Solovey Cinema

Solovey Cinema (Киноцентр «Соловей») was a landmark 24-screen movie theater located on Druzhinnikovskaya Street on Krasnaya Presnya in Moscow, Russia. Its history traces back to 1959, when the All-Union Bureau for the Propagation of Soviet Cinematic Art (VBPSC) was established under the Union of Cinematographers of the USSR. In 1970, a team of architects led by Vladimir Ginzburg and Yuli Filler began designing a dedicated cinema center building on the site of the former Presnensky Baths. Construction, funded by the Union of Cinematographers, stretched over nearly two decades. In 1987 the VBPSC was reorganized into the All-Union Creative-Production Association (VTPO) "Kinoцентр," and in 1988 its services moved into the new building at Druzhinnikovskaya Street 15. The Grand Hall officially opened on 31 March 1989 with a screening of Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator," a copy of which was donated to the Cinema Museum by Una Chaplin. Beyond film exhibition, the Kinoцентр housed the collections of the Cinema Museum, cinema and exhibition halls, and for a time a casino, restaurants, bars, and a banquet hall. On 12 June 1990, an emergency session of the First Congress of People's Deputies of the RSFSR was held there, adopting the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the RSFSR. In 1991 Jean-Luc Godard donated one of the country's first Dolby Stereo systems to the Cinema Museum during his retrospective. In the early 1990s the building's facade gained its distinctive spotted color scheme when the Russian-Italian hard-currency restaurant "Arlecchino" opened, one of Moscow's first joint ventures with foreigners. The restaurant's executive director was actor Sergei Zhigunov, and its revenues supported the Union of Cinematographers. After Zhigunov left, the venue became the Arlecchino nightclub and casino, and the Kinoцентр also became a concert venue. The club attracted Russian and international celebrities; in 1995 Naomi Campbell presented her debut album "Baby Woman" there during her world tour. The club closed in January 1996, ostensibly for reconstruction. The struggle for control of the Arlecchino club triggered a violent criminal war among organized crime groups, with several murders and attacks linked to the venue between 1996 and 1998, including the disappearance of architect Vladimir Ginzburg in August 1997. After Arlecchino closed, producer Alexander Tolmatsky opened the "Infiniti" club on the second floor on 17 November 2003. The complex also hosted a casino, restaurants, bars, and a 300-seat banquet hall. Infiniti became a popular venue for Russian and international stars, promoted through Tolmatsky's Next FM radio station. In 2004–2005 the Cinema Museum was forced to leave Druzhinnikovskaya Street and ceased operations on 30 November 2005; media cited the sale of cinema center shares by the Union of Cinematographers under Nikita Mikhalkov as the reason. In the second half of 2005, filming of the TV series "Club" began on the premises. Infiniti closed on 30 June 2007, and after reconstruction the "Barkhat" club opened in its place, lasting until 2011. A first demolition plan for the building was approved in 2010. In 2011 the Kinoцентр was renamed "Solovey" in honor of its creator Yuri Solovey, following its conversion into a multiplex and the exit of the Union of Cinematographers from ownership. By 2018 Solovey was one of the few large non-chain cinemas in Russia, and with 24 screens it was the largest in Russia and Eastern Europe. Its halls were equipped with modern projection, including 3D. The repertoire was shaped by audience preferences: films ran as long as they drew viewers, with a record set by "Amélie," which stayed on screen for 37 months. The cinema closed on 2 December 2019 and has since been demolished.

