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The CEO of “NMG Kinoprokat” Vadim Smirnov, in partnership with the “Industry” Film and Television School, is launching the first cohort of the practical course "Film Marketing and Distribution: The “NMG Kinoprokat” Course”. The program aims to address the shortage of qualified specialists in film distribution during a period of rapid growth in Russian cinema. The training will be held in Moscow, available in both in-person and remote formats.
According to “NMG Kinoprokat”, Russia has an acute shortage of specialized managers for film promotion and distribution. The industry is experiencing a severe talent deficit that is hindering market growth, causing many high-quality domestic studio projects to fall short of expected box office returns.
A distribution specialist is a key figure in the spheres of film, television, and digital media. They must possess competencies in marketing, economics, partner negotiations, and a deep understanding of film market mechanics. Over 4.5 months, students will acquire the necessary knowledge and skills and have the opportunity to apply them in practice during workshops and real “NMG Kinoprokat” projects.
Importantly, course participants will not only undergo training but will also be fully immersed in the professional environment: attending film premieres, corporate events, and presentations.
The program’s author is Vadim Smirnov, CEO of “NMG Kinoprokat”. He previously served as Vice President of Theatrical Distribution at The Walt Disney Studios CIS and headed Twentieth Century Fox CIS for eight years. He managed the Russian market launches of franchises such as “The Avengers”, “Star Wars”, and “X-Men”, as well as films like “12 Years a Slave”, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, “The Martian”, and other Russian box office leaders.
"Today, the film business is a precise engineering of success, where marketing has become as crucial an element as production. No franchise conquers the world on its own. Behind every major release lies a meticulously crafted market entry strategy. In this course, we will dissect not theory, but the inner workings of major distribution. My goal is for you, after completing the training, to view any film not as a viewer, but as a strategist capable of forecasting its success," shared Vadim Smirnov.
The course is suitable for individuals without prior experience in film, for already working specialists, as well as for marketers, PR managers, and media agents from other industries. All graduates who successfully complete the program will receive a state-recognized professional retraining diploma.
"We have been collaborating with “NMG Kinoprokat” for many years. Our experience unequivocally shows that even a very good film needs a competent promotion strategy to realize its full box office potential. That is precisely why we are creating a course led by top-tier practitioners—specialists who have shaped the Russian film market over the past decades. Furthermore, the school's co-founder Fyodor Bondarchuk and I will personally conduct some of the classes. We have prepared case studies never shared before—this is real-life experience that allows one to understand how cinema truly works from the inside. For many, this will become not just training, but an entry into a new profession," noted the school's co-founder and producer Mikhail Vrubel.
About the “Industry” Film and Television School
The school was founded by director Fyodor Bondarchuk and producers of the "Vodorod" company, Mikhail Vrubel and Alexander Andryushchenko, with the support of the National Media Group. Since 2017, "Industry" has been training specialists for the film and television industry. Graduates of the school have contributed to the creation of series and films such as "Buratino", "Alice in Wonderland", "The Boy's Word", "Major Grom: Plague Doctor", "Ice 3", "Attraction", "Sputnik", "The Dyatlov Pass Incident", "Central Russia’s Vampires", "Call DiCaprio!", and other projects.
About “NMG Kinoprokat”
The distribution division of the media holding "National Media Group", founded in 2022. Within three years, the company has risen to leading positions in the film distribution market and has released a number of successful titles, including "Finist: The First Bogatyr", "At the Pike's Behest", "Red Silk", "Yolki 11", "Vozdukh", "Ice 3", and other films.
According to “NMG Kinoprokat”, Russia has an acute shortage of specialized managers for film promotion and distribution. The industry is experiencing a severe talent deficit that is hindering market growth, causing many high-quality domestic studio projects to fall short of expected box office returns.
A distribution specialist is a key figure in the spheres of film, television, and digital media. They must possess competencies in marketing, economics, partner negotiations, and a deep understanding of film market mechanics. Over 4.5 months, students will acquire the necessary knowledge and skills and have the opportunity to apply them in practice during workshops and real “NMG Kinoprokat” projects.
Importantly, course participants will not only undergo training but will also be fully immersed in the professional environment: attending film premieres, corporate events, and presentations.
The program’s author is Vadim Smirnov, CEO of “NMG Kinoprokat”. He previously served as Vice President of Theatrical Distribution at The Walt Disney Studios CIS and headed Twentieth Century Fox CIS for eight years. He managed the Russian market launches of franchises such as “The Avengers”, “Star Wars”, and “X-Men”, as well as films like “12 Years a Slave”, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”, “The Martian”, and other Russian box office leaders.
"Today, the film business is a precise engineering of success, where marketing has become as crucial an element as production. No franchise conquers the world on its own. Behind every major release lies a meticulously crafted market entry strategy. In this course, we will dissect not theory, but the inner workings of major distribution. My goal is for you, after completing the training, to view any film not as a viewer, but as a strategist capable of forecasting its success," shared Vadim Smirnov.
The course is suitable for individuals without prior experience in film, for already working specialists, as well as for marketers, PR managers, and media agents from other industries. All graduates who successfully complete the program will receive a state-recognized professional retraining diploma.
"We have been collaborating with “NMG Kinoprokat” for many years. Our experience unequivocally shows that even a very good film needs a competent promotion strategy to realize its full box office potential. That is precisely why we are creating a course led by top-tier practitioners—specialists who have shaped the Russian film market over the past decades. Furthermore, the school's co-founder Fyodor Bondarchuk and I will personally conduct some of the classes. We have prepared case studies never shared before—this is real-life experience that allows one to understand how cinema truly works from the inside. For many, this will become not just training, but an entry into a new profession," noted the school's co-founder and producer Mikhail Vrubel.
About the “Industry” Film and Television School
The school was founded by director Fyodor Bondarchuk and producers of the "Vodorod" company, Mikhail Vrubel and Alexander Andryushchenko, with the support of the National Media Group. Since 2017, "Industry" has been training specialists for the film and television industry. Graduates of the school have contributed to the creation of series and films such as "Buratino", "Alice in Wonderland", "The Boy's Word", "Major Grom: Plague Doctor", "Ice 3", "Attraction", "Sputnik", "The Dyatlov Pass Incident", "Central Russia’s Vampires", "Call DiCaprio!", and other projects.
About “NMG Kinoprokat”
The distribution division of the media holding "National Media Group", founded in 2022. Within three years, the company has risen to leading positions in the film distribution market and has released a number of successful titles, including "Finist: The First Bogatyr", "At the Pike's Behest", "Red Silk", "Yolki 11", "Vozdukh", "Ice 3", and other films.