TheatreWorld ::: December 2022 - February 2023

MINDSHARE

THEATREWORLD EDITORIAL

Issue # 94 December 2022-February 2023

We bring to you the 22nd Anniversary edition of TheatreWorld with great pleasure and as a team we look forward to catering to the industry with the highest standard of news and knowledge.

The year has witnessed a series of crucial pivoting moments in the cinema exhibition industry, with industry leading technologies being introduced and made accessible. At the same time, the audiences in India and worldwide have experienced a never-seen before culture and performance with the brilliant movie Kantara. As the movie heads to reach a boastful collection of 400 crores, the industry is gearing up for its up-and-coming slate of movie releases with hopeful expectations.

Cinema exhibition industry is undergoing a revolution as it incorporates diversity in terms of stylistic architecture as witnessed at Helios Cinemas’ Blue City facility where it brings the NYC theme to Warsaw. At the same time, cinemas are moving forward to incorporate alternate forms of entertainment to grab the attention of audiences, Cinergy Cinemas is one such example. As TheatreWorld gears for Bangkok, Major Cineplex has brought the Largest ScreenX in South East Asia to the city at its Siam Paragon facility.

The French company Pathé has brought to West Africa its largest cinema in the district of Dakar, while the cinema giant Cinemacity gifts to the residents of UAE an unparalleled cinema entertainment at Al Qana. Sharing India’s border, Nepal’s Durbar Cinemax has equipped its latest cinema project with the safest technologies available to not only maintain the standards of entertainment but also safety.

With INOX’s latest launch in the city of Srinagar, cinema has returned to the snowclad valleys of Kashmir after three long decades. After completing 25 years in the industry, PVR Cinemas continues to expand its reach as it brings to Patiala and Nizamabad the cities’ first multiplexes. The colossal cinematic heirloom in Kochi’s skyline continues to remain a cinematic marvel as it secured the ‘Best Adapted Single-Screen to Multiplex Cinema’ at IMAX Big Cine Awards 2022. Bharath Cinemas has equipped the innovative booth less Espedeo Supra 5000 RGB+ Laser projector integrated by GDC at its latest Padubidri property. Giving ode to luxury, Mukta A2 Cinemas launches its one-of-a-kind signature cinema in the city of Ahmedabad.

Raghavendra T Editor-Publisher +91 9980 208 208 raghav@network208.com

Asha Ranjith Business Development +91 9902 208 208 asha@network208.com

Himanshu Peshwani Business Development +91 9148 208 208 himanshu@network208.com

Shireen Mariam Content & Corporate Marketing +91 97406 02545 shireen@network208.com

Nidhi Shetty Deputy Editor +91 88088 00208 nidhi@network208.com

Varsha Naidu Subscription & Circulation +91 9108 208 208 info@network208.com Printing Ramya Reprographic, Bengaluru Published by Raghavendra T on behalf of NETWORK208 11/1, 7th Main, Indiranagar 2nd Stage, Bangalore 560 038, India Tel: +91 80 2529 0208 Email: info@network208.com www.network208.com

Sandeep Mittal Founder Editor-Publisher RNI # KARENG02795/10/1/2002-TC

TheatreWorld is the official media partner of CineAsia 2022. Being one of the most essential events in the Cinema Exhbition Industry, CineAsia 2022 is all set to be hosted in Bangkok, Thailand on the 5-8 December.

See you all soon! Do not forget to pick your copy of TheatreWorld magazine at the CineAsia Publication Bin!!!

Raghavendra T Editor-Publisher DISCLAIMER - TheatreWorld Magazine does not warrant or assume any legal liability or responsibility for the quality, accuracy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information, product or service represented within our magazine or web site.

The information provided is for knowledge or entertainment purposes only. TheatreWorld Magazine does not endorse or recommend any article, product, service or information found within said articles or advertisements. The views and opinions of the authors who have submitted articles to TheatreWorld Magazine belong to them alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of TheatreWorld Magazine or its staff.

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TheatreWorld is a quarterly publication, on the motion picture exhibition industry, for private circulation. It reaches out to subscribers, mainly theatre owners and trade professionals around the world. Additional copies are being promoted at major international industry tradeshows. TheatreWorld seeks the healthy promotion of the theatre industry through dissemination of useful information. Some of the information is compiled from industry sources, trade journals, company brochures for the benefit of readers, especially, theatre owners.

TheatreWorld acknowledges with thanks the authors and publishers of these printed materials. Views expressed in the articles are those of the authors and not necessarily of TheatreWorld. TheatreWorld is a trademark under registration. The contents of TheatreWorld are under copyright registration. All rights reserved. Reproduction by any means in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.

Unsolicited printed material is welcome but no responsibility is undertaken for the same and will not be returned.

TheatreWorld does not take responsibility for the absolute accuracy of information published.

contents This issue of TW has two sets of page numbers - International pages TW-1 to TW-66 for TW, and India pages TM-1 to TM-50 for TM. TM is inserted between pages TW-60 and TW-61 of TW..

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SPECIAL STORY TW-15

Helios Blue City:

Times Square Comes to Poland Major Cineplex:

Largest ScreenX in South East Asia!!!

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Durbar Cinemax:

Nepal's Safest Luxury Cinema TW-27

Cinemacity Al Qana:

Best-in-Class Entertainment in UAE! TW-38

Grand Cinemas:

Unveiling Presence in KSA

Cinergy Cinemas:

SPECIAL STORY

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A One-Stop Shop for Entertainment!

TW-18

INSTALLS TW-29

Cinemark Theatres:

Ultimate Cinematic Wonder!

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Alamo Drafthouse:

Hop on the Ferry to Staten Island TW-33

TW-46 BigCine Awards

Silky Otter Cinemas:

Redefining Experiences!!!

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TRADESHOWS TW-48 Review -

Pathé Cinemas:

Largest Cinema in West Africa!!!

TECHNOLOGY

TW-58 Review TW-59 Preview -

TW-41 Seating Made Better at Ferco TW-43

GDC Technology:

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Saluting the Return of CineAsia

F

U T U R E R E L E A S E S

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SPECIAL FEATURE TM-8

TM-31

Seizing Snowclad Valleys to Buzzing Cities

Kantara:

Folklore’s Simplicity Fires the Box Office

INOX:

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PVR Cinemas:

Thriving Boldly!!!

INDIA PLEXING TM-12

Cinematic Legacy Continues TM-18

TM-22

TM-26

Syndicate Cinemas:

Captivating Cinephiles in Koppam

First Boothless Laser in South Karnataka

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Miraj Cinemas:

TM-45

Shenoy's Kochi:

Colossal Cinematic Heirloom Rolling Reels:

Rendering Buzz Around Saharanpur

Carnival Cinemas:

Bringing Movies Closer to You

TECHNICAL

Dwaraka Cinemas:

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Experiences Tailored to Perfection

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Mukta A2 Cinemas:

Creating Multiplex Marvels TM-40

Bharath Cinemas:

Enthralling Moviegoers Across States TM-24

TM-38

Sri Balakrishna Talkies:

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SEP Seatings:

Winning the Market, One Chair at a Time

AMC to Play Netflix Movie in More Than 200 U.S. AMC Locations AMC Theatres, the largest theatrical exhibitor in the United States and the world, announced that the Company has reached its first-ever agreement with Netflix to play a Netflix movie theatrically. AMC moviegoers can enjoy Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery at more than 200 locations throughout the United States. It will also play at select Odeon Cinema Group's locations in the UK, Ireland, Italy, Germany, and Spain. The agreement with Netflix to play Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery adds another major theatrical title to an already exciting slate of movies that will appeal to broad audiences.

Adam Aron, AMC Chairman and CEO, commented, "This announcement of our first-ever agreement with Netflix is significant for AMC and for movie lovers around the world. As we have often said, we believe that both theatrical exhibitors and streamers can continue to co-exist successfully. Beyond that, though, it has been our desire that we find a way to crack the code and synergistically work together. By doing so, theatres will make more money by having more titles to show, and thanks to the larger cultural resonance those movies can gain from a theatrical release, they will wind up playing to a wider audience when they also are viewed on streaming platforms.

Accordingly, we also have long said that we would welcome Netflix movies in our theatres with the proper agreements in

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place. This agreement that we have reached with Netflix for Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is acceptable to AMC as it sufficiently respects the sanctity of our current theatrical window policy. We are hopeful that a successful screening in our theatres this Thanksgiving will lead to more co-operation between Netflix and AMC in the months and years ahead."

Classic Cinemas Selects GDC to Modernise Historic La Grange Theatre GDC Technology announced that Classic Cinemas, one of the most innovative theatre circuits in the nation has renovated the historic La Grange Theatre in La Grange, Illinois into a modern six-screen multiplex with GDC cinema solutions, including its SR1000 Standalone Integrated Media Block, Espedeo Supra-5000 RGB Plus Laser Phosphor Cinema Projector, TMS-2000 Theatre Management System and DTS:X for IAB immersive audio. Additional renovations include luxury recliners with optional heat setting and other VIP amenities.

To enhance the projection image quality, bright laser projectors are installed in all auditoriums, including the Supra-5000 in two of the micro cinemas. All projections are powered

by GDC's SR-1000 IMBs, including Classic Cinemas' XQ premium large format auditorium featuring highcontrast laser projection and DTS:X for IAB immersive audio so you can see and hear the ultimate moviegoing

experience. DTS:X for IAB technology is designed to transport audiences into a three-dimension of sound immersion by moving sound objects to and through specific locations in front of, behind, above, and beside the audience - precisely where the creator intended.

"We are 100 per cent committed to renovating downtown historic movie palaces by delivering the best possible experience with the latest cinema technologies and amenities but keeping the classic touches," said Chris Johnson, CEO of Classic Cinemas. "As part of our mission to provide our customers an outstanding experience, we chose GDC to bring La Grange up to and beyond industry standards with respect to sight and sound but we absolutely kept the overall historic look and feel."

According to Tony Adamson, GDC Senior Vice President of Strategic Planning, Classic Cinemas offers an unparalleled experience like no other and sets them apart from competitors. "For over 20 years, GDC has worked with the industry leaders such as Chris Johnson to provide a wide range of reliable digital cinema solutions. This commitment by Classic Cinemas proves audiences are the true winners when partners work together to improve the moviegoing experience," said Adamson. "We are proud to work with Classic to uphold their over 100-year tradition of putting the customer first."

Harkness Supplies Screens to Roxy Cinemas

shared passion and commitment that has led to this monumental achievement. It's a testament to what's possible when we come together as trusted partners to find the right business and laser solution for every screen."

