Studio KIT ( "Cinema and TV", enters into holding "Gazprom-media") - the investor of the film "Viking", the general director of industrial sub-holding KIT Rafael Minasbekyan. "Central Partnership" (Central Partnership, as part of the sub-holding KIT) - Distributors of this picture, he said.

"Last year," First Channel "and" cinema of the Directorate "required additional investments for this ambitious project, and we liked the idea to expand the partnership", - explained Minasbekyan. Earlier TSPSH was not only distributors but also the investor of another Russian blockbuster - "Crew", created by the studio of Nikita Mikhalkov's "TriTe" added Minasbekyan. According to him, if not to take into account the money the state film fund and own funds "Directorate of Film", the KIT has invested in the "First" project about the same as myself, this broadcaster. The absolute amount he did not disclose, "This is a significant part of the budget picture. Hundreds of millions of rubles. In addition, the exact size of the budget is not completely clear - the film is in the final stages of post-production. "

The representative of the "First Channel" confirmed that CIT has invested in "Viking". General Director of "Directorate of Film" Anatoly Maksimov also conveyed through a representative, it is the right information. But the anchor investor of the project - "First Channel", he said. A source close to the producers of the picture, says that the "Viking", there are other private investors, but they have invested considerably smaller amounts than the "first" and "Gazprom-Media".

"Viking" tells the story of Novgorod and Kiev Prince Vladimir Rurik, the Baptist of Russia, in the heart of the film - "The Tale of Bygone Years". Director of the film - Andrey Kravchuk, in the title role - Danila Kozlovsky.

Records "Crew"

"Crew" was released in rent in April 2016 he collected at the box office in Russia and the CIS more than 1.5 billion rubles. While this is the most successful Russian film in 2016 and the second after the "Stalingrad" domestic film at the box office for the entire rental history. Given the international rental CIT paid for investments in "Crew" several times, according to Minasbekyan.

Maksimov and CEO of "First Channel" Konstantin Ernst worked on this project for more than seven years. Ernst calls "Viking" its best picture. picture hire date was postponed several times. Recently, producers and TSPSH decided that the "Viking" will be released in Russia rolled at the end of December.

Before the filmmakers claimed that its production budget is 1.25 billion rubles. About half of this amount, the producers for several years received from the Cinema Fund. Part of the money received on irrecoverable conditions. Film Fund representative confirmed that the Fund financed the "Viking", but refused to name specific figures.

 Investments in "Crew" and "Viking" - part of a new strategy of "Gazprom-media" content creation. In February, the studio has created a holding company CIT, which is engaged in filming TV shows and movies. The first official presentation of the studio was held yesterday. According Minasbekyan, this year in the production of the studio 18 series and two of his own film, "Legend of the Kolovrat" and "Nevsky Spot". Studio shoots series for "Gazprom-media" channels, as well as for other federal channels, including the "First".

In 2016, the revenues of CIT increased compared to the previous year by 61%, bringing sub-holding 38% of the total non-advertising revenues, "Gazprom-media", said the general director of the holding Dmitry Chernyshenko, the absolute numbers, he did not disclose.

According Minasbekyan, in 2017 the studio will start production in about 25 series and 2-3 own paintings: "We are also looking at projects in which, as in the case of the" Crew "and" Viking ", we can become the investors' .

Production of TV series and movies for a long time engaged in TSPSH, but when in 2013 the company, together with other assets "Prof-Media" acquired "Gazprom-media", its own production it has almost gone. Now TSPSH engaged in rental and management of content rights across the "Gazprom-Media".