Production Industry Results of the Year

SPECIAL Content news review EDITION from the CIS and beyond JAN 2017

FOCUS: PRODUCTION INDUSTRY RESULTS OF THE YEAR

2 INDUSTRY NEWS 12 ON TOP RU

5 CONTENT NEWS 13 ON TOP KZ

11 ON TOP UA 14 FOCUS The CR INDUSTRY NEWS JANUARY 2017

PRIVATE COPYING LEVY These are: a) creation of the fund to support the national lm production and organize the work of Expert Panel for projects pitching; b) transformation of INTRODUCED IN BELARUS the Kazakh lm studio into the A to Z cycle lm prodco and the creation of the speci c Economic area on its territory; c) bringing out the lms from the In Belarus, manufacturers and importers of data storage devices as well as Kazakh lm State Fund; d) creation of unique automated system to collect the devices which may be used by consumers for copying and recording box-oce data (there are 93 cinemas with 247 screens according to the latest audiovisual content (computers, TVs, video and audio recorders, radios, data); e) modern lm industry clusters development. mobile phones, etc.) are charged to pay a levy in favour of Belarusian authors If successful, the project will increase the extra-budgetary nancing on 30% in and creators of lms and music starting from December 12, 2016. The rate of 2020 already, and will add another 40 percentage points within the next 30 levy for copying and recording devices is 0.1% of their retail price, for data years. With all that money the number of lms produced in 2050 will increase storage devices the rate is 3%. Such fee is mandated by ‘The Law on Copyright tenfold. and Related Rights’ which had come into force in 2011, still the list of devices has not been speci ed yet. These legal gaps are to be lled by Belarusian Society of Authors, Performers and Other Right Holders, an NGO which has been granted rights to collect and redistribute funds. According to the head of the Society Sergei Kukhto 25% of these funds will be allocated for the UFG BOUGHT BLOCKING STAKE organization’s operating expenses, 65% will be redistributed among the IN RUSSIAN HIT ANIMATION FRANCHISE authors, producers and performers who will sign contracts with the Society, the rest 10% will be used for social projects such as festivals and contests for young talents.

ANALOGUE SWITCH-OFF IN KYRGYZSTAN IN MAY 2017

Kyrgyzstan Telegraph Agency reports, quoting Deputy Minister of Culture, Information and Tourism of the Kyrgyz Republic Ainura Tamirbekova, analogue TV signal in the country will be switched o on May 15, 2017. According to the ocials, 95% of the territory is covered by digital signal and 40% of the country’s population has already switched to DTT. Kyrgyzstan started DTT in November 2014 using DVB-T2 standard with Russia’s UFG Private Equity has bought a blocking stake in the company that MPEG-4 compression. State owned holding Kyrgyztelekom operates four controls the sale of licenses for use of the characters of the popular cartoon multiplexes through its subsidiary RPO PMTP while two more multiplexes are series ‘Masha and the Bear’. UFG bought the 25% stake from the operated by the private company Tsyfrovyie Tekhnologii (Digital Technologies) Cyprus-registered Rodleport Holdings, with the rest of the company established by 21 private broadcasters. The rst multiplex operated by RPO remaining with the Russian PBT Invest LLC, which is controlled by two US PMTP carries so called ‘social package’ which includes 12 free channels. companies that have anonymous bene cial owners. Commercial channels are transmitted via the second multiplex. By now there ‘Masha and the Bear’ brand recognition amongst 3-9 years old children in are 13 commercial channels available including the Russian ones. Europe is more than 50%, and in some countries such as Italy where it is shown on TV it is as high as 85%. The production cost of an episode is $ 250,000 and for the series of 26 episodes is $ 6.5 mil., which is covered by licensing deals with Russian and other broadcasters. However, the brand also AZERBAIJAN SWITCHED OFF earns signi cant revenues from merchandising and the company is already pro table. Among the incomes streams, advertising revenues paid by THE ANALOGUE TV SIGNAL YouTube represents 75% of the company’s ad revenue and most of that is earned from ads run in countries other than Russia. Ministry of Communications and High Technologies of the Republic of Revenue growth from licensing will grow by 25%. However, he admitted that Azerbaijan reported on the 330 analogue transmitting stations switch o in 14 the company felt the crisis in the Russian market where the sale of children’s regions of the country marking the end of the nal stage of transition to DTT. goods is down by 40-50%. By now 145 digital transmitters are functioning all over the country. They plan to increase the total number up to 190, raising the coverage up to 95% of the territory. The analogue switch-o started early in November 2016 according to the digital transition programme. To watch the digital terrestrial television, Azerbaijan residents have to buy KAZAKHSTANI DTH-PLATFORM receivers, which are sold at post oces in those regions where the analogue OTAUTV MOVED TO KAZSAT-3 transmission is set to shut down. They cost about 22 manat (approx. $ 12.5), which is pretty cheap – all set-top-boxes are sold by mail departments to Kazakhstani DTH-platform OTAUTV signal had been moved from the foreign prevent overrating and make it possible to choose the right receiver at the satellite Intelsat – 904 to Kazakh Kazsat-3. It took about 1.6 billion tenge government institution. (about $ 4.7 million). DTH-service OTAUTV is now available for about 4 million people in Kazakhstan. From now on, the subscribers of OTAUTV have the access to 120 TV channels, 55 of which are local and 65 – foreign and international. The KAZAKH CINEMAS WILL HAVE number of households using the platform has reached 1.2 million, i.e. about 4 million people. And it should be noted that almost 80% of subs are those TO REVEILLE BOX-OFFICE DATA living in non-urban area, where at the time of the DTH introduction there were only 2-3 TV channels. Within the framework of the Public Council of the Ministry of Culture and Sport the project of the New Concept of Cinema Development was adopted. Prepared by the Kazakh Research Institute of Culture, the project determines the development of the national cinematography divided into ve key incentives. 2 The CR INDUSTRY NEWS JANUARY 2017

