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Merab Ninidze

Merab Ninidze

Actor · Born November 3, 1965 (60) · Tbilisi, Georgia SSR, USSR

Merab Ninidze (born 3 November 1965) is a Georgian actor. He is best known for the roles of Oleg Penkovsky in The Courier, Walter Redlich in Nowhere in Africa, and Giulio Sabbadin in Conclave. Ninidze was born into an artistic family and was introduced to acting at a young age. He was heavily involved in the theatrical world in Georgia. At the age of 13, he successfully auditioned for the role of Prince Edward in Shakespeare's Richard III at the Rustaveli State Academic Theatre in Tbilisi, which premiered in 1979 and toured the UK three times. From 1982 to 1985, he studied at the Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Georgia State Film Institute under the guidance of Gizo Jordania, which eventually led him to become a full-fledged member of the Theatre Company. Later, he would perform in plays such as Hamlet, The Merchant of Venice, The Diary of Anne Frank, and David Kldiashvili's Step-Mother. Ninidze's first major film role was in Tengiz Abuladze's 1984 film Repentance, in which he played Tornike Aravidze. At the age of 25, Ninidze immigrated from Georgia following the Civil War in Georgia. During this time, he was offered a role in Goran Rebic's Yugofilm, which led him to work in Vienna for several months. For more than 20 years, Ninidze has worked in Georgian, Russian, German, and English-language film and TV.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
November 3, 1965 (60)
From
Tbilisi, Georgia SSR, USSR
Works as
Actor
Titles
22 on MovieCove · 110 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Up 5% in 30 days

What are Merab Ninidze's films like?

Across their 11 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Self and Morality.

Genres

Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 78th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Biography3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 65th percentile
: browse their Biography movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Self
25%
Morality
19%
Power
17%
Survival
16%
Bonds
11%
Society
8%
Ideas
4%
Identity3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFreedom2 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival2 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds2 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 10 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Dark: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their dark movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

Light 0 · Serious 3 · Dark 7

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 6 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 4 · Intense 4

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 2 · Shifting 7 · Whiplash 1

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 9 · Some laughs 1 · Funny 0

Slow burn: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their slow burn movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 6 · Even-paced 4 · Relentless 0

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 2 · Engaged 5 · Full focus 3

Heavy: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their heavy movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 2 · Affecting 3 · Heavy 5

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 3 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Ally: 2 of 7 analyzed roles.

Ally
2 of 7
Shadow
2 of 7
Herald
1 of 7
Mentor
1 of 7
Trickster
1 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
7
Melancholic
7
Dread
5
Contemplative
6
Romantic
2
Other
6

How their films linger

Thought-provoking7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteCathartic2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end

  • Bittersweet8
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous2

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Merab Ninidze's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 15 of their 22 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Prime Video (4).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Merab Ninidze's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

110 credits, 22 with a MovieCove page.

  • Rosamunde Pilcher: Wo Liebe aufhört und wo sie beginnt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Yamen Nicholls

  • Behind the Door (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    Actor

  • A Working Man(2025)

    as Yuri

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • April(2024)

    as Chief Physician

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • In the Name of Blood (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Actor

  • Conclave(2024)

    as Sabbadin

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films

  • The last season (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 24 episodes · Actor

  • Sirens (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    Show 16 episodes · Actor

  • House Arrest (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as David

  • Without Remorse(2021)

    as Andrej Vaseliev

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Doktor Ballouz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Show 18 episodes · as Amin Ballouz

  • Vom Geben und Nehmen - Der Usedom-Krimi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Lucjan Gadocha

  • Schmerzgrenze - Der Usedom-Krimi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Lucjan Gadocha

  • Nachtschatten - Der Usedom-Krimi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Lucjan Gadocha

  • Das Gesetz sind wir (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Djamal Issa

  • Freud(2020)

    Show 8 episodes · as Josef Breuer

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all shows

  • The Courier(2020)

    as Oleg Penkovsky

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films

  • Russian Whispers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Viktor

  • Strandgut - Der Usedom-Krimi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Lucjan Gadocha

  • Treadstone(2019)

    Show 3 episodes · as Yuri Leniov

    Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows

  • Mutterliebe - Der Usedom-Krimi (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    as Lucjan Gadocha

  • Percht (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Truck Driver‘s Voice

  • Carneval - Der Clown bringt den Tod (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Witrenko

  • McMafia(2018)

    Show 8 episodes · as Vadim Kalyagin

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows

  • Jupiter's Moon(2017)

    as Gabor Stern

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • I Watch Her Sleep (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Actor

  • My Happy Family (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Soso

  • Hostages (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    as Levan

  • Lou Andreas-Salomé, The Audacity to be Free(2016)

    as Friedrich Carl Andreas

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • The Puppet Syndrome (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Boris

  • Bridge of Spies(2015)

    as Soviet Main Interrogator

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • Thank You for Bombing (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Actor

  • Deutschland 83(2015)

    Show 26 episodes · as Alexej Stepanov

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Under Electric Clouds (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Nikolai

  • B/W (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Нурик

  • Neben der Spur (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    Show 1 episode · as Alexej Kuznet

  • After Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as The Painter

  • Bis zum Ende der Welt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    as Zano

  • Unter Feinden (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Idris Maher

  • Invasion (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Konstantin

  • Blutadler (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Wassyl Witrenko

  • Love with an Accent (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Actor

