Russian Culture Ministry Suggests Limiting Number of Foreign Movie Showtimes in Theaters

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th September, 2018) The Russian Culture Ministry on Thursday published the text of its draft law that aims to limit the number of showtimes of foreign movies in Russian theaters to 35 percent of all showtimes over a single day or month, depending on the theater's size.

"The number of showtimes of every movie shown during the day in a movie theater that has more than one auditorium may not exceed 35 percent of the overall number of showtimes of all movies shown in this theater within 24 hours. The number of showtimes of every movie shown over the course of one month in a theater that has one auditorium may not exceed 35 percent of the overall number of showtimes of all movies shown in this theater within that month," the amendments to the law on state support for Russian cinematography read.

These requirements do not apply to Russian movies, according to the document.

The bill also suggested that violations of these requirements should be punished by the authorities.

The document's publication followed the emergence of Russian media reports, citing sources, that the Culture Ministry had decided to limit the number of daily showtimes of foreign movies in Russian theaters to 35 percent.

These reports suggested that the Russian consumer rights protection agency Rospotrebnadzor would be in charge of monitoring the theaters' compliance with the new norms.