“Prison Cell on Tour“ at the Games Convention/ Celebrity Sylwia von Wildburg, star of the RTL series, lends her support / 290,550 illegal copies confiscated by the GVU.(Leipzig, 17 August 2005) With the help of the German Federation against

Copyright Theft (Gesellschaft zur Verfolgung von Urheberrechtsverletzungen e.V., GVU), 290,550 CDs and DVDs with illegal copies of copyrighted films and games were confiscated between January and June 2005 alone, proving once again that there is still an urgent need to educate the public about the topic of copyright theft. For this reason, the “Movie thieves are Criminals” campaign is reviving its well-known “Prison on Tour” campaign.

The information stand will put in an appearance at the Games Convention in Leipzig for the first time August 17-21. Visitors can spend five minutes locked inside the mock-up prison cell to experience for themselves what it’s like to be a convicted movie thief. In return, they receive not only comprehensive information about the problem of copyright theft, but also tickets to the cinema. The current tour even features a celebrity guest: Sylwia von Wildburg, a star on the popular RTL series “Behind Bars – the Women’s Prison”, who will appear in person on August 17th.

“Educating the public is an important component of our larger effort”, explained Dr. Elke Esser, managing director of Zukunft Kino Marketing GmbH, adding that the “Movie thieves are Criminals” campaign personally answers every email it receives. Also, a mobile promotional team has been travelling around Germany since July, and will continue to show up at flea markets, public events and in popular cafes and clubs until September 2005, asking the question, “How much is your freedom worth to you?” This is the icebreaker for conversations in which the promotional team educates the public about the problem of copyright theft. “The ‘Movie thieves are Criminals’ campaign is intended to get people talking about the subject of copyright theft, and the accompanying promotional tour will be appearing extensively, seeking to establish a dialogue with the target group,“ Esser continued. “And for special events, we also have our ‘Prison on Tour‘ campaign.“ This year, the provocative and humorous campaign is being
supported by a number of celebrities: Sylwia von Wildburg and Egon Hoffmann, stars of the popular RTL series “Behind Bars – the Women’s Prison” have volunteered to serve as celebrity guards. Together with the cell itself, they are available for a private appearance that is being auctioned off on eBay beginning August 17th, with the proceeds going to charity. "I support the film industry’s campaign because I believe cinema is an important part of our culture. It must be protected. Particularly the smaller, lower-budget “outsider productions” and independent films are often seriously endangered by illegal copying,” said Sylwia von Wildburg, explaining why she is taking an active part. “As an actress, I have an insight into the industry and know that many people are fighting for survival. If I, as a celebrity, can in some way help focus the public’s attention on the subject of copyright theft and its consequences, that is at least a small step in the right direction.”

Raising public awareness is just one of the pillars in the campaign against
copyright theft. The German Federation Against Copyright Theft (Gesellschaft zur Verfolgung von Urheberrechtsverletzungen e.V., GVU) also continues to apply pressure to prosecute illegal use of films, as the semi-annual figures (January to June 2005) released by the GVU show. So far this year, the federation has confiscated more than 290,550 bootleg CDs and DVDs, and initiated more than 1,300 new criminal cases. In cooperation with GVU investigators, the police have also searched more than 1,006 homes and offices. All this is another important step in the right direction, Esser said. “Illegal copies of films remain a threat to the film industry. We will continue our intensive fight against copyright theft and increase our local education efforts.”

The “Prison on Tour” auction begins on eBay: 17 August 2005