Screen
Anna Franklin

Russia on target to produce more than 160 films in 2005

10-Feb-2005
Russia is on target toproduce more than 160 feature films this year with an economic boom drivingproduction funding and an increase of 40% at the box office last year makingfilm production start to look attractive for local backers.
Submarine drama triumphs at Russian Oscars

31-Jan-2005
VladimirKhotinenko's 72 Metres, about a Russian submarine crew strandedbelow sea, has won the best film prize at the Golden Eagles, Russia'sequivalent of the Oscars.Theannual awards ceremony was presided over by its founder and Russian Oscarwinner, Nikita Mikhalkov.
Russian box office surges over 40% in 2004

17-Jan-2005
The Russian box office grew by 41% to $268m lastyear, while admissions surged to 76.5m according to latest figures.
2004: Russia comes in from the cold

24-Dec-2004
Eastern European film industry enjoying bumper year

17-Nov-2004
With a production boom in progress in Russia, commitmentsfor increased government funding in Poland and a major new player in theBaltics entering the field the film industry in the east is seeing its bestyear in a decade.
Russian distributor, exhibitor team to market talent abroad

3-Nov-2004
Russiandistributor Michael Schlicht and Moscow based exhibitor Paul Heth have teamedup to market Russian film talent to Hollywood following their successfulbrokering of Russian blockbuster NightWatch to 20th Century Fox.
Child abuse drama signals new direction for Polish film

23-Sep-2004
Aftera spate of veteran directors and big budget historic epics dominating Polishfilm for the past few years, this year's annual roll-out of new Polish featurefilms at the Gdynia Film Festival proved that a fresh wind is blowing in theindustry.
Russian fighter jet company backs $10m action film.

1-Sep-2004
Russianmilitary aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi is backing a new $10m Russian actionmovie Mirror Wars starring MalcolmMcDowell and other Hollywood actors.
Polish art house festival breaks attendance record

5-Aug-2004
This year's fourth edition of Era New Horizons festival,eastern Europe's leading art house film festival, broke all previous recordsfor ticket sales with 93,602 tickets sold comparied to 56,179 last year.
Private equity fund invests in Russian exhibition

5-Aug-2004
Russian exhibitorand entertainment complex developer, Investkinoproyekt, has announced plans toexpand in the Russian regions after attracting the single largest equityinvestment in the Russian industry $40m from international private equity groupCube Private Equity Fund.
Russian horror breaks box office records

4-Aug-2004
Russia's first realHollywood-style blockbuster NightWatch has broken the local recordfor the biggest grossingbox office hitof all time - taking justover $14.3m asof yesterday, accordingto the press service ofthe First Channelof Russian television.
Russian Watch clocks up record box office

21-Jul-2004
Russian produced horror film Night Watch, directed byTimur Bekmambetov, is on its way to becoming one of the top grossing filmsin Russian box office history, challenging the $14m record set by Lord OfThe Rings: The Return Of The King. Local audiences are also eagerlyawaiting the sequel Night Watch II due for release on 27 July.
Bodrov readies Genghis Kahn epic

16-Jul-2004
Russian filmmaker Sergei Bodrov is set to begin shooting hisnew film Mongol (The Early Years of Genghis Khan) this autumn. Thedirector of the Oscar nominated Prisoner Of The Caucuses is also actingas co-producer alongside Sergei Selyanov, head of the St Petersburg based STVFilm.
Russia revs up race car drama

14-Jul-2004
Leading Russianproduction outfit Top Line Productions, headed by Sergei Gribkov, is set to begin shooting this week on a newproject, car racing drama Eau Rouge (Krasnaya Voda).
Moscow awards Us raft of prizes

28-Jun-2004
If any more proofwas needed of the healthy state of Russian film, last night's awards ceremonyat the 26th Moscow International Film Festival should convince anysceptics.
Moscow Festival gets off to roaring start

20-Jun-2004
The Moscow International Film Festival got off to a roaringstart on Friday night (18 June) with guests Quentin Tarantino, David Carradine,Lawrence Bender and Harvey Weinstein taking to the stage at the Pushkin Theatreto rousing applause.
Tarantino arrives for opening of Moscow festival

17-Jun-2004
Director QuentinTarantino has arrived in Moscow for the Russian premiere of his Kill BillVol 2, which opens the Moscow International Film Festival (June 18-27) today.
East European production swings into high gear

