Cheburashka and Buratino Films Spark Dispute Between Intelligentsia and State Duma

The 2026 New Year holidays in Russian cinema followed a predictable and, it seemed, triumphant script. The trio of family blockbusters — «Cheburashka 2», «Buratino», and «Prostokvashino» — collectively earned over 9 billion rubles (approximately $90 million at current rates). Theaters were packed, tickets sold out in advance, and the news echoed with talk of a «victory for domestic cinema» and «the return of audiences to the halls.»

The picture looked flawless — until State Duma deputies returned from their holidays. A meeting of the State Duma Committee on Culture became a turning point. The tone of the discussion turned out to be unexpectedly harsh: deputies began criticizing the very films that just yesterday were presented as flagships of cultural policy. Accusations were made of shoddy work, derivativeness, «corruption of children»s minds,« parasitism on Soviet heritage, and using »famous names« for guaranteed box office success.

However, in conditions where main competitors have been removed from distribution, even an openly weak film becomes a box office hit. This is not about an artistic victory, but about a well-built administrative machine. And the deputies know this perfectly well. By the way, a new bill is currently being discussed in the State Duma that expands the powers of the Ministry of Culture in determining priorities for state support. And then, perhaps, Russian viewers will be pleased with something other than endless fairy tales. Our colleagues from MSK1.RU spoke with experts about this.

A Matter of Taste

People«s Artist of Russia, director Andrey Zhitinkin views the situation reconciliatorily: »In fact, the right of the founder — in this case, the Ministry of Culture — is indeed to set priorities, to release films. Deputies are concerned about what remains in the viewers« minds, but this is an eternal question. Business often does not align with taste preferences. Legally, this is not formalized: the emotional attitude of deputies cannot be the basis for decisions. Some like it, some don»t — as in the acting world. Society must have tolerance.«

Will They Ban Everything?

Much harsher was the opinion of film critic and film scholar Alexander Shpagin. In his view, «if deputies control cultural policy in the country, they will ban everything.»

According to Shpagin, it is precisely the family remakes, which suddenly (and completely unmotivatedly) came under fire in the State Duma, that have become the main unifying trend: «These films create family values, connect the past and present. Young people watch »Cheburashka« and begin to take an interest in the past. Finally, we have found the form of cinema. Thanks to such films, cinemas are opening, families and elderly people are going again. Now going to the cinema has become prestigious.»

Naturally, a key question arises: can box office be considered the main criterion? According to calculations by «Kinopoisk», the current «New Year blockbuster battle» turned out to be the most record-breaking in history. Over the New Year holidays, more than 19 million tickets were sold (the previous record was back in 2019 — less than 16 million tickets).

However, one of the reasons for the record was a sharp increase in ticket prices: now they cost 534 rubles (about $6 at current rates) (last year it was 480 rubles, about $5 at current rates, meaning the price increase far outpaced official inflation).

And based on last year«s results, the record-breakers included, as always, mainly film fairy tales (the very ones that deputies rebelled against): »The Wizard of the Emerald City,« »Gorynych,« »Alice in Wonderland.« But among them was also the patriotic film »August« about the Great Patriotic War (it earned almost 1.6 billion rubles, approximately $16 million at current rates) — precisely the kind that deputies, apparently, are asking to promote.

«»August« is a wonderful picture, complex and ambiguous, with pauses, not upbeat, but rather suspenseful, like a thriller,» says Alexander Shpagin.

He reminds that culture always balances between the dictate of taste and the dictate of the market, but it never becomes fully manageable: «Sometimes the viewer is an ally, and sometimes a terrible opponent. An enormous amount of outright trash collected giant box office in the 2010s. That is, we practically almost jumped into Bollywood. But in the case of the »Cheburashka« films, everything came together: artistry, correctness, and audience success. Everyone is satisfied, everyone is happy. And the deputies want to ban this?! To ban precisely this today means destroying the last mass form that really works. And what do they want to allow?! Personally, I don»t understand.«

According to Shpagin, the desire of deputies to control cinema is understandable, because it is «the most important of the arts,» the most mass, the most pop, and the most effective, and not only entertaining, like pop songs, but also providing pictures of life, accordingly, creating social narratives, art.

«How many attempts have there been to make cinemas for Russian films and not allow American pictures there. All cinemas for Russian films turned into cinemas for American films after two months. Just like cinemas for documentary films, supported by the state, they all closed anyway. If people don»t want to watch something, they won«t watch!»

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