Harkness Screens is delighted to congratulate Roxy Cinemas on the opening of their new cinema Roxy Dubai Hills Multiplex, a 15-screen complex, with screens supplied by Harkness.

The complex includes a Roxy Xtreme 3D screen, a Spectral 240, at 28.59m x 15.54m one of the largest screens in the region. Spectral polarised 3D screens are a special ultra-high brightness screens that gives excellent performance with passive 3D applications using polarised light such as RealD. The large Spectral screen was supplied and installed by Scrabble, the integrators for the multiplex, who also installed the two Sharp/NEC NC3541L 4K 35,000 Lumen RB projectors needed to light the screen.

As well as installing the Sharp NEC projectors for all 15 screens, to ensure presentation quality is maintained in the Xtreme 3D screen, Scrabble also installed a Harkness Qalif Dual in to the auditorium to ensure the two images stay perfectly aligned.

Cinépolis Accelerates ‘Move to Laser’ with Cinionic Cinionic, the leader in laser-powered cinema solutions, and Cinépolis, Mexico's largest cinema company, announced their strategic initiative to move 2,600 screens to laser projection. The deal brings Laser Projection by Cinionic to a significant portion of the global chain's nearly 6,700 screens, delivering efficiency and up to 70 per cent energy savings

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for Cinépolis and an elevated viewing experience for their audiences.

"We are very happy to share that Cinépolis is once again taking a step forward in projection technology while improving the immersive experience of watching a film on the big screen by installing laser projection from Cinionic in the most well-attended cinemas in Mexico," states Miguel Mier, COO, Cinépolis.

The ambitious project brings laser to more of Cinépolis' top locations following a rapid rollout to 1,300 screens with Cinionic earlier in 2022.

The rollout, expected to continue later this year, will result in laser on more than 2,600 screens delivering an enhanced and laser-powered bigscreen experience for millions of moviegoers for many years to come.

With laser, audiences can expect brighter, sharper, and more vivid images in every presentation.

"We are on a mission to give every moviegoer the best experience with laser, and today we celebrate another milestone on this journey with Cinépolis," added Wim Buyens, CEO of Cinionic. "After more than a decade of close collaboration and innovation with Cinépolis, we are grateful for the

Cinionic and Cinépolis have a long history of delivering cinematic experiences together and were industry pioneers when laser first launched in 2014. Today's milestone was made possible thanks to the trusted relationship between the companies and Cinionic's global laser leadership, offering two ways for exhibitors to move from Xenon lamps to laser illumination. Cinépolis' locations join over 30,000 Cinionic laser-powered screens worldwide.

Cinionic's Latin America team is overseeing the extensive project, upgrading the cinema experience for moviegoers throughout Mexico with Cinionic's laser solutions. Now with laser projection from Cinionic, audiences at Cinépolis will enjoy enhanced image quality with consistently bright, clear on-screen images. For the exhibitor, the move to laser brings operational efficiency, lower energy consumption, and a reduced environmental footprint.

STRONG/MDI Screen Systems Introduces HGA ReAct 1.4 Screen STRONG/MDI Screen Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ballantyne Strong, and a leader in manufacturing state-of-the-art cinema screens announces the release of the HGA ReAct 1.4 screen, a highly efficient and versatile screen developed for the new generation of high-resolution laser projectors.

IMAX - AMC Expand Partnership for Six New IMAX Locations, Saudi Arabia The new HGA ReAct 1.4 screen is engineered for high output laser projector systems that require superior light diffusion properties.

It is ideal for exhibitors focused on the highest quality viewing experience with both 2D and 3D capabilities. The proprietary HGA coating at a 1.4 gain results in a crisp laser projection image with a brighter white background and an ultra-wide viewing angle. The immersive experience is heightened when HGA ReAct 1.4 is combined with STRONG/MDI's micro-perforation pattern that ensures the optimal level of light reflectance and sound transmission.

"With the HGA ReAct 1.4, we provide a solution for our many loyal customers who have requested a screen with premium performance in both 2D and 3D. The efficiency of this screen not only meets, but exceeds their demand, '' says François Barrette, Senior Vice President & General Manager for STRONG/MDI. "The new HGA 1.4 Laser ready screen complements STRONG/ MDI's comprehensive and unique portfolio, which has the capability to address any theater configuration.''

"Next generation 3D movies will certainly deliver amazing immersive experiences and our HGA ReAct 1.4 screen can further enhance the in-theatre experience. We believe exhibitors will take advantage of this opportunity to offer their patrons the best quality using the right projector with the right screen,'' says Ray Boegner, President of Strong Entertainment at Ballantyne Strong.

IMAX and Saudi Cinema Company, operating as AMC Cinemas, announced plans to further expand their longstanding partnership with an agreement for six new, state-of-the-art IMAX with Laser systems in key entertainment complexes throughout the country. IMAX and AMC Cinemas already have three locations in operation in Saudi Arabia, and the new deal will grow their partnership to a planned 18 screens in 12 cities across the country.

"IMAX continues to be a remarkably strong draw in bringing audiences back to theatres around the world, and we're excited to offer AMC guests in Saudi Arabia even greater access to the best of the theatrical experience," said Andrew Such, Interim CEO of AMC Cinemas. "AMC is focused on bringing the best in entertainment technology to its many movie lovers around the world."

"The resilience of moviegoing in Saudi Arabia has been one of the most prominent global success stories for cinemas over the past two years, and a key indicator of the pent-up demand for blockbuster filmmaking," said Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX. "We're excited to grow our successful, global partnership with AMC and further

strengthen our ability to deliver The IMAX Experience to fans in this fast-growing market."

Saudi Arabia continues to drive strong box office growth and capture a greater share of the global market, growing to nearly 240 million dollars in 2021. Saudi Arabia was a top ten global market for IMAX in terms of box office last year, with a per screen average of more than 1 million dollars annually. The company grew its footprint of open theatres from two to seven since the beginning of 2020, and its Saudi network routinely captures more than 15 per cent of opening box office on major Hollywood releases, despite accounting for less than 6 per cent of overall screens in the market.

CJ 4DPLEX & Cinemark Launch of ScreenX Auditoriums CJ 4DPLEX and Cinemark, announced that they have signed an agreement to bring the expanded immersive ScreenX technology to select Cinemark locations in the U.S. Together, they will convert auditoriums in six Cinemark theatres in Texas and California by the end of the year, with plans for a potential expansion.

ScreenX is the world's first multiprojection cinema with an immersive 270-degree field of view. ScreenX expands specially selected sequences of a film onto the left and right-side walls of the auditorium, surrounding audiences with extended imagery that naturally fills their peripheral vision and immerses them into the narrative of the film. ScreenX works closely with filmmakers and studios to ensure the

December 2022 - February 2023

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LA First to Receive Laser at AMC; Powered by Cinionic highest quality presentation of the film in select key scenes with exclusive story-enhancing imagery produced by CJ 4DPLEX's VFX studio in Korea.

The deal comes at an exciting time for the immersive format, as it is rapidly growing its footprint in the U.S. and abroad. Recent ScreenX films include Marvel Studios' Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder, Warner Bros.' Elvis, Sony's Bullet Train and Paramount's summer blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick.

"Cinemark is a world-class exhibitor with high performing locations all across the U.S. and Latin America," said Don Savant, CEO, CJ 4DPLEX Americas. "We are thrilled to partner with the Cinemark team to bring their moviegoers our Super Premium ScreenX experience, which is uniquely differentiated from what they can stream at home or on a mobile device.

Adding ScreenX auditoriums to select theatres builds on Cinemark's commitment to offering our moviegoers a truly immersive, cinematic experience that cannot be replicated at home," said Damian Wardle, Cinemark EVP of Theatre & Technology Operations. "We look forward to expanding our big screens and offering our guests a unique way to see Hollywood's newest content."

"It's an exciting time for the company as we continue to supply blockbuster tentpole films and work with filmmakers who are recognising the format's unique ability to tell their story using ScreenX as their canvas," said Jong Ryul Kim, CEO of CJ 4DPLEX.

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AMC Theatres the largest theatrical exhibitor in the United States and the world, announced that the Los Angeles market will be the first to be upgraded with Laser at AMC projection technology from Cinionic at nearly all AMC locations. Work is currently underway on AMC's first major broadscale projector upgrade since the transition to digital with the launch of Laser at AMC. AMC Burbank 16, AMC Burbank 8 and AMC Burbank 6 are now fully enabled with laser projection technology from Cinionic, and over the next several months, most AMC locations in the Los Angeles area will be upgraded.

This ground breaking initiative is the result of an agreement between AMC and Cinionic, the global leader in laser-powered cinema solutions, to significantly upgrade the on-screen presentation at 3,500 auditoriums throughout the United States, with cutting-edge laser projectors.

Laser at AMC reinforces AMC as the leader in premium theatrical exhibition experiences and signals a significant AMC commitment to the future of moviegoing, on-screen presentation, and the Company's dedication to Make Movies Better. The move to laser projection offers a more environmentally friendly way to present

movies with less waste, including the elimination of replacing xenon bulbs, and a significant reduction in energy usage.

"The completion of a full upgrade to laser projection at AMC Burbank 16, AMC Burbank 8 and AMC Burbank 6 represents a crucial first step as we begin introducing this new theatre upgrade, powered by Cinionic, at most of our screens in the greater Los Angeles area over the next few months and thousands of our screens around the United States over the next few years," said Cynthia Pierce, Senior Vice President, Design & Construction, Facilities, Sight & Sound, AMC. "It's an exciting development for movie lovers as we move into the next evolution of onscreen presentation at AMC." "Whenever you see Laser Projection

by Cinionic, you can expect brighter, sharper, and more vivid colours every time you go to the movies," added Wim Buyens, CEO of Cinionic. "We are committed to exceptional cinema experiences, and together with AMC, we are raising the bar for audiences across LA and beyond."

CMX Cinemas Chooses GDC Technology!

GDC Technology Limited, a leading global provider of digital cinema solutions, announced that CMX Cinemas selected the company's robust Theatre Management System (TMS) for the entire circuit. CMX

Cinemas is one of the top 10 theatre circuits in the United States and operates 318 screens at 29 sites in eight states such as Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Minnesota, North Carolina, Ohio, and Virginia.

The agreement involves the deployment of the GDC TMS-2000, which is the industry's first theatre management system. GDC has the largest digital cinema media servers and TMS installation base in the Pacific Asia region and the second largest globally.

