Through a program established in 2005, RWE will support art production, new documentary films and also new projects by well-known Czech directors in 2008, the company announced at a news conference on Nov. 20.

About 3 million crowns will go to Jan Hřebejk and his new comedy True Love, based on a novel by the Czech writer Michal Viewegh.

The war drama Tobruk by director Václav Marhoul, based on a historical battle in Libya during World War II, will also get 3 million crowns.

Among other new Czech film projects supported by RWE is the big-budget fairy tale The Most Beautiful Riddle by Zdeněk Troška and About Parents and Children by Vladimír Michálek.

"We've had very positive reactions both from the public and professionals for our project," said Martin Chalupský, press spokesman for RWE Transgas, "and we can see it is really very supportive for Czech filmmakers and their future projects."

In past years, RWE supported several famous Czech movies, including Teddy Bear by director Jan Hřebejk, Grandhotel by David Ondříček and High School by Tomáš Vorel. RWE also supports debutants from the Prague film academy FAMU (www.famu.cz) and the international film festival in Karlovy Vary (www.kviff.com).