• Distributors

Hollywood Films Still Helping Boost Russias Box Office

A Screening of Avatar in A Russian Cinema

Despite Russia’s ongoing and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, many film distributors who immediately ceased doing business with the aggressor have since begun cutting deals for the territory once again. According to Russia’s Cinema Fund, which tracks ticket sales, more than 140 films from the United States were released in the country after the start of the war.

While major Hollywood studios have pulled out of Russia, at least for now, titles such as the George Miller directed “Three Thousand Years of Longing,” “Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre,” released globally by STXinternational, and action-thriller “Plane” are topping the box office in the country. Even the Oscar nominated “Triangle of Sadness” was distributed theatrically in Russia last year. French films do so well in Russia, that Pathé opted for a nationwide theatrical release its recent action epic “The Three Musketeers.”

Some distributors who have chosen to continue releasing films in Russia have said they are only complying with contracts or agreements signed before the war began but have not signed new deals in the region. Sales agents can get away with claiming they are not offering films to “Russia-based entities” but have sold titles to non-Russian distributors who have chosen to release their films theatrically in the country.

Source : Variety