"At CMX, we base our partnerships on their reliable products, customer service, and trust. We firmly believe GDC is one of the most trusted names in the cinema industry", said Patrick Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of CMX Cinemas. "We selected GDC's theatre management system based upon GDC's exceptional post-sales support, history of innovation, reliable products, and passion to improve the experience for our guests."

CMX introduced its first multiplex in the United States in April 2017 and is known for introducing new innovations to provide the best possible moviegoing experience at all its cinemas. CMX has always strived to offer moviegoers outstanding customer service, value, and enjoyment based on its continuous evolution. This agreement provides CMX with centralised control over the entire circuit by automating and streamlining booth operations.

"We're delighted to build on our partnership with CMX Cinemas," said Paul Marcot, Vice President of Sales for the GDC North American region.

"CMX has been a valued partner since 2017. By selecting GDC from the possible candidates, CMX managers will be able to monitor and control booth operations from a single point to help them achieve their mission of being the best at entertaining people."

World's Largest DCI-Certified 4K Digital LED Cinema Screen Introduced Shenzhen Timewaying, a leading technology manufacturer specialising in LED and 3D solutions, and Arts Alliance Media (AAM), the global leader in digital cinema software and services, have launched the new DCI-certified 20-metre 4K HeyLED cinema screen, becoming the world's largest digital LED cinema screen on the market.

Presenting a giant leap in cinematic LED displays, the HeyLED 20m cinema screen combines pure colour, true black, and a high contrast ratio with patented high pixel fill rate technology to enable a visual experience never seen before in exhibition.

"Managing diversification and strengthening technology is essential to the future of cinema. The implementation of our LA4K-20 HeyLED allows exhibitors to create an entertainment destination that can facilitate a truly incomparable cinematic experience, attracting customers beyond their normal reach," said Andrew Chan, Founder and CEO of Timewaying. "With a cross-over point around 20 metres in screen width, the cost gap between the LED cinema screen and high-end dual projector is closing."

With high brightness up to 300 nits, 30,000:1 contrast ratio, 16-bit grayscale, and DCI-P3 wide colour gamut, the HeyLED 20m screen is of the highest specification, stronger colour, realism, and depth.

While HDR ready, HeyLED technology uses an active 'black screen' instead of a passively reflected 'white screen', which is the basis of its high contrast. Kenny Chow, CTO of Timewaying, added "with the high contrast ratio of LED and the black LED screen itself, when a picture with

a black background is presented, HeyLED will create an illusion where screen 'disappears', making bright pictures even more prominent. Our 20m screen ensures moviegoers will experience the best 3D ever seen ahead of Avatar: The Way of Water."

By delivering immersive, never-beforeseen images and creating a clear differential in the rapidly growing PLF segment, the commercial proposition for exhibitors is truly positive. HeyLED not only enables closer front row viewing via high pixel fill rate optics, but increased back row seating from the removal of the project room, meaning higher admissions per screening. The brand's status as the world's largest PLF will also attract a larger pool of movie-goers, dictating increased ticket pricing to generate amplified box office revenue.

As official resellers of the immersive HeyLED brand, AAM will deliver the new 20m screen to exhibitors across Asia, Europe, and all of the Americas, transforming the in-theatre consumer experience while expanding their reputable product portfolio.

"The launch of the HeyLED LA4K-20 is a monumental moment for LED in cinema," said Dale Miller, CCO at Arts Alliance Media. "Not only does it reflect rapid development and demand but shows the full capabilities of bringing LED technology into a cinematic environment, and we look forward to being at the heart of its deployment."

December 2022 - February 2023

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AAM Launches New Screenlighter Theatre Management System Arts Alliance Media (AAM), the global leader in digital cinema software and services, have announced the launch of Screenlighter, a brand-new Theatre Management System (TMS) designed exclusively for small and independent cinemas.

Boasting fast operational speed, effective content management functionality, and a bright and effortless user interface, Screenlighter compacts the proficiency of Screenwriter, AAM's worldrenowned, flagship TMS, into a dashboard that solely meets the operational requirements of independent and 1-4 screen cinemas.

"We understand that for smaller cinema owners, finding a trusted and easy-to-use TMS toolset at the right price can be challenging," explained Dale Miller, CCO at Arts Alliance Media. "That's why, after analysing their essential workflows and listening to our global network of integrators and exhibition partners, we've deployed a dedicated solution that caters to their business needs."

Available from 2023, Screenlighter will enable cinemas to evolve from manual operations to centrally managing their screens, content, and KDMs from one location, from playlist creation and on-screen content control, to reporting and real-time site monitoring. Furthermore, while combining a simple drag-and-drop playlist dashboard with intuitive navigation, Screenlighter's contemporary light-mode UI symbolises clear distinction from existing entry-level TMS solutions to ensure a refreshing and effortless software experience.

As light in data size as it is in appearance, AAM's new TMS package will easily install on cinemas'

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existing hardware, meaning exhibitors can retain their current infrastructure to avoid unwanted equipment costs and enjoy simple, stress-free set-up.

Alan Bowen, GM and CFO at Arts Alliance Media, added, "Until now, first-rate theatre management software had naturally aligned with the operational practices of global cinema organisations, leaving a large proportion of the market in need of a reliable TMS that simplifies daily workflows. With flexible onboarding and the support of our growing global NOC team, small and independent cinemas can count on Screenlighter to help transform business operations."

Japan Opens First FLEXOUND Augmented Audio Theatre Cinema lovers in Japan can finally enjoy premium immersive cinema sound boosted by Finnish innovation FLEXOUND Augmented Audio in Odaiba, United Cinemas. FLEXOUND Augmented Audio opens in 10 auditoriums of United Cinemas theatre in Odaiba, Japan, in December with Avatar: The Way of Water.

FLEXOUND Augmented Audio provides personal immersive audio and natural vibration. The immersive effect is overwhelming for every moviegoer, but the vibration and

clarity of sound are especially welcome for people with hearing impairments.

"In consumer research 96 per cent of moviegoers say that the FLEXOUND experience is either good or great.

And they are also ready to recommend it to their friends and are willing to pay premium for the tickets.

We offer a genuine competitive advantage against both home entertainment and ordinary cinemas", FLEXOUND CEO, Isak Olevic says.

Flexound has been in close collaboration with United Cinemas on multiple cinema projects in Japan, including FLEXOUND Pulse cinema sound, the world's first fully loudspeaker-free cinema concept.

Global cinema industry is reassessing its value to attract moviegoers.

Flexound's path-breaking augmented audio technology enhances the cinema sound experience with highquality personal sound and physical vibration in each individual seat with proven pricing power. "We are very excited to cooperate with our Finnish friends and introduce Japan's first theatre equipped with FLEXOUND Augmented Audio. The technology offers immersion like no other." says Akihito Watanabe, President of United Cinemas. "We share a common vision of the future cinematic landscape with United Cinemas. No doubt immersive cinema is the key to attract moviegoers and offer value that just cannot be experienced at home with streaming", says Isak Olevic, CEO of FLEXOUND. The technology is integrated into Premium Milano seats

by Ferco Seating.

• SPECIAL STORY •

Helios Blue City:

Times Square Comes to Poland Established in 1992, the multiplex operator has dominated the cinema network in Poland ever since. With this property it introduces residents of Warsaw towards a cinematic experience that is unparalleled. The cinema theatre stuns its patrons with the 'New York City' theme as it greets them with timeless displays replicating Times Square's digital screens. TheatreWorld has an exclusive insight on this architectural feat as it converses with Piotr Gieraltowski, Architect Engineer and Founder of Extractdesign and also the creative brain behind this project…

As the largest cinema network in Poland, Helios Cinemas has been unwavering in establishing its presence in the capital of the nation.

Helios Blue City offers its guests eight auditoriums that ooze modern tastes and comfort. With the latest solutions in the field of sound and image projection, Helios Blue City is providing its audiences with a delightful cinematic experience.

Skarpa by gracing its rooms with these names. Helios Blue City like all other Helios projects offers special, pre-premiere film screenings, movie marathons, games and activities for children, competitions and special screenings for school groups and companies.

When discussing architecture, how are cinema projects different than other commercial projects?

Piotr Gieraltowski: Cinemas are unique. It's a mixture of hospitality, entertainment, but also advanced technology. We always consider our work to be more than just interior

Being the first in Poland, the cinema theatre offers projection by Christie RealLaser laser technology and is equipped with Dolby Atmos digital sound, Christie 4K image resolution and DepthQ 3D technology.

The cinema facility presents a unique concept called as 'Dream Rooms,' which represents the intimate and comfortable space of a dream that has been transferred to this comfortable space to watch movies with fantastic sound and image quality. The cinema theatre pays tributes to the historical Warsaw cinemas Relax, Femina, Palladium and December 2022 - February 2023

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• SPECIAL STORY • design. We create a story that our design conveys to the visitors.

Cinema is a portal to the magical world of the movies; moviegoers should feel very special from the moment they cross the cinema door.

At the end of the day each commercial space is a product. Cinemas all over the world offer the same movies, soft drinks and popcorn. The only difference between them are location and design. In today's world places that have character are memorable, especially those that generate awareness and bigger revenues.

Do you abide by a certain set of dos and don'ts when you conceptualise cinema projects?

Gieraltowski: Helios Blue City has been inspired by NYC. Its lobby is a reflection of Times Square with several LED screens and dozens of the original decors I have brought from NYC antique stores and flea markets especially for this project. We have designed real street graffiti to be a part of the elements on the wall design. We have made use of real neon light so that when you are inside the lobby you feel like you have been teleported to the heart of NYC.

Gieraltowski: We have created way over 100 cinemas all around the world. There are different expectations depending on the region, but there are general rules to create certain focal points and make people focus on the important elements that create revenue and character of the place. Sometimes when we design cinema refurbishment, we usually change the layout and functional circulation to improve operations, limit its cost and make F&B more profitable. Those are the key elements of the business.

What has been key to your design? Where do you draw your inspiration from?

Gieraltowski: Helios had asked us to design their first cinema in Warsaw, Capital of Poland. It had to be a flagship project and something to make people talk about. It has been a huge challenge, so we decided to

Piotr Gieraltowski Architect Engineer and Founder Extractdesign

invent something completely new and base our concept on the most famous and known scenography of all times New York City. I personally love NYC, so it has always been an inspiration somehow.

Focusing on Helios Blue City, what would you describe as the aesthetic features of the cinema property? What according to you makes the property noteworthy?

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On the other hand, we have paid a beautiful tribute with this cinema to the old fashioned, non-existing theatres in Warsaw, by naming each of the screen by the name of old famous theatre and placing a big photo wallpaper showing the old theatre in the vestibule of each. It is great to see how it brings memories to our older moviegoers, when years ago they were visiting those cinemas and enjoying films there. I believe it also shows respect to tradition and localisation of the cinema which is very much appreciated by the audience.

