Russian ministry of culture has finally proposed draft law aiming to set limits for foreign movies, in particular for hollywood movies. The main purpose of the draft law is to provide more opportunities for those movies which can’t attract viewers’ attention. In other words the law proposes to limit the quantity of film sessions in single cinema. For these purposes the law even provides definition for cinema.
According to the draft law the cinema is “cultural object consisting of one or more movie halls where the film sessions run on regular basis”. The quantity of film sessions of particular movie is not to be exceed 35% from all quantity of all film sessions running in particular cinema during one day. The quantity of film sessions of particular movie in particular cinema with one movie hall is not to be exceed 35% from all film sessions running in such cinema during one week.
The draft law provide liability for failure to abide percentage requirement “in accordance with effective law”. Actually it seems like another attempt to bite Hollywood movies, because they are popular and occupy most time sessions in Russian cinemas. The Russian movies not so popular. This legislative proposal appeared little bit before the publication of news stating that box office only of 8 Russian movies from 68, produced with financial support from Russian state, have covered expenditures allocated for their production.
It is statistical report for the period from January to November 2019. Such unpleasurable statistics could be result of ineffective state financial management. When company receives financial support sometimes such support is non returnable. Therefore the company, receiving such support, don’t care about economical return – nobody would require to turn back money granted sometimes without any business plan to recoup them.
The main purpose of state financial support is to help the Russian movie producers to make great product, but without due control and regulation this help negatively affects the Russian movie industry. But sometimes the money are allocated to very good movies. The Russian minister of culture has stated that sometimes in Russia a very good box office make foreign movies which are a “plainly cheap stuff”. He stated he watches figures of such box office sorrowfully.
He admitted there is “great american, european movies, which are barely attainable example of talent. But there is pure cheap stuff which is very popular and makes great box office.” He believes the Russians have habit to watch hollywood movies. “It is necessary to change”, – he said. The proposed law is another attempt to do it.
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