Following the sanctions taken against the Russian Federation in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine, Russian cinemas officially no longer have access to the latest productions from Hollywood cinemas.
In practice, several movie theaters make no secret of showing pirated copies of films such as The Batman despite the condemnation of such acts by the Russian Association of Cinema Owners.
Moviegoers watch pirated movies in Russia
Yet illegal practice if we are to believe the Russian legislation in force, the distribution of copies of pirated films in Russian cinemas has been a reality for more than a month now. Indeed, according to TorrentFreakseveral photos found on social networks such as Telegram and VKontakte convey images presenting cinemas offering paid sessions to view the latest blockbuster from Warner Bros., The Batman. For this last film, cinemas in Yekaterinburg or Moscow offer daily showings at the price of 500 rubles, or 7 dollars, with Russian dubbing please.
Other productions such as Don’t Look Upfrom Netflix, or even Red alert, from Pixar studios, are experiencing a similar fate and are available in Russia despite the embargo on the country two months ago. Pirate behavior condemned by the Russian Association of Cinema Owners, which claims to represent nearly 700 cinemas and 2,600 screening rooms throughout the Russian Federation: ” The illegal public display of pirated, or rather stolen, copies of films in cinemas takes Russian cinema out of the legal arena and takes us back to the dark days of the illegal trade of the 1990s “.
Concern about the future of Russian cinema
These illegal distributions seem to take place as much in professional cinemas as in clandestine cinemas. The Grinvitch cinema in Yekaterinburg, however, seems anxious to justify itself by offering content “ compiled and published by the organizers of a private event » and not sessions open to all to view the film directed by Matt Reeves.
However, in addition to these illegal broadcasts across the country, the Russian Association of Cinema Owners is worried about the future of the seventh art in Russia. Announcing forecasts of losses of 80% in turnover for the 2022 financial year for Russian cinemas, it also draws attention to national productions:
” Unfortunately, the quantity and quality of Russian films shown to the public does not meet the full demand of cinemas for content. In addition, the release of some Russian films, for reasons unknown to us, have been postponed to future dates or completely canceled despite the fact that these films received state support for production. »
Not sure that the threats of potential criminal sanctions will set back desperate professionals.
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Source : TorrentFreak
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