Born in Siberia, he graduated at the V.G.IK in Moscou. He started writing short stories in a review. He wrote more than 30 playwrights that were adapted. He stopped because of censorship ans directed a feature film; the next one, dealing with Afghanistan, was banished but won many international prizes and could release. He now works with Russia as well as foreign countries. He co-produced Smebody to love he had writen with Alexandre Rockwell. He also wrote a novel (Actes Sud Publishing).