Yakuza comic artist Robert Labidas passes away.
Renowned Yakutian Animator Robert Labidas Passes Away at 59
Robert Labidas, a pioneer in Yakutian animation and a celebrated figure in the Russian film industry, passed away on August 23, 2022, at the age of 59.
Born in Yakutsk on April 24, 1966, Labidas embarked on his career in animated cinema with his diploma work "Krugovorot" (The Cycle), which won him first place at the student film festival "Svyataya Anna."
Throughout his illustrious career, Labidas worked on numerous projects, including "Autumn," "Pinezhsky Pushkin," "Evstifeyka Wolf," "Overplayed," "Arcadia," "Send Greetings," "National Hero Gavriil Protodyakonov," "COAPP," "Brave Mom," "How New Year Appeared," "In and Yana," and many more.
His work was recognised and awarded multiple times. In 2002, he won the Suzdal Film Festival award for his film "Circulation." In 2003, he was bestowed the "Golden Knight" film award for his work on "Vasiliy Terkin." In 2007, he secured 1st place at the "Arctic Film" festival for his work on "Carp Komar."
Labidas also worked in various Moscow studios such as "Soyuzmultfilm," "Masterfilm," "Guberniya," "Dago," "SHAR," "Kryisha," the Arctic cinema film production center, and others. After returning home, he established his own animation studio, "Studio Labidas," in his hometown.
In an interview, Labidas expressed his belief that the time would come when animation in Yakutia would rapidly develop. He stated, "Yakutia is the land of fairy tales, legends, and mysteries, and there's plenty to work on!"
In his last post on "VK" on July 4, 2022, Labidas wrote, "I walked down the red carpet. Listen to my last line... Our medicine in Yakutsk is killing...". In a subsequent video, he expressed that his last walk down the red carpet was tragic.
Labidas studied in the national workshop of Fedot Khitruk and Eduard Nazarov alongside six other representatives of Yakutia. He enrolled in the Higher Courses for Directors and Scriptwriters under the State Cinema of Russia in 1997 and graduated from the Moscow Higher Courses for Scriptwriters and Directors in 1999.
Throughout his career, Labidas worked on animated series like "KOAPP," "In and Yana," "Three Kots," and films like "Courageous Mother," "How the New Year Appeared," "Matchmaking Bureau," and other projects. He became a member of the Union of Cinematographers of Russia in 2003.
Labidas's contributions to the world of animation will be greatly missed. His passion for storytelling and his dedication to his craft have left a lasting impact on the industry.
