Alexandra Nikolchev is an Emmy- and Peabody-winning documentary filmmaker whose work explores identity, relationships, and social change through intimate, character-driven storytelling. Her films center outsiders navigating public-facing roles, hidden labor, and flawed systems at moments of personal and cultural reckoning.

She began her career as a journalist with PBS national news and went on to direct episodes of HBO’s vérité-style documentary series “Sex Diaries.” She has produced feature documentaries and broadcast specials on immigration, healthcare, and education for PBS, NBC, and Peacock. “Breaking Form,” her first feature as director, is a portrait of maverick choreographer Jane Comfort; the film debuted at Dance On Camera Film Festival at Film at Lincoln Center and won Best Documentary at the Sky Arts Film Festival.

Alexandra grew up in California’s Silicon Valley, where she was exposed early to innovation but also inequality. Raised by a mother in education and an immigrant father in biotech, she was taught to both believe in and question the American dream - and to appreciate the idea that if you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.

She later made her longtime idolized destination, New York City, home. Alexandra holds a journalism degree from New York University and a bachelor’s degree in rhetoric and education from the University of California, Berkeley.

In parallel to her independent filmmaking, Alexandra is the founder of Hot in Here Productions, where she collaborates with mission-driven organizations on strategic and impact-oriented storytelling. This work is distinct from her authored documentary films and reflects her commitment to ethical practice, independent reporting, and care for the people whose stories are being told.

Read more about her process on dscout.

Director & Producer credits include:

Breaking Form, Director, feature documentary, Film at Lincoln Center presenting Dance on Camera Festival premiere, Awarded “Best Documentary” at Sky Arts Film Festival, 2024

The Kids Are Not Alright, Co-Producer/ Cinematographer, feature documentary, Mikaela Shwer, Awarded “Best Documentary” at Dances with Films premiere, 2024

A Place of Honor, Senior Producer, Vanessa Roth directed documentary for NJ Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial and Museum, 2024

Iconic America, Producer, PBS essay-style documentary series, Show of Force, WETA, one-hour episode about Hollywood with host David Rubenstein, airdate 2023

2020 Chaos and Hope, Story Producer, feature documentary streaming on Peacock, film festival and broadcast premiere, 2023

Sex Diaries, Director / Producer, HBO 4-part documentary series, created by Jenny Carchman and Big Pond Films, Vox Media, Director on 2 episodes, Producer on 4 episodes, HBO broadcast, December 2022

The Place That Makes Us, Producer / Director of Photography, feature documentary directed by Karla Murthy, DOC NYC FF official selection, 2020 & America Reframed on PBS, 2021

The 100 Million, Director / Producer, documentary series, Show of Force Productions, Knight Foundation, 2020

Red, White, & Who, Booking Producer, one-hour primetime broadcast with Peacock Productions and host Francesca Fiorentini for MSNBC, 2019

Her America, Field & Booking Producer, short documentary films, Lifetime Network/A&E, 2018

Women in the World, Producer, Tina Brown’s live magazine journalism summit, 2018

No Le Digas a Nadie / Don't Tell Anyone, Producer, feature documentary, dir. Mikeala Shwers, Portret Films, SFFF premiere, PBS/POV broadcast, 2015 & Peabody Award winner, 2016

Welcome to Uncovered, Producer, photo essay and podcast, Fusion, 2016

Brooklyn's Cover Girl, Director / Director of Photography, documentary short, BRIC TV, Narratively, 2016

A New Approach to Prosecution, Director, Narratively/Vera Institute, 2016

AJ+ Mexican Folk Music + Smiths = Mariachi Manchester, Director, documentary short, Al Jazeera+, 2016

Home Matters, Director, branded documentary campaign, MacArthur Foundation, 2014

Part of Me Came Home, Director, documentary, New York University, student grant recipient of National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, 2010

Branded Clients Director / Producer credits include: Edelman, Jazz at Lincoln Center, MacArthur Foundation, Hilton Worldwide, Participant Media, DIRECTV, Fast Company, Malala Fund, Ford Foundation, StoryCorps, Annapurna Films

Need to Know, Emmy Winning Segment & Field Producer, TV news magazine series on PBS:

