Roskino CEO Ekaterina Mtsituridze about promoting Russian films abroad
May 11, will open the Cannes film festival and Cannes film market — the largest global platform for investors, producers and distributors (about her routine three years ago took the delightful documentary “Seduced and betrayed” directed by James Toback). The Russian pavilion on the Croisette, with a presence in other major festivals and markets, the company is engaged Roskino. It is headed by Catherine mtsitouridze said “the Tape.ru” about the intrigues of the festival selection, the reforms needed by industry, and the promotion of Russian cinema abroad.
“Ribbon.news”: this year in the official program of the Cannes festival from Russia included only the new film by Kirill Serebrennikov “(M)disciple.” You probably have insider information about who else was close to getting to the festival?
Ekaterina Mtsituridze: firstly, I’m glad the picture Cyril got into the competition “Special view”. This is a favorite program of the festival Director Thierry Frémaux. I in 2008 was a jury and I know how he feels — personally introduces each film before the screening. Secondly, glad that a new little masterpiece by Garri Bardin called “Listening to Beethoven” into a program “Director’s Fortnight”. As for the main section, then in Cannes was waiting for the new film by Sergei dvortsevoi “My little”, which follows the festival since 2008, when he won with the “Tulip” in the same “Special look”. But Sergei for the second year does not have time. The problem is that the film about migrant workers, and nonprofessionals in the leading roles, with the real workers. Most of them have work permits, and have all the time to solve problems with the immigration authorities. His actors often leave home and not return, marry, go to jail or change jobs — they all have their own difficult life. Some scenes are not finished, and Sergey with the tenacity of a true Creator fanatically collects everything in its particular mosaic. The selectors of Cannes for the second year tell him that waiting for the movie they have already seen almost finished material, and Sergei said it would be ready, only when is absolutely sure that the movie turned out. Unique actually the case is the author’s position, which I respect. Although, of course, I would like more movies in the program. We are already with the migration service helped him, and when in the suburbs over the snow, trying to organize everything in Norilsk, the benefit of our Chairman of the Board of Directors Dmitry Pristanskov then worked at Norilsk Nickel and was always willing to help, but it turned out that there architecture is not similar to Moscow never. In General, not boring us! Ahead of another winter, and hopefully by next Gangnam Sergey dosimetria.
Someone else saw the festival?
Pavel Lungin’s “Queen of spades” good reviews, but I haven’t watched it yet. She and a new picture of Andrei Konchalovsky, and “the Duelist” by Alexei Mizgirev, most likely, will be ready for Venice. But the Russian films this year in Cannes will not, and agree I and many of the selectors with whom we work, — the year was for short failure. Roskino annually in Cannes, a collection of student movies Global Russians, and this year we are faced with a serious problem — the choice was almost not anything else. Last year we had two short films in the program, prior to this every year — according to the movie, and Taisiya Igumentseva, in 2012-m won in the competition of festival de Cannes.
Photo: press service of Catherine Mtsituridze
The level of graduates of film schools and film schools fell?
Most of the movies we have seen, it is impossible to even guess that they have removed the alumni, and not fans. Is this Amateur film on YouTube that shot a hundred times more professional. If the situation does not change, next year we may reformat Global Russians — and will select films in the collection of Amateur papers with the highest number of hits on the Internet. And already these guys will bring to Cannes, we organize them to participate in educational programs and the Cannes Short Film Corner. Because now the big difference I see from film schools often have come out of clichéd, deprived of their own voice and style. Last year graduates work in the workshop of Alexander Sokurov Kabardino-Balkaria were a head taller than anything we have seen in this time. In the end, we chose films not only from Russian universities, but two short films and graduates of the London film schools is our children who have studied there and returned to shoot in Russia.
Sokurov in this year no?
No, and not planned yet, unfortunately. Alexander, with his own words, has not received further support from the Republic, although it is obvious that in education, these workshops need to invest the state, and possibly in the regions will be less aggression and ignorance, are actually always flourish where there is not enough culture and education. In General, the big question — where should be targeted state support for cinema. Exclusively at Studio, commercial projects, as it is now, or in the education system starting debutants, the development of independent rental? It would be reasonable to combine all this.
What do you think now the main problem of state support of cinema?
It must become transparent — without it development is impossible. Take, for example, support for cinemas and film distribution. Now sound is that phrase “We supported (conditional) 100 or 1,000 theaters”. What cinemas? What amount per grant? What percentage of Russian films in reality they sing? Helped to attract additional spectators these subsidies? This is a rhetorical questions. How, for example, operates CNC — center for cinematography in France? Absolute statements each year. Because the Fund is a public structure and Charter must provide detailed reporting. In Variety we folded articles about the Russian film industry because of the refusal of our funds, allocating hasdingi, to share information on the percentage of state support in each picture, the return percentage for profit, about budgets, about losses, about the distribution of recurrent grants, the exact box office, etc. now for Russian Forbes, which produced a great article about the Cannes film market, we learned the numbers, a detailed cost transactions, contracts, the whole inside without problems, the festival has provided us all. Well, thanks to the book Joel Chapron published with the support of Alexander Mamut, we know all about how the financing of French cinema. And it could well be the basis for the reform of the Russian film industry.