16-Jun-2004
Therecent economic boom in Russia has made it easier to finance films - bothprivately and from government funds. Dozens of young new directors are expectedto complete new films by the end of the year with the Russian Ministry ofCulture giving priority to funding debut projects.
Moscow film fest unveils programme line-up

9-Jun-2004
The 26th annual Moscow International Film Festival (June 18-27) rolled out its official programme yesterday at a press conference in central Moscow.
POLAND

19-Mar-2004
Mel Gibson's The Passion Of The Christ racked up a running total box office gross of $3,822,060 in its second week at number at the Polish box office.
Russian exhibitor wins Euro backing for five multiplexes

19-Feb-2004
Russian exhibitor, Rising Star Media, a joint venture between exhibition giant National Amusements and Soquel Ventures headed by American Paul Heth, has secured a $27.5m loan to build five new multiplexes in Russia.
POLAND

18-Feb-2004
Following last week's new entry Symmetry, which brought Polish films back into the box office chart after a two month hiatus, last weekend saw another local feature top the chart.
Russia's exhibition sector set for rapid growth

4-Feb-2004
The exhibition sector in Russia is set to grow once again this year driven by a box office that has been increasing by 80% a year over the past two or three years according to figures released by the Russian Ministry of Culture.
The Return graced with Golden Eagles

2-Feb-2004
Despite being snubbed by the Oscars, director Andrei Zvyagintsev's The Return swept to victory at the second edition of the Golden Eagles, one of Russia's two top film awards.
Polish box office falls as local films misfire

26-Jan-2004
Polish box office and admissions slipped year-on-year during 2003.
Eastern Europe production overview

26-Jan-2004
For full Eastern European production listings click HERE
Russian renaissance prompts increase in state support

21-Jan-2004
The Russian film industry underwent a renaissance in 2003 according the Russian Ministry of Culture. After years of crisis the ministry announced that 60 state supported features, 400 documentaries and 30 animated films were produced last year. An additional 25 to 30 features were produced with wholly private backing.
Russia's Gorky Studios to be privatised

14-Jan-2004
Russia's second largest film production facility, Gorky Studios in central Moscow, has taken the first step on the road to privatisation.
POLAND

18-Dec-2003
The Polish box office showed few changed this week with the top five slots remaining the same as the previous week. It also echoed world trends this week with Finding Nemo, distributed by Forum Film topping the box office with a gross to date of $3.4m. Love Actually distributed by UIP straggled far behind with $962,918 in the number two slot and S.W.A.T.also distributed by UIP with $226,728 in the number three spot.
Tallinn takes off with 300-strong programme

9-Dec-2003
The 7th annual Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (22 Nov-7 Dec) screened 300 films from 50 countries this year, making it the largest edition since its inception despite the ongoing struggle to finance the event.
Polish broadcaster beefs up film spend

28-Oct-2003
Polish public broadcaster TVP has vowed to increase its funding for the beleaguered Polish film industry amid signs that the crisis faced by producers over the last two years is beginning wane.
POLAND

8-Oct-2003
Jerzy Hoffman's When The Sun Was God-An Ancient Tale proved the staying power as it of Polish films as it spent its third week at number one and topped the magic million dollar mark with $1,032,073, closing in on Pirates which settled at number four this week with a cumulative box office of $1,382,524 after five weeks on release.
Russia names Return as Oscar contender

7-Oct-2003
As expected, the Venice Film Festival's recent Golden Lion winner The Return, directed by Andrei Zvyagintsev, has been selected as the Russian entry for the upcoming Oscars.
FERA launches Eastern European branch

1-Oct-2003
The Federation of European Film Directors (FERA) has agreed to set up a regional office in Warsaw to serve the film industry in the new EU member countries of Central and Eastern Europe.
Polish industry stunned by festival upset

23-Sep-2003
The 28th edition of the Polish Film Festival (Sept 16-20), held in the Baltic resort of Gdynia, turned into the most controversial event since the days when Polish filmmakers battled communist bureaucrats in the 1980's. Only this time the battle was artistic rather than political.
US exhibitor looks to cash in on Russian multiplex boom

19-Sep-2003
Russia's largest multiplex opened this week (17 Sept) with a special gala screening of The Italian Job attended by its stars Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron as well as National Amusements top exec Shari Redstone.
Veteran Russian director shoots with terrorist biopic

