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Russian World Studios was founded in 1998 by Yuri Sapronov and Andrei Smirnov, and is one of the largest film and television production companies in the Russian market. As of 2008, the company has produced or serviced over 400 film and television projects. The studio has worked with Sony Pictures Television International, Hallmark Entertainment, HBO Films, and Beacon Pictures. RWS offers a range of film production services as well as their own distribution department, which sells in-house film and TV series on the international market. The company's film studios are located in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
At the end of 2007 RWS joined JSFC "Sistema," the largest diversified holding company in Russia. This new partnership has allowed RWS to focus on three main areas of growth: studio facilities, including the expansion of the new St. Petersburg studio; production, including the expansion and efficient use of the content library; and distribution of content across current and emerging media platforms.
Contents
Top Executives
Yuri Sapronov
Yuri Anatolievich Sapronov is a co-founder and the current CEO of Russian World Studios. Prior to founding Russian World Studios in 1998 with Andrei Smirnov, Sapronov was CEO of Interactive Television LLC. In 2007 RWS was reorganized into a Russian World Studios and JSFC “Sistema” joint venture company and Sapronov was appointed the first deputy CEO, Head of the Production Department. In 2008 he was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of CJSC “RWS.”
A native of St. Petersburg, Sapronov holds a degree from St. Petersburg State Theatre Arts Academy (formerly Leningrad State Institute of Theatre, Music and Cinema), and a master's degree from St. Petersburg State University of Economics and Finance.
Olga Sinelshchikova
Olga Sinelshchikova is the current International Vice President of Russian World Studios and holds a degree in journalism and advertising from Moscow State University. Prior to joining RWS, she was an international operations manager at the telecommunications company VID.
She has been at Russian World Studios since 2001 where she started as an international operations manager. In 2005 she was promoted to head of international operations, and in 2007, to her current position where she oversees all international operations for the company, including film and television projects, format and equipment acquisitions.
She has served as a producer on “The Spirit”, and as an associate producer on several projects, including the feature films “Kaleidoscope,” “Antidope,” as well as the television series “Atlantis.”
Film Production Services
Production filmography
Film
Television
Achievements
Film
Cobra
The Spirit (co-produced with Studio Eight)
Television
Snow Angel
Atlantis
Pain
Zona
Poor Anastasya
Distribution
The RWS Distribution Department was formed in 2005 to distribute in-house projects throughout all operating and emerging platforms. The RWS catalogue includes products of various genres and formats including television series, feature films and television movies. In addition, Russian and international channels have acquired rights to air some of their programs, including Channel One (Russia), CTC (Russian Federation), 1+1 (Ukraine), Fox Life and Channel 9 (Israel).