Photo: press service of Catherine Mtsituridze
Opacity is probably the main problem of the industry.
Therefore including not there is a co-production with foreign countries is one of the most important instruments of financing contemporary cinema. Neither the producer, accustomed to working in complete statements, not going to get into compound diagrams, elementary fearing for the feasibility of the project. And it is also loss of profits and also the opportunity to discuss.
One can only hope that sooner or later there will be a new generation of producers.
Already appeared, and this positive news. For example, Ilya Stewart (producer of the movies “(M)”, “Cold front”) is one of those who have fresh ideas and a willingness to search for funding. Stewart will participate in this year not only in “the Special sight” the film Serebrennikov, but in the Cannes Producers Network, where he will present two of its new project. One after the next “Cold front” of the Novel Volobuyev film with an interesting concept and the working title “the Blockbuster” (I hope the name they will change). Second, something reminiscent of “the Hunger games” called “Blood on the dance floor” with Svetlana Khodchenkova, Svetlana Ustinova and Anna Chipovskaya in the lead roles. Genre history. This is more promising than another author’s exercises, the Directors of which hate what you shoot, but I hope that some festival in new Tarkovsky, Panfilov or Shukshin. Will not see! Because they were filming that they ached, but not about what, in their opinion, was ill at the festivals.
Anyway, what is the way to increase the level of production?
In my opinion, this way can pave our leading producers by opening of the Studio school at their companies, a year of such education and practice could give more than five lost years in the University, which bears little resemblance to the universities of Los Angeles, where guys grow creators, and not churn out robots. Young producers could grow Selyanov, Ernst and Maximov, Vereshchagin, Bekmambetov, Fayziev, Rodnyansky, Melkumov, Bondarchuk, rudovsky, Davletyarov, Tolstunov, Goryainov, Borisevich. I would not want someone to miss. In “Tsentral partnership” a great experience. The channel “Russia”, the First is a huge. TNT is successfully moving in the direction of the movie. STS the same could be one of the bases. Professionals develop the industry with his hands and his intelligence. And they desperately need new staff: producers, Directors… the Writers can be sent to Los Angeles with a guarantee that they’ll come back and get here in Russia. Sergey Selyanov together with Alexander Akopov and the Association of producers of film and television for three years already offering system reform education, but it has still not been carried out.
Photo: press service of Catherine Mtsituridze
Russian cinema is something to be proud of in the year of world cinema?
We can be proud of individuals, personalities. But all the people that we can be proud of, to have something contrary to the current system, not because of it. We have good projects, and professionals who are able to do them, that’s at least all the ones I just mentioned. But it’s all private successes are only possible thanks to the incredible efforts of individuals and their teams. System and how to build it up, if not start from the base, i.e. education?
Likely to need the same reforms and the relationship of film and state. Because it is obvious that the current scheme does not work: more spectators at the Russian cinema does not become allocated to the studios-the majors, the money is not returned, the success abroad is also very, very rare.
Needs. After all, the cinema Fund, which was created as an independent structure, in fact not distribute their own funds, but those that he highlights the Ministry of culture, i.e. the Ministry of culture allocated from the state Treasury. In the original design, the Foundation was created to provide subsidies for expensive and socially-relevant movies, because the Ministry of culture under the Charter cannot deduct on any particular project exceeds a certain amount. But still the decision of the Minister and in this rule, and then there are exceptions then what is the point in the next split? Why not create a single structure like the one that used to be called the state? The head of state and his team in this case would bear personal responsibility for expensive projects, and for the author cinema, for the success and for failures. I’m not sure it is the right solution, but the question is overdue and worthy of discussion. Maybe it will decide that the cinema Fund is the only salvation and then please let it remain as it is. But well, this was discussed not in secret, but openly.
The main target indicator of the effectiveness of industry we have now considered the share of Russian cinema, which drastically decreased if we compare with performance 2005-2009. Until that time, until earned, the current system of state support.
Rate the share of Russian films is not working. It’s a pretty bogus figure. What is this share? The success of three-four pictures that collect cash and earn 90% of the total fees domestic film for the year. You are right, in 2007 the proportion was almost 30%, now — rejoice 18%.
Photo: press service of Catherine Mtsituridze
Where are the other 120 films, supported by the government? This year, it seems, once again turns out that all our movies will make three or four successful project: “Hardcore”, “Wolves and sheep: the transformation of the mad”, “Crew”, “Viking”, and all.
