Lenfilm studio Director Eduard Pichugin, Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky and Film Director Fyodor Bondarchuk briefed the President of Russia on the current state of the Russian filmmaking industry and Lenfilm’s operations.
Representatives of the film industry told the President that having regained the ability to work on its own projects, Lenfilm has revived the full filmmaking production cycle. Its units in charge of set design, pre-production and equipment are operating in full. Specifically, the President saw a unique studio production unit that is as well-equipped as any in Hollywood. All in all, over 160 projects have been completed at Lenfilm studios over the past three years. New motion pictures and animated features for children are in the pipeline as part of Lenmultfilm, a new production unit.
Vladimir Putin also heard a presentation on the Lenfilm Park project to be built on a 21.5-hectare land plot by 2020. According to Lenfilm executives, the St Petersburg International Economic Forum has helped draw investors to the project.
At the end of his visit to Lenfilm studios, the President visited its museum with over 350,000 items, including costumes, props and personal items from prominent film people. Some of these are valuable and used to belong to the Imperial family. The President also visited the studio’s vintage car garage. The old cars all run and are in good condition.