Photo: Mikhail Kaufman / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Born on December 21, 1895, Dziga Vertov was from Białystok, Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland. Dziga Vertov was listed as a screenwriter, film director and film editor. Death is recorded on February 12, 1954, at the age of 58. Schooling on record includes Lomonosov Moscow State University. Awards on record include Order of the Red Star, Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" and Medal "In Commemoration of the 800th Anniversary of Moscow".
My Take
Dziga Vertov is, for me, one of cinema's great provocateurs. That a man born David Kaufman in Białystok would rename himself after a spinning top tells you everything about his restless appetite to reinvent the medium. Man with a Movie Camera still feels startlingly modern, turning machines, streets, and crowds into pure rhythmic poetry without a single actor. I love that he was both artist and theorist, daring to argue what film could be rather than just making it. A century on, his playful, kinetic eye still teaches me to look at the ordinary world as if it were dancing.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Dziga Vertov
- Name (Japanese)
- ジガ・ヴェルトフ
- Reading
- じが・ゔぇるとふ
- Born
- December 21, 1895 – February 12, 1954
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Goat
- Origin
- Białystok, Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland
- Occupation
- screenwriter / film director / film editor / cinematographer / director
2. Background
- University
- Lomonosov Moscow State University
Awards & achievements
- Order of the Red Star
- Medal "For Valiant Labour in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945"
- Medal "In Commemoration of the 800th Anniversary of Moscow"
3. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Man with a Movie Camera | — | |
| Notable work | Kino-Pravda | — |
4. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dziga%20Vertov
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%B8%E3%82%AC%E3%83%BB%E3%83%B4%E3%82%A7%E3%83%AB%E3%83%88%E3%83%95
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q55193
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-23
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Dziga Vertov born?
Born December 21, 1895.
When did Dziga Vertov die?
Died February 12, 1954, aged 58.
Where was Dziga Vertov from?
Dziga Vertov was from Białystok, Podlaskie Voivodeship, Poland.
What did Dziga Vertov do?
Dziga Vertov worked as screenwriter, film director, film editor, cinematographer, director.
What was Dziga Vertov known for?
Notable works include Man with a Movie Camera, Kino-Pravda.
Screenwriter — see all → · Film director — see all → · More people from Poland →