Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Culture Minister Wants Protectionist Price Hikes on Hollywood Movie Tickets

Ivan Sekretarev / AP

Russian Culture Ministry Vladimir Medinsky has a plan to save Russia’s film industry: make the ticket prices on Hollywood films in Russia so high that people simply can’t afford to choose “Guardians of the Galaxy 2” over “Zashchitniki” or “Prityazhenie.”

“Right now, tickets for Hollywood movie and Russian films are the same price: 230 rubles [$4],” Medinsky told the State Duma on Wednesday.

The culture minister acknowledged that Russian films struggle to compete at home against U.S. features, comparing the need to help Russian movies to protectionism in the auto industry.

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just 2. It's quick to set up, and you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more