<p>Russia's Oscar-winning film director Vladimir Menshov died on Monday aged 82 after testing positive for coronavirus.</p>.<p>Menshov, who won the Oscar for best foreign film in 1981, died as a result of complications from Covid-19, Moscow film studios, Mosfilm, confirmed in a statement.</p>.<p>"We knew he was suffering from Covid-19, but in a mild form. It is absolutely horrible and unexpected," film director Vladimir Khotinenko told AFP.</p>.<p>"His death leaves a huge vacuum in our shared cultural space," Khotinenko added.</p>.<p>Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Menshov's death represented "a huge loss for our cinema and our culture".</p>.<p>Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin "expresses his deepest condolences".</p>.<p>Menshov was born in 1939 in Baku, then the capital of Soviet Azerbaijan.</p>.<p>He worked as an actor and then a director and gained international fame for his film "Moscow does not believe in tears" which won the Oscar for best foreign film in 1981.</p>.<p>It was only one of two Soviet films to win an Oscar -- the other being "War and Peace".</p>.<p>Menshov was beloved in Russia for his comedy "Love and Pigeons", released in 1984, which is still one of the most watched films on Russian television.</p>.<p>Menshov, who directed 10 films, taught directing at VGIK.</p>
<p>Russia's Oscar-winning film director Vladimir Menshov died on Monday aged 82 after testing positive for coronavirus.</p>.<p>Menshov, who won the Oscar for best foreign film in 1981, died as a result of complications from Covid-19, Moscow film studios, Mosfilm, confirmed in a statement.</p>.<p>"We knew he was suffering from Covid-19, but in a mild form. It is absolutely horrible and unexpected," film director Vladimir Khotinenko told AFP.</p>.<p>"His death leaves a huge vacuum in our shared cultural space," Khotinenko added.</p>.<p>Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Menshov's death represented "a huge loss for our cinema and our culture".</p>.<p>Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin "expresses his deepest condolences".</p>.<p>Menshov was born in 1939 in Baku, then the capital of Soviet Azerbaijan.</p>.<p>He worked as an actor and then a director and gained international fame for his film "Moscow does not believe in tears" which won the Oscar for best foreign film in 1981.</p>.<p>It was only one of two Soviet films to win an Oscar -- the other being "War and Peace".</p>.<p>Menshov was beloved in Russia for his comedy "Love and Pigeons", released in 1984, which is still one of the most watched films on Russian television.</p>.<p>Menshov, who directed 10 films, taught directing at VGIK.</p>