People's Artist of the Russian Federation, Laureate of the USSR State Prize, Laureate of the Tarkovsky Prize "For Contribution to Arts", Triumph Prize, Starevich Prize, laureate of the Vysotsky "Following Your Own Path" Prize, Laureate of the "Master" Prize for his exhibition at the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Cavalier of the French Order of Art and Literature, Cavalier of the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, was awarded the medal of the International Union of Journalists "For Contribution to Development of the Art of Animation and Films for Children and Youth".
In 1961 graduated from Cartoon Artist Courses at Soyuzmultfilm Studios. In 1961–1989 worked at Soyuzmultfilm Studios. In 1961–1973 served as cartoonist in more than 50 films. These included such animated films as "Lefty" (directed by Ivan Ivanov-Vano), "Boniface's Vacation" (directed by Fedor Khitruk), "Mittens", "Cheburashka" (directed by Roman Kachanov), a series of films based on drawings by Alexander Pushkin (directed by Andrey Khrzhanovsky).
Since 1973 Yuri Norshteyn has served as director of animated films at Soyuzmultfilm Studios. He is the director of such films as "The Twenty-Fifth, Day 1", "Kerzhenets Battle", "The Fox and the Hare", "The Heron and the Crane", "The Hedgehog in the Fog", "Tale of All Tales", "Overcoat" (not finished), four commercials for "Russian Sugar" Company, the starting sequence for "Good Night, Children" show, a film based on Base's poems in the Japanese cycle "Winter Day" (Japan).
In 1979–1996 he taught at Higher Courses of Script Writers and Directors (Faculty of Animation Film Directors). In 1990–2006 he was employed in the Rolan Bykov Foundation, where he organized Artel Animated Film Studios. In 1993 Yuri Norshteyn (together with Andrei Khrzhanovsky, Fedor Khitruk, and Eduard Nazarov) organized SHAR Studios, where he taught until 1998. In various years he lectured in VGIK, and was elected to honorary professorship there; he is also a Doctor of Fine Arts honoris causa at the Rhode Island School of Design (Providence, US).
Yuri Norshteyn held workshops in many countries of the world, such as Norway (1993), the United Kingdom (1991, 1994), Hungary, Italy, France, Canada, Sweden (1995, 1996, 1997, 1998), the USA (2000), the Netherlands (1998), Belgium (1994, 1995), Poland (1993, 2001), Latvia, Japan (annually from 1995 to 2007). Mr. Norshteyn has published many articles on the art of animation, including his contribution to "The Wisdom of Fantasy". He has authored books "Snow on Grass: Chapters from a Book" (2005), "Tale of Tales" (2005), "Snow on Gras" (2008).
Mr. Norshteyn held exhibitions in the Perm Gallery, Museum of Cinema in Moscow, in Paris Mayor's Office (Hotel de Ville), in the Jiburi Museum in Tokyo and in the Personal Collections Department of the Pushkin State Museum of History of Arts. His films have won numerous international prizes. In 1984 in Los Angeles (US) his film, "Tale of Tales" was recognized "the best film of all time in the world".
