Mosfilm

Overview

Mosfilm is Russia's largest film studio, founded in 1920 in Moscow and now led by Director General Karen Shakhnazarov. The studio complex covers approximately 85 acres and operates 17 sound stages, 132 outdoor sets, 12 actor complexes, and full post-production facilities. Mosfilm has produced over 2,000 feature films and maintains a production capacity of more than 100 films per year. The studio is at 100% capacity across its stages and post-production facilities.

In 2024, Mosfilm completed a major modernization project timed to its 100th anniversary. The expansion added Pavilion 17 (the largest sound stage in Russia at 2,300 sq m), a new Cinema Centre with four screening rooms, and a new Costume and Accessory Building. In July 2026, SberStudios opened a virtual production studio within Pavilion 16, adding LED volume and volumetric video capabilities.

The studio holds Dolby Atmos Premier Studio certification, the first facility in Russia to receive this designation. Its sound department includes 3 music/mastering studios, 2 dubbing studios, and multiple re-recording suites.

History

Mosfilm was established in 1920 from the merger of two earlier Russian film studios. During the Soviet era, the studio was the primary production facility for state-funded cinema. Sergei Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin (1925) and Alexander Nevsky (1938), both produced at Mosfilm, rank among the most influential films in cinema history.

Andrei Tarkovsky directed his masterworks at Mosfilm, including Andrei Rublev (1966), Solaris (1972), Mirror (1975), and Stalker (1979). Sergei Bondarchuk's War and Peace (1966-1967), produced at Mosfilm with a reported 120,000 extras, won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and remains one of the most ambitious film productions ever undertaken.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Mosfilm transitioned to a commercial model while maintaining state support. The studio modernized its facilities and began operating as a rental facility for domestic and international productions alongside its own productions. Karen Shakhnazarov, a filmmaker and producer, has served as Director General since 1998 and oversaw the modernization project completed in 2024.

Notable Productions

Mosfilm has produced over 2,000 feature films across a century of operation. Key productions include:

Soviet Era Classics

• Battleship Potemkin (1925, directed by Sergei Eisenstein) - Silent era landmark, studied in film schools worldwide
• Alexander Nevsky (1938, directed by Sergei Eisenstein) - Historical epic with Prokofiev score
• War and Peace (1966-1967, directed by Sergei Bondarchuk) - Academy Award winner, 120,000 extras, most ambitious production of its era
• Andrei Rublev (1966, directed by Andrei Tarkovsky) - Medieval historical drama
• Solaris (1972, directed by Andrei Tarkovsky) - Science fiction philosophical drama
• Stalker (1979, directed by Andrei Tarkovsky) - Science fiction art film, restored in 4K by Mosfilm

Modern Era

• Chaika (2025-2026) - Historical drama about Valentina Tereshkova, shooting in Pavilions 3 and 10
• Baba Yaga i Lesnaya Tsarevna (2025-2026) - Family fantasy, Pavilion 6
• Dubrovsky. Russkiy Zorro (2025-2026) - Historical detective series, Pavilions 14 and 12

House Style / Genre Focus

Mosfilm produces and hosts productions across all genres: historical epics, literary adaptations, science fiction, war films, family entertainment, and television. The studio's legacy leans toward large-scale period productions and director-driven art cinema. Mosfilm does not specialize in contemporary Western-style blockbusters, superhero films, or CGI-heavy franchise content. The studio's prop and costume collections make it particularly suited for historical and period productions.

How They Typically Find Talent / Take Submissions

Mosfilm operates as both a production company and a rental facility. Productions book stages through the Central Production Directorate at +7 (499) 143-98-91 or cpy@mosfilm.ru. The studio reports 100% stage utilization, so advance booking is required.

Mosfilm does not accept open script submissions. Projects come through established Russian production companies, state television channels, and government-funded film commissions. Since 2022, geopolitical sanctions have limited international co-production activity. The studio currently operates almost exclusively with domestic Russian productions.

Recent Output / Slate Year

Mosfilm's 2025-2026 active productions include multiple film and television projects shooting across its 17 sound stages:

• Chaika - Historical drama about Valentina Tereshkova (Pavilions 3 and 10)
• Baba Yaga i Lesnaya Tsarevna - Family fantasy (Pavilion 6)
• Dubrovsky. Russkiy Zorro - Historical detective series (Pavilions 14 and 12)
• The Voice - Television show (Pavilions 6 and 7)

The studio completed a major modernization in 2024 for its 100th anniversary, adding Pavilion 17 (2,300 sq m, largest in Russia) and a new Cinema Centre with 4 screening rooms.

