01-08-2010

Czech cinemas post record year

By Irena Zemanová

    Czech cinemas reached record sales and attendance in 2009 with box office of 1.25 billion crowns (50.4 mil. euros) and attendance of 12.4 million viewers, according to the Czech Audiovisual Producer´s Association APA (www.asociaceproducentu.cz).

    "Although we counted on the global economic crisis and the possibility that Czech film fans would save their money instead of spend it on entertainment in cinema, the reality is fortunately different," said Pavel Strnad, Czech producer and head of APA.

    Box office increased by CZK 31 million (1.2 million euros) over 2008, with and average ticket price of CZK 100.3 (4.1 euro). Multiplexes accounted for 87% of 2009 Czech cinema revenues.

    "We believe that the reason of this growth depends both on appealing Czech films, such as Líbáš jako Bůh - You Kiss Like a God by director Marie Poledňáková, which attracted almost one million viewers to cinemas in 2009, and on 3D Hollywood smash hits, such as Avatar and and Ice Age 3, that were also extremely successful among Czech film fans," Strnad said.

    As usual, Czech viewers are very loyal to Czech films. In the Top 10 of the most successful movies in Czech cinemas in 2009, there are four Czech production. Poledňáková´s comedy You Kiss Like a God, produced and distributed by Falcon (www.falcon.cz) was the most successful movie in 2009 with sales of almost CZK 90 million (3.6 million euro).

    contacts:

    Audiovisual Producers' Association

    www.asociaceproducentu.cz

    Národní 28
    110 00 - Praha 1
    Czech republic

    Director:

    Pavel Strnad

    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

    Managing Director

    Helena Uldrichová

    (420) 221 105 310
    (420) 602 346 690
    Fax (420) 221 105 303
    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
    www.asociaceproducentu.cz