Nikita Mikhalkov, a charismatic film director and an outspoken Putin loyalist, appears to be winning the fight for control over the Union of Cinematographers of Russia, one of the few remaining influential artistic guilds in Russia. Mikhalkov has been the chairman of the Union since 1997 but was dislodged from his position last December. Under his leadership, a certain rebirth of Russian cinema did indeed take place, but critics point out that most of the profits went to the commercial sector of the Russian cinema industry and to foreign cinema studios.
In December a group of other famous cinema directors elected the 83-year-old Marlen Khutsiyev as the new chairman. Mikhalkov declared the December “gathering” illegitimate and proposed to convene a new congress on March 30, where his supporters are expected to take hold of most of the seats in the Union’s new leadership. Mikhalkov said he would not run for reelection himself.
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