Authored by vice-speaker Sergey Zheleznyak, the draft law will repeal tax breaks for foreign-made movies and introduce mandatory quotas for those produced in Russia.

Critics have slammed the move saying the audience cannot be forced to watch movies they don't like by creating a big gap in ticket price. It will hardly help the Russian industry and is more likely to result in empty halls, they say.

Also, if the 20 percent VAT break is stripped, cinema chains say they will miss the resources they need to grow and open. new theatres.