James R | On 10, Jan 2021

Kino Klassika is launching a new streaming service dedicated to classic Russian cinema.

The UK-registered charity educates audiences about the tradition of classic Russian-language cinema, spotlighting the legacy of Russian film, the stories behind it and the invisibility of those narratives outside of Russia.

Launched in 2015, it has hosted such events as a gala screening of Eisenstein’s October at the Barbican with the London Symphony Orchestra back in 2017. In 2020, it responded to the coronavirus pandemic and venue closures by hosting an online curated selection of Soviet, Russian, Caucasian and East European cinema, with weekly streams accompanied by programme notes including social and political context for each title.

Now, it’s developing that into its own video on-demand platform. Called Klassiki (the Russian word for “hopskotch”), it will be dedicated to cinema from Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia. It will launch on 4th February, with a permanent collection of 60+ classic films, supported by weekly screenings of new films, available for a limited time. You can expect everything from silent cinema and animation to post-war classics and contemporary works.

Exclusive content on the platform will include blog posts, essays and live online interviews with filmmakers.

It will cost £5.99 a month (with discounts available for students), with a two-month free trial to the entire catalogue. A free version of the service will also be available with limited access to a library of 30 films.

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