The organization that became Solovey Cinema began in 1959 as the All-Union Bureau for the Propagation of Soviet Cinematic Art (VBPSC) under the Union of Cinematographers of the USSR. In 1970, a group of architects led by Vladimir Ginzburg and Yuli Filler began designing the future cinema center building on Krasnaya Presnya. The Union of Cinematographers provided the funding. Due to the large volume of work and expensive materials, construction dragged on for nearly twenty years. The building was erected on the site formerly occupied by the Presnensky Baths. In 1987 the VBPSC was transformed into the All-Union Creative-Production Association (VTPO) "Kinoцентр." In 1988 the services of the Kinoцентр began operating in the new building at Druzhinnikovskaya Street 15. The Grand Hall opened on 31 March 1989 with a showing of "The Great Dictator," a copy of which was donated to the Cinema Museum by Una Chaplin, widow of Charlie Chaplin. The premises housed the collections of the Cinema Museum, cinema and exhibition halls; the museum was allocated five halls. On 12 June 1990, an emergency session of the First Congress of People's Deputies of the RSFSR took place at the Kinoцентр, adopting the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the RSFSR. In 1991, on the occasion of his retrospective, Jean-Luc Godard donated one of the country's first Dolby Stereo systems to the Cinema Museum. The spotted color scheme appeared on the facade in the early 1990s when the Russian-Italian hard-currency restaurant "Arlecchino" opened in the building, one of the first joint ventures with foreigners in Moscow. In the 1990s ventilated facades were also installed. Specialists believe the reconstruction spoiled the building's exterior and destroyed its integrity with the ensemble of the Krasnopresnenskaya metro station. The restaurant's executive director was actor Sergei Zhigunov. Revenues went to support the Union of Cinematographers. After Zhigunov left, the restaurant turned into the pretentious Arlecchino nightclub and casino, and the Kinoцентр also became a concert venue. The club was very popular not only with Russian stars but also with world celebrities. One such celebrity was Mark Kamins, DJ and producer of Madonna's debut single. In 1995, as part of her world tour, top model Naomi Campbell presented her debut album "Baby Woman" at the club. In January 1996 the Arlecchino nightclub was closed, ostensibly for reconstruction. The struggle for control of the Arlecchino club caused a fierce criminal war between the union of the Kurgan and Orekhovo and Baumanskaya organized criminal groups. On 26 February 1996 in Moscow near the Illusion cinema, killers murdered Viktor Borisov, founder of the "Children's Club 'Arlecchino'" (a division of the Arlecchino disco club), and his driver Viktor Melyakov. In July 1997, during the Moscow International Film Festival, co-owner of the Arlecchino club Anatoly Gusev and his bodyguard were shot near the cinema. A month later, on 15 August 1997, architect Vladimir Ginzburg disappeared near his own home. On 22 September 1998 an attempt was made on another co-founder of the club, Alexander Cherkasov, who was seriously wounded. After the Arlecchino club closed, producer Alexander Tolmatsky opened the "Infiniti" club on the second floor. The club opened on 17 November 2003. Its throughput reached up to five thousand people per night. Besides the cinema and club, the complex housed a casino, restaurants, bars, and a banquet hall with 300 seats. The club was popularized through a specially created radio station, Next FM, by Alexander Tolmatsky. The Infiniti club became a place of recreation and performance for Russian show-business stars and international stars. In 2004–2005 the Cinema Museum had to leave Druzhinnikovskaya Street, and on 30 November 2005 it ceased operations. Media cite the sale of cinema center shares by the Union of Cinematographers headed by Nikita Mikhalkov as the reason for the eviction. Mosfilm provided temporary premises for the Cinema Museum. In the second half of 2005, filming of the TV series "Club" began on the territory of the Kinoцентр and the Infiniti club, a joint project of Alexander Tolmatsky, producer Pyotr Sheksheev, and the MTV Russia channel. On 30 June 2007 a concert was held to mark the closing of the Infiniti club. A few months after the completion of reconstruction, the "Barkhat" club opened in place of Infiniti, a new project by Alexander Tolmatsky. Changing its concept, the club came to occupy almost the entire territory of the Kinoцентр, and its setting resembled the scenery from the TV series "Club." In 2008 the Kinoцентр hosted the first solo concert of Anastasia Zadorozhnaya, the performer of the main role in the series "Club." The first project for the demolition of the Kinoцентр building was approved in 2010. The Barkhat club existed until 2011. In 2011 the Kinoцентр was renamed in connection with its conversion into a multiplex. It received the new name "Solovey" in honor of its creator Yuri Solovey. By changing the name, the cinema's management wanted to draw viewers' attention to the reconstruction. The exit of the Union of Cinematographers from the owners is also cited as a reason for the rebranding. As of 2018, Solovey was one of the few large non-chain cinemas in Russia. With 24 halls, it became the largest in Russia and Eastern Europe. The halls were equipped with modern equipment, including for showing films in 3D. The repertoire was formed from viewers' preferences: films ran as long as they were attended. The record was held by the film "Amélie," which stayed on screen for 37 months. The cinema closed on 2 December 2019 and has since been demolished.

• 2019

  Solovey Cinema closes on 2 December.

• 2018

  Solovey is one of the few large non-chain cinemas in Russia, with 24 halls, the largest in Russia and Eastern Europe.

• 2011

  Kinoцентр renamed "Solovey" after conversion into a multiplex; Barkhat club closes.

• 2010

  First demolition project for the Kinoцентр building approved.

• 2007

  Infiniti club closes on 30 June; Barkhat club later opens in its place.

• 2005

  Cinema Museum ceases operations on 30 November; filming of TV series "Club" begins.

• 2003

  Infiniti club opens on 17 November.

• 1996

  Arlecchino nightclub closed in January; criminal violence linked to the club escalates.

• 1995

  Naomi Campbell presents her debut album "Baby Woman" at the Arlecchino club.

• 1991

  Jean-Luc Godard donates a Dolby Stereo system to the Cinema Museum.

• 1990

  Emergency session of the First Congress of People's Deputies of the RSFSR held at the Kinoцентр on 12 June, adopting the Declaration of State Sovereignty.

• 1989

  Grand Hall officially opens on 31 March with a screening of "The Great Dictator."

• 1988

  Kinoцентр services begin operating in the new building at Druzhinnikovskaya Street 15.

• 1987

  VBPSC transformed into the All-Union Creative-Production Association (VTPO) "Kinoцентр."

• 1970

  Architects led by Vladimir Ginzburg and Yuli Filler begin designing the cinema center building on Krasnaya Presnya.

• 1959

  All-Union Bureau for the Propagation of Soviet Cinematic Art (VBPSC) founded under the Union of Cinematographers of the USSR.

A large non-chain multiplex and cultural-entertainment complex, once the largest and most popular cinema in Russia and Eastern Europe.

• 24-screen multiplex

  The cinema's main offering, with modern projection including 3D.

• Grand Hall

  The main hall, opened 31 March 1989.

• Cinema Museum halls

  Five halls allocated to the Cinema Museum.

• Arlecchino restaurant/nightclub

  Russian-Italian hard-currency restaurant that became a nightclub and casino.

• Infiniti nightclub

  Nightclub opened by Alexander Tolmatsky in 2003.

• Barkhat nightclub

  Nightclub that replaced Infiniti, active until 2011.

1. 1Solovey Cinema - Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2Киноцентр на Красной Пресне - Wikipedia (Russian)ru.wikipedia.org