Plzeňský Prazdroj to be partner of Karlovy Vary Film Festival this year
Plzeňský Prazdroj brewery is set to become one of the sponsors of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the daily Hospodářské noviny wrote on Friday. The deal is reportedly about to be signed.
The festival’s spokeswoman, Uljana Donátová, also refused to comment, adding that all the festival’s partners will be presented at a press conference in mid-April.
Plzeňský Prazdroj, one of the Czech Republic’s best-known brewing companies, is currently sponsoring several sports events. The brewery is the general sponsor of Czech hockey representation and a partner of the Czech Olympic Committee. Radegast, which is also owned by Prazdroj, is a partner of the Czech Republic’s top hockey league.
Last February, the ČEZ power utility unexpectedly withdrew as the main sponsor of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, just four months before the start of its 53rd edition. The energy company decided to end cooperation with the festival citing poor financial results as the reason for pulling out as the festival’s biggest sponsor for 16 years.
The costs that were originally to be covered by ČEZ were eventually paid by EP Industries and the Mall.cz internet shopping site, co-owned by businessman Daniel Křetinský, which became the festival’s main sponsors last year.
Mall.cz has already confirmed that it will continue as a general sponsor of the festival in its 54th edition:
“We plan to continue our partnership with the International Film Festival in Karlovy Vary this year,” spokeswoman for the Mall Group, Táňa Lálová, told the daily, adding that the company would provide the same sum as last year.
This year, the festival will be held in Karlovy Vary from June 28 to July 6. The annual budget for the event is around 153 million crowns.
