On September 1, 2009, a monument was installed at the VGIK building in honor of three famous graduates of the institute: Vasily Makарович Shukshin, Andrei Arsenyevich Tarkovsky, and Gennady Fedorovich Shpalikov. This event was timed to the 90th anniversary of the Higher State Institute of Cinematography and the 80th anniversary of the birth of director Vasily Shukshin.

The sculpture was created by Alexey Blagovestnov. The new monument replaced the previous one dedicated to the film camera, which was located in the same spot. The sculptural composition includes three bronze figures positioned on the steps at the entrance to the main building of VGIK: Shukshin is seated, while Tarkovsky and Shpalikov stand beside him. On the wall of the institute, there is an inscription:

TO VGIK ALUMNI

Andrei Tarkovsky, Gennady Shpalikov, Vasily Shukshin.