17-Sep-2003
One of Russia's most well known directors Karen Shakhnazarov is in production on a new film that takes the audience inside the mind of the world's earliest terrorist's.
POLAND

17-Sep-2003
Boomer explodes at Russian box office

12-Sep-2003
While Renfilm's The Return has been racking up awards at Venice for its director Andrei Zvyagintsev, another Russian film has been making news at home.
Russia bankrolls Moscow Heat

28-Aug-2003
Russian body builder and actor Alexander Nevsky begins shooting a landmark production in Moscow this week.
POLAND

28-Aug-2003
Polish directors Andrei Saramonowicz and Tomasz Konecki scored a hit at the Polish box office this week with their new film Cialo (The Body).
Apollo wraps Russian-US feature

21-Aug-2003
Russian-American production company Apollo Films has just wrapped on its new feature Passenger From San Francisco after nearly a year of shooting in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Cyprus, the Crimea, the Greek islands, Moscow and St Petersburg.
Russia's Return racks up pre-festival sales

20-Aug-2003
Russian director Andrei Zvyagintsev's debut feature The Return has struck two international sales in advance of its competition screening in this year's Venice International Film Festival.
Russia's Return racks up pre-Venice sales

20-Aug-2003
Russian director Andrei Zvyagintsev's debut feature The Return has struck two international sales in advance of its competition screening in this year's Venice International Film Festival.
Bulgaria looks to cash in on footloose productions

31-Jul-2003
Bulgarian studios are getting ready to profit from the increase in prices that is expected to accompany the accession of its neighbours to the European Union next year.
Warner Bros strikes Russian TV output deal

31-Jul-2003
Warner Brothers International Television Distribution has concluded a landmark deal with three Russian television networks which have agreed to the joint purchase of a package of the studio's top films.
Lithuania looks to exploit EU accession

17-Jul-2003
Lithuania, which has lagged behind its Baltic neighbours in terms of film production, is poised to see major changes in advance of EU accession next year.
Spanish Mystery tops Moscow film festival

30-Jun-2003
The 25th Moscow International Film Festival closed on Sunday night with the grand prix going to Spanish director Miguel Hermoza for La Luz Prodigiosa (The End Of A Mystery) a drama set at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War.
Russian films maintain high presence at Moscow festival

11-Jun-2003
The 25th Moscow International Film Festival (June 20-29) has announced its competition line-up with Russian films again making their strongest presence in recent years.
Polish producer hopes for new blockbuster with Old Tale

14-Apr-2003
While the Polish film industry is still waiting for promised funding from new minister of culture Waldemar Dabrowski to revive the stalled industry, some producers are still managing to make films.
Russian distributors focus on foreign-language films

3-Apr-2003
Russia's box office grew by a stellar 45% last year - and with the chief beneficiaries being the Hollywood majors, Russian distributors are increasingly relying on foreign-language films.
Russia spawns rival awards events

31-Jan-2003
Russia's new Academy of Film Art founded by director Nikita Mikhalkov has rolled out the first ever edition of its new awards for cinema excellence the Golden Eagles. But the awards which are being touted as Russia's answer to the Oscars have sparked a major controversy as they are competing head on with the 15 year-old NIKA awards, held in April, which also claims to be Russia's premier film event.
Polish cinema admissions fall back in 2002

13-Jan-2003
The Polish box office declined slightly in 2002, falling back by half a million compared to 26 million admissions in 2001.
Edi

8-Jan-2003
Dir: Piotr Trzaskalski. Poland. 2002. 100mins
Baltic producers target Euro co-productions

13-Dec-2002
Film producers in the Baltic states of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are reaching out to their neighbours in western Europe, ahead of formally joining the European Union in 2004.
Tallinn Black Nights film fest attracts record admissions

10-Dec-2002
The sixth annual edition (23 November to 8 December) of the Black Nights Tallinn Film Festival joined forces for the first time this year with the Estonian Film Foundation to present two days of new films from the Baltic states during the festival.
Vienna to subsidise key arthouse cinemas

31-Oct-2002
The city of Vienna has agreed to subsidise the operation of two historic art house cinemas that were threatened with closure after they ran into financial difficulties.
Local successes defy Polish production crisis

14-Oct-2002
Despite the ongoing crisis in the Polish film industry that has seen the collapse of both production levels and budgets, local films continue to dominate the country's box office
Baltic film shines at Arsenals Film Festival

