Zguridi, Aleksandr

Born Feb. 10 (23), 1904, in Saratov. Soviet director of popular science films; People’s Artist of the USSR (1969).

Zguridi began his film work in 1930 in the scientific film laboratory of the State Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology. He began working as a director at the Moscow Film Studio of Popular Science Films (presently TsentrnauchnTm) in 1932. He received prizes at international film festivals for his films In the Sands of Central Asia (1943), The Forest Story (1950), In the Ocean Ice (1953), In the Pacific Ocean (1957), Along the Jungle Paths (1959, with the Peking Film Studio), Along the Ancestors’ Way (1962), The Enchanted Islands (1965) Symphony of the Forest (1967), and The Black Mountain (1971). He was vice-president of the International Association of Scientific Films from 1958 to 1962 and has been its president since 1971. He was vice-president of the Organizational Committee of the Union of Cinematographic Workers of the USSR from 1958 to 1965; in 1960 he became art director of Orbit, the creative association at Tsentrnauchfil’m.

Zguridi began teaching at the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography in 1947; as a professor from 1966 he directed the workshop for directors of popular science films. Zguridi received the State Prize of the USSR in 1941, 1946, and 1950 and the State Prize of the RSFSR in 1969. He has been awarded the Order of Lenin, two other orders, and medals.