Play.com Announces Sales Boost for BAFTA Nominees

By Play.com, PRNE
Wednesday, February 16, 2011

LONDON, February 17, 2011 - Play.com, the online entertainment retailer, has announced that it is
seeing a record sales boost on DVDs that feature this year's big name BAFTA
nominees, such as James Franco, Natalie Portman and Colin Firth.

Play.com has revealed that James Franco was the surprise runaway winner
in terms of sales increases since the BAFTA nominations were announced in
January.

James Franco, the Hollywood heart-throb who was nominated for his
performance in the Danny Boyle film '127 Hours'
(www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/17764295/127-Hours/Product.html) saw sales of
his earlier films ('Milk', 'Pineapple Express' and 'Eat Pray Love') jump by
38%.

Natalie Portman confirmed her place as Best Actress with sales from her
back catalogue (including 'Closer', where she played a dancing girl, and 'V
for Vendetta', where she plays a vigilante) increasing by 26%. Natalie
Portman's
award-winning portrayal of vulnerable ballerina Nina Sayer
alongside Mila Kunis and Winona Ryder in 'Black Swan' drew attention to her
highly adaptable acting style and consumers wanted to watch her play a
variety of parts from her impressive portfolio of films.

Colin Firth, the man of the moment following his monumental performance
as King George VI alongside fellow nominee Helena Bonham Carter in The King's
Speech (www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/17767362/The-King-Speech/Product.html)
also recorded significant sales increases of his previous work, with an
overall 20% uplift since he was nominated for Best Actor.

Simon Homent, head of DVD buying at Play.com said: "Throughout the awards
season we continue to see a significant boost in sales for nominees' previous
films. Consumers gain interest in not only the films, but also the actors.
They buy their earlier films to revisit or explore for the first time the
work that helped to get these stars to where they are today. Despite Colin
Firth
not being the King of sales since the nominations were revealed, we
anticipate that The King's Speech will be one of the biggest DVD releases of
2011 when it goes on pre-order on the 7th March."

About Play.com:

Play.com is the UK's favourite online entertainment retailer and
recently celebrated its 12th anniversary.

Offering over eight million different lines of DVDs such as Harry Potter
and the Deathly Hallows
(www.play.com/DVD/DVD/4-/14917425/Harry-Potter-And-The-Deathly-Hallows-Part-1/Product.html),
CDs, video games and computing, gadgets, books, electronics such as DVD
players (www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/-/3109/2376/3-/RegionHome.html),
mobile, posters, clothing, Blu-ray and tickets, Play.com is the UK's third
most visited online retailer with in excess of seven million customers.

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    PR Contact:
    Sophie Nicholson
    Hill & Knowlton
    20 Soho Square
    London
    W1A 1PR
    +44(0)207-413-3756
    www.play.com

PR Contact: Sophie Nicholson, Hill & Knowlton, 20 Soho Square, London, W1A 1PR, +44(0)207-413-3756

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