Russian Box Office Reaches a Record High of $1.33 Billion for 2012

MOSCOW – Russia’s total box office reached a record $1.33 billion in 2012, up 18.8 percent from the previous year.

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The trade publication Kinobiznes Segodnya (Film Business Today), which released the figures, also said that the proportion of local fare in the total box office was 15.1 percent, with 74 Russian releases grossing $187.4 million.

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The average ticket price reached 226 rubles ($7.24), up 2.1 percent in dollar terms and 2.7 percent in rubles from 2011.

A total of 146 films grossed more than $1 million, and 39 took in more than $10 million.

Just like the year before, Walt Disney Studios Sony Pictures Releasing CIS was the most successful distributor, with a gross of $312.1 million achieved by its 28 releases. The company’s top-grossing movie was The Avengers with $43.68 million.

WDSSPR was followed by Karo ($184.4 million), whose highest-grossing release was The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey ($26.58 million in the first 11 days), and Central Partnership ($172 million; its top release was Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted at $49.4 million).

20th Century Fox CIS was in fourth place with $160.3 million but had the year’s top-grossing movie, Ice Age: Continental Drift ($50.1 million).

The box-office champion among local films was Dukhless (Soulless), distributed by UPI, which grossed $13.4 million.