Documentary film director. Prize winner of more than a hundred Russian and international festivals; winner of the Triumph and Nika awards, as well as the State award. Active member of the European Film Academy. Honoured Artist of Russia.

 

Born on July 19, 1961 in Leningrad. In 1978 started work at the Leningrad studio of Documentaries as assistant cameraman, assistant director and editor. In 1988 he finished the Higher Courses of Film Writers and Directors in Moscow. Same year came out his debut LOSEV about the last days of the famous philosopher Alexey Losev. 

 

In 1993, his first feature BELOVY (The Belovs) won both the VPRO Joris Ivens Award and the Audience Award at the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam. It won Grand Prix, Oecumenical Jury Prize, FIPRESCI and the Audience Award at the Vision du Reel Festival in Nyon. The film was the winner of more than 50 other awards at festivals abroad and in Russia, among which The Golden Centaur at the Message to Man festival in Saint Petersburg.

 

Soon after, Victor set up his own production company, Kossakovsky Film Production. All the following films made in the 90s and 2000s WEDNESDAY, PAVEL AND LYALYA, HUSH!, SVYATO enjoyed great audience and festival success. VIVAN LAS ANTIPODAS! opened the 68th Venice Film Festival and was widely screened at theaters around the world.

 

In 2013 DEMONstration was released, made by Victor and his 32 students of creative documentary at the IDEC Barcelona. The film was shot on the day of massive antigovernment strikes suppressed by the police. The filmmakers came out into the streets to capture the dramatic events of the day and the result was an extraordinary film-ballet.

 

Currently Victor is busy teaching around the world and at the same time creating his cinema of poetics and reality.