Commercial Distribution of Russian Cinema: the Experience of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

The article analyzes the experience of one of the Russia's regions in the field of cinema. The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) is a rare example of a stably functioning regional film industry, where most films are produced in the national language. The republic with a population under 1 million people has 23 film companies, and local films outstrip Hollywood blockbusters in domestic box-office, which makes Yakut cinema worth taking a closer look at. The article aims at bringing to light the key features of the local film distribution from 2018 to 2022, taking into account the modifications caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as sanctions. Hence three research objectives can be identified: analyzing domestic theatrical distribution, identifying the constraints on the distribution of Yakut films outside the region, describing the experience of online screening of Yakut films.