Russian Animated Film Association shows the latest achievements of the sector

The monthly Russian Animated Film Association (RAFA) digest was launched, encompassing the latest achievements of Russian animation worldwide. RAFA represents the interests of the industry at all levels of government, develops the infrastructure of the industry, popularizes and promotes domestic animation in Russia and abroad, implements activities aimed at supporting the industry, including in the licensing field and implements its own projects.

Ilya Popov, President of RAFA, founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Riki Group of Companies: "Over the 11 years of its existence, the Association has become a backbone organization of the industry, which is increasing its presence in the market every year. RAFA expanded from 28 (2012) to 68 members (2022) and includes all the largest animation studios in Russia. We are engaged in many areas related to animation, lobbying the interests of the industry at all levels, in general, the development of the entire infrastructure of the industry. For 11 years, both the Association and the animation film industry have shown very high growth rates: the annual volume of animation production has grown from 35 to 150 hours, the number of people in the industry has tripled and now stands at about 5,000 people. Now the Association and its members face very big challenges, much has changed both within the industry in the country and far beyond its borders. We definitely have something to work on right now."

Irina Mastusova, RAFA CEO cites statistics of constant growth in the production of Russian animation: volume – more than 20 billion rubles, 150 hours of new content over the past year, more than 5,000 types of licensed products, the volume of the licensed revenue market – 3 billion rubles, the volume of exports – 7 billion rubles. More than 80 companies and more than 5,000 people work in the Russian animation industry.

According to Mastusova, the Russian animation industry owes such growth primarily to the support of the state and state institutions: the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Cinema Foundation, the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation, the Russian Export Center, ROSKINO, the Moscow Export Center and the Agency for Creative Industries of Moscow.