Director, animator, producer
Honoured Artist of the Russian Federation, Academician of the Nika Academy of Cinematic Arts
Associate Professor at Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography
Member of the Union of Cinematographers of the Russian Federation
Member of the Expert Council of the Ikar National Animation Awards
Emmy Award winner, Nika Award laureate
In 1967, Dabizha graduated from the Moscow Theatre Art School as a puppetry artist. In 1967-1969, she worked at the Sergey Obraztsov Central Puppet Theater.
From 1969, she has been working as a puppet film animator and from 1982 – as a director at at Soyuzmultfilm Studio.
In 1979-1980, Dabizha organized courses for animators at Soyuzmultfilm. She collaborated with artists E. Bogolyubova, A. Melik-Sarkisyan, N. Vinogradova, and others.
From 1991 to 2000, she worked as a film director and puppet master at Christmas Films Studio. In 2000-2008, she went back to work as a film director at Soyuzmultfilm, and later – as Artistic Advisor of the studio.
Since 2012, she has been working as General Director of Christmas Films Studio.
Since 2008, Dabizha has been teaching at Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography (Faculty of Animation Film Directing).
She is featured in the documentary series Soyuzmultfilm. Fairy Tales and Legends (Soyuzmultfilm – Skazki I Byli), episodes: “Old Walls” (2003), “Tales of the Old Arbat” (2004), “Art With a Woman’s Soul” (2004)); Dolls in the World of People (episode “Script for Pinocchio” (2005)); Miracle Factory (episode “Animator” (2006)).
Two full-length documentaries, One Role for Life (Odna Rol na Vsiy Zhizn, 1997) and In Perfect Harmony (Dusha v Dushu, 2005), have been made about her.
Animator of the Year Emmy Award Winner (Los Angeles, 1996).
Dabizha was awarded the honorary prize at the International Film Festival in San Marino (Italy) for her outstanding contribution to the development of world animation (2012).
Was married to the scriptwriter and film director D.S. Polonsky.
Filmography:
Director:
• 1983 “The Mouse and the Cat” (Merry Carousel No. 13)
• 1984 Vanya and Crocodile
• 1986 Lonely Piano
• 1988 Ferocious Bambr
• 1990 In the Footsteps of Bambr
• 1991 Trap for Bambr
• 1994 The Barber of Seville
• 1996 Abraham
• 1999 The Tree with the Golden Apples
• 2002 About the Fisherman and the Fish
• 2005 A Love Story of a Frog
Puppet master:
• 2000 The Miracle Maker
• 2018 Hoffmaniada
Producer:
• 2011 Can You Hear (Slyshite)
• 2012 The Note
• 2012 A Boy and a Fox
• 2013-2015 Funny Biographies
• 2013 Steamboat
• 2014 The House We Live In
• 2015-2017 This Can’t Be (Tak Ne Byvaet)
• 2018 The Little Ship
• 2018 Immaterial Team. The Adventures of Soldier Kablukov
“… In my films I only want to talk about love and kindness. I once had a project I was unable to finish. We agreed with the producer that the film would be about the protagonist’s dramatic love. And when we wrote the script, it turned out that it was … a horror film. It was filled with nightmares and murders – the demand of today. Sorry, but this is not my kind of film. Feelings go away, only a slideshow of successful shots remains. I cannot waste my life on what I don’t like. A cartoon is not just pretty pictures. It should awaken good feelings in the children…”
“Mother of the Old Lady Shapoklyak”, O. Kopylov
(Altapress.ru), 23.05.2007