(Berlin, November 2003) The organisation behind the "movie thieves are criminals - an Initiative for the Protection of Originals" campaign is the Zukunft Kino Marketing GmbH, a subsidiary of the Main Association of German Cinemas (Hauptverband deutscher Filmtheater, HDF), the Cineropa Multiplex Association and the Association of Film Distributors (Verband der Filmverleiher, VdF).

The Zukunft Kino Marketing GmbH was established to develop and execute industry campaigns to increase attendance at cinemas. The "Cinema is the Greatest" and "Super Cinema Tuesday" campaigns and the "Cinema Festivals" in 2001, 2002 and 2003 are examples of the organisation`s activities in this area.

The current project against copyright theft is also supported and subsidised by the Federal Association of Audio-Visual Media (Bundesverband audiovisuelle Medien, BVV) and the Association of Video and Media Retailers in Germany (Interessenverband der Videotheken in Deutschland, IVD). A number of individual companies in the businesses of video/DVD, distribution and cinema are also active project participants.

The campaign also receives funds from the German Federal Film Board (Filmförderungsanstalt, FFA).