‘Captivity’ is U.S.-Russian production

Russia’s booming film industry has recruited Hollywood to try to translate newfound domestic success into worldwide box office hits.

A dramatic growth in the number of cinemas has brought record ticket sales for Russian films, which have beat U.S. blockbusters at the Russian box office. It has also sparked talk of a revival in an industry suffering from a loss of state funds after communism’s collapse. But so far the films have failed to capture world audiences.

“If you want to sell your movie in the West, you have to have an American director, American script and American stars,” Russian producer Sergei Konov said.

Cue what is being billed as the first U.S.-Russian production. “Captivity” is being filmed in Moscow, is funded entirely by Russians, has a Hollywood director (Roland Joffe), North American leads (Elisha Cuthbert and Daniel Gillies) and both Russian and U.S. producers (Konov and Leonid Minkovski from the former, Mark Damon from the latter).

“Captivity,” a thriller, will cost around $17 million, about half the cost of shooting it in the United States or Western Europe, the producers say.