Rhetorical question. In my opinion, a more effective indicator would be the number of quality films diverse in genre, style, theme, provoking discussion in society. After “Leviathan”, in fact, not a single Russian film has caused debate in society. Everything else passes by. Including worthy, able to movies, such as “Fool” Yuri Bykov, who could sound a lot stronger than it turned out. One “Crew” and two good cartoons in a year is clearly not enough.
How to influence this situation?
To do everything we talked about above. Plus the state should invest in the marketing of Russian cinema exactly the same way as in production. In addition, Russian movies, very different, aimed at different audiences, have to go to the box office, not two or three weeks, and two or three months — then they will have more opportunities to become a phenomenon, find its audience. Here’s an example: a completely wonderful film “Territory”, I watched it for three hours without stopping, he lasted two weeks — sluggish advertising, low PR, no debate, international attention was not planned at all. And it could have turned out differently! The viewer must begin to watch their own films. We have now in Russia there is no culture of consumption of national cinema. And this year a movie will not help. In France, this culture of consumption of its national and quality independent of the content of the world’s cultivated for decades.
What in these circumstances to promote Russian cinema abroad?
Not easy, but we’re not complaining. At Roskino is, built structure, clear-cut program of action, international reputation, gained over five years of continuous operation. We do not exist in a vacuum, in a magical cube with a sign “red carpet — top view”. Everything is interconnected. And now we have to admit that we have to put a good face on adversity, in the face of constant underfunding. Work so that all our domestic contradictions to our international partners were invisible. Just today I was in touch with the Director of the Cannes film market to delay his payment for the rent and for advertising. We pay parts. And Jerome pier is our friend. But it is humiliating. Subsidies that are allocated to us, enough, at best, a quarter of our total markets. The rest have to get with the help of partners and sponsors, so we have a few years to help the company “Aeroflot” and Charitable Foundation Elena and Gennady Timchenko. And that’s great — they get great press and publicity in Association with our activities, but the fact remains: to promote national cinema, and in General the national culture is a fundamental task of the state. We recently talked with Olga Sviblova, which for many years has made great strides, forming around his Museum certain environment, and it also complains that, for example, to promote the same wonderful talented Russian artists abroad neither the means nor the technology they have. Olga suggested to think about how we could do that together with Roskino, and it is all real. We are all like-minded people. But again, serious steps can only be done with the active support of the state.
Photo: press service of Catherine Mtsituridze
You are able to make significant progress — a year ago you held a media Forum in St. Petersburg, where 2700 guests from all over the world. And this year Russia will be the headliner at the Cannes film market Marche du Film, the largest in the world. It’s a huge attention to our film.
For five years, we have waited for this opportunity — got it, agreed with Cannes in August of last year, and now we ask for the delay. I wrote a letter to the Minister of culture of Russia with a detailed description of the situation, but the money from the Ministry for the pavilion and stand at the film market we will receive until the end of may after the Cannes film festival and market. I’m glad this year we have a state support. And that dialogue with the Ministry of culture began. But while we are forced to close all expenses for own account — as long as the bill we had to pay this year for the film markets in Berlin and Hong Kong and the market in Kannaiah. Film company producing laminating film and at least have some income. We structure that doesn’t earn (we’re not asking for interest on sales of movies or TV series), and creates the conditions to help Russian cinema to move and to pay off international territories.
I hope that Vladimir Medinsky, who so often appeals to Patriotic values, will find the opportunity to study the development project Roskino, where 40 pages of text and tables formulated in detail our proposal for the development of the international promotion of Russian films in the next few years. We are ready to participate in public hearings on the issue. We did a lot of team work to develop the concept. With me, with our staff, the concept was written a few marketing experts, foreign consultants, financiers. Waiting for an answer, as they say.
Our technology, our connections, reputation, knowledge of the market are already working. The sales of domestic films, as we can judge by the results of participation in markets this year in Berlin and Hong Kong, thanks to our producers with joint efforts, grow. Buy them for rental and in Asia, and in Europe, and in Latin America — primarily it’s about quality of audience, commercial projects, and animation. In Berlin the only one with “the Crew” trades were closed for several dozens of territories. Franchise “the snow Queen” and the franchise “Smeshariki” sold worldwide, including China, “Hardcore” has excellent performance of sales in almost all countries of the world. On “Viking,” which is not open for sales, already formed a queue of buyers. “Duelist” is already a strong demand, although there has not yet been announced. In General, there is a result there is a desire for the best. So, I’ll tell you honestly, I’m sure everything will work out. The question is, due to annoying bureaucracy not to miss the favourable conditions that have emerged in the markets in relation to international projects. I hope that this will not happen and all goes well.
