close attention to the moral problems of interpersonal relations, a careful study of characters, consistency in building and developing storylines, and responsiveness to growing social conflicts in society.
In Soviet times
The tireless work of the playwright could not but lead to a logical result. Screenwriter Viktor Merezhko is gradually gaining credibility in Soviet cinema. His work is becoming more and more in demand. Leading masters of domestic cinema take on the embodiment of Merezhko's scripts. The enumeration of films alone is impressive, the plot, drama and characters of whose characters were developed and proposed by Viktor Merezhko to be embodied on the screen: “Citizen Nikanorova is waiting for you”, “Lonely woman wants to meet you”, “Flying in a dream and in reality”, “Relatives”. In total, more than fifty films were shot according to the scripts of the playwright. Many of them are rightfully recognized as classics of Soviet and Russian cinema. And besides there were short films, animated films, theatrical plays, a lot of public work in the Union of Cinematographers.
In 1987, the playwright was awarded the title of Laureate of the State Prize for the script of the film "Flying in a Dream and Waking", where the famous actor Oleg Yankovsky played one of his most brilliant roles.
In the post-Soviet period
In the early nineties, during the crisis time of the general collapse, domestic cinema was going through hard times. There were few films made, and Hollywood production dominated the screens. The new Russian cinema was faced with the task of finding ways out of this difficult situation. New formats were needed that met the requirements of the times. First of all, television series became such a format.
Cinema playwright Viktor Merezhko is the author of two significant works in this direction. This is the crime series Mole and Sonya Golden Handle. In addition, the playwright from the beginning of the nineties and he often starred in films according to his scripts in the roles of the second plan. In addition, Viktor Merezhko is the author and director of several projects on central television. Publishes books with theater plays and scripts.
Since the mid-nineties, he has been leading the management of the television company Cascade. In 2014, Viktor Merezhko was awarded the honorary title People's Artist of the Russian Federation. And in no way is he going to stop there. Currently, there are several projects on the writer's desktop that will eventually turn into new films on the big screen and on television.
Victor Merezhko: playwright personal life
The famous playwright was married only once. With his wife Tamara, they lived for almost thirty years. After her death from a sudden and incurable disease, Viktor Merezhko remained with his son and daughter. Of course, there were women in his life. But Victor was in no hurry to put a new stamp on his passport. He preferred to remain a free and independent artist, known in the cinema world as Victor Merezhko. His wives had only an informal relationship with him.