Russian director Andrei Konchalovsky, the winner of the best director award at last year’s Venice film festival, has revealed plans to launch a studio for no-budget film production.
"I'd like to launch a studio for no-budget filmmaking," he was quoted as saying by the Russian news agency TASS. "If you have talent, you can make films without money. You can shoot on iPhone."
Konchalovsky added that while established directors are unlikely to be interested, the project could work for young directors.
"This is an idea mostly for young people who are filled with images that they want to see on the screen," he said. "The future belongs to them."
Konchalovsky, who won the best director's Silver Lion at Venice last September for his movie The Postman's White Nights, is known for his anti-commercial and anti-Hollywood stance.
In the wake of his Venice win, he withdrew the film from consideration as Russia's entry in the best foreign language film race, saying he did not want it to compete for a "Hollywood" award, whose importance was "overblown."
He also refused to release the film theatrically in Russia, as he didn't want it to be watched by "popcorn eating" audiences. The movie premiered on the national Channel One last October.
The Postman's White Nights was recently shortlisted for the Russian award Nika in the best film category.