Contents

This book is an analytical study of the renaissance and transformation of Russian cinema in the 21st century. She examines how Russian cinema overcame the crisis of the 1990s, adapted to new economic, technological and cultural realities, and once again became a significant force both in the domestic market and in the international arena. The book is not a collection of reviews or laudatory odes, but an objective, structured analysis: what factors contributed to the breakthrough, how the language of cinema is changing, what role the audience, the state and festivals play. The book is intended for moviegoers, students, directors, producers, and anyone interested in culture, media, and modern Russia.

Introduction: From crisis to rebirth

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russian cinema found itself in a state of deep crisis. The system, which in the previous era was centralized, state-owned, based on a powerful infrastructure of film studios, subsidies and compulsory rental, collapsed along with the state that supported it. In the 1990s, film production dropped to a minimum. Many film studios were forced to rent out their pavilions, redevelop or close. The technical base was outdated, the equipment was out of order, the staff went to other areas or abroad. The film industry has lost not on