Bontonfilm remains the leader in the distribution of domestic films
With a 44% share of last year's attendance for Czech films, Bontonfilm once again becomes the leader in the distribution of local productions. The company not only defended its dominant position within domestic production but improved by another 3% compared to 2023, with 1,806,115 viewers. It sent Waves to the top of the chart of the most successful films, which also enjoyed favor from the professional community last year. They have won the audience award at the Karlovy Vary festival as well as the audience award at the festival in Arras, France, and received 14 nominations for the Czech Lion. The American Film Academy, which annually awards the most prestigious film trophy – the Oscar statuette, selected it among the fifteen best foreign films.
“It is not common for a film to still be in the top attendance rankings every week five months after its premiere, which Waves has been achieving for a long time. The film attracts viewers across age categories and regions, and very good feedback is also coming from abroad. This is great news for the entire Czech cinematography. At the same time, the announcement of the Oscar nominations is approaching, for which we will be rooting for Waves,” says Robert Švec, the head of distribution at Bontonfilm, noting that 2025 will also be a year of Czech films for the company.
In January alone, it will release two films: the drama by award-winning creators Petr Kazda and Tomáš Weinreb, Nobody Likes Me (premiere on January 16), and the family film by Martin Pohla, On the Sheet Metal (premiere on January 23). Thursday, March 6, will belong to the proven tandem Martin Horský and Tomáš Hoffman, who are behind Women in Running and promise that their new film Sea in the Yard will be a film that will put viewers in a good mood. And in the summer, the film The Magic of the Derby by directors Petr Kolečko and Vladimír Skórka will hit theaters (premiere on July 17). “At Bontonfilm, we have long believed in Czech production and are happy to collaborate with Czech producers on their films. I hope the producers feel the same way and that their bet on partnering with us pays off. After all, the audience success of Waves is not an isolated case; the most visited film of the year, which surpassed Hollywood blockbusters in Czech cinemas, was also the comedy Prvok, Šampon, Tečka a Karel, which we also distributed,” adds Švec.
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About Bontonfilm
Everything started with the cult comedy Tank Battalion, which premiered in 1991 and was also the first private film in our country since 1945. The film even had its own merchandise. This is now a given for every project produced by Bontonfilm, but back then it was something unprecedented. Three years later, Bontonfilm itself was established as a provider of films to cinemas. The company quickly became the center of Czech film distribution. It has released the most video cassettes and DVDs in our country, introduced the very first Blu-ray disc, and the only Czech film on UHD. It responded to the transformation of the film industry with digital transformation and fully moved into the online environment in 2020. Today, it is a comprehensive film studio, releasing films in cinemas and online, producing its own titles, creating promotional content, but also manufacturing film merchandise or corporate and gift items. Moreover, it owns the largest digital library and collaborates with global platforms like Netflix and iTunes as well as local ones like O2TV and Voyo.
