Margarita Zhitnikova

Margarita Zhitnikova


in Volgograd, USSR [now Russia]
Margarita (they/them) is an award-winning actor, writer & producer. As a child, Margarita & their family immigrated to Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, as Jewish refugees from Russia. Dedicated to smashing the patriarchy, Margarita Co-Founded Besties Make Movies. 

Margarita has received several Best Actress nominations for their work in the award-winning short film JONES. Their film 2 WEEKS about asexuality premiered at the Oxford Film Festival, screened at NFMLA and won Best LGBT Short at Indie Short Fest and IndieX Film Fest. Their short film APPETITE is premiering at the Oxford Film Festival this year. The feature film Triple Threat in which they play one of the lead roles is having its World Premiere at the Oscar-qualifying Cinequest Film Festival in 2021! Most recently they have been cast as Christina in the new TikTok drama @DarkSprings.

Their short film script ZASHA (available on Kindle) which they co-wrote, has been doing festivals and recently won Best Horror Short at the Oregon Short Film Festival.

Margarita is a member of The Filmshop, NYWIFT, Dreamers // Doers, The COBWEB, NYC Women Filmmakers, Glass Elevator & Women in Media. They are also honored to be a judge for the Revolution Me Film Festival and so excited about all of the wonderful films they get to watch from up-and-coming artists.

Follow them on Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Clubhouse (@marzapproved) to stay in the loop or visit zhitnikova.com

Movies for Margarita Zhitnikova...

Appetite
Title: Appetite
Character: Tanya
Released: October 16, 2021
Type: Movie
Jack, an aging hedge fund CEO, hesitantly acquiesces when Ruby, his wife of 25 years, suggests they check out an open love party. Thrust into a new world, he is surprised to uncover the intimacy he actually desires.
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Triple Threat
Title: Triple Threat
Character: Maggie
Released: October 11, 2020
Type: Movie
Close friendships are slowly pulled apart as a once shared dream is abandoned by one in favor of fatherhood.
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2 Weeks
Title: 2 Weeks
Character: Tanya
Released: June 22, 2020
Type: Movie
When 20-something-year-old Tanya begins to realize she’s asexual, the highly charged sexualized world she lives in as an actress and partner begins to fall apart and feels more and more like an unbearable nightmare.
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The Incoherents
Title: The Incoherents
Character: MoonBeam
Released: June 22, 2019
Type: Movie
Four forty-somethings each mired in some sort of mid life malaise reunite their 90's indie rock band.
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JONES
Title: JONES
Character: JONES
Released: February 16, 2019
Type: Movie
Jones' inner demons threaten to take over her life unless she outruns the voices in her head and the ticking of time.
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Landing Up
Title: Landing Up
Character: Lara/Peace
Released: May 15, 2018
Type: Movie
When a young woman finds herself living life on the streets she learns the art of picking up men to put a roof over her head. But when she meets the guy of her dreams her secret threatens to ruin their perfect relationship.
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Landing Up
Title: Landing Up
Character: Young Girl
Released: May 15, 2018
Type: Movie
When a young woman finds herself living life on the streets she learns the art of picking up men to put a roof over her head. But when she meets the guy of her dreams her secret threatens to ruin their perfect relationship.
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The Next Two Nights
Title: The Next Two Nights
Character: Cece
Released: October 15, 2016
Type: Movie
When Chrissie's latest conquest, David, goes away for the weekend, she has no place to go and must take to the streets to survive..
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Made to Penetrate
Title: Made to Penetrate
Character: Emily
Released: August 5, 2014
Type: Movie
Patty meets Dave at the bar. Later that night, she and her friends follow him out and "fuck him up".