The Armenian Cinema Fund is pursuing a strategy to present films across the Commonwealth of Independent States in a synchronized, cross-border run. The central obstacle remains obtaining distribution certificates in at least one member country, a prerequisite that would enable simultaneous festival-style or release screenings. While this route may be more readily navigated for Russian productions, questions persist about how it would adapt to titles that are not produced locally, according to Alexey Voronkov, the chair of the Association of Cinema Owners, known as NSN AVK.
In parallel, Vardan Abovyan, vice president of the Armenian Cinema Fund, has advocated for automatic distribution rights for films that secure the necessary certificate in at least one CIS country. He noted that discussions among EurAsEC members are ongoing, with a possibility of broadening the dialogue to include a larger scope of the CIS. Voronkov found the idea appealing in principle but warned that there is no formal framework for rental certification yet, and the practical steps to implement such a policy remain open to interpretation.
Russia continues to supply copies of foreign films, and cinema programming in the region is not confined to Hollywood productions alone. Local exhibition spaces frequently supplement their lineups with international titles from Europe, Asia, and beyond.
European cinema also reaches the market, alongside films from France, China, India, and the United Kingdom. In practice, the regional market tends to orbit around the presence of major Hollywood studios, as noted by the expert.
Voronkov added that smaller studios often depend on Russia for distribution and representation in the region, underscoring the country’s role as a regional hub for film access and licensing.
Earlier, Voronkov proposed policy steps that would require cinemas to contribute financially to the screening of foreign films. He argued that such measures could help address discrepancies where unofficial box office figures seem higher than official tallies, pointing to Belarus as a case where a legal framework already exists.
The discussion surrounding the reception of the film Soul Collector in Russia was used to illustrate how regulatory environments and market dynamics influence performance and access across borders, highlighting the broader context in which the Armenian plan operates. This broader context includes the tension between national policy priorities and the practical realities of cross-border film distribution, licensing, and exhibition economics. Industry observers note that alignment between government agencies, distributors, and exhibitors is critical to achieving a predictable, transparent market that can sustain diverse programming while still supporting domestic cinema growth.