Facilities

Sound Stages

Mosfilm operates 17 sound stages across three size categories:

• Large stages (1,300-2,300 sq m): Includes Pavilion 1 (1,858 sq m, 49x33m, height 13.1m upper / 9.2m lower) and Pavilion 17 (2,300 sq m, height 16m, with adjacent actor complex totaling 3,500 sq m). Pavilion 17 opened in October 2024 and is the largest sound stage in Russia. It includes floor drains for water filming, soundproofing adequate for clean sound recording, and capacity for 1,500 people on set simultaneously.
• Medium stages (700-1,000 sq m): Includes Pavilion 4 (805 sq m, 34.4x23.4m, height 10.5m, live sound recording capable, 900kW maximum power).
• Small stages (up to 500 sq m): Multiple stages for smaller productions, rehearsals, and specialized shoots.

All stages have WiFi, air conditioning, ventilation and smoke removal systems, and lighting rig mounting capability. Some stages support live sound recording.

Outdoor Sets and Backlot

132 outdoor/natural sets including permanent period sets replicating old Moscow and St. Petersburg streets. The backlot also includes a Church set and a chromakey stage.

Props and Costumes

• Prop warehouse: Over 1 million items spanning a century of production
• Costume department: Approximately 300,000 costumes, housed in the new Costume and Accessory Building (completed 2024, described by Shakhnazarov as "second to none" in equipment)
• Vehicle collection: Over 300 retro and special vehicles including military and civilian vehicles from multiple eras

Post-Production

• 3 DaVinci Resolve grading suites (2K/4K)
• DVS/DCP mastering
• Dolby Atmos Premier Studio certified re-recording studios
• 3 music/mastering studios
• 2 dubbing/noise recording studios
• Multiple editing rooms

Virtual Production

In July 2026, SberStudios opened a virtual production facility in Pavilion 16, combining shooting, VFX, and post-production on a single stage. Pavilions 10 and 16 also house a Volumetric Video Studio using Volucam professional cameras for multi-camera 3D capture.

Cinema Centre

Opened October 2024, the new Cinema Centre includes four screening rooms. The main hall seats 520 with Dolby System 136 audio and a Barco 4K laser projector, the first room in Russia fully equipped with Dolby acoustics.

Additional Facilities

• 12 actor complexes with dressing rooms and makeup areas
• 2 photo/video probe studios
• 2 cafes and a cafeteria
• Mosfilm Film Museum (open to visitors)
• Free classic film archive on Mosfilm's YouTube channel

What Filmmakers Should Know

Stage Rental

Mosfilm rents stages and facilities to domestic and international productions. Bookings are handled through the Central Production Directorate (TsPU) at +7 (499) 143-98-91 or cpy@mosfilm.ru. The studio reports 100% stage utilization, so bookings should be made well in advance.

The studio's enormous prop, costume, and vehicle collections make it particularly valuable for period productions. A production shooting a historical drama can source props, costumes, vehicles, and locations from a single facility, which reduces logistics costs compared to sourcing from multiple vendors.

Current Production Activity

Mosfilm stages are currently hosting a range of film and television productions. Active projects in 2025-2026 include the historical drama Chaika (about Valentina Tereshkova, shot in Pavilions 3 and 10), the family fantasy Baba Yaga i Lesnaya Tsarevna (Pavilion 6), the historical detective series Dubrovsky. Russkiy Zorro (Pavilions 14 and 12), and various television shows including The Voice (Pavilions 6 and 7).

Tax Incentives

Russia offers a film production rebate of up to 40% on qualifying expenditure. However, geopolitical factors since 2022 have significantly affected international co-production activity at Mosfilm. The studio currently operates almost exclusively with domestic Russian productions and television projects.

Moscow Film Cluster

Mosfilm is part of the broader Moscow Film Cluster, which includes the Moskino cinema park (180 hectares, 18 location shooting sites, 4 pavilions ranging from 650 to 3,000 sq m, XR pavilions for LED-based extended reality filming) and the Maxim Gorky Film Studio. The Moscow government aims to have 80% of Russian films shot using Film Cluster infrastructure by 2030.

For International Productions

International filmmakers considering Mosfilm should be aware that current geopolitical sanctions and restrictions on Russian entities may limit or prevent co-production arrangements, equipment import/export, and financial transactions. Filmmakers should consult with their legal counsel and relevant government agencies before pursuing productions at Mosfilm.

Watch: Trailers & Behind the Scenes

See Also

For understanding how international co-production and studio facilities work, see Distribution Deals Explained. To model production costs across territories, use the Revenue Forecast Calculator. For estimating crew requirements, see the Crew Size Estimator.