👀 Feature Films Take Over Russian Streaming Services

An analysis of leading SVOD/AVOD platforms reveals that local audiences no longer view streaming services purely as destinations for episodic series, increasingly choosing them to watch fresh theatrical releases.

Platform Consensus and the Undisputed Leader

The month’s standout event was the adaptation of Anna Jane’s best-selling novel Your Heart Will Be Broken. Released simultaneously across seven major streaming services, the film claimed the top spot on Ivi, Wink, Start, and Premier, while securing second place on Kinopoisk, Okko, and Kion. Industry experts noted that such unanimous consensus across competing platforms is unprecedented in the market’s history.

“The theatrical window operates in effective synergy with digital platform releases. The theatrical run generates massive buzz and brand awareness around a film, while streaming services extend its lifecycle and reach audiences who didn’t make it to the cinema,” noted Ksenia Boletskaya, Director of Industry Relations at Yandex.

Sharing the second position in June’s digital box office were the crime drama Kommersant starring Alexander Petrov (which topped the charts on Kinopoisk, Okko, and Kion) and the military-historical feature Angels of Ladoga starring Tikhon Zhiznevsky. The romantic comedy Parental Home also posted strong figures, comfortably securing a top-five position across five major platforms during the summer season.

In the foreign content segment, titles with sustained viewing potential—such as The Heir and The Maid—maintained leadership, whereas the spring theatrical hit Now That’s a Drama! demonstrated a steeper decay curve in user interest.

TV Series: Doubling Down on Franchises and Library Catalog

In the episodic segment, proven franchises and core content brands continue to serve as the primary audience engagement drivers. On Kinopoisk, Unprincipled and Major (Silver Spoon) maintained their lead; on Start, multi-season narratives accounted for roughly 70% of original content views; and on Wink, the top spot was claimed by the thriller After Fisher: Inquisitor.

A defining trend of the month was the chart re-entry of the comedy series Old School following the announcement of its second season at the Pilot TV Series Festival, alongside the successful debut of the sketch comedy Second Marriage on Premier. Platform representatives noted that Premier’s aggregate viewership metrics now encompass performance data from the Rutube video-hosting platform, which operates within the same corporate ecosystem.

Industry analysts agree that high-profile film premieres and new seasons of flagship series drive initial subscriber acquisition, whereas deep catalog offerings—namely “evergreen” catalog hits and children’s animation—guarantee daily subscriber retention.