The 13th International Film Festival ended in Berdyansk. Ukrainian filmmakers hope that this year will be a turning point in the film industry and that next year Ukraine will start producing more films.

[Vladimir Goryansky, President, International Film Festival in Berdyansk]: (Russian, male)
"Documents have been drafted for the law, which takes into account Russian and European experience how to restore the film industry. Therefore, if we succeed in a legislative framework, then I think we will see the results very soon . As it was like in Russia before - just cinema boom. 5 or 6 years ago the movies there were on almost the same level as ours."

Every year about 10 state-funded movies are made in Ukraine, while in Russia - two hundred.

However, even in Russia, the film industry can hardly be called profitable.

There are not enough movie theaters, and, consequently, profits from the rental are low.

[Sergei Kashonin, Actor & Producer] (Russian, male)
"In America, there are more than 6,000 cinemas. In all of Russia there are only 500 cinemas. If there were at least 2,000 cinemas in Russia, 1000 in Ukraine and 500 in Belarus, then we can easily rely on that payback, and then the movies will pay for themselves, like they used to."

But the problem does not seem to be limited merely to the construction of additional cinemas. We must still attract extra viewers. But today's film fans are often satisfied with a home viewing. Europe is not complaining the lack of cinemas, but the movie industry there is going through hard times.

[Piero Tomaselli, Director of "Velma"] (English, male)
“If you make a film ,the film is made to be shown to an audience. In Italy at this moment it is very difficult to show your film to a big audience, because television is very powerful.”

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NTD, Berdyansk, Ukraine