🎬 Roskino to Host Inaugural Russian Film Week in Malaysia
The international footprint of Russian cinema continues its eastward expansion. From July 18 to 25, 2026, the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur will host its first-ever Russian Film Week.
Malaysia marks the third new territory opened by Roskino for large-scale screenings since the start of the current summer season. The showcase is integrated into the program of the 9th Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest), ensuring that the featured Russian titles capture the attention of both the Asian audience and the professional filmmaking community.
“Malaysia is a brand-new destination on Roskino’s screening map. Having Russian films participate in Malaysia’s largest film festival is a major milestone for us. I am confident that our films will resonate deeply with the audience,” commented Elsa Antonova, CEO of Roskino.
The lineup for the debut Film Week has been curated to showcase genre diversity, intergenerational continuity, and the strong literary foundation of domestic cinema. Malaysian viewers and critics will be presented with four films:
- Sydney Lumet’s Birthday – a psychological drama exploring the subtleties of human relationships;
- Lefty – a sci-fi detective feature offering a fresh take on classic tropes;
- Family Happiness – an adaptation of Leo Tolstoy’s novel of the same name, showcasing the classical school of Russian directing;
- The Cranes Are Flying – Mikhail Kalatozov’s restored masterpiece. The legendary Soviet drama, which won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, is set to introduce foreign audiences to the historic peaks of Russian cinematic art.
Industry experts note that integrating the event into the MIFFest framework allows Russian distributors to go beyond a mere cultural exchange, paving the way to establish direct B2B contacts with distributors in Southeast Asia—a region currently experiencing some of the fastest box office growth in the world.
Source: Kinometro
