Evgenia Markova has been appointed general director of Roskino, the Russian film promotion organization. She replaces Catherine Mtsitouridze, who left after nine years in the role.
Markova was previously industry liaison director of Expocontent, a company that advises Russian government agencies, and leading film producers and distributors on international promotion.
Markova’s selection was approved by Roskino’s board of directors and supported by the Russian Culture Ministry, based on the feedback of major Russian filmmakers, according to a statement.
Her main objective is “to create a professional national system for supporting the promotion of Russian content abroad,” she said.
She added: “We want to make the country a transparent and reliable partner for the international community and build up long-term relations with all the key stakeholders in the global industry: filmmakers, buyers, press, festivals, professional associations and others.”
Leading Russian producers expressed their expectations for Markova to propel the promotion of the national film industry abroad to the next level.
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“Evgenia Markova is recognized throughout the Russian film industry and international buyers’ community. Her experience and enthusiasm can help boost Russia’s exports of scripted formats in the world and deeper integrate Russian content into global markets,” said Fedor Bondarchuk, a member of Roskino’s board of directors, a leading Russian director and producer, and founder of Art Pictures Studio.
As industry liaison director of Expocontent, Markova coordinated major Russian filmmakers’ participation under a single national brand at the world’s leading film markets: under the Made in Russia brand (with the support of the Russian Export Center) at the Cannes Market; and under the Created in Moscow brand (with the support of the Moscow Export Center) at the American Film Market in Santa Monica, and the Toronto Film Festival.
Under her leadership, together with the industry and with the support of the Russian Culture Ministry, the Key Buyers Event, an international forum for foreign content buyers, was held in Moscow, Russia in October, bringing together more than 50 executives of major studios and companies from the U.S., China, Europe and Latin America.
Markova was also a member of the working group on the creation of a federal rebate system for foreign film producers in Russia. The corresponding Russian government decree was signed in November.