ONLINE VIDEO CONTENT NEW SERVICE COMPANY TO OPERATE SALES INCREASED IN RUSSIA SALES HOUSES OF GAZPROM-MEDIA AND VI

News agency Rambler News Service with reference on Alexey Volin, deputy The sales houses of Russian Vi and Gazprom-media holdings will be operated minister of Telecom and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation, by the New Service Company (NSC). This means that the New Service reports annual increase of online video content sales in Russia in 2016. Company will be responsible for all the advertising of Vi and Gazprom-media According to the Ministry, yearly turnover increased by 20% reaching on TV and Internet. According to the agreement, Gazprom-media gets 30.9% 4.5 billion rubles (€ 71.25 million). At the same time electronic books sales of NSC in return. Regional sellers of Gazprom-media and Vi – Alkasar and VI increased by 43% raising the revenue by 2.3 billion rubles (€ 36.42 million) Trend correspondingly – will become part of NSC as well. while music sales totaled 2.3 billion rubles (€ 44.33 million) resulting in 20% Earlier NSC was named the back oce of the National Advertising Alliance. raise. The latter was launched by Channel One Russia, VGTRK, Gazprom-media and Deputy minister pointed out that number of Internet users who buy content the National Media Group, to keep the balance between the TV and legally signi cantly increased due to the governments enhanced actions advertising companies. against online piracy. While the records of 2013 indicate that only 8 million users purchased content legally, the corresponding indicator in 2016 is 22 million users. Mr. Volin also mentioned that about 40 of total 52 million households in Russia are subscribed to pay TV services: cable TV – 18 million, satellite TV – 16 million, IPTV – 6 million. NEW OWNERS OF KAZAKH CABLE OPERATOR ALMA-TV

Millionaire Dinmuhamet Idrisov has sold his stake in Alma-TV, the largest UKRAINIAN TV GROUPS FOUND cable operator in Kazakhstan. The nancial details were not disclosed. From now on the only shareholder of Alma-TV is Ordabasy Communications CONSENSUS WITH CABLE OPERATORS founded by Erbol Abdukhmanov and Denis Nikitin in Almaty. Alma-TV is operating on not only the territory of Kazakhstan, but also Russia From January 1, 2017 the new Law # 3504 ‘On amendments to the Law on after it bought Internet provider 2Com in 2015 and telecommunications Television and Radio Broadcasting’ came into force. It states that the Universal company Cyfra One in 2016. The latter unites 11 smaller operators in dierent Programme Service (the package of must-carry channels) became obligatory regions, Moscow including, and provides services for about 10,000 B2B clients for not only the terrestrial broadcasting companies, but cable, IPTV and other and 50,000 households. Therefore, Alma-TV is thought to become an TV operators. And, adhering to it, the biggest cable operator in Ukraine Volia international telecom holding soon, taking about $ 150 million from Eurasian has reached an agreement on rebroadcasting of national TV channels with all Development Bank. Ukrainian media groups, according to its representatives. Volia states that the subscribers of their services won’t notice any change. And all popular channels will still be aired any further. Agreements on broadcasting were also signed between the TV groups and the biggest Ukrainian cable operators like Lanet, Triolan and others. REN TV AND CHANNEL 5 WILL BE SEPARATED FROM NMG

The board of National Media Group, one of the largest media holdings in INTERNATIONAL SALES Russia (NMG owns 25% of Channel One, 72.4% of Channel Five, 50% of Art Pictures Group and 50% of REN TV, several radio stations and publishing OF RUSSIAN FILMS REACHED $ 19.6 MILLION houses), decided to put REN TV and Channel 5 into a separate entity. To do that it will establish a new TV company headed by Vladimir Tyulin. The step is taken within the newly adopted strategy to increase the eciency of NMG, which controls 72.4% of Channel 5 and 82% of REN TV. The new unit will probably make it easier to operate both channels, improve their eciency and strengthen brands on the TV market. The editorial and programming policies will not change.

PRODUCERS VOTE FOR CASH REBATE IN SEVERAL REGIONS OF RUSSIA

On December 27, 2016 the Russian Association of Film and TV Producers (APKiT), Agency of Strategic Incentives (ASI) and the authorities of Kaliningrad In 2016 there were 11 events organized in seven countries worldwide to and Ulyanovsk regions and Krasnodar Krai signed a memorandum on present 76 Russian lms and TV series, resulting in licensing rights sales of introducing a cash rebate. about $ 19.6 million, stated Roskino, which is the one that provides marketing Cash rebate means that producers who shoot lms and TV content on the and sales of Russian movies abroad. Roskino promoted projects of 55 prodcos territory may get a partial nancial compensation at the ratio of money spent. and sales companies on its stand – Russian Cinema Worldwide, attracting That will make these regions more attractive and increase the local budget. 22,000 people. It organized more than 2,500 meetings and negotiations The legislative base is to be prepared soon. The look-alike incentive is between the distributors, sales managers and festivals representatives. implemented by the Cinema Foundation of Russia (also known as Fond Kino) In 2016 the marketing took about $200,000 (almost 14 mil. rubles), while the in above-mentioned Kaliningrad region – 20% cash rebate, Primorskiy Krai – box-oce increased 100% year-on-year – from $ 17 mil. to $ 35 mil. with 20 15%, and Astrakhan region – 5%. Moscow, however, is not ready to introduce movies released. It should be noted that Roskino for rst time in its history the same incentives at the moment. became the partner of Marché du Film market in Cannes.

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RUSSIAN BOX-OFFICE INCREASED BY ALMOST 10% IN 2016

In 2016 cinema box-oce in Russia and the CIS territories (excluding Ukraine) reached 52.8 billion rubles (approx. $ 830 million), which is 9.5% more than in 2015. Admissions increased by 11%, to 213 million, meaning that the box-oce grows slower than attendance for the rst time. The average ticket in Russia and the CIS decreased from 251 to 248 rubles (approx. $ 4.3 to $ 4.2) year-on-year. In Russia only – decreased from 253 to 252 rubles. Russian movies earned 9.25 billion rubles (approx. $ 156.3 million) in Russia and the CIS taking share of 17.5% of the total box-oce. Still, the TOP-4 most pro table lms were of US origin. These were Zootopia, The Secret Life of Pets, Deadpool and Suicide Squad.