What would you say is the architectural scheme of this property?

Gieraltowski: Architectural scheme is unique as well. Whole cinema has been fitted into the quarter of the

• SPECIAL STORY • to be elegant, functional and stylish.

That's why we have created Helios Dream with specially designed colour of carpets by Christian Delacroix reserved for Helios. With the logo and brand, we have created super comfortable reclining chairs.

What is the uniqueness of the concession stand especially structural wise?

dome. The initial cinema layout had been designed by Zera2 Architects and it consisted of 8 screens including the 3 VIP ‘Helios Dream’ concept theatres with recliner seats created by us.

It also included a Premiere Hall with Christie RGB Laser projection, a large concession and a Café. It is located on the seventh level of the mall.

What sets this project apart from other cinema projects you have worked on?

Gieraltowski: It is mostly the concept. The unique experience people have when visiting this very cinema. It is like a scenography for the movie, so we hope at least some visitors feel like the actors themselves.

How would you say that the lobby acts as an aesthetic feature of Helios?

Gieraltowski: Lobby is in my opinion

the most important part of the cinema experience. As we say - you can make the first impression only once. And for cinemas that is when people enter the lobby. It has to be wow. It's aligned with our CineXperience philosophy, where we design architecture, technology and content in a consistent way. Nowadays LED screens allow to change the interior completely in seconds but not many designers use it. The content is often coincidental, while we design it and make it a true consistent part of the interior.

CineXperience is the reason people are putting our cinemas on Instagram and want to visit them again.

Please describe the interior features of the auditoriums.

Gieraltowski: We believe that auditoriums have to be perfectly designed to give best viewing experience but also when people enter before the screening, they have

Gieraltowski: Concessions and F&B bring up to 50 per cent of cinema revenue. Its critical for the business, so it has to work perfectly as a swiss watch. Concession can't be missed by the visitors, it has to be designed operationally to minimise the time of serving, still being able to display all products as possible. It's better to have one too many than not enough and cause queues. This one we have designed as a deli window with the canopy and neon lights. Despite the light, everything is perfectly visible and appealing to the clients.

What are the technical features of the cinema property?

Gieraltowski: Cinema is about technology as much as about the design, but technology is not as obviously seen. Here, for the first time in Poland we have Christie RGB Laser projector, 3 theatres with recliner seats, Dolby Atmos in 3 halls, perfectly design viewing angles and acoustics. All these elements alter the movie watching experience to an unforgettable experience.

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Cinergy Cinemas:

A One-Stop Shop for Entertainment!

The Texas-based entertainment chain crowned ‘Top Family Entertainment Center’ of the World by IAAPA, operates over eight luxury cinema and entertainment centres with 75 screens. By launching its newest location, the brand has furthered its mission to be the leader in one-stop entertainment experiences for guests of all ages across the country.

TheatreWorld brings to you an exclusive understanding of the brand's vision and goals with Cinergy’s Jeffrey and Jamie Benson… one of the largest and fastest growing operators of dine-in theatres in the United States. With the sale of Movie Tavern in 2008, Cinergy was started only a year later and now operates over eight locations across the United States.

Cinergy Wheeling

Jeffrey Benson Founder and CEO Cinergy Entertainment

Cinergy Cinemas is privately owned and operated by Jeffrey Benson, Founder and CEO, Cinergy Entertainment and Jamie Benson, Executive Vice President, Cinergy Entertainment. Jeffrey Benson known for pioneering the 'cinema

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Jamie Benson Executive Vice President Cinergy Entertainment

entertainment centre' concept within the cinema exhibition industry, started out with two traditional cinemas in 1999. The duo then founded the Movie Tavern chain of dine-in theatres in 2001. As they recapitalised the company, Movie Tavern soon became

Stretching over a whopping 40000 square feet, Cinergy's ninth and newest location is fitted with

• SPECIAL STORY • seven state-of-the-art auditoriums.

The dine-in theatre boasts 624 luxury recliners that are equipped with swivel tables for ultimate comfort during movie-watching. The patrons can enjoy a great meal or indulge in the delicious theatre concessions.

Cinergy Wheeling has only recently opened its doors to the community as it offers them custom experiences along with its recline-and-dine luxury moviegoing experience. Cinergy Wheeling screens blockbuster movies as well as independent films.

Cinergy Wheeling boasts a beautiful full-service bar that is equipped with pool tables and a shuffle board. The spacious sports bar has become a crowd favourite for watching sports or relaxing with a drink after work.

The guests are greeted by the wait staff while they order online from the extensive selection of alcoholic beverages and chef-inspired American dishes. The venue has pledged to host monthly sensory friendly screenings of family friendly movies for guests with sensory sensitivities. It will allow the guests to move about freely while ensuring the lights in the auditorium are bright enough for them to navigate as well as the volume decibels are maintained at the minimum. Cinergy Wheeling is also host to family events including French toast breakfasts, a ticket to children's movies, and meet-and-greets with movie characters.

activities happen without leaving one's seat. Cinergy's guests enjoy the perk of ordering service right from their chair.

theatre opening has been well received and appreciated by the audiences. Cinergy's Wheeling location fills the need of providing state-of-the-art entertainment experience to people of all ages.

It allows them to partake in watching a great film as well as a quality dining experience, especially when both the

Cinergy Wheeling offers a full menu that boasts American favourties that are prepared by experienced chefs including a selection of the best appetisers, pizza, burgers, salads and more. Food items are not pre-prepared; instead, they are cooked to order and served to the seats. The sports bar offers a selection of nonalcoholic beverages as well as beers, wines and signature cocktails such as Texas Tea, Electric Lemonade, Island Punch and the Effen Chilton.

Cinergy Wheeling comes as a relief to the community as they were very much in need of a luxury moviegoing destination. With the theatre offering the facility for in-theatre dining, the

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• SPECIAL STORY • Cinergy Amarillo Cinergy Amarillo is Cinergy Entertainment Group's flagship property as it has been named the top family entertainment centre in the world at the annual International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions convention. Cinergy Amarillo offers something for quite literally everyone with its ten-auditorium luxury dine-in theatre.

It has more attractions and offerings than any other competitor in the area; hence, it acts as a one-stop destination for entertainment for people of all ages, families, couples on date-night, birthday parties and more.

TheatreWorld would love to know the thought process behind conceptualising the 'Cinema Entertainment Concept.' Could you elaborate a little on this and its inspiration?

It all started when we developed our first location in Copperas Cove, TX in 2009. We actually purchased an existing 40,000 square feet building that was a little too large for just a cinema, so we decided we could fill that extra space with complimentary amusements.

We chose laser tag and about 50 arcade games. We did not realise initially what a great combination we had stumbled upon. We had met the founder of Main Event Entertainment, Neil Hupfauer in 2006, and we began talking to him a lot after we opened this first location. And with his advice, we kept enlarging the amusement offerings in every location we subsequently built.

By the time we built our Odessa location in 2016, it was

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The luxury dine-in theatre is equipped with laser projection, Dolby Atmos sound and an EPIC auditorium that

seats 1260 patrons in luxury dine-and-recline seats. It boasts a full-service kitchen and two bars

90,000 square feet (now enlarged to 106,000 square feet) and featured 18 lanes of bowling, a massive arcade, laser tag, event rooms, a ropes course, and 10 screens including our first PLF screen that we call EPIC, which stands for ‘Experience Perfection in Cinema.’ So, really, it was a little bit of luck on the first one. We combined a lot of Neil's knowledge and experience from Main Event with our background in food and movies from our days founding and running Movie Tavern, and we turned it into what it is today over a period of few years making each location larger with more entertainment options.

every time a guest comes for a movie they experience all Cinergy has to offer at one of our larger complexes, but they do learn what we have, they see the fun going on in the game room and they remember it. Unfortunately, we don't have tent pole movies that open every week, so on those off weekends, many of our guests will come for the other forms of entertainment we offer. Our theatres are all excellent in their own right.

All 82 of our screens have full luxury recliner seating. Many of our locations feature laser projection. Each of our purpose-built locations features a PLF screen with Dolby Atmos.

So, we offer high quality cinema experiences in addition to high fidelity amusement experiences.

How has incorporating alternative entertainment amenities affected the raw cinemagoing experiences amongst the patrons at Cinergy?

Do these alternatives act as distractions, or does it complement the cinematic experience?

We fully believe that the alternative entertainment amenities complement moviegoing. This is not to say that

The cinema exhibition industry globally is still undergoing a recovery period; amidst this how has Cinergy managed to maintain its standing as the 'One-Stop Shop for Entertainment'?

Since emerging from the global pandemic, it's clear that everyone is looking for out-of-home entertainment, and even though the movie recovery

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perfect for watching sports along with a patio with bar access, seating, games and TVs. While Cinergy Amarillo is known for its upscale cinema amenities like other Cinergy properties, it also features a unique variety of interactive games and other entertainment amenities including a bowling alley. It boasts one of the largest floors of arcade games and

has been uneven, the family entertainment centre portion of our business has performed very, very well. 5 of our locations are true one-stop entertainment destinations, offering a mix of attractions. We have axe throwing, bowling, giant arcades, the latest virtual reality games, laser tag, ropes courses with zip lines, incredible escape rooms, full bars, and full restaurant menus. This giant mix of different attractions is a large draw unto itself and it does not need a robust movie line up to thrive.

Because of the amusement offerings at these 5 locations, we find that our customer base will frequent Cinergy even when there is not a large Hollywood release on any given weekend. We wish all of our locations were one-stop entertainment destinations, but truly only 5 of our 9 locations are. We have 2 that are dine-in luxury cinema locations and we have 2 that are traditional cinemas that feature luxury recliners.

We would love to hear your thoughts on Cinergy, especially on the expectations for the Wheeling and Amarillo

invites its guests to test their skills.

Along with an arcade, Cinergy Amarillo is equipped with four escape rooms,

eighteen upscale bowling lanes and a Skywalker Zip Line Course among others. The property, quite literally has something for everyone.

properties. How are these projects different or similar to other Cinergy projects/ properties.

July, so it is brand new and is just getting started. But we expect it to perform very strongly, and for it to become the community's preferred destination for first-class entertainment.

The Wheeling and Amarillo properties are actually quite different. To start with, Amarillo was purpose-designed and built by us, is 90,000 square feet, features 16 lanes of bowling, a giant arcade, virtual reality, escape rooms, laser tag, and a ropes course, in addition to 10 luxury recliner theatres.

