Alexei German jr. (b. 1976, Moscow), the son of director Alexei German and screenwriter Svyetlana Karmalita, studied theatre science at the Drama Academy in St Petersburg, and film direction at VGIK (2001). As a student he became known for his formally sophisticated short films: Banner (Znamya, 1998), Large Autumn Field (Bolshoye osennyeye pole, 1999), Little Fools (Durachki, 2001). His feature debut The Last Train (Posledniy poyezd, 2003), for its unconventional insight in the story of a German physician during the war, won him the annual Nika prize awarded by the Russian Film Academy in the category Discovery of the Year, and led to participation at numerous domestic and international festivals (Karlovy Vary 2004). His second feature film Garpastum (2005) has enjoyed equal success at home and abroad, and won critical acclaim at last year's Venice IFF.
MFF Karlovy Vary
