The President said, in particular, in his message of congratulations:
“You hold a deserved place among the greatest masters and genuine creative talents in Russian and world film. Your strength of talent, ability to find subjects that interest viewers from all walks of life, and put together outstanding teams of actors have helped you to create films that have always been in step with their times and full of goodness, light, and life-affirming energy.”
Vladimir Menshov also won the Oscar in 1981 in the Best Foreign Language Film category for his melodrama Moscow Does Not Believe in Tears.