Czech hit Pupendo, combined with the local success of The Matrix Reloaded, have given a welcome boost to the Czech box office, with advertisers investing in local campaigns and sponsorship to an unprecedented degree, according to the Prague Business Journal.

"Blockbusters and especially Czech movies have been motivating advertisers amazingly lately," said Michal Janecek, managing director with the leading Czech cinema advertising agency RMB Czech Arcona.

In its first two months, Jan Hrebejk's Pupendo has attracted 660,000 admissions, grossing $2.4m (Kc 63m) and has the potential to become the most lucrative Czech movie of all time.

Meanwhile The Matrix Reloaded saw over 110,000 admissions in its first ten days since May 21, with $495,000 (Kc 13m) box office.

Pupendo received support from sponsors who anticipated the film's success, such as petrol retailer OMV, which is currently running a sales promotion called "PumPendo," and media agency Rencar, which gave discounted prices on outdoor advertising to distributor Falcon in exchange for having its logo on the film's poster.

Given ticket price inflation since the previous local successes, Pupendo should manage to take the local box-office crown, if not the record for admissions.

With nearly 1.2 million admissions and $3.1m (CZK 88.9m) at the box office, 2001's Dark Blue World is the most lucrative Czech movie of time - although in terms of admissions, Jan Sverak's 1996 Oscar-winner Kolya takes the top spot with 1.3 million admissions.