Last session

Moscow authorities still hope to participate in the film business

Moscow officials tried yesterday to make whatever contribution they could to the development of domestic cinema. However, the concept for the development of the city’s cinematography industry, designed for three years ahead, presented by the capital’s deputy mayor Oleg Tolkachev, did not find support from his colleagues. The draft resolution proposing the creation of another unitary enterprise to unite “advanced” cinemas was sent for revision. Cinema directors do not take seriously the activity of the Moscow government, which has set its sights on the expropriation of property and income from the operation of these establishments, as they intend to corporatize them this year. Some cinema directors believe that behind the actions of capital officials are the interests of large film distribution associations (Karo-Film and Empire Cinema) who want to expand their business.

The document presented by Mr. Tolkachev envisages the creation of a new state unitary enterprise “United Directorate of Cinema Networks”, to which it is planned to transfer 15 cinemas. Over the past two years they have been revived thanks to investors. For example, approximately $1 million was invested in the Pobeda cinema, according to its director Irina Morozova. Mr. Tolkachev believes that managing cinemas that already have investors and cinemas that are “lying on their side” is completely different things. Therefore, the State Unitary Enterprise "Moscow Cinema", which unites 41 Moscow cinemas, is not enough - we need one more. However, Deputy Mayor Valery Shantsev did not agree with this argument, and suggested that cinemas should not be prevented from becoming incorporated. It is not yet clear which point of view will win.

However, while officials are looking for the best option for their participation in the film business, cinemas intend to corporatize. “We have such plans (organization of a joint-stock company - Ed. ) for this year,” the director of the Pobeda cinema, Mrs. Morozova, told the Vremya Novostey newspaper, “and no officials will stop us from doing this.” Referring to lawyers, she said that the city would not be able to take away the property, which is managed by the management of the cinemas under the rights of economic management under an agreement of perpetual use.

However, the Moscow government will still take over some cinemas. Among them are “Forum” (transferred to the Mikhail Shemyakin Museum), “Krasnaya Presnya” (Rolan Bykov Foundation), “Friendship” (department of social protection of the population of the Northern Administrative District). In total, over the past decade, the city authorities have transferred 33 capital cinemas to various cultural and artistic figures - and seven of them are not being repaired and are not used for the purposes for which they were intended. According to Mr. Tolkachev, “administrative documents have already been prepared to return these cinemas to city management.” After their adoption, Moscow authorities will determine how these cinemas will be used in the future.

Vladislav DOLGOV