How would you describe the main objective of the Moscow Film Cluster for entering the Indian market and participating in the IIFTC Conclave 2026?

At this stage our objective is very specific establishing the Moscow Film Cluster as a clear competitive and economically efficient location for Indian producers The cluster is being created and developed as part of the Moscow City Film Program initiated by Moscow Mayor Sergey Sobyanin And this is a key point we are not talking about a oneoff project but about a consistent city infrastructureInternational marketplaces such as Red Sea Souk and now IIFTC in Mumbai are professional entry points for us into dialogue with the industry where we can show how the Moscow model works ndash not in theory but in figures and production scenariosWhat is the practical logic behind a rebate of up to 4537 for Indian projectsFirst of all it is important to understand how the mechanism works Up to 3037 of eligible costs for shooting or postproduction in Moscow are reimbursed to the producer as a direct financial rebate Another 1537 is generated by reduced costs for accommodation logistics and services within the cluster and the city ecosystemThe key advantage is predictability Rebate cost categories are clearly defined local cost thresholds are fixed application submission and review procedure is standardized and supported by the cluster team This allows Indian producers to incorporate Moscow into their financial model at the preproduction stage and compare it with other jurisdictions on a likeforlike basisHow is the current settlement practice between Russia and India affecting the financial sideA separate factor that already affects the attractiveness of joint projects is the transition to the direct RUBINR settlements 90ndash9537 of payments between our countries are currently made without USD or EUR use which reduces currency risks for coproductions A fast payment infrastructure has been created up to 6037 of payments from Russia to India are executed within 10 minutes and the rest ndash within 24 hours from India to Russia about 1537 of transactions are completed within 10 minutesFor producers this means that payments for services fees and local contractors can be built into the production schedule without long delays or additional exchange commissions Moreover a number of projects can already enjoy 11 RUBINR conversion mechanism via banking instruments which simplifies the financial planningWhat other practical matters are important for Indian groupsvisas entry to Russia organizational issues for their stayWe assume that producers are interested not only in venues and rebates but also in the time needed for organizational issues Our countries already enjoy close economic and sectoral cooperation Against this backdrop humanitarian mechanisms are also being simplified including electronic visas and more predictable entry proceduresFor their part the Moscow Film Cluster and Film Commission work with Russian production partners who accompany Indian teams throughout the entire processfrom visa support to accommodation and logistics in the city Our task is to ensure that producers do not waste resources on coordinating with numerous agencies and suppliersHow would you describe the structure of the Moscow Film Cluster to an Indian producer who is encountering it for the first timeIn simple words it is a onestopshop ecosystem It includes the Film City and the Film Park with large backlots the Film Factory with virtual and industrial capabilities the Maxim Gorky Film Studio as the flagship of studio production the Moscow Film Commission the Film in Moscow digital platform and the Moskino cinema chainThe cluster structure allows for the entire cycle to be carried out within a single jurisdiction from scouting and location shooting to postproduction and movie screening for Moscow audiences An important point is that the film cluster directly manages some of the locations and infrastructure which makes pricing more transparent and stable for international partnersWhat types of locations and venues in Moscow might be particularly interesting for Indian projectsWhen it comes to cluster sites the Film City and the Film Park offer the opportunity to bring together different types of spaces in one complex from historic streets to a modern European quarter This is useful for scenarios where the action moves between countries or time periodsThe Film Factory adds a technological layer which is important for projects with a large VFX volume The Maxim Gorky Film Studio provides studio facilitiessound stages workshops and the largest archive of costumes and props which can be used without having to produce everything from scratchOutside of studios Moscow offers a wide range of outdoor locations the historic center modern business districts residential areas parks and transportation infrastructure Work with city locations is coordinated through the Moscow Film Commission which reduces the risk of delays in obtaining permitsHow much interest is there specifically from India and how has this interest been transformed into real projectsThe Indian interest in Moscow as a production site has become more concrete over the past two years At FICCI FRAMES 2025 we presented the Film Cluster as a venue partner and held over a hundred meetings with Indian companies from major studios to service providers This actually resulted in a partnership agreement with Jio Creative Labs and in the Smash coproduction projectSmash is a good example of how financial and infrastructure instruments can be combined the agreement was signed at the Moscow International Film Week So the shooting in Moscow will begin in 2026 and is supported by a rebate program For us this is an indicator that the Indian market perceives Moscow not as an abstract possibility but as a real solution for specific production tasksWhat key advantages of shooting in Moscow would you highlight for Indian producers and studiosIn short it is a combination of three groups of factorsThe first one is economics up to 4537 rebate competitive labor costs large backlogs that reduce travel expenses and an improved RUBINR payment infrastructure that reduces currency and time costsThe second one is process manageability centralized work of the Moscow Film Commission digital application procedures and a clear set of rules for using city locations and infrastructureAnd the third one is the ecosystem approach the ability to conduct most of the production cycle in one city and within one managed systemfrom the Film City and the Film Factory to the Gorky Film Studio and the Moskino network For Indian producers with their busy schedules and high demands on content volume this allows for more accurate planning of workloads and budgetsWhat message would you like to convey to the Indian industry following your participation in IIFTC 2026The main message is that the Moscow Film Cluster is already an operational system not a lsquoinprogressrsquo one and it was originally designed as a tool for international producers We openly discuss the rebate structure infrastructure and working conditions based on facts and projects that have already been launched including those with Indian partnersPragmatically speaking we invite Indian companies to view Moscow as a regular link in their production chains not as a oneoff lsquoexoticrsquo location but as a city that can be included in their content production schedule for several years aheadRebate and project economicsUp to 4537 cost rebate in Moscow3037 direct cash rebate on eligible expensesUp to 1537 through discounts on accommodation logistics and services within the cluster and city ecosystemRebate is available for shooting and postproduction upon reaching the set thresholds for local costsThe cluster was created as part of the Moscow ndash City of Cinema program initiated by Moscow Mayor Sergey SobyaninInfrastructureKey cluster elements Film City and Film Park backlots Film Factory virtual and industrial production Maxim Gorky Film Studio Moscow Film Commission Film in Moscow digital platform Moskino cinema chainExamples of current projects Smash sports drama coproduction by Smena Kartina Entertainment shooting in Moscow with rebate from March 2026Financial settlements between Russia and India90ndash9537 of settlements between countries are already conducted in RUB and INR without the dollar or euroUp to 6037 of payments from Russia to India completed within 10 minutes and the rest ndash within 24 hoursAbout 1537 of payments from India to Russia take 10 minutesBanking solutions with a 11 RUBINR conversion are available simplifying financial planning for coproductions

How would you describe the main objective of the Moscow Film Cluster for entering the Indian market and participating in the IIFTC Conclave 2026?

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How would you describe the main objective of the Moscow Film Cluster for entering the Indian market and participating in the IIFTC Conclave 2026?

Other Articles

Mid-Day Fast