1-Oct-2002
The 16th edition of the quirky Arsenals International Forum (Sept 21-29) highlighted the achievements of filmmakers in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia at the second Baltic screenings, which has become an important part of this festival held in Riga each two years. While the combined feature film production of the three countries is only eight to ten features a year, the festival also screened animation, shorts and documentaries from the region making an impressive ...
Bodrov Jr and film crew still missing after Russian avalanche

27-Sep-2002
Sergei Bodrov Junior (pictured) and 49 members of his film crew are still missing, one week after a major avalanche hit a valley in Southern Russia where he was directing his latest film.Rescue workers are continuing to search for survivors from the avalanche which may have claimed as many as 150 lives. However, Emergency Situations Minister Sergei Shoigu admitted that there was little chance that anyone was left alive. Bodrov Jr and his crew were shooting in ...
Russia's Three T announces plans for new national cinema chain

26-Sep-2002
Russian film director Nikita Mikhalkov has announced plans for a new $40m chain of cinemas backed by Russian metals and banking mogul Vladimir Potanin.
Polish festival warms to Day Of The Freak

25-Sep-2002
Despite a funding crisis in the Polish film industry that has cast doubts on the future of the event, the 27th annual festival of Polish Feature Film (17-21 September) in the Baltic coast resort of Gdynia managed to field a competition programme of 21 new features and a special new section of low budget independent films with 11 entries. Dominating this year's fesitval was The Day Of The Freak directed by Marek Koterski (pictured) and starring top Polish actor Marek Kondrat. ...
Polish government steps in to bail out struggling film industry

25-Sep-2002
Poland's new culture minister Waldemar Dabrowski unveiled a government backed bail-out package for Poland's beleaguered film industry at last week's annual Festival of Polish Feature Film in the Baltic seaside resort of Gdynia. At a special industry forum of Polish filmmakers Dabrowski said that the government had agreed to a budget of US$ 5.5m (PLZ 23m) for 2003 to support the film industry.While Polish filmmakers hailed the news as a step in the right direction, the ...
New minister of culture heralds turning point for Polish film industry crisis

14-Jul-2002
Last week's appointment of Waldemar Dabroski as the new Polish Minister of Culture may signal an end to the political divisions that have been crippling the Polish film industry.
Cuckoo heralds Russian spring

5-Jul-2002
Last week's Moscow International Film Festival marked a milestone for the Russian film industry with Oscar-winning director Nikita Mikhalkov declaring at the closing ceremony that "the crisis in Russian film is over."
Taviani wins top Moscow film festival prize for Resurrection

2-Jul-2002
The 24th Moscow International Film Festival once again boasted a host of international celebrities at its closing ceremony with Harvey Keitel, Holly Hunter, Jacqueline Bisset, Atom Egoyan and Bob Rafelson turning up as well as Vittorio Taviani who collected the main prize for the film Resurrection.
National Amusements becomes first Int'l exhibitor in Russia

24-Jun-2002
National Amusements has announced plans to build Russia's largest cinema, an 11-screen multiplex in Moscow, making it the first major international exhibitor to venture into the Russian market.
Endeavour finishes photography on biggest budget Russian picture since 1998

18-Jun-2002
Major photography has just finished on new English language co-production, The St Petersburg Cannes Express, the biggest budget production to shoot in Russia since the 1998 financial crisis and the first in a slated series of new Russian projects being developed by Los Angeles-based Endeavour Productions.
Moscow Festival welcomes back Russian films

15-Jun-2002
Three Russian titles feature in this year's Moscow International Film Festival competition line-up, after last year's total lack of any local films in competition at all.
Russian films return to Moscow film festival

12-Jun-2002
Three Russian titles feature in this year's Moscow International Film Festival competition line-up, after last year's total lack of any local films in competition at all.
De Niro quip gives birth to Siberian film festival

6-Jun-2002
While most people would consider a resort like Cannes or Venice as the ideal location for a major festival, the organisers of a new film festival - to be held mid-winter in Siberia - are hoping to turn that concept on its head.
Russian war film sparks controversy

14-Mar-2002
A controversial new film by Alexei Balabanov, one of Russia's leading directors, had its premiere in Moscow yesterday (March 14), sparking a political slanging match in the local media..
Polish 'Oscar' winner highlights funding fears

