[1] Born into a family of actors, Burlyayev started his career in film and theatre when he was still a child.

Burlyayev is a graduate of the Film Directors’ Faculty of VGIK, where he studied under Mikhail Romm and Lev Kulidzhanov.

Since 1991, Burlyayev has been the founder and director of the annual Zolotoi Vityaz (Golden Knight) Moscow Film Festival of Slavic and Orthodox Peoples, and since 1996 he has been the founder and chairman of the International Association of Cinematographers of Slavic and Orthodox Peoples.

[5] Burlyayev emphasizes that he is Orthodox, repeatedly sharply expressed his negative attitude towards people with non-traditional sexual orientation, calls himself a homophobe.

[7] On 24 March 2022, the United States Treasury sanctioned him in response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.