Russia reportedly to cut state funding for films about serial killers and corrupt officials
Russian authorities are preparing to stop state funding for films and series depicting serial killers or law enforcement officials taking bribes, Kommersant reports.
Two sources at major Russian film studios told the business daily Kommersant that state funding will no longer be granted to films and television series portraying officials from the Interior Ministry, the Federal Security Service (FSB), the Investigative Committee, or prosecutors' offices taking bribes or participating in criminal schemes.
The same sources said the new restrictions will also cover projects centered on violent predators and serial killers.
An unwritten but widely known rule
According to the sources, the restrictions will not be formally written into law for now. However, one source told Kommersant that "all producers know about them," and that anyone who breaches the rules will be denied state funding for their next project. The restrictions reportedly apply mainly to feature films, while series made for streaming platforms are said to have "more leeway."
The sources said officials from the Culture Ministry and the Internet Development Institute informed the Association of Film and Television Producers (APKiT) about the restrictions. APKiT's membership includes 46 of Russia's largest film companies. A source at the association said, however, that it had not received any official notification about the new rules.