Wheeling was a dine-in theatre property that we bought this past July. Wheeling is an incredibly beautiful 39,000 square feet, 7 screen, luxury recliner dine-in theatre with a large bar, but it doesn't feature any of the other amusements that Amarillo has.

Our long-term intention in Wheeling is to convert the extra-large bar area into an arcade, adding an extra element of entertainment for our guests to enjoy, but we just physically don't have the space to add other amusements without removing auditoriums. Amarillo has performed incredibly post-pandemic. Its sales are about 30 per cent greater than before 2020. Wheeling just opened in

Cinergy really has 3 slightly different concepts that we operate: Cinergy Entertainment, Cinergy Dine-In Cinemas, and Cinergy Cinemas. Our Amarillo, Odessa, Midland, Copperas Cove, TX and Tulsa, OK locations are all full, one-stop entertainment destinations, which feature a mix of attractions. Our Wheeling, IL and Charlotte, NC locations are dine-in theatres that feature recline-and-dine seating and a full menu of chef-inspired American favourites, served in-theatre, along with a full bar. Our Granbury and Marble Falls locations (both in Texas) are simply luxury recliner cinemas with traditional concession stands and alcoholic beverages.

Movies are the common thread to all 3 of our concepts and we believe that all 3 concepts have merit in their given markets.

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Major Cineplex:

Largest ScreenX in South East Asia!!!

Major Cineplex continues to dominate the cinemagoing market in Thailand as it collaborated with CJ 4DPLEX to open the biggest ScreenX theatre in Thailand. The theatre is fitted with the latest RGB laser projector in all of the three screens at Paragon Cineplex seating up to 293 moviebuffs.

Paragon Cineplex is the multiplex

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chain's flagship branch that is located within the luxury shopping centre in Bangkok, Siam Paragon.

The branch is the most visited theatre in Thailand and also hosts the biggest theatre, Siam Pavalai Royal Grand Theatre which accommodates up to 1200 moviegoers. The newly installed screen is the largest ScreenX in

Thailand's homegrown multiplex chain starting out as a stand-alone cinema entertainment complex, boasts the biggest theatre in the country which has been recently fitted a new format making it one of the only locations to have the most variety of formats in Thailand. As it caters to approximately 70 per cent of the market, it has emerged as a leading multiplex brand.

South East Asia. The cinema theatre has a variety of cinema formats and features including IMAX, 4DX, ScreenX, VIP, Bed seating 'Enigma,' Samsung LED, Laser projectors, cinema for kids and giant Laser screens.

ScreenX offers a cinema viewing experience unlike any other as it uses the latest projection technology with all 3 screens covering a viewing angle up to 270 degrees. The projector of the main screen uses a laser projector from Barco as the technology improves the sharpness and brightness of the visuals as well as the range of colours. The surround screen experience immerses the audience, especially the main screen which is nearly 15 metres wide. The side screens are each 20 metres wide and use four laser projectors by Christie that are mounted on the walls of the auditorium on each side. The auditorium uses a total of five projectors to get the achieved projection and experience.

• SPECIAL STORY • In addition to the projectors, the side walls use a special material to create continuity between the main screen and the side screens. The side walls are further devoid of distraction as they use a downlight lamp mounted on the ceiling. The speakers on each side have been moved up to the ceiling to prevent them from obstructing the visuals of the side screens. For one of the best surround sound experiences in Thailand, Major Cineplex uses Dolby surround 7.1 channel and speakers.

and sport broadcasts. The side screens act as an excitement enticing feature for the attendees.

All these features make the latest ScreenX experience beyond normal

and it has soon become a destination for movie lovers who want a more advanced experience that regular cinematic formats can't deliver.

While the auditorium seats up to 293 patrons, the best seats are the top 3 rows. These seats have been installed with a special leather chair that is ergonomically designed, where the headrest is specially designed to look like a pillow increasing the comfort level while watching movies.

Other than the dedicated ScreenX blockbuster movies, audiences will be treated to 3 screen advertisements that not only attract the attention of the audience but also of the advertisers as the create product awareness and participate in better marketing techniques. Advertising as an experience and partnership is redefined through this experience for both the audiences and advertisers.

Major Cineplex proposes to use ScreenX for non-movie events as well, including product launch events, seminars, fashion shows, live concerts

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• SPECIAL STORY •

Durbar Cinemax:

Nepal's Safest Luxury Cinema

With the vision of providing a premium movie experience in Nepal, this veteran cinema group invites its patrons to Kathmandu. As Nepal's cinema industry continues to recover from the aftermath of Covid 19, the cinema group has gone to lengths far and beyond to ensure the safety of its guests.

Nepal has come a long way since the late 40's when the first cinema was established. Adding to Nepal's milestones, Durbar Cinemax offers a unique combination of luxury, comfort and safety. The investors of Durbar Cinemax, Guna Group have been in the cinema industry for over 25 years with the brand Guna Cinemas.

Guna Group's Gwarko, Lalitpur property was the pioneer theatre in Nepal to ever use dynamic sound systems and laser projectors to screen

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movies in Nepal. Durbar Cinemax is the successor to Guna Cinemas as it continues to introduce innovative amenities to cater to its patrons.

Durbar Cinemax is located at the heart of the nation, adjacent to the Narayanhiti Palace at Durbarmarg.

It is dominated with Nepali audiences from Kathmandu who are seeking a premium and luxurious cinema experience. While it has been a staple for Nepali viewers, this premium location has also garnered the attention of and wowed many high-profile dignitaries, foreign diplomats and ambassadors.

The cinema runs under the banner of the illustrious conglomerate Guna Group, which is dedicated to providing the best service in Nepal.

Guna Group has been providing Nepalese citizens with a variety of services since the 1980's. Led by the visionary Rajendra Shakya, Chairman of Guna Group, the company is inclusive of more than a dozen businesses in various sectors. The Group has witnessed the transition of the cinema industry from reels to digital projectors. The once single-screen cinemas have now been replaced by multiplexes that host thousands of people.

• SPECIAL STORY • While the cinema halls and screens have undergone a transformation within a century, the love for cinema has remained constant in Nepal.

Guna Group with Guna Cinemas and now Durbar Cinemax has consistently been a part of this trajectory and has remained the pioneer of transformation.

The Nepali cinema sphere has undergone consistent change with their contribution.

As it intends to provide a premium moviegoing experience to the residents of Kathmandu, Durbar Cinemax welcomes its audience to wonderful blend of comfort and elegance. This Kathmandu based cinema theatre caters to its guests with two exclusive auditoriums featuring 50 and 53 seats.

For an unforgettable cinema-watching experience the auditoriums are equipped with laser projectors, premium leather recliner seats, silver screen and Dolby surround sound system. To keep up with the current trends, Durbar Cinemax allows its guests to enjoy dine-in facilities as well as bar services. Audiences visiting the theatre with their partners are offered an 'Ideal Date' location with Audi 2, where the seats are couple friendly.

and technology. Under this continued relationship, Polydevices has facilitated the integration of the latest cinema project being Durbar Cinemax.

The property has been equipped with

the latest high dynamic sound system with JBL Screen Array speaker system, Dolby processors and DATSAT processors and Panasonic Laser projection.

Polydevices led by GSR Rao and his team have been in close association with Guna Group for the last 30 years. 9 of the Guna Group properties have been integrated by them under utmost attention to detail

"We want to usher in a new generation of moviegoers. Cinemas need to provide something distinctive to remain relevant in this day and age where internet streaming and digital platforms are becoming more and more popular. With Durbar Cinemax, we hope to inspire and unite generations. The goal is to establish yet another significant moment in Nepalese film history by building a smart, safe, audience-friendly, and technologically advanced theatre for today's moviegoers. I believe in not only keeping up with the recent trends but also setting new benchmarks in the cinema experience for all movie lovers in Nepal and beyond."

– Diprash Shakya, Managing Director, Durbar Cinemax

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• SPECIAL STORY • To ensure the safety of the viewers, Durbar Cinemax is protected by Wolf Air Mark which is a state-of-the-art technology that sterilises the air and protects the viewers against harmful bacteria, viruses and microbes in the air and surface. While Durbar Cinemax is known for its luxury and comfort it is also popular as a safe haven for cinemagoers. Apart from the excellent services and efficient safety for the guests, Durbar Cinemax has kept a keen eye on the luxurious ambience of the premises. The beautifully designed theatre building is furnished in a black and gold colour theme for a regal yet warm ambience.

It would not be an overestimation to say that Durbar Cinemax is a one-of-a-kind architectural feat in Nepal's cinema industry. The premium seats are not limited to the auditoriums alone, but the seating all over the cinema property including the lounge and waiting chambers are equipped with comfortable sofas and other seating amenities. Durbar Cinemax and its promoters have left no stone unturned in providing their audiences with a luxurious feel.

something distinctive to remain relevant in this day and age where internet streaming and digital platforms are becoming more and more popular. With Durbar Cinemax, we hope to inspire and unite generations. The goal is to establish yet another significant moment in Nepalese film history by building a smart, safe, audience-friendly, and technologically advanced theatre for today's moviegoers. I believe in not only keeping up with the recent trends but also setting new benchmarks in the cinema experience for all movie lovers in Nepal and beyond."

Managing Director of Durbar Cinemax, Diprash Shakya says that, "We want to usher in a new generation of moviegoers. Cinemas need to provide

Durbar Cinemax came into existence during the unnerving period of Covid-19. As the cinema industry was one of the fields affected by this,

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Durbar Cinemax encountered numerous challenges and was forced to face these adversaries head-on.

The frequent and sudden lockdowns delayed the launch plans. However, as the difficulties seem to settle down, Durbar Cinemax has now rolled out the carpet to its film lovers.

Catering to Nepal's film enthusiasts, it screens movies in English, Nepali, Hindi and Newari. The promoters at Durbar are open to screening movies in any language as they refuse to let language barriers hold them down.

The property was launched by screening the Nepali film A Mero Hajur 4 and the south Indian film KGF: Chapter 2. The Cinemax also offers private screenings where patrons can book the entire hall for personal gatherings, meetings and celebrations. Durbar Cinemax is open for private screenings that have been booked and arranged with prior notice.

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Cinemacity Al Qana:

Best-in-Class Entertainment in UAE!

The leading cinema chain has launched one of its most awaited cinema properties in UAE as it serves to enrich the customer experience with the greatest cinematic entertainment there is. A cinema dedicatedly designed for the comfort and luxury of its moviegoers is soon becoming the hub not only for movie watching but for privately hosted events and red-carpet worthy moments.

