Kinowelt's TV revs leap

Boost led by Berlin fest, AFM

BERLIN -- Germany's Kinowelt has announced close to DM100 million ($56 million) in revenues from television licensing sales during the Berlin Intl. Film Fest and the American Film Market.

Within the first two months of the year, Kinowelt has thus done more trade than during the whole of 1998, when TV sales reached $50 million.

On the acquisitions side, Kinowelt took rights to five Miramax titles as well as several film classics, such as "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "Amadeus," during the markets.

Since hitting the stock exchange last May, Kinowelt, which is active primarily in distribution, exhibition, licensing and video, has been snapping up shares in local companies, including rights to media mogul Kirch's video library, and has established a production arm.