German producer-distributor Senator Entertainment has posted an operating loss of Euros 6.9m for the first six months of 2003.

Earlier this year, Senator posted a massive net loss of Euros 178.2m for the 2002 financial year

Turnover in the first six months of 2003 stood at Euros 25.8m - down Euros 4.3m from last year. Wolfgang Becker's Good Bye, Lenin! - which is produced by Senator's 56.52% owned X-Filme Creative Pool, provided the bulk of Senator's turnover - Euros 12.5m. The film has been seen by over 6.1m cinema-goers in Germany.

Senator forecasts turnover for 2003 at between Euros 50m-60m due to a number of projects coming through sales arm Senator International as well as the German theatrical release of Soenke Wortmann's The Miracle Of Bern on October 16. The family drama set against the 1954 World Cup won the Audience Award in Locarno last week and is being expected to draw at least 3m admissions in Germany, according to distribution chief Benjamin Herrmann.

According to a statement, the company still anticipates a negative EBIT in the 'one digit million area' for 2003.