Al Qana, Abu Dhabi's vibrant social dining and entertainment destination has begun welcoming its patrons to the remarkable Cinemacity within its quarters. Cinemacity Al Qana extends the lifestyle offering of the prime destination with extensive fleet of 15 screens that are inclusive of 3 VIP theatres, 1 Presidential Theatre and the XXL theatre boasting the largest screen in Abu Dhabi. The property is already setting a new standard for cinema entertainment in the UAE.

With its unique blend of F&B destinations and high-quality visual entertainment, Cinemacity Al Qana is built to last with a seating capacity of a whooping 1800 seats. As it

provides a unique and powerful experience to its audience the cinema screens are equipped with dual RGB laser projectors and Dolby Atmos surround sound. The bespoke design of the cinema theatre brings in the best picture and sound quality in the industry. With a blend of cutting-edge technology, full leather recliners, Club class with the comfort of butler service and an array of culinary options, Cinemacity Al Qana offers the next generation of entertainment.

For the ultimate luxury, Cinemacity Al Qana features 3 VIP theatres and the Presidential Theatre amongst its 15 screens. The three high-end VIP theatres and the Presidential theatre boast full reclining seats with an in-seat dining service and dedicated private lounges for exclusive screenings and premieres.

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• SPECIAL STORY • The Presidential Theatre is a new concept boasting a luxurious lounge with high-end technology and remarkable services. The bespoke menu of gourmet food along with mouth-watering classics has been designed to match the requirements and needs of the Presidential Theatre and VIP cinema guests.

Fouad Mashal, Chief Executive Officer of Al Barakah International Investment, Developer of Al Qana, said, "As the new outdoor season commences, Al Qana is emerging as the new hotspot in Abu Dhabi, offering a unique mix of homegrown and international concepts. Building on the successful launch of The National Aquarium Abu Dhabi, we predict that Cinemacity Al Qana will also delight visitors of all ages as it redefines the modern cinema experience."

To elevate the typical trip to the movies, Cinemacity Al Qana has created a plethora of decadent culinary concepts that allow the patrons to relax and dine at all times.

Graffiti is an ideal hangout spot for millennials as it offers a hip and urban space for eating wood fired pizzas and authentic Italian dishes. For those that favour freshly baked treats, sophisticated Backlot Café serves a classic menu of sandwiches, pastries

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and artisanal coffee. Azul Lounge on the contrary designed with luxe interiors and decadent dining, invites the guests to enjoy a truly VIP cinema experience. It offers an array of Japanese fusion cuisine including sushi and raw carpaccio with sophisticated mocktails.

Hammad Atassi, CEO of Cinemacity Al Qana said, "Cinemacity Al Qana has officially opened its door for Abu Dhabi and UAE residents. They will be delighted to see what's inside this beautifully-designed gigantic building and experience the luxurious facility and service for their entertainment pleasure. Our grand opening with a key Avant Premier echoes our ambition to bring more exclusive premiers, blockbuster movie

debuts, and key events that will entertain our visitors."

Stuart Gissing, General Manager of Al Qana said, "Cinemacity Al Qana will redefine how people see and use Cinema Complexes and Food Offerings; collectively or independently.

With the Launch of our Cinema, Al Qana is gaining an unparalleled attraction as a world class destination."

Whether it's a night out with friends, enjoying a delicious meal before watching the latest blockbuster, or celebrating a special birthday with a private screening, or even a family day out, Cinemacity Al Qana has everything fans need to watch movies in a red-carpet style.

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Cinemark Theatres:

Ultimate Cinematic Wonder!

With its recent launch, this cinema provider has become a staple at the Mountain View Village lifestyle centre. With breathtaking mountain views and best-in-class facilities, it promises a wholesome cinematic experience. As it brings to its patrons a 14-screen entertainment centre it has emphasised on luxury and comfort.

Cinemark is one of the world's largest and most influential movie theatre companies that recently launched its Riverton property. The 14-screen cinema theatre is located in the premier Mountain View Village lifestyle centre. It transports local movie lovers in the greater Salt Lake City area to a new world with larger-than-life screens, crystal-clear projection and booming surround sound all with the comfort of fan-favourite Luxury Lounger recliners. Other than these features, the theatre also boasts an XD auditorium for an ultra-immersive moviegoing experience and an expanded array of delicious concession offerings.

to provide an affordable and exceptional entertainment offering as families and friends look to spend quality time together."

Cinemark Riverton has been fitted with the best amenities and technologies Cinemark has to offer.

Each of the auditoriums in this 14-screen theatre are fitted with Cinemark's Luxury Loungers that are heated, electric-powered, plush and oversized recliners providing maximum movie-watching comfort. The XD auditorium is a premium format with the largest wall-to-wall screen in the building and 11.1 layer multichannel surround sound for the ultimate viewing experience. It offers its visitors

"Our brand-new Riverton and XD theatre brings the ultimate Cinemark experience to the Riverton and greater Salt Lake City communities in time for some of this year's most anticipated films to hit the big screen," said Jay Jostrand, Cinemark Executive Vice President of Real Estate. "Movie fans of all ages are invited to come and be fully transported into these captivating journeys through our ultra-immersive technology and highly sought-after amenities. We are proud December 2022 - February 2023

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• INSTALLS • reserved seating throughout the theatre with convenient online and kiosk ticketing.

The D-BOX seats provide moviegoers a complete immersive dimension to the individual motion control in the seats. In addition to the bingeworthy movie theatre popcorn, the expanded concession offerings include Cinemark Signature Pizza and other hot food items, Coca-Cola Freestyle drink stations with over 100 flavours and Starbucks coffee. The property also allows its guests to host cinematic birthdays and events providing them with exclusive and discounted concessions for up to 20 guests.

Cinemark Riverton and XD offers the 'Snacks in a Tap' advance ordering feature, allowing guests to skip the concessions line and order their favourite cinema snacks ahead of time for pickup upon arrival or delivery to their seat for supreme convenience.

"I am so honoured to have Cinemark join our family of amazing tenants at Mountain View Village," Fred Bruning, Chairman and Founder of CenterCal Properties shared. "Having worked with Cinemark over several decades on many locations, I have come to know them as the premier theatre operator in the country, and their new, ultra-modern luxury theatre in Riverton

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will raise the standard for movie-watchers in the region. Many happy memories will be created and shared in this best-of-class theatre!"

Mountain View Village is an 85-acre experience driven, 1,000,000 square feet mixed-use destination lifestyle centre offering a dynamic central community gathering place and go-to for food lovers in Riverton and the entire South Valley, within the fastest growing submarket in the United States offering 177,641 square feet. of Class A office space that includes breathtaking mountain views and bestin-class amenities within a short walk.

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Alamo Drafthouse:

Hop on the Ferry to Staten Island

An acclaimed cinema company has opened its long-anticipated Staten Island theatre along with Flying Guillotine, a kung fu-themed bar and museum.

This Austin based cinema-eatery is set to welcome film lovers from the Island and across the tri-state area to its brand-new theatre.

Occupying 44,726 square feet of the Boulevard Shopping Centre in Staten Island, the nine-screen, accommodating 893 movie lovers is the company's fourth location in New York after Yonkers, Downtown Brooklyn and Lower Manhattan. The theatre is easily accessible by car with ample free parking it is also conveniently located for those taking the public transport.

Alama Drafthouse Staten Island opened amidst the continuing resurgence of the cinema industry that witnessed record-breaking box office successes of Spider-Man: No Way Home, The Batman and Top Gun: Maverick. The brand and the cinema property are also committed to celebrating and empowering independent films such as the record-breaking Everything Everywhere All At Once.

As it accommodates over 800 movie lovers at any given point, the seating is similar to most traditional theatres, however, it is equipped with convenient tables for food and drinks.

Further, it is equipped with reclining seats that the audiences can comfortably 'lay back in' as they enjoy the utility of built-in tables and cupholders.

With Alamo Drafthouse's unobtrusive service model, it boasts a 'Server Call Button' for speedy service and in-theatre snacking and dining. The servers grab the order and deliver it with the speed and agility of a trained ninja while ensuring the other guests are undisturbed. Alamo Drafthouse allows its guests to choose from an

extensive menu that is movie-themed offering appetisers, entrees and desserts in vegetarian and vegan options as well. The drink menu boasts innovative cocktails, spirits, wines and huge collection of draft beers. Dining options also offer an exclusive 'Kid's Menu' to cater to the picky tastes of the young audience.

The Staten Island location also houses 'Flying Guillotine', a kung-fu themed collaboration with legendary Wu-Tang Clan founder RZA. Flying Guillotine is part bar and part a martial arts museum that intrigues the patrons visiting the theatre.

While commenting on the launch, Shelli Taylor, CEO of Alamo Drafthouse, adds, "Our Staten Island theatre has been a long time coming, and I think we've got something that's really going to wow our New York guests. We're committed to providing an elevated moviegoing experience that serves the great Staten Island community, and this new theatre is a perfect expression of that commitment."

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• INSTALLS •

Like the century-old wax figure exhibits thoughtfully curated throughout Alamo Drafthouse Downtown Brooklyn's 'House of Wax' and the vast archive of over 60,000 letterpress film advertising plates adorning the walls of Alamo Drafthouse Lower Manhattan's 'The Press Room', Flying Guillotine features posters and memorabilia spanning the history of kung fu cinema.

"Bringing the coolest movie experience to 'Shaolin'," says RZA, "with a bar designed with the aesthetics of the Wu-Tang vibe - like Flying Guillotine - and an extensive collection of memorabilia, this location will surely be a place of many fun memories for Staten Islanders."

"The modern action genre was undeniably born out of the kung fu movie explosion of the early 1970s," says Tim League, founder and Executive Chairman of Alamo Drafthouse. "After Enter The Dragon, audiences craved more of this new visceral excitement, and the movie studios responded and were forever changed in its wake. Without this influence, there is no Matrix, there is no Mission: Impossible, and there is no action genre as we know it today.

We love this legacy and want to celebrate and share its rich history throughout the walls of the Flying Guillotine bar and the theatre itself."

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Alamo Drafthouse Staten Island not only features a tap wall of 45 draft beers, but also two unique sections of the cocktail menu, where, Shaolin features nine classic cocktails and Wu-Tang boasts nine original craft cocktails designed by bar manager Vincent Favella. Flying Guillotine also features a giant 16' Flying Guillotine overtop of the entry to the bar and board-breaking photo opportunity designed and fabricated by Dimensional Innovations. When patrons purchase an item at the bar, they receive a token for the exclusive Flying Guillotine claw game.