GEORGIAN IMEDI, MAESTRO AND GDS MERGER

Broadcasting company Imedi, cable TV channel GDS and Studio Maestro will merger in one media holding. Financial details were not disclosed. Negotiations took several weeks, and since January 2017 the holding is to be nanced by Georgian philanthropist Inna Gudavadze. Imedi is one of the largest TV groups in Georgia. It operates the Imedi TV channel, radio station, newspaper and news agency Imedi News. GDS – popular TV channel launched in 2012 as educational. However, in 2015 it received the license to air informational and political shows, which demonstrate good ratings. Finally, the Studio Maestro was set up in 1995. In 2001 it was transformed into the rst music and entertainment channel in Georgia. Later, in 2008 Studio launched Maestro TV channel, and soon the company became one of the most popular in the country. Merger makes the three companies one key player on the TV landscape of Georgia. But it is still unclear on the allocation of assets between the owners.

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UA UA

HISTORIC ACTION MOVIE ‘WIFE ON THE DRIVE’ ‘EX’ IS IN PRODUCTION TO BE AIRED IN POLAND

Ukrainian prodco Т.Т.М. launched production of historic action movie ‘Ex’. The Reality show ‘Wife on the Drive’ produced by Ukrainian companies FILM.UA title is the short form for ‘expropriation’ – the name given by the ghters of Group and OK Media has been sold to Poland. Broadcasting rights were national resistance movement in Western Ukraine to their raids on banks, acquired by TV Spektrum for its channels NOWA TV, FOKUS TV and 8TV. Local stores and other places where they could nd cash for their revolutionary premiere is expected in 2017. activity early in XX century. The plot is based on the real events from Ukraine’s ‘Wife on the Drive’ explores the driving habits of men and women and looks at history which took place in 1932-1933 in Lviv and suburbs. The story follows a what happens when men teach their partners how to drive. Two couples squad of national resistance movement carrying out another raid. When the participating in each episode have just three days to complete the task. The plan fails the ghters are dragged into bloody massacre which triggers the couple that performs best receives a cash prize. The show focuses on the real raise of the national liberation movement in Galicia. feelings and nuances behind the facade of the couple’s relationship that are The script, written by Yaroslav Yarish, won the second prize of the International revealed under pressure. The audience witnesses it all: tears, scandals, Literary Competition ‘The Coronation of the Word’ in the ‘Screenplays’ expressions of love and tenderness and uninhibited aggression. category in 2015. The lm is directed by Sergii Lysenko, Andrii Granytsia is the Originally the show was commissioned by Russian broadcaster U Channel producer. Berlinale 2015 Silver Bear winner Sergey Mikhalchuk – DOP. Casting owned by UTV Holding. Before the show premiered in October 2016, Modern is in process. The crew had two shooting days in Lviv region in December 2016. Times Group-owned Viasat acquired the rst season for broadcasting in Latvia Principal shooting will take place in April-May 2017. The project is planned to (LNT, TV3, TV6, 3+, KNL2) and Estonia (TV3, 3+, TV6). While the readymade be nished early in 2018. The production budget is 25.7 million hryvnas (about show is distributed internationally by FILM.UA Distribution, original format € 920,000). 50% – state support by Ukrainian State Film Agency. sales are handled by UA Formats, its catalogue includes 27 projects.

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SHOOTING OF ‘HOTEL ELEON’ NEW 3D ANIMATED FEATURE SEASON TWO IN PROGRESS ‘HARVIE AND THE MAGIC MUSEUM’

In December 2016 Russian group of companies Yellow, Black and White in In December 2016 Russian animation studio KinoAtis has completed its part of co-production with Ukrainian prodco Sister`s Production with participation of work on co-production project ‘Harvie and the Magic Museum’ (‘Hurvínek a Russian channel CTC started shooting the second season of the sitcom ‘Hotel Kouzelné Muzeum’) which is the 3D animated full-length family adventure Eleon’ – a spin-o of ‘The Kitchen’. Season one premiered in Russia on CTC in also co-produced by Czech prodco Rolling Pictures and Belgian Grid November 2016. It was also aired in Belarus (VTV) and Kazakhstan (Channel 31) Animation. While the Czech partner is the main producer and is responsible for while Ukrainian channel 1+1 announced ‘Hotel Eleon’ among the upcoming the story and the plot KinoAtis was in charge of creating 3D models of premieres of 2017. characters and placing them in 3D environments and Grid Animation’s The plot focuses on both personal life and daily routine of the sta of the hotel responsibility is compositing and rendering. The project is expected to be Eleon and restaurant Victor. While many characters are familiar to the fans of released in 2017. Total production budget is about € 6.1 million. ‘The Kitchen’ there are some new faces in the hotel’s management. CTC The main character Hurvínek is a boy of ten who is eager to win in a very hard channel announces new season’s premiere in 2017. computer game. By accident he activates legendary magic disk which brings At the same time Portuguese adaptation of ‘The Kitchen’ premiered on RTP1 to life all the exhibits of the museum and an old mad puppeteer who has the early this January while Markiza TV has commissioned production of the local power to destroy the entire city. Hurvínek accompanied by his friend Mánička remake in Slovakia. CBS Studios International handles distribution of both the and his dog Žeryk confronts the mysterious threat. scripted format and the original series globally, except for CIS countries, KinoAtis plans to make a special version for Russian release. Inna Evlannikova France, Israel and Bulgaria. known for ‘Belka and Strelka. Space Dogs 3D’ (2010) and ‘Space Dogs. Adventure to the Moon’ (2014) is directing along with Czech producer-director Martin Kotík. 5 The CR CONTENT NEWS JANUARY 2017

