Russian Film Festival exceeded 6.5 million in 30 countries

Since the beginning of the Russian Film Festival two years ago (RFF), a project organized by ROSKINO with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, the total audience of it has exceeded 6.5 million in 30 countries.

Starting with online screenings on VOD platforms in four countries at the end of 2020, RFF has significantly expanded its geography and increased the number of events:up to 25 festivals in 2022 (offline and online). The Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, Olga Lyubimova: “Millions of viewers around the world are the best proof of the demand for Russian cinema abroad. The Russian Film Festival continues to win the hearts of foreign viewers, not only introducing them to domestic films and animation. This year, our country has expanded partnership with Asia and the Middle East in many areas, and cinema is an important factor in interstate cultural interaction.”

ROSKINO CEO, Inna Shalyto: “Every year the Russian Film Festival develops: we are expanding the geography and the program, introducing different film formats, attracting new opinion leaders, and initiating dialogue between Russian and international filmmakers. RFF also contributes to the growth of interest from foreign TV channels and VOD platforms in buying Russian content. Taking into account plans for the development of inbound tourism from the Middle East, the CIS, India, and China, cinema can become a leader in the growth of tourist activity in Russian cities.”

FOCUS ON THE EAST
The Russian Film Festival, throughout the project's development, has taken place in Asia, Latin America, Africa, the CIS, Europe, and Australia. In 2022, RFF was held for the first time in the UAE, Jordan, Bahrain, Thailand, Serbia, Armenia, and Turkmenistan. Most of the events were held offline—stand alone RFF festivals and those integrated into the international film festivals. The Russian Film Festival program has been expanded and in 2022, series were added to feature films, animation, and documentary content. In total there were 71 projects in 2022.

In 2023, the Russian Film Festival plans to further expand its geography, retaining a variety of event formats and delighting foreign audiences with the diversity of contemporary Russian cinema.