Famous Russian film director proposing to introduce quotas for foreign films in Russia

The famous Russian film director Karen Shakhnazarov proposed to introduce quotas for foreign films in the country. He made this proposal on Tuesday at a governmental meeting, where the government discussed the issues of Moscow's film screening reorganization.

Shakhnazarov, the head of the largest Russian cinema enterprise "Mosfilm", said the situation in the Russian cinema industry was "dramatic". Russia produces too few films to fill the cinemas, with the average yearly amount of films produced equalling 50. That is why most of them have to purchase western, mainly American films, he said.

Shakhnazarov said the state must support the national cinema industry so that it could boost film production. He also said that the system of film screening needed certain legislation. "Perhaps, it would be reasonable to pass a legislation on quoting foreign films," the famous film director stated.

As it was said at the Moscow government's meeting there are 122 cinemas in Moscow now, only 89 of which are open. The remaining 33 cinemas failed to survive in the market economy conditions and are used for other purposes.