11-Mar-2002
Despite the glittering surroundings of Warsaw's Royal Place and a guest list that included Agnieszka Holland and Krzysztof Zanussi, an air of gloom hung over the 'Orly 2002', Poland's version of the Oscars, on Saturday (March 9).
Kodak to sell its Kino Mir Moscow flagship cinema

4-Dec-2001
Kodak is selling its landmark central Moscow cinema Kino Mir at the beginning of next year to concentrate on its core business. The sale of the high-profile site which often accounted for a staggering 50% of the total box office profits for the whole of the country, is a sign of improvement in the Russian exhibition business over the last five years. National box office has grown from less than $10m to $50m last year and this year is already 30% ahead of 2000 with the steadily growing ...
Polish blockbusters dominate local box office

29-Nov-2001
The appetite of Polish audiences for home-grown blockbusters remains undiminished with Witchman (Wiedzmin), directed by Marek Brodski and produced by Warsaw-based Vision Film Production and Heritage Films, holding the number one position for the second week in a row with a gross of $1.37m (zlo5.7m).
Central Asian films attract increasing interest

12-Nov-2001
Warsaw fest attracts record audiences

21-Oct-2001
Despite losing its backing from the Polish Ministry for Cinematography, this year's 17th annual Warsaw International Film Festival, (October 4-15) screened 126 films from 37 countries, drawing a record audience of 61,000 - making it the biggest edition so far.
Russia to double film industry grant next year

28-Aug-2001
The Russian Ministry of Culture has announced that it will double the amount of government funding for the film industry next year. The Ministry of Culture budget for 2002 will include $60m for film, 70% of which will support film production with the remaining 30% allocated for the funding of festivals and other film industry activities.
Paradise plans Russian exhibition boom

24-Aug-2001
Abstracted from the weekly edition of Screen International
Russia's Vyborg Film Festival kicks off

12-Aug-2001
The director's chair of the 9th Vyborg Film Festival (11-18 August) has been left vacant this year in homage to former festival director and highly respected Russian film director Savva Kulish who passed away in June of this year.
Vatican invites world premiere of Polish Quo Vadis

6-Aug-2001
The world premier of Polish blockbuster Quo Vadis has been set for a rare special gala screening before the Pope in the Vatican on 30 August.
Moscow gets Moulin Rouge's European kick-off

31-Jul-2001
Twentieth Century Fox has chosen Moscow as the first city in its European roll-out of Moulin Rouge as an indication of the growing strength of the Russian exhibition sector. The film, which is distributed in Russia by Gemini Kinomir, will have its premiere in Moscow on August 2 - nearly a month ahead of its September 1 release in the rest of Europe.
Sony Classics grabs Sverak's Dark Blue World

29-Jul-2001
Sony Pictures Classics has picked up Jan Sverak's Czech language WWII aerial drama Dark Blue World for theatrical release in North America, Australia and the UK. The deal brings the total number of territories to which the film has been sold all rights to 23, including Japan, Italy (Medusa) and Germany (Buena Vista).
Dark Blue World

23-Jul-2001
Angel Exit

19-Jul-2001
Hi Teresa

19-Jul-2001
Cabin Fever

19-Jul-2001
A Place On Earth

18-Jul-2001
Hi Tereska

16-Jul-2001
The Believer wins top Moscow prize

2-Jul-2001
The 23rd Moscow International Film Festival ended on a high note on June 30th with Jack Nicholson attending the closing ceremony to accept the Stanislavsky Award for lifetime achievement.
The Believer wins top Moscow prize

2-Jul-2001
The 23rd Moscow International Film Festival ended on a high note on June 30th with Jack Nicholson attending the closing ceremony to accept the Stanislavsky Award for lifetime achievement.
$5m Night Witches readied for Russian shoot

29-Jun-2001
Jovovich to star in Chukrai's Red America

25-Jun-2001
Milla Jovovich is to star opposite Russian star Vladimir Mashkov in Red America, a Russian-American co-production from Academy Award-nominated director Pavel Chukhrai.
Russia rejects limits to foreign media ownership

25-Jun-2001
The Russian parliament has rejected a new draft law that would have limited foreign ownership of Russian media.
Tender Years best of poor Russian line-up at Sochi

19-Jun-2001
Sergei Soloviev's Tender Years won the main prize at the Sochi International Film Festival, traditionally a weather vane for Russian cinema as it screens virtually all the year's films to an audience of local professionals.
No room for Russian films at Moscow festival

