Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky (, ; 4 April 1932 - 29 December 1986) was a Soviet film director and screenwriter of Russian origin. He is widely considered one of the greatest directors in cinema history. His films explore spiritual and metaphysical themes and are known for their slow pacing and long takes, dreamlike visual imagery and preoccupation with nature and memory.

Tarkovsky studied film at the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography