SPI set to launch operations in Poland

'Play' to be first release

By CATHY MEILS

PRAGUE -- Following its Czech debut as a theatrical distributor with Karlovy Vary closer "Love's Labour's Lost," SPI is set to launch its operations in Poland. Its first release there, "Play It to the Bone," opens Aug. 25 with 20 prints.

"Our aim is to get 10% of the Polish theatrical market in two years," said SPI distribution manager Ewa Lipinska. The 30 films SPI has scheduled for theatrical release through 2001 include "East Is East," "The Captain's Daughter" from Russia, and Leonardo DiCaprio starrer "Don's Plum."

SPI acquired four territories from TV distributor New Films Intl. (NFI) earlier this year.

Piotr Reisch manages Poland for SPI, and the company will invest $1.5 million annually in theatrical, while continuing to distribute a 700-title strong catalog of TV movies.

Non-competition clause

Ivan Hronec manages Slovakia, Czech Republic and Hungary, with investment of $500,000 annually in theatrical. NFI, which had been releasing theatrically in Romania, agreed to pull out of that territory as part of a non-competition clause with SPI.

With close to 200 new screens opening by the end of 2001, "Poland is the main stronghold for theatrical," Hronec said.

SPI acquired NFI's catalog, including titles from Miramax, Lakeshore, Le Studio Canal Plus and Film Four. New York-based SPI has additional offices in Paris, Madrid, Lisbon and Ankara.