Star Media now plays in the major leagues

The first project is Mata Hari, about the famous dancer and spy executed in 1917, with episode costs of 1,2 million dollars each. A big partner is Red Arrow International (Germany), which got in charge of international distribution.

Vlad Ryashin, CEO at Star Media, stresses: ‘Producing in English is another story. You can generate the best productions ever in Russian language, but when you meet the main international players, they say Let’s see. If you produce in English, many business processes are simpler, they understand better what you do and they say: What else do you have?’

‘We are the first Russian company producing TV series in English language. Other firms have produced films, but TV series are more complex, you have to be more constant in time. For us business is better because with good products, you keep growing yourself progressively’.

‘Mata Hari has been produced for the most demanding audiences. It was shot in Portugal, Russia with actors as John Malkovich, Rutger Hauer, Cristopher Lambert, Vagina Giocante. We are very proud of the production. Also, we have 4 projects more in English language, we are looking for partners for them. Silk Road, about a Chinese legend in the first Century – adventures, love and magic; Anna of Byzantium, a real story from the 11st Century; Sofia, a poor Greek woman that fell in love with the King of Poland. And our first science fiction project: Destination: Mars, with huge visual effects’.

About the domestic Russian market, Ryashin describes: ‘2015 has been a very complicated year, with advertisement pie falling 50 percent due to crisis and currency devaluation. But this situation is an opportunity, too. We expect one-two years bad, and then the market will grow again, event stronger due to the strike back effect. Meanwhile, we are going more and more international’.