🎠 Online Cinemas Set to Build "Disneyland for Gen Z"

Moderated by Lili Sheroziya, General Producer of the “Smotrim” platform, the panel featured Kirill Trenin, CEO of “Kion Cluster,” Ilya Alekseev, CEO of the Start streaming service, and Manjot Sandhu, head of India’s Narativ Media.

Manjot Sandhu outlined the specifics of the Indian VOD market. Despite following major global trends—such as prioritizing cricket broadcasts and integrating UGC with influencers—major global services like Netflix have been unable to secure a dominant market position. Expansion is hampered by severe fragmentation: dozens of strong local platforms, distinct regional dialects, and cultural barriers make native content far more competitive.

Ilya Alekseev noted that due to market saturation and slowing user acquisition, the industry’s focus has shifted from attraction to retention. Short-term retention tactics—such as offering a one-month subscription renewal to a churning user—now account for up to 20% of platforms’ overall business volume.

Start identifies bundled offerings and partner subscriptions as its primary growth drivers. Research indicates that a user already spending RUB 500 on basic services is psychologically prepared to pay an additional RUB 300–400 for a high-quality expansion of the content ecosystem. This model generates a win-win dynamic for all distribution partners.

Addressing micro-dramas, the speakers expressed skepticism regarding their rapid profitability in Russia. Lili Sheroziya noted that the format debuted free of charge within existing streaming services, while the lack of access to mainstream global social platforms complicates user acquisition for dedicated apps. Ilya Alekseev agreed, pointing out that marketing a standalone vertical-content platform demands massive CAPEX. Kirill Trenin suggested that generative AI could eventually salvage the unit economics of micro-dramas by dramatically lowering production costs.

Looking ahead, Kirill Trenin did not rule out a consolidation of independent players within the next year. Among key global trends, he highlighted platforms’ ambitions to expand offline and build communities—creating dedicated fandoms or, as Lili Sheroziya put it, “Disneyland for Gen Z.” Closing the session, Ilya Alekseev emphasized that the Russian market’s defining achievement remains competitors’ ability to collaborate and collectively advance the subscription model amid challenging economic conditions.