🏴☠️ Kremlin Opposes Unlicensed Film Screenings
Elena Yampolskaya, Advisor to the President of the Russian Federation and former head of the State Duma Culture Committee, has spoken out against the practice of unofficial film screenings in Russian movie theaters, including the so-called "pre-show service" format.
In her view, this scheme undermines market transparency and creates risks of uncontrolled content distribution.
The presidential advisor cited the inability to guarantee that the movie being shown matches the official listing as the primary argument against the established practice. Yampolskaya noted that during her tenure on the relevant State Duma committee, attempts had already been made to combat such schemes, as theater operators are able to report one film on paper while screening an entirely different one for the audience.
Her statement comes amid a persistently high market share for gray-market theatrical releases. Unofficial titles have maintained their lead in Russian cinemas for four consecutive weeks: following the past weekend, shadow screenings led by Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster The Odyssey brought in 264 million rubles for theater operators.
Source: TASS
