Victor Ginzburg

Born in Moscow, raised in New York and based in Venice Beach, Victor Ginzburg began directing short films, music videos and commercials while still attending the School of Visual Arts. In 1991, he traveled back to his birthplace to film "The Restless Garden," an underground documentary about counterculture and sexual revolution during the final days of the Soviet Union. The film premiered at the Amsterdam Documentary Film Festival and was released theatrically on the US art-house circuit. Ginzburg is perhaps best known for "Generation P," which he directed, co-wrote and produced. A satirical chronicle of 1990s Moscow and capitalism gone wild, the film achieved both commercial and cult status in Russia and earned international recognition including a Special Jury Mention at Karlovy Vary, FIPRESCI Prize at Sofia, and a Best Foreign Film nomination at Palm Springs. The Wall Street Journal called it "one of the year's true cinematic sleepers... a cultural firebomb," and The Huffington Post named it among the 10 Best Movies of 2012. In 2022 Ginzburg completed "Empire V," an epic adaptation of Victor Pelevin's bestselling novel, which he wrote and directed. The film premiered at the Fantasia International Film Festival and received a "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes. One week before its wide theatrical release on 1800 screens via Sony Pictures Russia, the film was banned for political reasons. Ginzburg is currently completing an English-language version of "Empire V" for international release.