UA RU RU

FILM.UA AND INTRA COMMUNICATIONS RUSSIAN ‘BRIDE’ FINISHED FILMING TWO DRAMA SERIES GOES WORLDWIDE

In late December Ukrainian FILM.UA Group and Russian Intra Communications Distributors from Latin America, South-East Asia and Germany have picked up wrapped up shooting two 12-episode drama series – ‘Love Against Odds’ and theatrical rights to Russian horror thriller ‘The Bride’. The lm is produced by ‘Finding Hope’. Russian Focus Plus Cinema known for its ironic melodrama ‘Intimate Parts’ and ‘Love Against Odds’ romance is directed by Sergey Shcherbin. Filming took multi-episode mystic thriller ‘Through My Eyes’ sold as a format to Fox place in Kyiv region. The series premiere is expected in 2017 on channel Television Studios. ‘The Bride’ will be released locally on January 19, 2017. The Ukraine. This is a story of Tata, a student of the Academy of Arts, and Zheka, a movie budget totals 70 million RUR (about $ 1.15 million). thief and a desperate chevalier of fortune. They were lucky to fall in love, while This story is written and directed by Svyatoslav Podgayevskiy. The lm unlucky to be from dierent worlds. protagonist Nastya after her wedding is coming to a small, almost abandoned ‘Finding Hope’ drama is directed by Sergey Krutin. Principal photography took town to visit her husband’s family. But soon she begins to regret this decision. place in Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions. It’s a story of an 18 year-old Varya living The family wants to organize a mysterious wedding ceremony based on some with her parents in a closed religious community. Since the very childhood all strange traditions, and Nastya starts suering from scary nightmares and they have been teaching her is working hard, believing sincerely, praying and strange premonitions. Trying to understand what is happening she nds a box obeying the will of the community’s leader – His Holiness. This is her whom he with photos of dead people. wants to make his fourth wife. But neither violence, nor bullying by His Holiness' ‘elder’ wives cannot break her morale. She escapes hoping to get the law after His Holiness in the greater world, though she knows nothing about life beyond the community.

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‘MIDNIGHT SUN’ ‘INVOLUTION’ SHOOTING TO CHANNEL ONE STARTED IN GERMANY

Russian broadcaster Channel One acquired TV-rights for eight-episode drama Russian director Pavel Khvaleev started shooting his second feature lm – ‘Midnight Sun’ from French distributor StudioCanal. The series is produced by ction thriller ‘Involution’. Principal photography started in Berlin in December French Canal Plus and Atlantique Productions in co-production with Swedish 2016. German company Daredo is co-producing the project. Filming Sveriges Television (SVT) and Nice Drama. ‘Midnight Sun’ is created and geography also includes Russia and Kazakhstan. The movie is shot in English. directed by Mans Mårlind and Björn Stein, two main scribes of ‘The Bridge’, Project budget totals 30 million RUR (about $ 0.5 million). Release is planned world-known Nordic Noir detective with local adaptations in the U.S., the U.K. for 2018. and soon – in Russia. ‘Involution’ tells us the story of Hamming and Liv, a couple living in the future. The story begins when French homicide investigator Kahina Zadi, going to A future that’s reality is a far cry from the one we live in today. The Earth has Kiruna, a small mining community in remote northern Sweden, sees the brutal been sent out of control, aected by a cruel and inhuman mechanism that murder of a French citizen. With the help of Anders Harnesk, a Swedish DA and turns back Darwin’s theory of Evolution… Every person gradually starts to feel a member of the Sami, an ancient, mysterious and indigenous tribe of animal instincts: uncontrolled aggression, protection of ospring, Scandinavia, they are faced with new killings and the initial murder turns out spontaneous sexual desire. All this creates chaos on the planet and leads to be the tip of the iceberg. directly to the extinction of mankind. Hamming meets Liv right before these horrifying events.

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KZ GE CN UA RU

‘COMPOSER’ – THE FIRST LOZNITSA’S ‘REVUE’ FINDS CHINESE-KAZAKH CO-PRODUCTION WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTOR

Kazakh state owned lm studio Kazakh lm and Chinese prodco Shinework ‘Revue’ documentary by Ukrainian director Sergei Loznitsa was picked up Pictures, a feature lm division of Shinework Media signed deal on internationally by Leipzig-based sales company Deckert Distribution. This lm co-production of a biopic about Chinese composer Xian Xinghai who lived in was produced in 2008 by ma.ja.de. lmproduktion (Germany) in Kazakhstan in 1941-1943. The movie titled ‘Composer’ will tell about co-production with St. Petersburg Documentary Film Studio (Russia) and MDR musician’s life in the Soviet Union where he had been sent by the Communist (Germany) in association with Inspiration Films (Ukraine) and YLE Teema Party of China. Xian worked undercover and used an alias. He disclosed his real (Finland). The lm won Golden Horn at Krakow Film Festival in 2008 and was name to Kazakh composer Bakhytzhan Baykadamov who became his good presented worldwide at more than 20 international festivals. friend. ‘Revue’ is based on archive propaganda newsreels produced in the USSR in the The project is in preproduction stage. Principal photography is planned to 50s and 60s. Film shows the almost forgotten side of the Soviet times and the start early in 2017. Signi cant part will be held in Kazakhstan. Joint way of thinking at that period. It explores the life of people all across the vast international crew is headed by Chinese director Yakup Xirzat who had already expanse of the Soviet Motherland, though full of hardship, deprivation and visited Almaty in December 2016. absurd rituals, but at the same time illuminated by the glorious shining of the It’s worth mentioning that Shinework Media launched a lm nance fund communist illusion. focused on co-production projects that will appeal both to the China box oce and international markets with budgets ranging from $ 10 million to $ 60 million. The model sees Shinework Pictures co- nancing development and then bringing in partners and using the fund for co-production.

