Question of Priorities: Discussions Continue on Compulsory Licensing of Foreign Films in Russia

The Ministry of Economic Development of Russia stated that proposals to amend the country's legislation on compulsory licensing of foreign video content are not supported "including due to the fact that they may entail a violation of international agreements to which the Russian Federation is a party, as well as negative assessments of Russian legislation and law enforcement practice in the field of protection of property and property rights”.

This is with reference to the official response of the department to the request of the Federation Council Committee on Economic Policy, the TASS agency reports.

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At the same time, the head of the committee Andrey Kutepov believes that the position of the ministry may change, and the main thing now is that the issue is being considered and discussed.

“Any issue is discussed, and it is quite multifaceted,” Kutepov emphasized in an interview with RT.

- The opinion of the Ministry of Economic Development, perhaps, will somehow be transformed.

Perhaps we will smooth over the corners and misunderstandings... The main thing is that the topic develops, so that entrepreneurs have the opportunity, both on the one hand and on the other, to conduct legal business and develop.

If we categorically make decisions about prohibitions and preventing something, we will not come to anything good ... Yes, the issue is not easy, but I think we will find some solution.

It’s good that we started discussing it before it reached a dead end.”

Earlier, Andrey Kutepov argued that the decision of Western majors, such as Walt Disney, Warner Bros., Universal, to suspend the licensing of films for Russian users while these films are legally published and licensed outside the country, "contradicts the norms of international law."

The search for a solution, according to Kutepov, is necessary primarily from the point of view of supporting Russian business.

“We are not in an unambiguous situation right now.

On the one hand, we must pay (attention. -

) to the laws of international law, and on the other hand, we are in such a situation that our people, our entrepreneurs are much closer to us than everyone else.

Therefore, I will honestly tell you that for me personally the citizens of the Russian Federation are in the first place, and not international law, ”Kutepov emphasized.

Aleksey Vasyasin, a member of the Association of Cinema Owners, is convinced that there are only two options for the development of events in order to stabilize the situation on the domestic film market.

The first and “more correct” he calls subsidizing Russian production in a five-year perspective and investing in cinemas in a two-year perspective - so that “they live to see that glorious moment when Russian producers shoot a movie in two years.”

“Less correct is compulsory licensing, which will help cinemas survive.

In this case, probably, money from the state will not be needed.

Therefore, either this or that, ”Vasyasin said in a conversation with RT.

While legislators, senators, and major industry players are trying to work out legal mechanisms to regulate licensing issues in the current situation, some cinema chains are using a “free pre-show service” scheme - viewers buy a ticket for a short film, and receive a Western blockbuster as a “bonus”.

Other cinema chains simply rent out their screens to a third-party company that shows new releases such as Avatar: The Way of the Water.

This is how the sequel to James Cameron's sci-fi film, which officially became one of the highest-grossing films in history, ended up in Russia, despite the departure of the Disney studio from our country.

The first new part of "Avatar" was shown by small non-network cinemas at the end of 2022.

In some regions, the name of the tape was changed, but a copy was shown on the screens in good quality and with professional Russian dubbing, made for one of the CIS countries.

Fees from such shows are high.

“(Avatar-2. -

) is going well.

Officially, in terms of fees, 500 million rubles, in fact, I think that he has already collected 1.5 billion for sure and will collect more, ”said Alexei Vasyasin.

After the crisis in the industry caused by the coronavirus pandemic and the start of the NWO in Ukraine, December 2022 and January 2023 were a breath of fresh air for cinema owners.

The high fees of "free pre-session service" and the absolutely record - "Cheburashki" helped to slightly stabilize the situation in the industry.

Vasyasin is convinced that even if the second part of "Avatar" came out in a normal legal field and with a marketing campaign, Dmitry Dyachenko's new work would still set its record.

“He (Cheburashka. -

) would have collected the same money, only a little longer, if he competed with Avatar.

And the industry would have lived happily ever after and reached a new level of development after three years of being in a crisis, ”Vasyasin believes.

Earlier, Alexei Voronkov, chairman of the Association of Cinema Owners, asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to instruct the government to develop and implement real support measures for the film distribution industry as soon as possible.

Voronkov's open letter emphasizes that the current critical situation threatens the existence of cinemas in Russia.