Aleksandr Petrov studied art at the prestigious VGIK, a state institute of cinema and television. He was a disciple of the renowned Yuri Norstein at the Advanced School for screenwriters and directors in Moscow.
Petrov's early filmmaking endeavors were made in Russia, but he later moved to Canada where he adapted the novel The Old Man and the Sea. This 20-minute animated short film was a groundbreaking achievement, as it was the first large-format animated film ever made. The film's technical prowess is impressive, with Petrov using a unique technique of pastel oil paintings on glass to create a sense of depth. He painted over 29,000 frames by hand, a process that took him two years to complete.
The film was a critical and commercial success, winning the Academy Award for Animated Short Film and the Grand Prix at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival. After this success, Petrov maintained a close relationship with Pascal Blais Studio in Canada, where he worked on commercials.
Petrov returned to his hometown of Yaroslavl in Russia to work on his latest film, My Love. This film took three years to complete and premiered at the Hiroshima International Animation Festival, where it won the Audience Prize and the Special International Jury Prize. My Love was later theatrically released in Japan by Studio Ghibli, making it the first release of the "Ghibli Museum Library".
Petrov's style can be characterized as a type of Romantic realism, with his films often featuring realistic depictions of people, animals, and landscapes. However, he also explores the inner thoughts and dreams of his characters, often using symbolism and metaphors to convey their emotions. In The Old Man and the Sea, for example, the fisherman dreams of swimming through the sea and sky with the marlin.
In recent years, Petrov has faced financial difficulties, stating in a 2009 interview that he was jobless and running out of money. He has also expressed his desire to create an animated feature film using his signature technique, but has been unable to start due to lack of funds. Despite these challenges, Petrov remains committed to his craft, and has continued to work on various projects, including a three-minute animated sequence for the Sochi paralympic games in 2014.
In 2016, Petrov sat on the board of directors for the International Film Festival of Poetic Animation in Pergola, Italy, further solidifying his reputation as a respected figure in the animation community.
