Alexander Rodnyansky

Alexander Rodnyansky was born on July 2nd of 1961 in Kiev. He graduated from Kiev's National University of Film, Theatre and Television as a documentary director. In 1983 he started his career at "KievNauchFilm" studio. As a director Mr. Rodnyansky won numerous awards for his documentaries. From 1990 till 1993 he worked as a producer and film director at the German television channel ZDF. In 1994 he returns to Ukraine to create the first independent television channel in the country 1+1. In a matter of months 1+1 became the leader of the television market in Ukraine. Mr. Rodnyansky served as CEO of 1+1 and was a co-owner of the company together with Central European Media Enterprises (CME). Later he sold his interest in 1+1 to CME. In 2002 Mr. Rodnaynsky was asked to head the American company Story First Communication (later renamed CTC Media) which operated one TV-channel - CTC. Under his leadership the company transformed into an international television powerhouse with five channels in three countries. Mr. Rodnyansky was responsible for making CTC Media the first ever Russian media company to have an IPO on NASDAQ. In 2002 the CTC channel had a market value of approximately $40 million, when Mr. Rodnyansky left CTC Media in 2008 the company's market capitalization was over $4 billion; CTC doubled its audience share and became the fourth most popular channel in Russia. During his career Mr. Rodnyansky produced over 30 films and more than 20 television series. As producer Mr. Rodnyansky had made box-office hits such as The 9th Company, The Heat, Piter FM, Inhabited Island and critically acclaimed films - The Sun by Alexander Sokurov, Les Mille et une Regettes du Cuisinier Amoreux, Driver for Vera by Pavel Chuhray and East-West by Régis Wargnier. In 2009 Rodnyansky has founded AR Films through which he now controls a movie production company Non-Stop Production, the leader of the distribution of independent films Cinema without frontiers (Kino Bez Granits) and the most important film festival in Russia - Kinotavr.