  • Das Geheimnis in Siebenbürgen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Nikolai Ilinescu

  • Letzte Spur Berlin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 1 episode · as Khalil Rahimi

  • The Fourth State(2012)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • Frühlings Erwachen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as The Stranger

  • Russisch Roulette (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    as Alexej Romanowitsch

  • Weihnachtsengel küsst man nicht (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Alex

  • Winter's Daughter (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Alexei

  • Homeland(2011)

    Show 3 episodes · as Mirov

    Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows

  • 4 Days in May(2011)

    as Major

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • From Tokyo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Rescuer

  • Frühling (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 4 episodes · as Cem Oktay

  • My Best Enemy(2011)

    as Moritz Haiden

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all films

  • Shades of Happiness (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 3 episodes · as Niklas Psathos

  • The Cameramurderer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Thomas

  • Schnell ermittelt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Besim Kasapi

  • Paper Soldier (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Doctor Daniil Pokrovsky

  • Homicide Unit Istanbul (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    Show 1 episode · as Ahmet Demir

  • The Rainbowmaker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Datho

  • Mediator (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Hitman

  • Mord in bester Gesellschaft (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Ernesto Mendez

  • Not All Were Murderers (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as Russischer Offizier

  • Liebes Leid und Lust (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    as André Schott

  • Himmel über Australien (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 2 episodes · as Phil

  • Conny und die verschwundene Ehefrau (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Thomas Landsberg

  • Vienna Crime Squad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Boris Aljechin · as Hakim Kostres

  • Schön, dass es Dich gibt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Peters Freund Gérard

  • Die Gerichtsmedizinerin (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Piontek

  • Georgisches Liebeslied (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Actor

  • Sterne leuchten auch am Tag (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Ruben Costa

  • Das Bernstein-Amulett (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    Show 2 episodes · as Michael Belajew

  • Cattolica (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2004)

    as Martin

  • SOKO Köln (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 1 episode · as Luan Kreshnik

  • Postalioni (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Actor

  • August der Glückliche (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    Actor

  • Icarus (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Milan

  • Verlorenes Land (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

    as Jean-Pierre

  • Nowhere in Africa(2001)

    as Walter Redlich

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • Murder in the Mountains(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Andreas Johannis

    Midcredits score: 3rd percentile of all shows

  • Ene mene muh – und tot bist du (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Actor

  • Bride of the Wind(2001)

    as russischer Soldat

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • SOKO Leipzig (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Theo Gregoriladse

  • Einsatz in Hamburg (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr.Rixen

  • Donna Leon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    Show 1 episode · as Filippo Guarino

  • England! (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Pavel

  • In Heaven (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Levi

  • Luna Papa (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    as Alik

  • Suzie Washington (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Resa Madani

  • Debt of Love (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    as Unknown Man

  • Yugofilm (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    as Sascha

  • Küstenwache (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1997)

    Show 1 episode · as Zlatko Ilic

  • Inspector Rex (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Fritz Posch · as Jiri Borowjez

  • Hasenjagd - Vor lauter Feigheit gibt es kein Erbarmen (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    as Nikolai

  • Doppelter Einsatz (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Michael Petzold

  • Ein starkes Team (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1994)

    Show 1 episode · as Nik 'Warenko · as Tamas Mikoladse

  • Bella Block (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1993)

    Show 1 episode · as Enver Fishta

  • Crossroad (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    Actor

  • Oh, How Sweet is This Tender Sadness of Separation (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

    as orpheos

  • Coming Closer (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1989)

    Actor

  • Roots (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Actor

  • Temo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Actor

  • Repentance(1984)

    as Tornike

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • The Step (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1987)

    Actor

  • Full Circle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1986)

    as Irakliy

  • In a Small Town (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1985)

    Actor

  • A Case For Two (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1981)

    Show 1 episode · as Dix

  • Police Call 110(1971)

    Show 1 episode · as Victor Koslow

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all shows

  • Tatort(1970)

    Show 1 episode · as Peter Tobel · as Richard Herzog · as Roman Rustaveli · as Vater Petkow

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • The Price of Peace (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Joseph Stalin

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 110 titles, 109 of them dated from 1970 to 2026; peak year 2016.

Biggest box office

Conclave (2024)

$128M worldwide

Highest rated

Repentance (1984)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

A Working Man (2025)

Film career

19702026

Peak 2016 · their film career is on the way up. Top draw in 7 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting110 of 110: 110 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score63rd

By decade

1970s2 · acting1980s8 · acting1990s13 · acting2000s30 · acting2010s39 · acting2020s17 · acting

Billing

usually 3rd · top billed in 6% of 18 roles
8717

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Merab Ninidze's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 66th percentile, the median of all 14; across their 10 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 69th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

69thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Approval · how many liked their films

62ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Reach · how many have seen their films

75thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 10

Midcredits score across 22 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th7
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

7 of their 22 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser6
  • Broadly Agreed3
  • Mixed7

Most divisive · actor

4 Days in May (2011)

78th percentile spread · 22% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Repentance (1984)

Midcredits 97th · 87% liked

Reviewers score the acting 76/100 in their films, across 10 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 51. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Merab Ninidze's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, 2 of the 5 categories sit near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore5 titles31–78 · median 50 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles19–73 · median 35 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 36 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 41 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 47 · moderateMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Merab Ninidze work with?

People who share at least 2 of Merab Ninidze's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Kirill Pirogov shares the most, 2.

Actors

Producers