16.9.2008
Millionth viewer Bathory!

Juraj Jakubisko’s period epic has by now been seen by a million movie-goers! The figure includes over 700 thousand viewers in the Czech Republic and more than 300 thousand in Slovakia. Both countries combined have thus exceeded the magical one-million boundary. Two countries are in this case presented as one due to identical distributor and parallel respective premiere screenings of the film.

The symbolic millionth visitor was drawn last Monday 15 September prior to the Nový Smíchov Palace Cinemasevening screening in Prague. Other randomly chosen visitors of this festive screening were presenteda complimentary gift while the main winner was presented a personal gift from the film’s director Juraj Jakubisko and producer Deana Horvathova-Jakubiskova – a book about Bathory signed by all the makers and lead talent of the film and a graphic print by Juraj Jakubisko himself.

Unparalelled revenues

„The one million viewers in the Czech Republic and Slovakia is really something special. But the 100 million CZKwe reached in August was already incredible. It made Bathory the fourth most successful film in local history,exceeded by only Vratne lahve, Titanic and the first episode of Lord of the Rings“ comments Aleš Danielis ofBonton, Bathory’s distributor, on the film’s results. „To soon become the second on this list is a matter of days andSeptember’s results will rule out regarding Bathory’s potential to rank first,“ he added.

On the premiere weekend, however, Bathory only ranked as eighth most successful in Czech history. Perhaps, theoutstanding viewer’s references, good reviews, and masterplanned marketing campaign boosted the film into fourthplace by the end of the seventh week. The unending popularity of Bathory among movie-goers may soon bringabout more pleasant surprises.

In Slovakia, Bathory has already become the most successful film in history with its revenues well over CZK 30 million.

„In both republics, Bathory is undoubtedly the most successful film of this year from visitor-rate as well as revenuesstandpoint and the potential of any other film released later this year to parallel it is highly questionable“concluded Danielis optimistically.

Jakubisko Film s.r.o.