Russia In Review

'Looking for Rohmer' breaks China's unwritten gay taboo

A low-budget China-France co-production has succeeded where other LGBT-themed films have previously failed in China: avoiding a ban by the country’s regulatory body, the State Administration of Radio, Film and Televison (SARFT), and officially making it into local cinemas.

Government bans showings of 'Infinity War' on Victoria Day

The Russian Culture Ministry ruled that only Russian movies should be shown on the country’s movie screens on Victoria Day, May 9. In what was described as “an unspoken arrangement” between the Ministry and Russian cinemas, all screenings of Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War were cancelled for one...

Russian MP calls for ban on outspoken actors

Russian MP Ivan Sukhanov stated that cinema actors in Russia should be banned from state-funded movies if they are found making any anti-Russian statements in public....

Russian cinemas champion 'Paddington'

The federal government of Russia was accused of biased actions against foreign films after the Culture Ministry tried to postpone the premiere of Paddington 2 by two weeks....

Korean cinema chain sets sights on Russia

South Korean cinema chain CJ CGV is about to become the first major foreign player to enter the Russian exhibition market, while also investing money into the domestic movie industry, the company’s executives told Russian news media.

Burger King Russia says 'It' promotes McDonald's

The Russian arm of Burger King has filed a complaint to the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) against the horror movie It, alleging that the film breaks the country’s advertising law, as camouflaged advertising for another fast-food chain, McDonald’s....

China saves Russian 'Avengers' at the box office

The Russian movie 'Guardians,' created to be the first country’s superhero film and the national analog of Marvel’s 'Avengers,' flew near the $7 million mark in box office, adding $2.2 million to its total gross in its first weekend on Chinese screens.

Officials, prosecutors and church unite against 'Mathilda'

The new movie Mathilda, by well-known Russian director Alexey Uchitel, is scheduled for release at the end of March, but already the picture about the romance of the last Russian tsar, Nikolay II, and ballerina Mathilda Kschessinska has divided the country. ...

Russia eyes renewed battle with Hollywood movies

Russia’s Ministry of Culture is considering an increase in the price of distribution certificates for Hollywood movies in the country from the current 3,500 rubles (US$59) to five million rubles (US$84,300), according to Anton Malyushev, Russia’s Cinema Fund director....

Kremlin denies role in censoring Russian movies

The Russian government is against any censorship in the movie industry, but feels free to demand certain things from films produced with the participation of state funds, stated Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Oct. 25, in response to claims of several...