was born in 1955 in Tula, Russia. He graduated from the Polytechnic University in Tula and the All-Russian State University of Cinematography (VGIK) in Moscow as a documentary film director. He worked for “Lennauchfilm” and “Lenfilm” studios and many central Russian TV channels. He is the author and director of 10 full-length documentary films, 3 feature films and about 50 TV films and series. Nikolai is an awardee of many international festivals and a holder of International Film Critics Award FIPRESCI. He is a member of Russian Filmmakers Union and Russian Guild of Film Directors. Since 2001 he has been teaching directing as an associate professor at the Saint-Petersburg State University of Cinema and Television.

“Land and Water”, 1986; “ Wide is the Sea...", 1987; “Life and Death of Alexander Sidelnikov, a Film Director”,1993; “Nikolai II. The Circle of Life”, “Russian Messenger”, 1996-1998; “The Blind Family”, 1999; “Following Rodion Raskolnikov”, 2000; “Poet Eugenie Evtushenko”, 2002; “We Are Deaf”, “ Wide is the Sea…or A Ttime to Get Stones Together”, 2005; “Two or Three Things…”, 2007; “Pieta”, 2011.