South African filmmakers can count themselves lucky compared to their counterparts in Russia where the government has been slow in coming forward with a new support scheme for local film. The old support scheme was cancelled last year.
A government council for development of the Russian film industry was formed last May, headed by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, yet no decision has been made on how much financial support the film industry can expect. No administrative agency has also been set up.
The lack of movement on establishing state funding have caused a steep decline in the number of arthouse films and first features, while private investors are focusing on commercially viable projects, a spokesperson for Central Partnership, Russia’s largest independent film producer, told The Hollywood Reporter.
