She studied at the Faculty of History of Moscow State University, but after a while I took the documents.
In 1981 she graduated from the Directing Department of VGIK (workshop of Efim Dzigan).
In the 1990s, the 20th and first half of the 21st century worked in documentary films and advertising.
Nikolaeva's husband, Alexey Rudakov is a film director, and screenwriter.
Her son, Ivan Rudakov, was an actor and a rock singer who acted in some of her films, such as Popsa and Vanechka.