DMITRY ZHITOV
The Style Researcher Magazine presents Dmitry Zhitov.
Dmitry Zhitov is a multi award winning documentary filmmaker, photographer, and author. He has earned multiple awards for Best Director, Best Film, and Best Cinematographer in national and international film festivals from Los Angeles and Miami to London, Madrid and Milan.
Although interested in photography since he was a child, it wasn’t until his mid-20s when Dmitry’s career as a documentarian began. Dmitry earned accolades with his first film, South Beach on Heels. The success of this film inspired Dmitry to venture into other fields within the cinematic world.
Dmitry has published a multi-sensory Coffee Table Book “Faces and Voices of Cuba” with a Soundtrack which got a lot of recognition nationally and internationally.
Dmitry has exhibited his work in the USA, England and Italy.
Besides documentaries, creative portraits, Dmitry also directs and films music videos. He has worked with an Italian singer / songwriter Oscaldo Supino, a French actress, singer and director Caroline Loeb, a Russian singer, actress Kristina Orbakaite, a USA Reality TV star, singer / songwriter / DJ Davis Mallory, a global pop group, produced by Simon Fuller “Now United” and many other artists from all over the world.
His music videos also won multiple awards in Film Festivals.
Hello Dmitry. Thanks for gracing our cover with your beautiful work! Please tell us about you. How did you get to where you are today both personally and as an artist?
Hello. I am very happy to be the cover story of your magazine. Growing up in a small Siberian village, I always knew that there is so much more over there. I always had love and passion for storytelling. I created all kind of stories since I remember myself, some people might call them lies, but my parents always showed a great interest in listening to my stories and supported me in whatever I was interested. I remember my first film camera. Taking pictures with my mom and then developing them in a dark room with red light and all kind of liquids to get the photos developed and then hanging them to dry. It was so magical, the whole process of photographing and seeing the photos appearing on a paper in a small container with solution. That’s how my love of storytelling got stronger and got to use my photos to share with my family and friends.
Many years have passed, but my love and passion for storytelling has not changed. Even though I create bigger projects now- documentaries, that travel the world and win many awards nationally and internationally, exhibitions of my photography, music videos, publish Coffee Table Books, that little boy from Siberia is still with me, is still passionate about storytelling and eager to explore the world.
What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I am a visual artist - a filmmaker and a photographer, a storyteller. I get inspired by people, places, and things around me. Inspiration is an interesting thing.
You cannot find it. I guess it finds you. You just need to be curious and open to new adventures.
I remember 15 years ago, when I was a full-time yoga teacher, I was driving to work and heard about a new enrollment to a broadcasting school in Miami. Without hesitation, I called and set up an appointment with the school. That’s how I got into filmmaking. One beautiful afternoon, I was walking along Ocean Drive and saw Drag Queens performing on a street stopping the traffic. I was blown away and started filming them. Here where inspiration came to me and I created my first documentary “South Beach On Heels’ that won over 30 awards, from LA to Miami, from Madrid to Milan.
In 2015, I went to Cuba for 40 days and 40 nights and was taking a lot of photographs along the entire island. That journey inspired me to create a multi-sensory exhibition and a coffee table book “Faces and Voices of Cuba” that is very successful not only in Miami but also in Russia.
Several years ago I decided to cross my motherland Russia by Trans-Siberian Train. That journey was like a journey to my childhood. I fell in love with Russia again, and when I came back to the US, I created several multi-sensory Exhibitions in Miami, which were loved by the audience.
Then I went to India and created another exhibition “India” that was very well received in Russia.
After India, I went to Paris several times where I met Caroline Loeb, a well known actress, singer and director. We created several music videos and a multi-sensory exhibition “Portraits of Paris”. You can watch the videos on my website DmitryZhitov.com
Traveling inspires me very much. We create our art to share, to inspire, to make people think, question, and maybe get answers. I love when people who come to my exhibitions or films, and then tell me that they were carried away. That they were touched and learned something new or just enjoyed it. That’s why I create my art.
Tell us more about your Creative Portraits and this Photoshoot with actress Brianne Buishas.
Besides film and street photography, I love Creative Portraits - every step of creation - from coming up with idea to retouching the photos. Photography is not just pressing the shutter button… is so much more. When I photograph, I get lost in time and space… and my models too most of the time. It is so magical. I love creative lights and playing with camera settings to create something unique and interesting. I am planning to create an exhibition of my Creative Portraits, where people will not only see the photographs but her the stories behind every portrait. So, stay tuned!!!
My latest creative photoshoot was with LA based actress Brianne Buishas. We connected on Instagram. When I saw her photos I immediately visualized her as a Warrior… Jean d’arc… I shared my ideas with her and she loved it. She flew to Miami, I invited my friend Yasmin Colman to do hair and makeup and together we created these photos. I remember I was playing a soundtrack from “Narnia”called “The Battle” during the shoot so everybody can get inspired and be in that warrior mood. I love playing appropriate music during my photoshoots to get everybody in the mood and models in the character. Brianne really got in the character of a warrior, I could see it in her eyes and pose… she is a very talented actress and I am very happy we got to create together!!!
Thank you Dimitry for this interview, for gracing our cover and congratulations for your amazing art!
Thank you. It has been a pleasure.
For more information about Zhitov’s art, visit dmitryzhitov.com or become one of his many friends on Facebook and Instagram @DmitryZhitov. It may lead you on an unexpected adventure.
Photographer/Model: Dmitry Zhitov
IG: dmitryzhitov
WB: http://dmitryzhitov.com
Photographer: Oleg Rogachev
IG: ro_gachev
Wardrobe Stylist: Altered Egos
IG: _alteredegos
Model: Brianne Buishas @World Management, MPM Models
IG: babuishas
Makeup Artist/Hair Stylist: Yasmin Colman
IG: yascolmanp
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