8-Jun-2001
The Moscow International Film Festival, which runs June 21-30, has come under criticism in the local press with the announcement of a competition line-up this year without any Russian entry. Sergei Bodrov's US-produced English language entry The Quickie, starring Russian actor Vladimir Mashkov, should however go some way towards satisfying Muscovite audiences hungry for home-grown stars. International guests expected to attend include Jack Nicholson, Sean Penn and Dennis Hopper.
Moscow, St Petersburg festivals link up

29-May-2001
Russia's Moscow International Film Festival and St Petersburg International Festival of Festivals are tying up.
Istanbul awards overseas, local titles

30-Apr-2001
Despite Turkey's financial crisis, this year's 20th International Istanbul Film Festival served up an impressive selection of films in its international competition and the strongest line-up of local films in a decade.
Russian studios consider privatisation options

18-Apr-2001
Russia's film studios are considering turning themselves into private companies following the signing of a new decree by President Vladimir Putin.
Turner bid for NTV wobbly after staff exodus

17-Apr-2001
The consortium bid led by Ted Turner to buy into Russian broadcaster NTV looks wobbly after journalists and staff left the station en masse this week. The exodus was prompted by the forceful takeover of the station by its new Gazprom-appointed managers last weekend.
New body to lobby for deal for Polish filmmakers

12-Mar-2001
Polish film and television producers have established a new consultative body which will lobby the government for better legal and commercial conditions for the Polish audio-visual industry. The newly formed Association of Producers made up of producers working in both film and television will act as Chamber of Commerce for the industry.
Czech oscar nominee sweeps Lion awards

6-Mar-2001
Czech Oscar nominee Divided We Fall scooped the top awards at the annual Czech Lion Awards - the country's local equivalent of the Academy Awards - and it is hoping to carry its winning streak on to Los Angeles.
Hungary fears Government fund famine

5-Mar-2001
Plans to restructure government funding for film production has set off a wave of protests from Hungarian filmmakers who claim it will give them fewer sources of cash to green-light new productions.
Hungarian 'plex saturation slows admissions

14-Feb-2001
According to industry insiders, there are signs that the multiplex boom which revitalised the Hungarian exhibition industry over the past five years is grinding to a halt.
Werckmeister wins top prize at Hungarian Film Week

12-Feb-2001
Bela Tarr's Werckmeister Harmonies was awarded the grand prix and the Gene Moskowtiz critics prize at the 32nd Hungarian Film Week (February 1-6).
Gusinsky moves to block takeover of NTV

12-Feb-2001
Vladimir Gusinsky is reportedly attempting to stop Russian state gas giant Gazprom from taking over his NTV television station at an extraordinary general meeting next month, by switching the location of the meeting to Gibraltar.
Soros emerges as latest NTV champion

30-Jan-2001
Financier George Soros is poised to join the international consortium of investors offering to buy a stake in Russian broadcaster NTV, part-owned by Vladimir Gusinsky's embattled Media Most Group.
Gazprom claims victory in battle for NTV

29-Jan-2001
Representatives of Vladimir Gusinsky's embattled Media Most group have been barred from exercising voting rights attached to a disputed 19% stake in the group's flagship station NTV, leading gas giant Gazprom to claim victory in its long-running battle to take control of the broadcaster.
Moscow court freezes sale of NTV shares

23-Jan-2001
CNN founder Ted Turner has hit a major obstacle in his attempts to buy into Russian broadcaster NTV, owned by the beleaguered Media Most group, as a Moscow court has blocked the sale of 19% of the company, pending a court hearing in mid-February.
Media Most faces bankruptcy threat

18-Dec-2000
While Russian media tycoon Vladimir Gusinsky awaits the outcome of extradition hearings in Spain, Moscow tax authorities have moved to liquidate several companies within his Media Most group, using an obscure piece of legislation that has never been used before.
Ratcatcher reels in top prize at Bratislava

15-Dec-2000
Lynne Ramsay's UK drama Ratcatcher won the grand prize at the second edition of the Bratislava International Film Festival.
Kirch discusses buying stake in Russia's TV6

24-Nov-2000
Germany's Kirch Group is in negotiations to acquire a stake in Russian broadcaster TV6, which is majority-owned by Russian oligarch Boris Berezovsky. According to the station's director general, Alexander Ponomarev, a stake of up 25% is up for grabs.
Media Most, Gazprom sign new debt relief deal

