Director, producer, and film critic. He graduated in journalism from Moscow State University in 2009. Since 2005, he has worked as a critic; from 2015 to 2020 he was a producer at the STS channel; from February 2023 to March 2026 he was editor-in-chief of Iskusstvo Kino. Alongside this he produced independent web series (Easy Round) and series for national television (Ready to Do Anything). In 2022 Kartsev made his first film as director, the documentary short Caution, People, which screened at international festivals. His series Cinema 3.0 (2023) was featured in the documentary programme of the Moscow International Film Festival and in the industry programme of Message to Man. He was creative producer and author of the short film Docks in the Opening almanac at Koroche Festival in 2025. Hideaway is his first full-length documentary.