One of Alamo Drafthouse Staten Island's signature programming includes the 'RZA's Saturday Shaolin Theater,' which is a weekly series screening on Saturday afternoons inspired by RZA's personal hard-hitting martial arts favourites.

The series also takes a cue from the

popular Black Belt Theatre programs that ran on WNEW Channel 5 in New York on Saturdays in the 80s.

The theatre continues the exhibitor's long tradition of repertory programming and memorable live events.

The auditoriums at Alamo Drafthouse Staten Island are equipped with Sony 4K Digital Laser and 35mm projection system along with eardrum-rattling 7.1 Dolby Surround Sound. The pre-show series before every movie have been customised to suit the mood and theme of the movie being screened.

Alamo Drafthouse is passionate about creating experiences that woe its audiences and make their time memorable. As it obsesses over every detail, Alamo Drafthouse takes pride in its work and is in a pursuit of excellence.

• I N S TA L LS •

Silky Otter Cinemas:

Redefining Experiences!!!

The New Zealand based cinema company is designed to change the way audiences enjoy movies. As a team of highly experienced industry veterans driven by a shared love of film, their goal is to deliver an elevated and modernised cinema experience.

In a global climate where the big screen experience has undergone widespread upheaval, this Kiwi owned cinema chain has the cinema experience of the future in its sights.

Silky Otter Cinemas Wigram Kiwi owned and operated Silky Otter Cinemas officially opened its Wigram property towards the end of an exhausting lockdown. Under the guidelines of the public health advice, it began catering to its patrons not only with an interesting line-up of movies, but with a full-service bar and

kitchen and cutting-edge screen and sound technology.

independent location around the country.

Bay Village in Auckland marked Silky Otter's first site in 2019, and like all cinemas it navigated a bumpy road during the pandemic. However, despite having only two 44-seat cinemas, Bay Village has become a top-performing

"People still want to go to the cinema; they still want the magic of the big screen." says Silky Otter CEO Neil Lambert. "But some aspects have changed. Now they want more than just a film - they want an intimate, cosy, and welcoming environment that includes a glass of wine, great food, and great service. For us, bringing all of that together makes the ultimate cinema experience".

The Wigram property offers this intimate and cosy affair. Opened in Christchurch, this Silky Otter Cinemas' theatre is an eight-screen complex where every seat is a luxurious leather recliner. It allows its patrons to settle in and get cosy immediately. The screens are equipped with world-class picture and sound technology featuring cutting

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• INSTALLS • Queenstown, with sites set to open in 2023 respectively.

edge laser cinema projection and full 7.1 surround sound. Each of the auditoriums at Wigram are equipped with a FiberSheild Filtration System which is one of the only technologies specifically tested against the virus that causes COVID19.

As it caters to its customers, Silky Otter Cinemas Wigram allows them to indulge in a full-service bar and kitchen with chefs preparing most of the dishes from the mouth-watering menu. The menu is specially hand-crafted for Silky Otter, and it offers a wide selection of mouth-watering morsels and a premium selection of wines and beers.

With great food Wigram provides great service as guests can have food delivered directly to their seats.

To ensure easy accessibility, Silky Otter Cinemas Wigram has made it effortless for patrons to visit. It provides lots of easy on-site free parking that is available throughout the week. The property, like every other Silky Otter Cinema property is open to private bookings. With 47-seat auditoriums and immersive technology, the VIP service provided

by Silky Otter Cinemas is unmatched.

It is a property suitable for business events, fundraisers, birthdays, gaming, live sports and more.

Silky Otter Cinemas Richmond With 2022, Silky Otter Cinemas has officially opened the doors to its newest site at Berryfields Crossing in Richmond, Nelson Tasman region. It further intends to strengthen its reach in Ponsonby with a site opening later this year and Takanini and

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Silky Otter Richmond is the newest cinema complex in the region as it boasts an eight-screen complex, one that has never been seen in Richmond before. As with all Silky Otter Cinemas, the Richmond property has been built on a simple ethos of excellence. Kiwi's Silky Otter focuses on providing its visitors with a futuristic cinematic experience. It predominantly focuses on the movie

"People still want to go to the cinema; they still want the magic of the big screen.

But some aspects have changed. Now they want more than just a film - they want an intimate, cosy, and welcoming environment that includes a glass of wine, great food, and great service. For us, bringing all of that together makes the ultimate cinema experience".

– Neil Lambert, CEO, Silky Otter Cinemas

aspect of cinema theatres as it refuses to screen or preview any advertisements. Instead, it allows its patrons to enjoy the best upcoming movie trailers and helps them choose their next day/night out.

When it comes to the ease of its visitors, it boasts recliners that are not only comfortable but also luxurious so as to enhance the movie watching experience. These luxury recliners claim more room and space for easy accessibility. While the comfort of the patrons takes priority, the technology within the auditoriums is equipped with cutting edge-screens and best-in-class sound equipment.

As it caters to its customers, Silky Otter Richmond allows them to indulge in a full-service bar and kitchen with chefs preparing most of the dishes from the mouth-watering menu.

It also allows patrons to have their food delivered directly to the seats.

Importantly, Silky Otter aims to cater to all film lovers in their local communities, "We know everyone has different tastes, so we decided to offer a full mix of films, whether big mainstream blockbusters, family favourites, or the best arthouse films" says Ahmed Almukhtar, Managing Director. "As film lovers, we want people to not only see the films they want, but have an experience so good that they keep coming back for more".

• I N S TA L LS •

Pathé Cinemas:

Largest Cinema in West Africa!!!

The French cinema giant opened its first cinema complex in the prosperous district of Dakar introducing the locals to a cultural space that is built luxuriously for their comfort and entertainment. Comprising of seven screens, the cinema complex marks the rebirth of cinema exhibition in the country.

The Pathé Dakar Mermoz cinema is the largest cinema ever established

in West Africa. It is located in the heart of the Mermoz commercial zone in Dakar and meets all the standards of a modern 21st century cinema.

The cinema covers an area of roughly 8000 square metres and offers free parking to over 200 cars.

The cinema complex seats over 1400 moviegoers with seven screens ranging from 126 to 396 seats each, with a screen of 21 metres. It is fitted out with the best cutting-edge technology for comfort and service.

It is a unique cinema facility for its size and features itself.

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• INSTALLS • of movie theatres across the cities.

The Pathé Dakar Mermoz cinema marks the rebirth of the cinema exhibition industry in the country.

It swoops in to cater to the young people that represent more than half of the population. As it is operated by the company Pathé Cinemas, a leading cinema chain in France, Switzerland and the Netherland with more than 1300 screens, the cinema has taken on the standards of comfort of theatres in Europe and worldwide.

Pathé Dakar cinema is part of a general deployment by the cinema company in Maghreb and West Africa.

The cinema boasts large screens in a cinemascope format with comfortable seating arrangements, projections in Laser quality and immersive Dolby ATMOS sound. The seven-screen multiplex is equipped with club seats and duo seats for a cosy and fun ambience. The design layout provides an optimal view from each seat and the most immersive experience possible. The spaces are fully air-conditioned with seating and locations for people with reduced mobility.

The architecture and design have been conceptualised and realised by the Pierre CHICAN agency in Paris. Pierre Chican is a French architect specialising in cultural venues and cinemas. He has designed two of the most visited cinema theatres in Europe.

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In addition to the ultramodern and comfortable cinema experience, the Pathé Dakar cinema is a real place conviviality and relaxation, thanks to its original terrace.

The Baobab, a rooftop terrace has been built above the cinema's lobby to accommodate around 100 people. It is equipped with sofas, a bar and a planted pond. It welcomes

• I N S TA L LS • moviegoers who wish to have a drink before or after the movie showings as well as companies and individuals looking to privatise the space for product launches and private events.

While the cinema stands tall today, the construction was faced with a few challenges. The major challenge was to design the project on the constrained site. From the street, the landscaping leads to a large square designed around an existing baobab tree that has been preserved.

It created setbacks as the equipment was not easily accessible.

The vegetated savannah space created around the tree, acts as an articulation between the different components of the program such as the cinema, a restaurant and a games area. The cinema lobby is fitted with large windows extending across the width of the facility. It overlooks the landscaped grounds. The access to the rooftop is located from the big hall. Further on, the food court offers spectators a bar with locally made fruit juices. The foyers give access to the different rooms of the cinema offering spectators a comfortable waiting space before entering the theatres.

A specific circulation system has been set up to avoid any crossing between

the spectators entering and leaving the theatres at the beginning and end of the shows. The HVAC technical installation on the roof are tropicalised and dimensioned for the climatic conditions of the country.

The construction standards both in terms of design and materials are used as per the standards for cinema projects.

The cinema offers Dakar spectators a wide choice of films across genres and tastes, with Senegalese and African films, the biggest blockbusters, themed events, animations and shows with Pathé Live. This new cinema is positioned as a major player in the local cultural scene. For a convenient and easy experience, the website and mobile application allows the audience to purchase their tickets from the comfort of their devices.

With the Dakar Mermoz cinema, Pathé is setting a new standard for future cinemas in West Africa with screens equipped with the latest technologies of images, sound and projection.

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• SPECIAL STORY •

Grand Cinemas:

Unveiling Presence in KSA

This debut property is fitted with 11 screens as it caters to the audiences of Obhur.

Lead and operated by one of the leading cinema brands in the Middle East, this property is the most luxurious destination for cinemagoers where they are welcomed with the latest technology in light and sound and the comfort of the best seats available.

Grand Cinemas is one of the leading cinema brands in the Middle East since its inception in the year 2000.

It has been the brand behind the success story of the cinema business in UAE. Grand Cinemas has now expanded its borders beyond UAE with its projects in Kuwait, Jordan and Lebanon becoming the synonym to luxurious cinema offerings in the Middle East.

with extremely comfortable seating and beautiful décor making it one of the most unique cinema projects in KSA. The cinema project is part of UAE's leading cinema circuit Grand Cinemas backed by Rashid Abdel Aziz Al-Husan and Selim Ramia. Created in 2000, the cinema circuit has branches

in Lebanon, Kuwait and Jordan. The newest launch is located in Obhur Mall in Jeddah and is equipped with 11 screens and state-of-the-art installations of laser 4K projectors by Cinionic, Atmos sound as well as MX4D screen.

This latest launch is its first project in KSA at Obhur and is one of the most luxurious destinations for cinemagoers.

The project is equipped with the latest technology in light and sound

"To enhance the height of the cinema property, we have used lights that highlight the concession counter as well as double lights to accentuate the height of the ceiling. The auditoriums are overall designed in a modern and minimalistic approach, as it takes no focus away from the content on the screen."

