Angelina Nikonova
Directing
Biography
Angelina Yurievna Nikonova (Russian: Ангелина Юрьевна Никонова; born 27 February 1976, in Rostov-on-Don as Angelina Fedoseenko) is a Russian filmmaker, television director and film producer, who works in Russia and USA. She was born and raised in Rostov-on-Don, in the south of Russia. Angelina dreamed about film directing since her childhood. However, the situation with national film production in Russia is complicated, especially for a woman. As Angelina notices: ‘Women as film directors are rarely trusted’. Moreover, Russian viewer is reluctant to national product. People rather go to watch Hollywood production, than a film made in Russia. She applied to Gerasimov Institute of Cinematography "VGIK". However, as she claims later, it was easier to immigrate to USA than to get accepted in VGIK. In 2001 she graduated from New York School of Visual Arts, with major in Film and Video. The diploma short film "Isosceles" (2001) was awarded at the international film festival of student films "Saint Anna" in Moscow and at the international festival of experimental films Cineview (Florida, USA). The premiere of the full-length Russian-American documentary "Point of Return" took place in 2006. First feature-length film "Twilight Portrait" was co-written with actress Olga Dihovichnaya and received its world premiere at the 2011 "Kinotavr" Open Russian Film Festival, where it became a subject of understandable controversy among both critics and audiences. The international premiere of the film was held as part of the "Venice Days" program of the Venice Film Festival. The film was produced by Nikonova herself and shot for a budget of 17,000 US dollars on a Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera in 29 days. The work made a great success and won a number of prices, including international price for best debut 2011 on Warsaw International Film Festival. For the rigidity and authenticity of the film, colleagues behind the scenes nicknamed Nikonova "Lars von Trier in a skirt". At the same time, Angelina Nikonova worked as an organizator of International Film Festival 2morrow/Zavtra. In 2014, Nikonova directed her second feature film, the English-language Comedy "Welcome Home", about the life of Russian-speaking immigrants in new York. The film premiered at the 2015 Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
Known For
A talk show
The School for Scandal
Sergei and Kira were considered the most beautiful bohemian couple among cinema lovers of Saint Petersburg in the early 90’s. Their fantastic love affair ended with Kira leaving town, fleeing for new life, new relationship. Sergei has died shortly after. Only after a few years does Kira realize that she never stopped loving Sergei. And that she’s doomed to stay in a neverending dialogue with a dead lover.
Anybody Seen My Girl?
1895. The name of the famous Moscow lawyer Nikolai Andronov, who has not lost a single trial yet, thunders throughout Russia. His friends Victor Rocevic and Michael Zavarzin – also brilliant lawyers. They win in the most complex criminal cases, sometimes not only justifying their clients, but also exposing the true criminals right in the courtroom. In difficult situations, lawyer friends always come to each other's aid. They are still quite young (the eldest, Nikolai Andronov, is only 35 years old). All three are completely different, but everyone is ready to sacrifice a lot for the sake of friends... Their long-term friendship, and the realization that there is someone to count on in a difficult situation – not least, makes all three winners. Both in professional and personal life.
Winners
Marina, an upper-crust social worker with a doting husband and an enviable downtown apartment, is suddenly transformed into a bizarre twilight version of herself when she is raped by three policemen.
Twilight Portrait
A few years ago, Natasha was a ballerina. Now she weighs more than 90 kg, and her husband calls her " Bun "- both because of the excess weight, and because of the addiction to sweets "from sergeicha". When she eats her favorite bun, she will complain to the "Sergeyich" drawn on the package about a boring job, the absence of children, and a non-working husband. And Sergeich always understands it.
Pointe Shoes for Buns
In 1919 a White Army train carrying the bulk of Czar Nicolas' gold reserves arrives empty at Siberia's Ikutsk station. Decades later the grandson of a White Army officer inherits a map to the treasure.
White Gold
New York-set comedy about a group of immigrants who have become hostage to their life choices.
Welcome Home
About how a dreamy Russian girl, an elderly American DJ and a pregnant Romanian woman changed their fates.
Let's Change
No description available.
Nishkinata
About the geographical point of reference of personal happiness. The film's characters are American men and Russian women who are looking for love in a foreign, far-off country unknown to them. What makes American men go to the other side of the world for the woman of their dreams? What happens in modern Russia if thousands of women turn to international marriage agencies every year in search of women's happiness? Do Russian women expect love from a marriage with a foreigner? A plane flying along the route can return to the base airfield until the so-called "return point"is passed. As soon as it is over, the return journey is closed, because there is not enough fuel. Why, after living in America, Russians want to return to their Homeland, and at what point they realize that this is impossible, that the point of Return is passed...
Flyaway Country
Psychological drama about a love triangle.