Singer Mikhail Shufutinsky has conveyed his deep condolences following the passing of director Tigran Keosayan, highlighting that Keosayan was a person who consistently faced challenges without fear and overcame obstacles with honor. The news of Tigran Keosayan`s death, after he experienced clinical death and a prolonged coma, was announced by his wife, Margarita Simonyan, editor-in-chief of the international media group “Russia Today” and RT channel.
In a statement posted on his Telegram channel, Shufutinsky lamented the irreparable loss of Keosayan. He described him as a multifaceted director, actor, television presenter, a true artist, and an incredibly sensitive and talented individual who always spoke his mind, never recoiled from difficulties, and always conquered them with dignity. Shufutinsky shared that his acquaintance with Keosayan spanned many years, beginning in the mid-1990s. He noted that Tigran Keosayan had directed his music videos for the songs “Night Guest” and “Take Care of Yourself.” These “short musical films,” as Shufutinsky called them, gained significant popularity online and on television due to their detailed capture of energy and atmosphere. The musician expressed profound gratitude to Keosayan for his creative output and unwavering integrity, vowing to remember him for as long as he lives.
A Distinguished Career in Film and Television
Tigran Keosayan was born in Moscow on January 4, 1966, into a family with strong ties to the film industry, and he graduated from the directing faculty of VGIK. Throughout the 1990s, his primary work involved directing music videos for a host of renowned Russian singers, including Mikhail Shufutinsky, Leonid Agutin, Irina Allegrova, Igor Sarukhanov, and Natalia Vetlitskaya.
His cinematic achievements include the 1999 film “The President and His Granddaughter,” which was honored with a special jury prize at the Kinotavr-2001 festival. Keosayan`s diverse filmography also features titles such as “Men`s Work,” “Silver Lily of the Valley,” “Yalta-45,” “Three Comrades,” “Hare Over the Abyss,” and “Mirage.” His most recent work, “Seven Days of Pyotr Semyonych,” starring Fyodor Dobronravov, was presented at the 47th Moscow International Film Festival.
Keosayan also maintained an active presence in television. In 2007, he took on the role of host for “Evening with Tigran Keosayan” on REN TV. From 2009 to 2010, he co-hosted the program “You and I” on the Rossiya channel alongside Alena Khmelnitskaya. He returned to REN TV in 2011 with the show “Stop Being Silent!” and, starting in 2016, hosted the satirical entertainment program “International Sawmill” on NTV. Furthermore, Keosayan directed the TV series “Sea. Mountains. Keramzit,” “Actress,” and the film “Crimean Bridge. Made with Love!”, all based on screenplays by Margarita Simonyan. Earlier in January of the current year, Russian President Vladimir Putin bestowed upon Tigran Keosayan the honorary title of Honored Artist of Russia.
