But his real breakthrough happened with the 1961 drama film When the Trees Were Tall that introduced such actors as Yuri Nikulin , Inna Gulaya , Lyudmila Chursina and Leonid Kuravlyov in their first serious roles . While not as successful with Soviet viewers at the time of release , it turned into a cult classic with years . In 1962 it was also selected for the 1962 Cannes Film Festival . In 1969 Kulidzhanov directed the first Soviet adaptation of the Crime and Punishment novel with many acclaimed Soviet actors involved . Although it failed at the box office and left some of his colleagues unimpressed ( like Andrei Tarkovsky who also dreamed of adapting the novel ) , it was praised by critics and intelligentsia . The movie was officially selected for the 31st Venice International Film Festival , and the filming crew was awarded with the Vasilyev Brothers State Prize of the RSFSR in 1971
1962 Cannes Film Festival
1962 Cannes Film Festival
Lev Kulidzhanov