Alim Kouliev

Alim Kouliev is a Soviet-born American actor, theatre director, and screenwriter of Balkar origin. Born on June 24, 1959, in Nalchik, USSR, Kouliev was influenced by Russian actor Vladimir Visotsky from a young age and decided to pursue a career in acting. He studied acting at the Russian Academy of Theatre Arts (GITIS) in Moscow and later served in the Soviet Army. Afterward, he continued his education at the All-Union State Institute of Cinematography (VGIK) in Moscow, where he graduated from the acting class of Yevgeny Matveyev. Kouliev's family has a strong artistic background, with his father being a Balkar poet and his elder brother a film director and screenwriter.