Russian online cinemas will be widely represented, with market majors Kinopoisk and IVI participating for the first time as part of the RCW stand.
Russian online cinemas will be widely represented, with market majors Kinopoisk and IVI participating for the first time as part of the RCW stand.
This year, at DISCOP, co-located with CABSAT at the Dubai World Trade Centre, twenty-eight Russian companies dealing with film, drama series, and animation will present their projects from May 17-19. In addition, 12 companies will also be available offline at the Russian Content Worldwide (RCW) stand. The companies will spotlight different genres and animation content that has proved popular in MENA. In parallel, an extensive catalogue showcasing feature films — mainly action, comedy, sports dramas, fantasy, sci-fi — and documentaries are also available at DISCOP.
More than 80 buyers from the UAE, Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Morocco, Algeria, Lebanon, and Tunisia are reported to be participating in the DISCOP Dubai market — countries where the Russian industry sees opportunities for exports and for joint initiatives.
The Russian Content Worldwide (RCW) stand is organised by Roskino, the country’s film promotion body, with the support of the Russian Ministry of Culture.
The Minister of Culture of the Russian Federation, Olga Lyubimova commented: “The geographical scale of DISCOP Dubai market participants — from the United Arab Emirates to Algeria and Turkey — allows us to count on the effectiveness of Russian content and new business contacts, which are necessary for content promotion in MENA. I am sure that among the more than 120 Russian projects, MENA representatives of the industry will be able to choose content to suit their audiences. Films, series, and animation under the RCW brand will open up new vistas of Russian culture for local viewers. DISCOP Dubai is not only a business platform, but also an important event in strengthening the international cultural dialogue between Russia and the countries of the Middle East and North Africa.”
Roskino CEO Inna Shalyto added: “Participation in the DISCOP Dubai market is part of a new strategy for the international promotion of Russian content. This is already the second visit of the industry under the RCW brand to the UAE — a major hub in the Middle East. Distributors are concentrated here, purchasing content for the region. There is a potential audience of more than 400 million in MENA for our films, series, animation, and documentaries. The entire range of content will be presented by Russian companies at the RCW stand. Considering Russia’s growing presence in MENA and the record level of trade with the UAE in 2021, we hope that the creative industries and cinema of Russia will also contribute to the development of this market in the near future.”
One participant, Vodorod Pictures is presenting a new biographical drama, Lord of the Wind, dedicated to the round-the-world hot air balloon flight of the Russian adventurer Fyodor Konyukhov, which he completed in 2016 in a record of 11 days. The film will be released in Russia in December this year. In the lead role is well-known Russian star and director Fyodor Bondarchuk, who was also one of the producers.
Another Russian participant, All Media (a START company) will present the family fantasy Red Riding Hood, the original START thriller Behind Closed Doors and a number of animation projects. In addition, All Media is bringing to Dubai the romantic melodrama Danube and original START projects — the thriller The Riot and the comedy Desperate for Marriage. In addition to the pre-sales of films that have not yet been released, All Media plans to strengthen ties with the companies which it has previously collaborated with and find new partners from the region.
Russian cinemas online will be widely represented, with market majors Kinopoisk and IVI participating for the first time as part of the RCW stand. Kinopoisk is showing the series Patient Zero, which tells about the first major outbreak of HIV in the USSR. They are also presenting a historical fantasy Aeterna. Part 1.
IVI is presenting four series — three comedies Tenderness, Carried away, and Welcome back!, and a new crime drama Chimera, which is scheduled for release in September 2022.
The START video service hopes to target families with some of its popular projects including its comedy Sisters, which attracted a huge number of viewers in Q1 of 2022 on START. In addition to a number of other series, START is also showing the sequel to the mystery drama Passengers, the first season of which won the Seoul International Drama Awards and was acquired for broadcast by Brazilian streaming service Globoplay.
Sovtelexport, the official content distributor of Russia Television and Radio, has been successfully cooperating with MENA industry representatives for years. This season they have a new historical project— the adventure drama Elizaveta, which is set in 1725. The Ekaterina series was sold to 104 countries. According to the company, “the series has everything to appeal to a wide audience, including young people, — chases, duels, balls, and passionate love affairs”.
Russkoe Film Company is presenting their new 12-episode detective drama The Cruel World of Men that centres on a successful young financier who becomes a victim of a financial scam.
The Russian segment at DISCOP also features a number of animation companies that intend to not just showcase their features but also explore co-production opportunities in this market.
