Russia reportedly restricts funding for films depicting corrupt law enforcement

Russia’s Culture Ministry and the state-sponsored Internet Development Institute, which funds propaganda content, have told producers that films and TV series depicting corruption in the security services will no longer receive government funding, business daily Kommersant reported, citing two sources from major film studios.

According to the newspaper’s sources, the restrictions cover scripts in which employees of the Interior Ministry, Federal Security Service (FSB), Investigative Committee or the prosecutor’s office accept bribes or take part in criminal schemes. Projects about serial killers also reportedly fall under the ban.

One source said the changes were conveyed to the Film and Television Producers Association, which unites 46 of the country’s largest production companies, but that there are no plans yet to enshrine the requirements in law. A second source said violating the rule could result in the loss of state support for a producer’s next project. The restrictions apply primarily to feature films, while the rules for TV series are more lenient.

There has been no official confirmation of the restrictions. A source at the Film and Television Producers Association told Kommersant that no official notice had been received. The Culture Ministry did not respond to the newspaper’s request for comment, while the Internet Development Institute and the Film and Television Producers Association declined to comment.

One producer who spoke to Kommersant supported the restrictions, arguing that portraying security officials in a negative light undermines trust in state institutions. Film critic Yevgeny Bazhenov questioned whether the policy would be effective. In his view, audiences will not believe a film that entirely excludes the negative aspects of society.