Putin spoke with the creative class about games and cartoons

At a meeting with representatives of the creative industries, which Vladimir Putin held at the former Khlebozavod N5, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov was clearly missing. Animators, cinematographers, designers, architects and producers of video games wanted not only to show themselves (and their products), but also to ask for money. The industry left without foreign investment needs subsidies, preferential loans, reduced taxes, special economic regimes, affordable premises and other state support. In response, entrepreneurs promise to create high-quality content and promote Russian values, symbols and images not only in the domestic market, but also in all available foreign markets.

Built in the 1930s in the style of constructivism, Khlebozavod N5 was recently rebuilt into a public, cultural and exhibition space. However, Vladimir Putin for some reason knew how everything had been arranged before. For its time, the round building on Khodynskaya Street was a real engineering innovation: “bread went from top to bottom – along the conveyor,” the president told those accompanying him.

On Tuesday, on the occasion of the arrival of the head of state, all the space from top to bottom was given to representatives of the creative industries, who were supposed to familiarize the guest with their products, talk about the prospects and voice the problems relevant to the industry. There were people of various creative professions, trying to make money on their work. And also those who help them in the implementation of this ambitious task.

So, for example, the fashion industry was represented not by the designers themselves, but by the buyer Mikhail, who buys their collections for further promotion to the masses. “The fashion industry is breaking all import substitution records. We are all dressed in Russian brands and this is just the beginning. My mission is to dress the whole of Russia and the whole world in our clothes,” he told the head of state. Vladimir Putin noted that representatives of the fashion segment were very lucky: “your colleagues left and freed up space for you.” “Today, Misha, this is 2 trillion rubles,” he clarified. – And 2 million sq. meters of vacant retail space. “Great amount! We will fill them all! A holy place is never empty!” Michael responded enthusiastically.

The President felt the blue dress hanging on the stand: “Are there any problems with fabrics and accessories?” But the interlocutor seemed to know little about this. The state, in his opinion, should not help fashion designers or manufacturers, but sellers. “We need financial support measures for retail,” Misha said and asked for interest-free loans, deferred payments, rental subsidies and other support measures that are traditionally of interest to businesses. “Give us a foothold, and we will turn the whole world upside down!” – escorting the president to the next stand, he assured.

Video game makers naturally wanted support too. Moreover, before the imposition of sanctions, this market was 80% financed by American and European capital. And Russian investors are not in a hurry to take this “holy place”. “You probably don’t play on weekends?” – cautiously asked Putin a man who introduced himself as Vasily. “I play on weekdays,” the president replied, laughing. And everyone present realized that he was by no means talking about virtual reality.

Vasily tried to sit VVP behind a simulator simulating a race on a high-speed highway in Sochi, but the president was in the mood for a substantive conversation. “What you need?” he asked bluntly. Vasily asked to gather the developers who remained in the country on campuses, where, with the support of regional authorities, they could wait for large private investments, and also to negotiate with China on the admission of domestic products to the largest world market. “The Chinese government does not license our games. Although Chinese content is freely sold in Russia,” he complained. Vladimir Putin announced his readiness to hold talks not only with Beijing, but also with other BRICS members. But he didn’t promise anything. And what can we promise here, if negotiations on the admission of Russian pork and certain grains to China have been unsuccessfully conducted for several years? The East, unfortunately, is a delicate matter. After the imposition of sanctions, many have already become convinced of this.

Vasily’s colleague asked Vladimir Putin to clarify whether companies registering legal entities in friendly countries remain domestic producers. On the one hand, video game developers need this in order to enter foreign markets with less problems (After all, the light did not converge in China). On the other hand, they do not want to lose the benefits that IT specialists receive in the Russian Federation. The video game sector, according to an industry representative, intends to compete for the minds of the younger generation and put important meanings into the minds of players. Moreover, the game is able to “motivate interest in history and awaken patriotism,” she added.

Representatives of the film industry are also thinking about the awakening of patriotism.

In particular, the animators are hatching the idea of ​​creating a “Russian Disney in the good sense of the word.” “We can definitely do better than them,” the president was assured. It turned out that Vladimir Putin not only loves domestic cartoons, but is also well aware of the achievements of modern animation. “Fixikov” and “Masha and the Bear”, in his words, “the whole world is watching.” The President supported the proposal to create a special economic zone for cinema – the Moscow International Film Cluster under “the patronage of the Moscow government.” It is assumed that its residents will be able to receive certain preferences and tax benefits. Also, the animators proposed to equalize animation with the IT sphere, reducing the profit tax for cartoon producers to 3%, and allocate subsidies to Russian toy manufacturers so that they can replace foreign products that have left the market. There is a risk that the shelves will be empty, VVP warned.

Yuliana Slashcheva, chairman of the board of the Association of Organizations of the Animated Film Industry, said that she had already met with the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, Denis Manturov, about subsidies for toys. “Here you should not meet with Manturov, but with Siluanov,” the president advised, noting that if “everything is produced on the basis of Russian culture, then this is very important.” “Yes, the Ministry of Finance needs to be moved,” Slashcheva nodded. In general, the Minister of Finance was clearly not enough at this meeting. Moreover, to everyone.