IDIOTKA
(director/writer: Nastasya Popov; screenwriter: story by Popov & Tess Cohen; cinematographer: Kristen Correll; editors:Taylor Mason, Rob Paglia; music: Ian Hultquist; cast: Anna Baryshnikov (Margarita Leviansky), Camila Mendes (Nicol Garcia), Julia Fox (Emma Wexler), Benito Skinner (Jonathan Smith), Saweetie (Candy), Owen Thiele (Oliver Knowles), Galina Jovovich (Gita Leviansky), Mark Ivanir (Samuel Leviansky), Nerses Stamos (Nerses Leviansky), Ilia Volok (Vlad); Runtime: 82; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Tess Cohen, Camila Mendes, Rachel Matthews, Saba Zerehi, Nastasya Popov; Virgo Films; 2026-in English, Russian)
“Genial comedy and satire.”
Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
The debut feature film for the Russian – American director-writer Nastasya Popov, who bases the film on the story she wrote with Tess Cohen, is this genial comedy and satire.
The second-generation Russian – American, the college-aged Margarita Leviansky (Anna Baryshnikov, the ballet dancer Mikhail’s daughter, in her first leading role) yearns to be a famous fashion designer like her grandmother Gita (Galina Jovovich). She resides in a small apartment in the West Hollywood section of L.A. with her unemployed doctor father
Samuel (Mark Ivanir) and her aspiring musician brother Nerses (Nerses Stamos). Her dad cheated Medicare and has just been released from prison.
The landlord (Ilia Volok) threatens the family with eviction for not paying their rent while dad served time.
Margarita’s luck seemingly changes for the better when she becomes accepted as a contestant in the unscripted new reality TV show “Slay, Serve, Survive,” where she hopes to win big money. Nicol (Camila Mendes), the show’s generous producer, wants to exploit Margarita by getting her to say things about her life that might not be true but would appeal to the show’s viewers. The show’s host Oliver Knowles (Owen Thiele) uses his catty wit for put downs of the contestants.
The question becomes if the desperate Margarita will sell out and lie about her life so the show rewards her by keeping her on it, as the producer urges her to do, or will she remain true to herself.
Julia Fox plays Emma Wexler, a foxy fashion designer mogul who is a judge on the show.
The film makes its case that it’s family values that matter the most as it touches on how the immigrants react to the American dream and it vents on the superficiality of TV programs and points out the pitfalls in American life.
Spirited performances by the quirky characters and their sharp comical delivery, elevates the B-film.
It played at SXSW Film Festival
REVIEWED ON 2/2/2026 GRADE: B-
dennisschwartzreviews.com