Things are bad all over

We're not the only ones getting canned.

Russia to stop new cinema production in 2009.

7 Apr, 06:12 PM

The Russian Minister of Cultural Affairs Alexander Avdeev has said that Russia will stop new cinema production in 2009, Russian web-site Lenta.ru reports. “We will just continue work on the films that were started last year” – Avdeev said at a session of The State Duma Special-Purpose Committee.

According to Avdeev’s speech, the Russian Ministry of Cultural Affairs will assign about 500 million rubles ($15 million) to supporting documentaries and children’s films. “This way we will save the proportion of money that would have been allocated to making motion pictures and nonfiction films. We will also avoid unemployment in the cinema sphere” – Avdeev said.

Avdeev added that film directors and producers will have to compete to retain their jobs, although he did not specify how. Those that win will be granted funding from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.

Avdeev also said that the state is ready to help directors who make films touching on specific social problems. The Minister said he was sure that projects based on these themes would attract the interest of many famous directors and actors.