UA UA

TET COMMISSIONED UKRAINIAN ‘THE CYBORGS’ ORIGINAL MYSTICAL SERIES IN PRE-PRODUCTION

Ukrainian prodcos Studio Kvartal 95 and Drive Production started shooting Ukrainian lm company Idas-Film starts working on new feature war drama mystical series ‘Hotel Galicia’. The original production is commissioned by local ‘The Cyborgs’. Currently the project is in pre-production. Filming start is broadcaster TET TV channel and is planned to premiere in 2017. The project is planned for the second half of 2017. Production budget totals about 48 million UAH lmed in Kyiv and Lviv. The plot follows Andrii, a young man from the capital (approx. $ 1.9 million) with Ukrainian State Film Agency providing half of the city who unexpectedly inherits an abandoned and unpro table hotel after an amount. accidental death of the previous owner, Andrii’s granduncle. To cope with Akhtem Seytablayev will be directing this drama. He is famous for such lms as nancial diculties, the young man decides to sell the hotel but eventually a ‘Haytarma’, ‘Backstreet Champions’ etc.; currently Seytablayev nishes working ghost of his ancestor, the very rst owner of the hotel, appears and does on feature drama ‘Her Heart’. The lm tells the story of a combat duty during everything to crumb the deal and save the hotel which had belonged to his several weeks in September 2014. Volunteer group of servicemen arrives to family for centuries. Donetsk airport for the rst time, which is kept by the Ukrainians in conditions The 20-episode series is directed by Andrii Burlaka who was also involved in a of constant war for more than four months already. These soldiers and ocers range of joint projects of Studio Kvartal 95 and Drive Production produced for managed to do impossible for human-beings things therefor they were TET. According to the director there will be a lot of special eects in order to nicknamed ‘cyborgs’. convey mystical atmosphere along with dramatic and comic moments.

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UA RU LT CZ FR SK

NEW UKRAINIAN-LITHUANIAN- EURIMAGES SUPPORTS FRENCH CO-PRODUCTION VOLOSHIN’S THRILLER

Ukrainian production companies Insight Media and TATO Film started working Council of Europe's Eurimages Fund granted € 200,000 for new feature project on new feature war drama ‘Frost’. The movie is Ukrainian-Lithuanian-French ‘The Cellar’ co-produced by Slovakia, Czech Republic and Russia. The lm is set co-production. Its production budget reaches 40 million UAH (approx. in a small Slovak village, with principal photography starting in May 2017. The $ 1.4 million) with Ukrainian State Film Agency providing about 11.5 million script is written by Slovak writer Richard Pupala. Igor Voloshin is directing this UAH ($ 0.4 million). The lm is directed by the Lithuanian Sarunas Bartas, who thriller. He is known in Russia and abroad for his previous arthouse features co-wrote the script together with Anna Cohen-Yanay. Elena Ershova and ‘Bedouin’ (2010) and ‘Nirvana’ (2008). The plot follows a married couple who Vladimir Filippov are producing the project. are trying to nd their missing sixteen-year-old daughter while making This is a story of a young Lithuanian guy Rokas, who has got the opportunity through the crisis in their relationships. When the parents discover that their to witness the real occupation and war in the East of Ukraine. He travels from child has been murdered, this loss makes them close to each other like never Vilnius to Donbas with a volunteer help in his own truck. Having arrived to the before. destination point he faces the real nightmare and tries to understand the war, ‘The Cellar’ was supported by the Slovak Audiovisual Fund, Czech State the reasons why people kill each other. Reality appears much crueler then Cinema Fund and Russian Ministry of Culture. The production companies romantic imagination of the ght for the freedom despite that Rokas has involved in the project are Slovak Furia Film, Czech 8Heads Productions and found his love there... Russian Gate.

CA UA

CANADIAN ‘ONLY ONE FILM.UA GROUP DEVELOPS KNOWS’ SOLD TO RUSSIA PARTNERSHIP WITH AMAZON

Russian cable TV channel Questions and Answers (QAA) has acquired rights to FILM.UA Group’s project ‘Back to Basics’ has become available to Amazon ready-made celebrity game show ‘Only One Knows’ from Israeli-based Armoza Prime subscribers in the US and Canada, marking the rst digital project Formats. QAA specializes on game shows, music and contest programs and produced by the Ukrainian company to be presented on the streaming will air 100 episodes of the show, locally titled ‘Who Knows What He Knows’. service. The premiere is planned for this January. ‘Only One Knows’ aired over 700 ‘Back to Basics’ is a collection of short videos dedicated to Ukrainian culture, episodes on French Canada’s TVA, becoming their number 1 game show. traditions and folk customs from their beginnings to modern times. In each ‘Only One Knows’ (30’) is a family game show, in which ve celebrities compete video, a character recreates a festive female garment from the late XIX century every day for a week in a quiz that tests not only their general knowledge but to early XX century that is speci c to a particular historical region of Ukraine. also their intuition. In each episode one contestant is given all the answers and Back to Basics joins FILM.UA’s feature lm ‘Battle for Sevastopol’, crime series must win as much money as possible, while fooling as many other people as ‘The Snier’ and drama ‘The Red Queen’ on the roster of projects Amazon has possible. The goal of the others is to expose the bluer, and everybody gets to made available for Prime subscribers. The pilot episode was released in May play. And with all the money going to the charity of the winners’ choice, 2016 on FILM.UA ocial YouTube channel and has rounded up more than blung has never been so worthwhile. 44,000 views.