20-Nov-2000
Russia's embattled Media Most group has finally signed a debt relief settlement with its major creditor, the state-controlled gas giant Gazprom.
Media Most cuts deal with Gazprom

26-Oct-2000
Embattled Russian media giant Media Most Group has reached what it described as an "amicable agreement" with its chief creditor, state gas giant Gazprom. While details are not yet available the deal would also involve bringing on board an unnamed foreign investor according to a spokeswoman for the group.
Away From The Window

5-Oct-2000
SBS plans digital expansion in Eastern Europe

29-Sep-2000
Mediatrade president Maurizio Costanzo has been appointed head of Veleno (Venom), the new company recently launched as Cross Media Factory by Italian media giant Fininvest, with the aim of seeking synergies between its publishing, internet, film and television arms.
Disease picks up top prize at Gdynia

28-Sep-2000
The grand prize at the Gdynia Festival of Polish Features Films went to Krzysztof Zanussi for Life As A Fatal Sexually Transmitted Disease.
Bailiffs move in on Russian media group Media Most

22-Sep-2000
Bailiffs moved on Friday to freeze the shares of Media Most Group, Russia's sole independent media empire, after talks between the troubled group and its major creditor, the state-controlled gas concern Gazprom, broke down.
Berezovsky offers to hand back ORT stake

7-Sep-2000
In a move that Moscow media watchers are calling a publicity ploy, Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky has threatened to hand back to the government his stake in Russia's largest broadcaster ORT.
Media Most benefits from Ostankino tragedy

4-Sep-2000
The tragic fire at Moscow's Ostankino Television tower that claimed four lives last week and wiped out nearly all broadcasting in the city has proved a windfall for Media Most Group's satellite service NTV Plus.
Polish producers battle over Sienkiewicz' Knights

16-Aug-2000
Two Polish production companies - MT Art and Studio A - are going head-to-head with separate adaptations of Polish author Henryk Sienkiewicz' 1905 novel Teutonic Knights.
The Romanovs - The Imperial Family

8-Aug-2000
Media Most denies sale to gas giant Gazprom

4-Aug-2000
Russia's Media Most has denied reports that it is in talks to sell out to key shareholder, state-owned gas monopoly Gazprom.
Life As A Fatal Sexually Transmitted Disease

31-Jul-2000
Russian authorities drop charges against Gusinsky

31-Jul-2000
Media Most chief Vladimir Gusinsky left Russia to join his family in Spain last week after the criminal case against him of defrauding the Russian government of $10m was dropped due to lack of evidence.
His Wife's Diary

26-Jul-2000
Russia's ORT tipped for $85m government loan

21-Jul-2000
The struggle for control of Russia's largest broadcaster ORT entered another round this week as the state-controlled Vneshekonombank said it was considering handing out an $85m loan to the financially strapped channel.
Berezovsky unites empire; Gusinsky property seized

21-Jul-2000
Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky has unveiled plans to unite his media interests into a single holding with Igor Shabdurasulov, a former Kremlin deputy of staff, at the helm.
Czech Television concentrates film investment

14-Jul-2000
The Czech Republic's largest film financier, Czech Television (CTV), has decided to channel its annual $2.4m (CKr92m) film investment into 8-10 features in 2001, compared to the 14 productions which it is backing this year.
Moscow to close with Storm, premiere Disease

13-Jul-2000
Wolfgang Peterson's The Perfect Storm will close the Moscow International Film Festival (July 19-29) which will also boast world premieres of Life As A Fatal Sexually Transmitted Disease, directed by Krzysztof Zanussi, and Gleb Panfilov's The Romanovs -The Imperial Family.
Media Most film arm feels political heat

11-Jul-2000
The continuing financial and political troubles of Vladimir Gusinsky's Media Most Group has spilled over into its film production outfit NTV Profit.
Taboo takes top honours at St Petersburg

5-Jul-2000
Nagisa Oshima's Taboo (Gohatto) won the top prize, the Golden Griffon, at this year's St Petersburg Festival of Festivals. The audience prize, the Silver Griffon, went to Beautiful People directed by Jasmin Dizdar.
Media Most claims investor will buy out debt

3-Jul-2000
Russia's Media Most group, owned by recently jailed tycoon Vladimir Gusinsky, has claimed that an unidentified foreign investor is seeking to buy out its $211.6m debt to government-controlled utilities giant Gazprom.
Russian media baron Gusinsky arrested

