Yuri Tsapayev

Yuri Tsapayev was born in Simferopol, Crimea. Growing up in the world of music, theatre and films, Yuri was groomed for a life in the arts. He studied music at the Simferopol School of Music and graduated from the State University of St. Petersburg with Master Degree in Science. Yuri first started making films in St. Petersburg while studying at the University, developing a taste for darkly comic stories and brooding, often surreal imagery using an 8mm camera. During Russia's famous Perestroika period, he established fine art galleries in Novgorod, Tver and Moscow. In the late 1990's Yuri published a newspaper "Artodox" dedicated to arts and culture. With his friends in Tver, he established a movie production company "Beliy Svet," which is now a very successful film studio. Yuri moved to San Francisco in 2001 to pursue a career as an art dealer. He traveled extensively throughout the United States exhibiting his collection of contemporary Russian art. Despite his focus on art, Yuri did not forget his musical roots: during this same time, he composed and recorded three albums under the name "Indie Knight." In 2008, while attending The Hollywood Film Institute, he made an impressive transition to filmmaking with the sensitive and critically acclaimed short film "Tick Knock," which won 3rd place in the 72 Hour International Film Challenge and also was officially selected for the Barcelona and Chicago short film festivals in 2009. Driven by a passion for filmmaking, Yuri quickly honed his skills and earned a reputation for his stylish visuals that complemented complex story lines. Early in 2009, he put it all on the line to make the feature film "Contractor's Routine." In order to build sets consistent with industry standards and codes and work within his budgetary constraints, Yuri pursued licensure as a general contractor in order to manufacture necessary props for his film. Yuri is currently working as director Paralux Productions' next psychological drama, "When the War Just Ended," which is slated to be produced late in 2014.