Yana Belsky’s Post

Well, isn't this just delightful: do you know what they call pirate screenings of Hollywood blockbusters in Russian cinemas? "Pre-show service"! So, officially, almost all of Hollywood has supposedly left Russia, but unofficially (meaning, through good old piracy), all the latest releases are being shown in cinemas in their full glory, right before screenings of Russian films. Now, to be fair, not all cinemas are in on this little charade. Perhaps that's why, out of the 4.6 billion rubles (roughly 50 million dollars) that the industry raked in during June and July 2024, about a third of it comes from these pirate releases. The top performers - "Inside Out 2," "Despicable Me 4," and "Furiosa: Mad Max Chronicles." So, as I may have mentioned before, sanctions only work when everyone plays along. When one side imposes them and the other couldn’t care less, you end up with this sort of mess. I have just one question: how many people actually stay in their seats after the end of, say, "Furiosa" to watch what the Russian film industry has to offer?

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