MOSCOW, December 23 - RAPSI, Sergei Feklyunin. A commercial court will hear on January 16 a motion picture company's lawsuit against a DVD movies distributor for $2.2 million, the Russian Legal Information Agency (RAPS/rapsinews.com) reports from the courtroom.

The lawsuit is centered on 13 contracts signed by the Central Partnership Sales House and CP Digital between 2007 and 2011 on the distribution of Central Partnership's films.

The plaintiff holds that CP Digital has not paid the amount due under the contracts in full and seeks 52.4 million rubles ($1.66 million) in debt and 17.9 million rubles ($567,000) in penalties.

CP Digital disagrees with the debt amount as part of rights under the contracts has been assigned to the defendant and the status of limitation under some contracts has expired. Moreover, CP Digital disagrees with the penalties calculation.

Central Partnership is Russia's largest distributor and maker of motion pictures and television products. It gained 294.8 million rubles ($9.3 million) from film distribution in 2011 to be placed 1st among other distributors.

CP Digital was established in 2000. It is a leader on the Russian DVD market.