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KZ RU

UMAROV PREPARES NEW NEW FICTION FROM FAIZIEV KAZAKH HISTORIC DRAMA ‘THE GOALKEEPER OF THE GALAXY’

Kazakh director Mukhtar Umarov started working on new full-length historic Russian lm company CTV in co-production with Bonanza Studios is preparing drama ‘Kenesary. The Last Battle’. The project is currently in pre-production new full-length adventure ction ‘The Goalkeeper of the Galaxy’. Casting is period. Principal photography will start this spring and will take place in underway. Shooting start is planned for spring 2017. The production budget Kazakhstan. Edilet Rahymbay is producing the movie trying to raise the funds totals 572 million rubles (about $ 9 million). Film premiere is planned for 2018. for the project production through crowdfunding. The project is supported by Russian Cinema Fund. It is produced by Sergey The movie protagonist Kenesary Kasymov was always driven by the idea of Selyanov and Djanik Faiziev, who also co-wrote the script and will be directing creation His own independent state. His political maturity coincided with the the project. period when Russia and the Kazakh state started forming close economic and The events of the movie take place in distant future on the Earth. Mankind has political ties – it was in the middle of the XIX century. As the Kazakh steppe was already made an evolutionary jump, resulting in appearance of new-type a corridor to the south, to Central Asia, it is not surprising that the authorities people who become interplanetary community members. The protagonist is a of the Russian Empire started paying more than thorough attention to this man who has experienced an evolutionary leap, nicknamed Yashin (after the territory. Kenesary headed 10-year national-liberation movement and famous Soviet soccer goalkeeper). He becomes a member of a secret galactic struggle against Russian colonization. community, which opposes the evil forces. But the preparation for the battle and the battles themselves, in fact, are very similar to football, but for less players on the pitch and the balls made of re.

RU UA RU

AMEDIA AND SREDA WILL PRODUCE MYSTICAL DETECTIVE ‘CONTACT’ – RUSSIAN REMAKE OF ‘SIRENS’ NEW UKRAINIAN-RUSSIAN SERIES

Russian companies Amedia Production and Sreda Production Company The shooting of 12-episode mystical detective ‘Contact’ was wrapped by develop Russian remake of Israeli mystical thriller ‘Sirens’ which debuted on Ukrainian FILM.UA Group and Russian Intra Communications in December. HOT TV in 2014. Original series was produced by July August Productions. The Principal photography took 89 shooting days. The crew prepared and lmed scripted format is distributed internationally by ADD Content Agency. The plot explosions, pyrotechnics, stunts and earthquake simulation on dierent follows a female police ocer that serves and lives in Eilat, the southeast city locations in Kyiv and Zhytomyr region and even brought the Milo Motion in Israel that holds a border with Egypt. When the body of Shelley's twin sister Control crane on location in the quarry. The series is directed by Mikhail Maya is found, Shelley starts her own investigation. Maya allegedly drowned Barkan. The plot follows three men – a criminal, a photographer and a failed 17 years ago but her body wasn’t found back then and now it turns out that writer, who accidently get into the area of magnetic anomaly where the secret she never drowned at all. While discovering facts about her sister, Shelley agency carried out explosion tests. Those three survive the accident but they realizes Maya was a mysterious and enchanted character that dramatically feel a strange connection emerged between them. While the photographer changed lives of every person she was involved with. can read the criminal’s mind and see through his eyes, the writer controls the Russian remake is set in Tuapse, a town situated on the northeast shore of the actions of the criminal and communicates distantly with the photographer. Black Sea in Krasnodar Krai. The failed writer decides to take advantage of the situation and revenge himself on everybody who had ever stood on his way before. The photographer tries to stop the two in one criminal.

9 The CR CONTENT NEWS JANUARY 2017

KZ BY

EMIR BAIGAZIN WILL END UP HIS BELARUSIAN HORROR WEB-SERIES TRILOGY WITH ‘RIVER’ TO PREMIER ON YOUTUBE

Kazakh state owned lm studio Kazakh lm will produce a new feature by the Belarussian prodco Cinema Pride launched preproduction of the rst ever writer-director Emir Baigazin. Project has a tentative title ‘River’. It will be the Belarusian-language horror web-series ‘Cursed Treasures’. The rst season of nal part of the trilogy preceding by ‘Harmony Lessons’ and ‘The Wounded eight episodes is planned to premiere on YouTube channel in three months. It Angel’. In his new movie the author continues to explore the complexities of will have an English language version as well. The stories are based on teenage inner world along with complex interactions of a teenage with the Belarusian legends and tales collected in the legendary ‘Cursed Treasures’. surrounding world. The plot follows Aslan whose family lives in a secluded According to the producer-director Serge Ovsianik, production budget of village. The boy is forced to grow up fast since his strict father wants his son to each 12-minute episode is $ 10,000. The project is partially funded by be a real man so he would become an example to follow for his four younger crowdfunding. By now the producers have the nished script of four episodes brothers. Emir Baigazin has nished the script and the project is in and have announced casting. preproduction. They continue casting for the leading role. Two previous features Emir Baigazin were co-productions. As for the ‘River’ no information about the producers disclosed.

NON-SCRIPTED PREMIERES IN DECEMBER 2016

D AT E CHANNEL TITLE

UA 05,12 TET Entertainment panel show ‘The UN’

27.12 ICTV Original crime factual ‘Great Fortune-Seekers’

RU 3.12 Muz-TV Original vocal-celebrity ‘Very Karaokish’

5.12 U Docu-reality ‘Bring Back My Beauty’ (Ukrainian adaptation of Mediaset format ‘Bella Piu’ Di Prima’)

6.12 TV Center Original factual ‘Marriage and Divorce’

8.12 Ren-TV Original factual-entertainment ‘A Cat for Everyone’

11.12 Paramount Original comedy show ‘Stand-up from Paramount Comedy’ Comedy

24.12 Moscow24 Original comedy show ‘Moscow Ear’

26.12 TV-3 Original factual ‘New-Year Wonders’

BY 30.12 СTV Original talk-show ‘Open Talk’

31.12 Belarus-5 Original reality ‘Knock-out Round’

10 The CR ON TOP UA JANUARY 2017

TOP-10 CHANNELS IN UKRAINE, DECEMBER 2016 SHARE, 4+ (All Ukraine)

11.5 INTER 10.9 1+1 10.8 CHANNEL UKRAINE 7.8 STB 7.3 ICTV 5.3 NOVY CHANNEL 4.8 NTN 3.3 TET 2.6 PLUSPLUS 2.4 2+2

TOP-RATED PROGRAMMES IN UKRAINE, DECEMBER 2016

TITLE TITLE TYPE OF ORIGINAL/ START 4+ (All UA) # CHANNEL WEEK DAY D AT E ORIGINAL ENG CONTENT FORMAT TIME RAT% SHR%

Новогоднее President’s 1 поздравление New Year 1+1 Live air Ukraine Saturday 31.12.2016 23:55 15.2 32.8 (original) Президента Greetings

Новогодний New Year 2 Вечерний 1+1 Variety show Ukraine Saturday 31.12.2016 20:15 12.1 26.6 Evening Kvartal (original) квартал

Вечерний Evening 3 1+1 Variety show Ukraine Saturday 31.12.2016 24:00 12.1 28.8 квартал Kvartal (original)

Битва Entertainment, Psychic 4 Psychic Challenge STB Sunday 11.12.2016 19:00 9.7 21.2 экстрасенсов 16 paranormal Challenge (local adp.)

