"Gaspar Noé's odyssey in Russia": That was how the Russian distributor Arthouse and the magazine Moskvichka described the French filmmaker's visit to Moscow in August 2024, capturing the moment with a photo on Red Square. The director of Irréversible (2002), expressing his "great happiness to be in Moscow," visited the Russian capital to celebrate the birthday of Kristina Potupchik, a Kremlin-funded editor and propagandist, and to present his film Vortex (2021) to the Moscow audience.
As the war in Ukraine enters its fourth year, Russia remains one of the most significant markets for French films worldwide. In 2023, it was even the top international market for French productions, with 7.1 million admissions and €21.7 million in box office revenue. In 2024, Russia slipped to second place behind Germany, with at least 60 French films distributed and 3.7 million tickets sold, according to figures released in January by Unifrance, the organization promoting French films internationally under the ministries of culture and foreign affairs.
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