Film Distribution in Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War: Economic Aspect
https://doi.org/10.21603/sibscript-2026-28-3-512-522
EDN: RGLGIT
Abstract
The financial aspect of Soviet film distribution remains understudied as most cinema studies focus primarily on art history and culture. This article examines the economics of film distribution in the city of Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945. It focuses not only on the ideological and patriotic goals of film distribution policy, but also on its profit-driven economic objectives. By tracing the development of film distribution enterprises, the author identifies the quantitative and financial outcomes of their activities, the key economic processes of wartime Leningrad cinema, the financial trajectory of cinema operations, and the evolution of capital investment and taxation policies. The analysis reveals several distinct stages in the economic development of Leningrad film distribution from 1941 to 1945, as well as its shifting contribution to the city budget. The scale of Leningrad cinema operations directly correlated with their share of budget revenue. In 1944–1945, the role of film distribution in replenishing Leningrad’s budget revenues increased significantly; the nominal amount of the film tax and its share in the city budget exceeded pre-war levels.
About the Author
Oleg V. Baev
State Institute of Film and Television
Russian Federation
Competing Interests:
Russian Federation
St. Petersburg
Competing Interests:
The author declared no potential conflict of interests regarding the research, authorship, and / or publication of this article.
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For citations:
Baev O.V. Film Distribution in Leningrad during the Great Patriotic War: Economic Aspect. SibScript. 2026;28(3):512–522. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21603/sibscript-2026-28-3-512-522. EDN: RGLGIT
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