5 Нити судьбы Twist of Fate INTER Series Glass Slippers Thursday 22.12.2016 21:00 9.6 22.3 (local adp.)

Судьба The Fate CHANNEL 6 Mini-series Ukraine Saturday 17.12.2016 20:45 8.0 19.6 по имени любовь Named Love UKRAINE (original)

7 Голос. Дети Voice. Kids 1+1 Talent show The Voice. Kids Sunday 04.12.2016 21:00 7.9 21.5 (local adp.)

8 Один за всех One for All STB Talk show Ukraine Sunday 11.12.2016 21:20 7.6 19.0 (original)

CHANNEL 9 События Events News Ukraine Saturday 17.12.2016 19:00 7.6 17.9 UKRAINE (original)

Остаемся New Year 10 зимовать. INTER TV Concert Ukraine Saturday 31.12.2016 24:00 7.4 17.6 Новогодний Concert (original) огонек

TIC is the data owner. TV panel operator – Nielsen, monitoring - Communication Alliance. Data is provided by MRM. 11 The CR ON TOP RU JANUARY 2017

TOP-10 CHANNELS IN RUSSIA, DECEMBER 2016 SHARE, 4+ (All Russia)

14.4 RUSSIA 1 12.9 CHANNEL ONE 9.2 NTV 5.8 CHANNEL FIVE 5.7 TNT 5.0 СТС 5.0 REN TV 3.2 TV TSENTR 2.8 TV-3 2.4 DOMASHNIY

TOP-RATED PROGRAMMES IN RUSSIA, DECEMBER 2016

TITLE TITLE TYPE OF ORIGINAL/ START 4+ (All RU) # CHANNEL WEEK DAY D AT E ORIGINAL ENG CONTENT FORMAT TIME RAT% SHR%

Новогоднее President’s Channel 1 поздравление New Year Live Air Russia Saturday 31.12.2016 23:55 12.2 29.8 One (original) Президента Greetings

Better than Channel 2 Лучше всех! Talent show Russia Sunday 04.12.2016 19:30 9.9 24.7 Everyone! One (original)

Новогодний New Year 3 Russia 1 Variety show Russia Saturday 31.12.2016 22:00 8.6 22.5 парад Звезд Stars Parade (original)

4 София Sofia Russia 1 Series Russia Monday 28.12.2016 22:00 8.1 24.1 (original)

Джентльмены Gentlemen Channel 5 Movie USSR Saturday 31.12.2016 17:05 7.9 22.5 удачи of Fortune One (original)

Ирония судьбы, Channel 6 The Irony of Fate Movie USSR Saturday 31.12.2016 18:50 7.6 19.5 или с легким паром One (original)

Пес Барбос Dog Barbos Channel 7 Movie USSR Saturday 31.12.2016 16:30 7.6 23.5 и необычный кросс and Supercross One (original)

Channel 8 Самогонщики Samogonshchiki Movie USSR Saturday 31.12.2016 16:40 7.4 22.5 One (original)

Channel 9 Пусть говорят Let Them Talk Talk show Russia Monday 28.11.2016 19:50 7.4 19.7 One (original)

Новогодняя ночь New Year Night Channel 10 Variety show Russia Saturday 31.12.2016 22:30 7.2 18.5 на Первом on Channel One One (original)

Source: TNS Russia 12 The CR ON TOP KZ JANUARY 2017

TOP-10 CHANNELS IN KAZAKHSTAN, DECEMBER 2016 SHARE, 6+ (100k+)

21.9 CHANNEL ONE EURASIA 16.3 КТК 11.5 CHANNEL 31 9.7 NTK 9.6 CHANNEL 7 8.7 KAZAKHSTAN 7.4 ASTANA 5.2 KHABAR 4.6 MIR 1.9 ON-TV / TAN

TOP-RATED PROGRAMMES IN KAZAKHSTAN, DECEMBER 2016

TITLE TITLE TYPE OF ORIGINAL/ START 4+ (All KZ) # CHANNEL WEEK DAY D AT E ORIGINAL ENG CONTENT FORMAT TIME RAT% SHR%

Новогоднее President’s Channel One 1 поздравление New Year Live air Kazakhstan Saturday 31.12.2016 23:55 17.9 35.4 Eurasia (original) Президента Greetings

Новогодняя ночь New Year Night Channel One 2 Concert Russia Saturday 31.12.2016 24:00 10.8 34.4 на Первом on Channel One Eurasia (original)

Главные новости Top News Channel One 3 на Первом канале News Kazakhstan Tuesday 27.12.2016 20:00 10.6 45.7 on Channel One Eurasia (original) Евразия

Channel One 4 Фальшивая нота False Note Series Russia Tuesday 27.12.2016 18:50 10.5 50.9 Eurasia (original)

Новости КТК. KTK News. 5 КТК News Kazakhstan Thursday 08.12.2016 21:00 9.9 37.2 Итоговый выпуск Summary (original)

Channel One Wheel of 6 Поле чудес Wheel of Fortune Game show Friday 09.12.2016 18:45 9.6 44.9 Eurasia Fortune (local adp.)

Channel One 7 Аналитика Analytics News Kazakhstan Sunday 11.12.2016 20:00 9.2 44.1 Eurasia (original)

Ирония судьбы, Channel One 8 The Irony of Fate Movie USSR Saturday 31.12.2016 22:10 9.1 27.7 или с легким паром Eurasia (original)

Голос Voice Channel One 9 Talent show The Voice Saturday 03.12.2016 20:30 8.6 35.1 Казахстана of Kazakhstan Eurasia (local adp.)

