Sergei Sholokhov, St. Petersburg TV host and film critic, dies

On 18 July, at the age of 67, Sergei Sholokhov — the well-known St. Petersburg TV presenter, film critic, and creator of the programs «Fifth Wheel» and «Quiet House» — passed away. He always looked young, combining light irony with deep professionalism.

Sergei Sholokhov was born in 1958 in Leningrad to paleontologist Leonid Glikman and architect Galina Sholokhova. His grandfathers — painter Leonid Sholokhov and chemist Sergei Glikman — were also prominent figures. With such a pedigree, a scientific career seemed inevitable, but he chose the path of art.

He attended a school with intensive Hindi studies, where they constantly watched Indian films, sang songs, and practiced yoga. Then he studied at the Faculty of Philology at Leningrad State University (LGU) and pursued postgraduate studies at the Leningrad State Institute of Theater, Music and Cinematography (LGITMiK). His dissertation focused on Pushkin«s »Mozart and Salieri« in theater, film, and television. He considered evenings without theater wasted, and frequented the Moscow Art Theatre, the Taganka Theatre, the rock club, and the »Saigon« café.

At the Poster (Plakat) publishing house, Sholokhov had to call Moscow to approve portraits of Politburo members. In an interview, he recalled: «Gromyko»s right ear is red. Gromyko under the knife.«

At Leningrad Television, he started as an editor in the film department. The famous program «Fifth Wheel» was born after he met editor-in-chief Bella Kurkova — she saved him from drowning in the sea in Israel after a jellyfish sting. The program quickly became hugely popular — according to opinion polls, almost all of Leningrad watched it. Sholokhov presented stories about culture with a light smirk.

Sholokhov«s ally was Sergei Kuryokhin with his »Pop Mechanics.« Sholokhov genuinely admired Kuryokhin and decided to film him »for eternity.« The result of their collaboration was the legendary program »Lenin the Mushroom« (January 1991). Kuryokhin, with a straight face, claimed that Lenin was a mushroom and a radio wave. Viewers called the studio in shock. Sholokhov and Kuryokhin essentially created a perfect myth that captured the spirit of the time, when culture was at a boiling point.

The August 1991 coup caught Sholokhov at Harvard, where he had gone for postgraduate studies. He recalled: «I watched our country collapse, sitting at Harvard, on the »Time« program… after watching, I went back to the bar.» Upon returning, he got the «green light,» but the cultural wave was receding. He himself said: «We»re unlikely to see it again in our lifetime… These are cosmic things.«

Sholokhov«s next project was »Quiet House« (a pun on the novel by his namesake, Sholokhov [author of »And Quiet Flows the Don«]). The name came after a 1986 incident when Sholokhov was invited as an expert to a trial for pornography — a sailor was accused of possessing a videotape of Tinto Brass»s «Caligula.» Sholokhov proved the film was a work of art and decided to popularize cinema among the general public.

Initially, «Quiet House» was broader, covering various arts and social events, but by the 2000s Sholokhov focused on major film festivals — Venice, Cannes, Berlin, Kinotavr. With his trademark smile, he interviewed Alexei German, Alexander Sokurov, Pedro Almodóvar, Quentin Tarantino, Catherine Deneuve, and others. The program won the Grand Prix of the «Golden Pen» and the «Golden Ram» award.

Sholokhov also directed documentary films about directors: «Alexei German — Lion Heart,» «Nikita Mikhalkov — Among His Own,» «Kirill Lavrov — Grandfather and Grandson,» «Alexei Balabanov: In Search of Happiness.» He considered Balabanov impeccably sincere and deeply a St. Petersburg author, while Balabanov, in turn, cast Sholokhov as a TV host in his last film, «I Also Want.»

Sergei Sholokhov will be remembered as a true St. Petersburg face of culture — with irony, wit, delicacy, and thoroughness. Now there are fewer such people. Thank you for his presence. See you later!