Ad-hoc Release from Intertainment AG
Intertainment
AG and OpenPictures AG conclude a strategic partnership
- OpenPictures offers legal financing against Franchise and other parties involved in litigation
- Joint financing and sales of international feature films
Ismaning/Munich, July 7, 2003 - Intertainment AG, Ismaning, and OpenPictures AG, Munich have agreed a strategic
partnership which includes cooperation on operating business and collaboration in the pending lawsuits being conducted
by Intertainment against US film production company Franchise. The strategic partnership is aimed at jointly financing
and marketing international feature films in conjunction with major US film studios. The pending lawsuits relate to
claims filed by Intertainment against Franchise for compensation amounting to 100 million US dollars on account of
fraudulently inflated film budgets. The proceedings constitute a unique case of fraud within the otherwise
well-respected US film industry. The RICO claims admitted by the US court permit compensation for damages agreed by the
court to be tripled. The trial commences on August 5, 2003.
OpenPictures concurs with the legal position of Intertainment and anticipates a positive outcome to the trial.
OpenPictures will provide Intertainment with support in conducting the trial and has offered to participate in financing
the legal costs under the agreement governing the strategic partnership or to assume the rights and obligations
associated with the trial.
Aside from long-term cooperation in film production, OpenPictures is particularly interested in innovative distribution
channels for downloading audio and video files over the internet. Intertainment holds a stake in the US company which
owns the rights to a patented procedure for this process. Details of the comprehensive partnership will be announced to
the press in Munich at 11.00 a.m. on July 9, 2003.
Contact:
Intertainment AG, Dr. Marietta Birner, Investor Relations, Osterfeldstraße 84, 85737 Ismaning, Germany
Tel.: +49 (0) 89 / 216 99 - 0, Fax: +49 (0) 89 / 216 99 - 11,
Internet: www.intertainment.de , E-mail: investor@intertainment.de