Translation. Region: Russian Federation –
Source: Mosfilm Film Concern – An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
December 16, 2025
News editorial office
Today, People's Artist of the Russian Federation Svetlana Druzhinina celebrates her 90th birthday. Actress, director, screenwriter, and producer, Svetlana Sergeyevna has distinguished herself in a wide range of film roles during her long and successful career. Her filmography includes over 20 outstanding projects! Mosfilm.ru recalls the key creative milestones of Svetlana Druzhinina, whose career is closely linked to the legendary film studio.
Svetlana Sergeyevna Druzhinina was born on December 16, 1935, in Moscow. Her childhood coincided with the war years: Svetlana's father died at the front, and Svetlana and her mother were forced to evacuate twice. After the war, they returned to Moscow. Druzhinina dreamed of becoming a performer from childhood and, at the age of 12, entered circus school. A year later, she transferred to the choreography school at the Stanislavsky and Nemirovich-Danchenko Moscow Academic Musical Theater, and later to the choreography school of the State Academic Bolshoi Theater. Her classmates included Maris Liepa and Natalia Kasatkina. Her teachers noted Svetlana Sergeyevna's talent for dance, but a serious arm injury forced her to abandon her ballet career.
In search of a new creative outlet, Svetlana Druzhinina tried her hand at presenting. Mosfilm director Samson Samsonov saw one of her concerts. He tracked her down and offered her a role in his film, Behind the Department Store Window (1955). Fascinated by cinema, Svetlana enrolled in the acting department of VGIK (Olga Pyzhova and Boris Bibikov's workshop), where her classmates included Leonid Kuravlyov and Sofiko Chiaureli. For the next ten years, Druzhinina devoted herself to acting, appearing in films such as It Happened in Penkovo (1957) and Girls (1961). Druzhinina retired from acting in 1965, having appeared in films such as There Is a Son Somewhere (1962) and What Is the Sea Like? (1964), "Green Light" (1965) and "Beloved" (1965).
In the 1950s and 1960s, audiences could appreciate the brilliant acting talent of Svetlana Druzhinina.
In the mid-1960s, the already well-known and beloved actress decided to change her role – she re-enrolled at VGIK, this time in the directing department (Igor Talankin's workshop). In 1969, after graduating, Svetlana Sergeyevna began working at Mosfilm Studios as a director. Her feature-length directorial debut was the film "Wish Fulfillment" (1973), based on the novel of the same name by Veniamin Kaverin. The film starred Yevgeny Lebedev, Innokenty Smoktunovsky, Natalya Bondarchuk, and Nikolai Eremenko. In the late 1970s, Svetlana Druzhinina discovered a new direction – musical films. This is how her films “Sun, Sun Again” (1976), “The Hussar’s Courtship” (1979), “Dulcinea del Toboso” (1980) and “The Circus Princess” (1982) appeared.
Svetlana Druzhinina's crowning achievement as a director is considered to be the multi-part film "Midshipmen, Forward!" (1987), based on Nina Sorotokina's novel "Three from the Navigation School." The film achieved nationwide success! The leading roles were played by Sergei Zhigunov, Dmitry Kharatyan, and Vladimir Shevelkov. The film also starred Mikhail Boyarsky, Yevgeny Yevstigneyev, Aleksandr Abdulov, Innokenty Smoktunovsky, and other actors. Filming lasted over a year and a half. Svetlana Druzhinina subsequently directed four sequels to "Midshipmen." From 1995 to 2011, she worked on another large-scale historical project—the film series "Secrets of Palace Revolutions" about the lives of Russian empresses.
Film director and People's Artist of the Russian Federation Svetlana Druzhinina on the set of her films
Svetlana Druzhinina's cinema is not documentary historical reconstructions, but rather vibrant worlds where moral contrasts are clear, good triumphs, and evil is vivid. Her historical costume dramas are, above all, fairy tales, where the essence lies in the truth of feelings: friendship, love, patriotism. Svetlana Druzhinina's films are almost always a cascade of charming characters (the legendary "midshipmen"), sparkling dialogue, memorable songs, and impeccably handsome actors. She created not just characters, but archetypes. During the perestroika era, her cinema gave viewers something scarce: unconditional joy, hope, and confidence in the justice of the world order.
Over the course of her long career, Svetlana Druzhinina has received numerous awards and prizes. In 2001, she was awarded the title of People's Artist of the Russian Federation for her significant contributions to the arts. She is also a recipient of the Order of Honor, the Order of Friendship, and the Order "For Merit in Culture and Art." Over the years, Druzhinina has won the Golden Eagle Film Award, the Moscow International Film Festival Prize, the Vivat Cinema of Russia! Film Festival Prize, and others.
The Mosfilm team heartily congratulates Svetlana Druzhinina on her anniversary and wishes her good health and new creative achievements!
Please note: This information is raw content obtained directly from the source. It represents an accurate account of the source's assertions and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.