14-Jun-2000
Russian tycoon Vladimir Gusinsky, head of the country's largest independent media conglomerate Media Most, has been arrested and is being held in a Moscow prison pending charges of defrauding the government of more than $10m.
Moscow fest launches market; becomes annual event

13-Jun-2000
For the first time in its 43-year history, the Moscow International Film Festival (MIFF) is set to become an annual event from this year. The festival, which will run July 19-29, is also launching a market focusing on European and Russian product.
Putin cuts lifeline to Russian film

25-May-2000
Russian president Vladimir Putin has decided to axe Goskino, the government body responsible for supporting the film industry, provoking a wave of protest from local filmmakers.
Clouds Of May scoops Istanbul's Golden Tulip

2-May-2000
Turkish films dominated the 19th International Istanbul Film Festival (April 15-30) where the top honour in the international competition, the Golden Tulip, was awarded to Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan for Clouds Of May (Maysi Sikintisi) (pictured).
Barrandov Studios set to change owners

26-Apr-2000
Prague's legendary AB Barrandov Studios is close to changing hands, according to local newspaper reports.
Russian Oscars fete outsiders

26-Apr-2000
Alexei German's Khrustalyov, My Car hit open road at the Russian Oscars after the event was snubbed by leading Russian directors Nikita Mikhalkov and Alexander Sukorov, who refused to allow their films to compete.
Fire And Sword's Jerzy Hoffman readies Quo Vadis

25-Apr-2000
Jerzy Hoffman, the director of last year's runaway Polish hit With Fire And Sword, is to start shooting next month on the country's biggest production to date, the $12m Quo Vadis.
Russia's first mall-based mini-plex opens doors

13-Apr-2000
Moscow-based entertainment company Karo has opened Russia's first shopping centre-based mini-plex.
Barrack heads race for Russian Oscars

31-Mar-2000
Valery Ogorodnikov's Barrack is heading the field in the race for the Russian equivalent of the Oscars, the Nikas, which will be awarded by the Russian Academy of Motion Picture Arts in Moscow on April 22.
Canal Plus pledges $5m to Polish production

30-Mar-2000
French pay-TV giant Canal Plus has earmarked almost $5m (20m Polish zloyts) to support Polish film production in 2000, making it Poland's second largest producer after local broadcaster TVP.
Relativity, Mosfilm team up for Moscow-set comedy

29-Mar-2000
US production company Relativity Pictures and Russia's Mosfilm and Studio Ritm are co-producing comedy Red Squares, which is shooting in Moscow until the end of April when it moves to New York for a second leg in June and July.
Russian actor prevented from shooting in space

20-Mar-2000
Plans to send Russian actor Vladimir Steklov to the Mir space station to shoot a feature film have fallen through because the film-makers have been unable to raise finance for the project.
Silver Screen launches in expanding Polish market

15-Mar-2000
US-backed exhibitor Silver Screen Cinemas has opened its first multiplex in Warsaw marking the first phase of its ambitious plans to build a string of theatres across Eastern Europe.
Hungary's multiplex boom boosts local cinema

7-Mar-2000
The multiplex building boom in Hungary has helped box office receipts for local productions increase by 15% according to figures from the Hungarian Film Union (HFU).
US-Russian co-production set to shoot in space

6-Mar-2000
Russian production outfit Sokol and the US' VIDEFCO are set to start shooting the first feature to be filmed in space on the Russian space station Mir in April.
Hippolyt

25-Feb-2000
The Captain's Daughter (Russkij Bunt)

25-Feb-2000
Little Vilma: The Last Diary

24-Feb-2000
Clouds Of May (Mayis Sikintisi)

23-Feb-2000
Kaurismaki seeks finance to complete Lenin biopic

11-Feb-2000
Producer Igor Maiboroda and Finnish film-maker Aki Kaurismaki are seeking co-producers to complete Lenin biopic, Belief, Hope And Blood, which started shooting 18 months ago in Finland.
Newcomers split prize at Hungarian Film Week

10-Feb-2000
Two films from relative newcomers - Frigyes Godros's Glamour and Gergely Fonyo's Johnny Famous - shared the best film prize at this year's Hungarian Film Week (Feb 3-8).

ScreenAnna Franklin

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Anna Franklin