Russia forces foreign film Rupture to reschedule release

Russia has used its power to reschedule foreign film releases for the first time, pushing back the release for sci-fi thriller Rupture to avoid competition with local films.

The Russian Ministry of Culture, which presides over exhibition licences for all theatrical releases, affirmed that Rupture would “create competition to local releases” also due to open in Russia on Thursday this week.

Under Russian law, the Ministry of Culture has the power to alter the dates of Hollywood releases to avoid conflicts with Russian films, but it has only previously enacted this power in the form of an advisory suggestion. Earlier this year, Disney and Russian distributor BVSPR followed a suggestion by the Ministry to change the release date of The Avengers: Age of Ultron, in order to avoid conflict with the local film The Dawns Here are Quiet.

The new release for Rupture, which is directed by Steven Shainberg and stars Noomi Rapace and Michael Chiklis, is slated for 2 February, although an official exhibition licence has yet to be issued.

Source: Hollywood Reporter