Crossing the Line at the Border: Dying to Get Back, broadcast, 2013, Emmy Award winner, Outstanding Continuing Coverage of a News Story
Crossing the Line at the Border: Inside the Border Patrol, broadcast, 2012, Emmy Award nominee, Outstanding Investigative Journalism and Best Report
Crossing the Line at the Border, broadcast, 2012, Emmy Award nominee, Outstanding Investigative Journalism and Best Report in a News Magazine Show
Portraits of Hunger: Stories of Americans on Food Stamps, broadcast, 2012
Manufacturing Jobs in Alabama, broadcast, 2013
Saving Medicare, broadcast, 2012
American Voices: Khaled Hosseini, broadcast, 2012
Famine in Somalia, A Race Against Time to Save Lives, broadcast, 2011
Money Matters: Campaign Finance, broadcast, 2011
Making it in America: Immigrant Entrepreneurs, broadcast, 2012
A generation with Autism, Graduating into the Unknown, web, 2011
Jugaad Urbanism, Making it Work, web, 2011
Taylor Mac's Walk About, web, 2011
Dispelling the Myths Surrounding Cancer Trials, web, 2011
Girl Mathletes Run the Numbers, web, 2011
Eugene Hutz, Immigrant Punk, broadcast, 2011
Ballot Boxing: Voting Rights in Florida, broadcast, 2012
Camden, An impoverished City Struggles to Survive, broadcast, 2012
Losing the Safety Net, Adults with Autism, broadcast, 2011
When Care Runs Out: Aging Out with Disabilities, A Watchlist Investigation broadcast, 2011
Reshaping Somerville: The Fight against Childhood Obesity, broadcast, 2011
Toxic Law? Chemical Pollution & the EPA, A Watchlist Investigation broadcast, 2011

Moyers and Company, TV news and documentary series, Associate Producer.

The New Temp Economy, web, 2013
Organizing Workers to Bring Down Barriers, web, 2013

12th & Delaware, HBO feature documentary, Loki Films, Production Assistant, 2010'

Cinematography credits include:

The Place That Makes Us, Director of Photography / Producer, feature documentary directed by Karla Murthy, DOC NYC FF official selection, 2020 & America Reframed on PBS, 2021

The Kids Are Not Alright, Co-Producer/ Cinematographer, feature documentary, Mikaela Shwer, “Best Documentary” Award at Dances with Films premiere, 2024

The Scientists Vs. Dartmouth, Cinematographer, documentary short, dir. Sharon Shattuck, Scientific American, 2024

The North Face S18, Director of Photography, 2018

Miguelito, Additional Cinematography, feature documentary by Sam Zubrycki, Margaret Mead Documentary Film Festival: US Premiere, 2019

Brooklyn's Cover Girl, Director of Photography, short documentary, BRIC TV, Narratively, 2016

Moyers and Company, Director of Photography, TV news and documentary series:

The New Temp Economy, web, 2013
An Oasis in a Food Desert, web, 2013
Organizing Workers to Bring Down Barriers, web, 2013

From this Day Forward, Additional Cinematography, feature documentary by Sharon Shattuck, Hot Docs / AFI Doc / Full Frame official selection, PBS, 2016

No Le Digas a Nadie/ Don't Tell Anyone, Additional Cinematography, feature documentary, dir. Mikeala Shwers, Portret Films, SFFF premiere, PBS/POV broadcast, 2015 & Peabody Award winner, 2016

Branded Clients Cinematography credits include: Edelman, Jazz at Lincoln Center, MacArthur Foundation, Hilton Worldwide, Participant Media, DIRECTV, Fast Company, Malala Fund, Ford Foundation, StoryCorps, Annapurna Films

Editor credits include:

Stand #withMalala, Editor, Campaign videos, Malala Fund, Participant Media, editor, 2016-2017

American Teacher, Additional Editor, Sundance Institute Feature Film documentary, Big Year Productions, contributing editor, festivals and theatrical release, NBC Broadcast 2011

The Texas Promise, Assistant Editor, feature documentary, Big Year Productions, assistant editor, Austin Film Festival Premiere, 2014

Against All Odds: The Fight for a Black Middle Class, Additional Editor, feature documentary, Okapi Productions, contributing editor, PBS, 2017

Glow Kids, Editor, documentary trailer, Moveable Type Media, editor, director Sharon Shattuck, 2016

Narrative film credits include:

Gold for Fools, Producer / Assistant Director, Dir. Rene W. Solomon (USA, 13min), Nevada City Film Festival Premiere, 2020

Your Friend, Assistant Director, Dir. Anthony Nikolchev (USA, 16min), Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival Premiere, acquired by JASH, 2019

Past Hope Now, Assistant Director, Dir. Anthony Nikolchev, three-part music film, Edmonton International Film Festival Premiere, 2017