A matter of honesty: Vladimir Filimonov, creative producer of REN TV, said goodbye in Moscow

On July 12, in Moscow, Vladimir Filimonov, director, screenwriter and creative producer of REN TV, head of the film and series production directorate, said goodbye to Vladimir Filimonov, who for many years was one of those who determined the artistic direction of the TV channel's own serial production. He died on July 9 at the age of 62. For his colleagues, his departure was the loss not only of a professional, but also of a man who managed to create around himself a rare space of trust for the film industry, where honesty towards the audience remained the main criterion.

"For him, every frame was a matter of life"

At the farewell ceremony, Vladimir Filimonov was hardly mentioned in official terms. First of all, they remembered not the position, but the person — sincere, honest, caring. Perhaps these qualities best describe his place in Russian cinema.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Pavel Volkov

Filimonov is a graduate of VGIK. He worked as a director, screenwriter and producer. He was a creative producer for REN TV and was directly involved in the creation of landmark projects that defined the channel's modern artistic broadcasting line. Among them are "SMERSH", "Operation Carpathians", "ZIG ZAG Gang", "Rooks", "Your Honor", "Operation Neman", "On the trail of the Beast", "Dear Willy". The latter was awarded on June 9 at the National Television Award TEFI-2026. The spy detective story about the secret alliance of Leonid Brezhnev and German Chancellor Willy Brandt won the Orpheus Award in the TV Movie or Miniseries (up to four episodes) category.

— Volodya was not just a director and not just a producer. It's safe to say that he's the one who made the movies on our channel in many ways. Those projects and formats that the viewer knows and loves were created with his direct participation. All these series are the result of his imagination, work and talent. Of course, we lost a professional. But the most important thing is that we have lost a friend and a comrade. He was very sincere. I didn't accept compromise well, I didn't like semitones. This inner sincerity allowed him to be a very honest person both in front of himself and in front of the audience. And the audience, of course, responded with gratitude," Anatoly Tupitsyn, Deputy General Director of REN TV, shared during the ceremony.

Filimonov's filmography includes dozens of projects. Among them is the cult comedy drama "Cadetship". A series from another TELEVISION era is another testament to how wide his professional range was.

Vladimir Filimonov

Photo: REN TV

— For him, every frame was a matter of life. He kept saying that there were no little things in the movies. You need to work in a way that you like yourself and that you can be proud of every shot. I have met few people like Vladimir Nikolaevich. He went into every detail, and besides that, he was a wonderful person. In some ways naive and completely sincere. If he didn't like it, he spoke bluntly. If I liked it, I was happy as a child," said Andrey Tartakov, a producer at Star Media.

"He always leaned from attraction to feelings"

According to the memoirs of those who worked nearby, behind the external demands was a rare ability to unite people. Among those who came to say goodbye was Vladimir Stankevich, who collaborated with Filimonov as a medical consultant on one of the projects.

— I admired his work with the team. One or two words were enough for the actor to understand what to play and how. He inspired the whole team. I was surprised by the willingness of people to come to the site earlier and leave later. And after the end of the project, we all continued to be friends — that's how he managed to bring everyone together," said Stankevich.

Photo: IZVESTIA/Pavel Volkov

Colleagues recalled that the main guideline for Filimonov was always the quality of the future film.

— His artistic taste was amazing. Many colleagues, of course, felt this very well, because Vladimir Nikolaevich did not let anyone down. Art always came first for him. He believed that you should not drop the bar. At the same time, he was a cheerful man. He joked well and appreciated humor. All our working meetings started with Vladimir Nikolaevich's five—minute walk — he was very cheerful," said Alexey Anisimov, senior editor of the REN TV Film Production Directorate, who also came to say goodbye to his colleague.

For Filimonov, cinema was not a conveyor belt, but a way of talking to the audience.

— We have been working on the Guaranteed Delivery project, which is scheduled to be released on REN TV and the Premier platform in the fall. Of course, Vladimir Nikolaevich's departure is an event that knocked everyone out of the saddle," admitted director Alexander Kasatkin. — We are making an audience movie. And he was like a father who knows his children. I'm talking about the viewer. I've always been looking for ways to get him involved. Cinema is generally something that should captivate the viewer, make him empathize. He always leaned from attraction to feelings, which, unfortunately, is now quite rare.

Directed by Alexander Kasatkin

Photo: IZVESTIA/Pavel Volkov

A funeral service was held after the civil memorial service. Vladimir Filimonov was buried at the Rudnevo cemetery.

There are several projects in the works that Vladimir Filimonov managed to have a hand in — the sequel to "Operation Carpathians", the retro detective "Personal Case", the large-scale TV series "New Babylon", and the action thriller "Specials", filming of which ended quite recently — on July 3. At the recent Pilot Film Festival, his other production project, Treasures of the Scythians, was warmly received. The premieres will not just be the next releases of the season, but also the latest evidence of the creative method of a man who was convinced that the viewer feels when a movie is made honestly.