SPI International is gradually taking over operations and broadcasting the television channels FILMBOX as of 1 October 2010 and will centralise its activities in Poland. Previously it was handled by Film Europe media company, through its Czech and Slovak branches in Prague and Bratislava. Film Europe operates its own television channels; Kino CS, Doku CS, Muzika CS, and will stay on as a partner with SPI International for theatrical distribution and sales of the FILMBOX channels.
"Ten years ago I founded SPI International in central Europe. Along with my colleagues in Poland and headquarters in New York, we built up a successful distribution of independent films for Eastern Europe. Later we went live with FILMBOX and FILMBOX HD, started from Bratislava, which was the first full HD film channel for central and eastern Europe with successful transmission in the Czech republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Poland. We built something that now can be valued in hundreds of million Euros from nothing," Hronec said in a statement.
"It is one of the most triumphant media projects started in our region. You can't forget this kind of history. SPI International president Loni Farhi and general manager for SPI Poland Piotr Reich have stayed my good friends and business partners," he added. "Poland will be the headquarters for SPI Internationals TV activities; further territories and variations of the FILMBOX brand are in the works. Last year I started operation in the Czech and Slovak region for thematic TV channels: Kino CS, Doku CS, Muzika CS. For Europe we are preparing Film Europe TV, which will be the first European television channel. Film Europe offices are already established in Prague, Bratislava, and Budapest, and shortly to be opened in London and Cannes. I sold my share in SPI and television channels FILMBOX so SPI in Warsaw will handle technical operations of FILMBOX."
He continued, "I will continue to secure the sale of channels FILMBOX for SPI in the Czech and Slovak republic. For these same markets we have signed a cinematography distribution agreement with SPI, so cinema distribution of SPI titles will be done by Film Europe with the same team of professionals as until now. However, besides distribution of SPI titles we have our own acquisitions and co-production projects of Film Europe that will be distributed."