Отпечаток The Imprint Channel One 10 Series Russia Saturday 03.12.2016 18:15 8.3 44.0 любви of Love Eurasia (original)

Source: Kantar Media 13 The CR FOCUS JANUARY 2017

PRODUCTION INDUSTRY RESULTS OF THE YEAR

Year 2016 for TV and content production industries in many countries of the on board. The rst project – ‘Myzbalak’ (aka ‘The Hawk Eagle’) – is already in CIS region was lled with great expectations concerning the change of the production, and the second one – ‘Kyltegіn’ (the name of ancient Turkic leader) market rules that was intended to facilitate the development of the is still in development. Both animations are produced in Kazakh language. content-production and distribution business, as well as to make relationships between the state authorities and the marketers more transparent. Some Last year was notable for the producers in Moldova from the point of view of countries of the region, like Georgia, Ukraine and Russia decided to adopt the National Center of Cinematography (CNC) launch with famous Moldovan foreign experience of content production markets development and to director Valeriu Jegeghi appointment as its head. Moreover, in December implement cash rebates and tax incentives for producers. The other states still 2016 Centers of Cinematography from Moldova and Romania signed a count the direct state grants for the chosen projects to be the most applicable cooperation agreement – the rst one signed by CNC with similar institution way of the state support of lmmaking. In this review The CR will focus on the abroad. For this year Moldovan government has allocated about 8 million lei most important industry events that took place last year in dierent countries (approx. $ 500,000) for the development of the CNC and lm producing, with of the region. the focus on international co-productions.

Armenia stepped into 2016 as a new, 37th member of the Council of Europe’s Russian production industry showed notable growth in 2016 comparing with Eurimages Fund. Paying the annual member fee in the amount of € 116,000, the results of 2015 – the number of series and movies in production increased Armenian producers became eligible and quali ed applicants for Eurimages by more than 10%. The cinema box-oce in Russia and CIS territories co-production grants (the fund allocates about € 20 million for cinematograph (excluding Ukraine) in 2016 reached 52.8 billion rubles (approx. $ 830 million), every year). As Armenia does not have access to the support mechanisms of that is 9.5% more than in 2015. Number of the cinemas tickets sold grew by Creative Europe’s Media sub-programme, distributors from Armenia can apply 11%. At the same time Russia decided to test cash rebates system not on the for Eurimages support. In the same manner, movie theatres from Armenia are whole territory of the country, but only in separate regions – like Kaliningrad, now eligible for the Eurimages programme of support for exhibition. At the Ulyanovsk and Krasnodar Krai. Late December 2016 industrial NGOs and the same time Armenian production industry is still waiting for the ‘Law On authorities the above mentioned regions signed a memorandum on Cinematography’ adoption – the document is designed to implement some implementing cash rebates. The idea is to make these regions more attractive tax incentives for the local producers. and increase the local budgets. The look-alike incentive is being implemented by Russian Cinema Fund in abovementioned Kaliningrad region – 20% cash Azerbaijani content production industry suers from the lack of state support. rebate, Primorskiy Krai – 15%, and Astrakhan region – 5%. The entire 2016 professional community was dwelling upon the changes in the legislation but it resulted into nothing for now. Still it is intended that local Year 2016 marked the appearance and the beginning of work of the rst lmmakers will be able to claim for special tax credits. Moreover, it is planned regional Film Commissions in Ukraine – in Lviv – that is designed to support to create new Film Commissions that will be attracting and supporting the lmmakers shooting in the region. There is also a strong desire of the capital productions that come to their locality. authorities to setup Kyiv Film Commission – currently the negotiations on terms and conditions of its work are underway. The entire year content In 2016 Georgia became the rst country of the region that managed to production industry in Ukraine was waiting for the adoption of new launch lm industry incentive scheme oering 20% cash rebate of quali ed legislation introducing cash rebates and enhancing direct support for expenses incurred in Georgia and aiming to support the local lm industry lmmakers from the state authorities. On the local level this initiative development. Additional rebate of up to 5% is available on the condition that proposes to start supporting TV producers and to enlarge the total amount of the production includes promotional elements of Georgia, in other words the state support of the industry to $ 250 million for a 5-year period. It will lead meets the so called “Cultural Test”. The rebate scheme is open to applications to creation of at least 75 feature lms and more than 5 000 episodes of locally for feature lms, TV lms, TV series or mini-series (pilot episodes are eligible), produced TV-series of a high quality. Also it is expected that the share of animation, documentary lms, commercials, reality shows and music videos. locally-made TV series in the air of Ukrainian broadcasters should triple. On The rebate of 1 million GEL (approx. $ 370,000) is approved automatically. the other hand, new legislation will allow foreign producers to get payback up Projects requesting higher rebate need special approval of the Government of to 25% eligible production costs on the territory of Ukraine due to new cash Georgia. American TV-series ‘Marisa Romanov’ (the story of an American rebate system. Moreover, it is planned that foreign producers will be able to journalist who travels to Georgia to learn about her roots) became the rst receive additional 10% refund from the labour-production costs spent in project bene tting from the newly implemented rebates scheme. Ukraine. In spite of the fact that the Parliament voted for the incentive, Ukrainian President vetoed the document as the one that needs to be Kazakhstani content production industry showed quite rapid growth last year. improved, admitting that the incentive itself is crucially important and should The volume of the locally produced series increased by more than 25% – to be de nitely implemented. more than 50 series a year. On the other hand over 30 Kazakh feature lms premiered in the local cinemas (comparing with 20 premieres in 2015). At the It’s a pity, but some countries, like Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and same time the biggest lm studio in the country – state-owned Kazakh lm – Turkmenistan did not take any important steps towards their local production entered the era of full-length animation movies production with rst two titles industries development in 2016. 14 The CR CONTACT US JANUARY 2017

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