Tatyana Samoilova, the Soviet-era Russian film star best known for her roles in "The Cranes Are Flying" and "Anna Karenina," has died.
The Russian Union of Cinematographers said Samoilova died overnight on May 5 in a Moscow hospital where she was being treated for heart problems.
She had just turned 80.
Samoilova shot to stardom with the leading role of Veronika in "The Cranes Are Flying," a tragic story of love cut short by the outbreak of World War II.
The film was a huge success in the Soviet Union.
It also won the Palme d'Or at the 1958 Cannes Film Festival, the first and only Russian film to win the prestigious award.
Samoilova received a "Special Mention" at Cannes for her performance.
She was also known for the title role in the 1967 film version of "Anna Karenina."