– Eranna Yekbote, Chief Architect, Era Architects

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• SPECIAL STORY • Grand cinemas are unique in the Middle East as whenever they open new projects, they have a tendency to raise the bar by making it a unique destination. The features, design and the atmosphere created by Grand Cinemas' properties sets it apart from its contemporaries as it offers a unique experience to cinegoers.

Opened in August, the brand-new Grand Cinemas property marks its debut in KSA. The design and architecture of the cinema makes it one of the most beautiful cinema projects in the Kingdom. The property was pre-designed by the operators before Era Architects swooped in to fashion the magnificent property. The cinema is located on the first floor of the mall overlooking the city of Obhur. To approach the cinema theatre, patrons can navigate directly through the parking lot or by entering the mall property and the cinema screens through the lobby.

One of the challenges faced by Era Architects was to incorporate the ceiling height into the architectural design and style of the cinema property. They had a vision to highlight the concession counter, and to make this happen, the concession counter sits at the eye level of the patrons facing the

"We tried to incorporate design concepts from the earlier projects that we worked on and completed for our client Grand Cinemas. This project, in terms of the language of design, is a continuation of our project in Beirut as we use the colour purple to accentuate the theme of the brand. We have simplified the design and kept it elegant and timeless. For the Grand Class auditorium, we have opted for a darker theme and used a lot of accessories to highlight the space."

– Eranna Yekbote, Chief Architect, Era Architects entryway. As soon as they enter the lobby they are greeted with the wonderful aroma of snacks and the popping sound of beverages. The concession counter

is particularly positioned in a manner that it is accessible to all auditoriums, especially the VIP screens. The concession counter shares the lobby with the VIP auditorium, which is referred to as Grand Class, as the standard auditoriums are separated from them. Apart from the Grand Class screen, the patrons also enjoy the pleasure of MX4D. It is located at the beginning of the hallway, and as the audience proceed, they are greeted with the standard screens on both the sides.

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• SPECIAL STORY • and concession counters that showcase the slate of upcoming releases allowing patrons to plan their next cinema-day-out.

The ceiling pattern of the main lobby boasts a petal-like triangular design to match the carpets of the cinema property that boast a similar geometric pattern. "To enhance the height of the cinema property, we have used lights that highlight the concession counter as well as double lights to accentuate the height of the ceiling. The auditoriums are overall designed in a modern and minimalistic approach, as it takes no focus away from the content on the screen," commented Eranna Yekbote, Chief Architect, Era Architects. The cinema theatre is also fitted with a lobby dedicated to kids, and features vibrant colours to please the younger audience. The lobby doubles as party area for the kids to enjoy and partake in. Within the kids' lobby, there is a screen that showcases animated content and child appropriate content.

"We tried to incorporate design concepts from the earlier projects that we have worked on and completed for our client Grand Cinemas. This project, in terms of the language of design, is a continuation of our project in Beirut as we use the colour purple to

and the occasional Arabic and local films. As Indian blockbusters are appreciated, the newest Grand Cinemas property allows its patrons to enjoy the occasional Indian flick.

accentuate the theme of the brand.

We have simplified the design and kept it elegant and timeless. For the Grand Class auditorium, we have opted for a darker theme and used a lot of accessories to highlight the space." The auditorium is fitted with the best-in-class chairs by Figueras Seating.

Grand Cinemas KSA Obhur screens studio movies as well Indie movies

As this was the brand's first project in KSA, it was challenging to find the right contractor to execute their vision in terms of design. Bearing in mind the image of the brand, Grand Cinemas looked for a good finished result that would reflect well amongst its patrons and contemporaries. The latest launch has continued the tradition of maintaining a high standard for materials used in décor as well as interiors.

The concession section of Grand Cinemas KSA Obhur is extensively long and is equipped with the standard snack and beverage offerings. The site features popcorn machines, crepes, fresh corn, hot dogs, nachos supplied

by Cretors and other snack options for its patrons.

Since the property is located within the city, the audience demographc is dominated by residents of Obhur from in and around the area. While the dominant language remains Arabic, with the presence of universities along the coast, the young generation also speaks English and other foreign languages.

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• TECHNOLOGY •

Seating Made Better at Ferco Starting out as a humble supplier in the year 1983, the brand has now evolved to be one of the world's most preferred seating manufactures for cinema, auditorium, education and sports arena. The seating supplier aims to be their client's partner of choice from the very first contact to the completion of the seat installation.

Ferco has a variety of cinema seating creations offering different styles, features and seating solutions to fit the operational as well as clientele needs. From general admission to unique bespoke seating requirements, Ferco's goal is to create the best seats to enhance the place of business, boost sales and most importantly, create an unforgettable and wonderful memory for their client's patrons to talk about for years to come. Dedicated to providing the best seating experience to the world Ferco has a well-connected international footprint, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and a network of agents in Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Rim. Engineered with precision, designed with elegance and crafted with comfort in mind, the Opus Series transforms cinematic spaces into an exclusive seating by providing a

uniform look for multiplexes, from general admission seats, to glide, to recliners, all with the same premium look, the same ultimate comfort whilst offering different experiences.

"Our association with Ferco dates back to the year 1997, it is an honour and privilege to be Ferco's Joint

venture partner in India," added Anmol Kashmiri, Partner, Pen Workers Seating.

The Opus LX is the crème de la crème in this series with a wide backrest and seat that exuberates luxury and ultimate comfort in all its conformity.

Aside from the elegant diamond stitching design, generous padded head and backrest foam for neck and lumbar support, it is also customisable with the bells and whistles that one can think of; swivel dining table, wireless USB charger, front-soft-closed drawer for storage or even a mini built-in fridge. Built-in footrest sensors and finger guards are built-in as safety features, and if that is not enough, smart connectivity system can be added so patrons may call for service or food and beverages from the seat with the just a touch of a button! This enhances customer service and boost concession sales at the same time. Hall bookings would

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• TECHNOLOGY • be through the roof with such value-added features that not only complement the space, but exceeds patrons' expectations. The Opus LX can also take care of itself with optional built-in auto return sensors and self-diagnostic systems, lowering maintenance cost and ensure excellent experience are met throughout the end of every movie credits.

The Opus Zero Gravity is a lightweight champion in comparison to its bigger sibling but has the same impactful impression when it comes to luxury seating. It is a class of its own by elevating comfort beyond the next level. It incorporates a different reclining design mechanism that suspends your body in a neutral posture, allowing you to experience the weightlessness of out-of-space sensation for deep relaxation.

By creating a new and different experience, the Opus Zero Gravity will provide long hours of sitting comfort, best suited for cinematic movie trilogies screenings and enthusiastic movie buffs - movie marathon anyone?

If you are looking for a recliner that works without the need for motors, the Opus Glide is the seat for you.

It has an innovative built-in glide mechanism, made to recline in sync with the human movements. The backrest reclines as the seat glides smoothly forward when patrons lay back into the seat. It is also a modular

seating system with easily removable back and headrest made from super soft foam without the need to replace the entire seat. This seating solution allows operators to save in terms of high maintenance cost in the long run.

Modern, minimalistic and an eyecatching design that makes a statement, the Opus compromises nothing on quality and ergonomic seating position. The seat has a removable cover feature by means of a zipper for easy maintenance. With an innovative easy-to-adjust backrest pitch that can be fixed, this premium general admission seat also comes with rocker backrest to choose from.

Afterall, being practical does not mean it has to be boring.

With over 50,000 units sold across the globe upon its first launch in 2017, The Opus Series is one of the most preferred cinema seating ranges to date. It is indeed the perfect cinema seating range that one may choose from for their up-and-coming projects. "At Ferco, we design with a purpose and we would like to grow your business with you," added an executive at Ferco.

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• TECHNOLOGY •

GDC Technology:

Saluting the Return of CineAsia Returning as the proud 'Official Presenting Sponsor' of CineAsia 2022, the company continues its rich history of advancing the moviegoing experience with innovation. After a three-year intermission, CineAsia has returned in 2022 from 5th to 8th December with one major change - the convention will be held in Bangkok, Thailand.

One of the main reasons to attend any of the major theatrical conventions, whether in Las Vegas, Barcelona, Miami, or Bangkok is content.

However, it's not necessarily movie content that generates attendance.

Yes, delegates do expect to see product reels and feature screenings, but delegates also want to see the latest cinema technologies not only designed to run cinema more efficiently, but also add immersive features to the big screen as intended by the filmmakers.

This year, GDC Technology is once again the proud 'Official Presenting

Sponsor' of CineAsia 2022 where the company continues its rich history of advancing the moviegoing experience with innovation. In business, an 'innovation' is the process of translating an idea or invention into goods or services that create value for which a company's customers are willing to pay. It is certainly one of the most overused words to describe a product or service these days, and for good reasons. It is truly the one word that often defines a company's success, it is synonymous with adventurous organisations that create revolutionary products or

technologies. However, as widespread as this word is, innovation starts with innovators.

You see, innovators change the world and make our lives different. One such innovator is Dr Man-Nang Chong, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of GDC Technology Limited. Passionate about digital research and the cinema industry since the early 1990s, Dr Chong leads a team equally as passionate about advancing the moviegoing experience. One of GDC's most prominent distinctions, under the leadership of Dr Chong, is taking risks to be first-to-market with December 2022 - February 2023

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• TECHNOLOGY • an idea that is replicable at an economical cost and satisfies a specific need.

"I love the movies and it is nothing more than passion. I devoted my early career to digital motion picture research, which led to commercially introducing advancements to deliver a filmmaker's story by reducing cost and improving the moviegoing experience. I feel audiences should be totally immersed in the cinema to laugh, to cry and really feel good about the experience. A motion picture is such a wonderful invention when it can be shared in the cinema on the big screen," commented, Dr Man-Nang Chong.

"I love the movies and it is nothing more than passion. I devoted my early career to digital motion picture research, which led to commercially introducing advancements to deliver a filmmaker's story by reducing cost and improving the moviegoing experience. I feel audiences should be totally immersed in the cinema - to laugh, to cry and really feel good about the experience. A motion picture is such a wonderful invention when it can be shared in the cinema on the big screen," – Dr Man-Nang Chong Founder, Chairman and CEO, GDC Technology Limited

New Horizons Today's cinema market is a fastchanging industry driven by moviegoers' ever-advancing needs for the ultimate cinematic experience.

By being customer-focused, together with the company's strong technical know-how, GDC can drive technological initiatives that answer to these changes. These initiatives often bring strategic partners, such

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Dr Man-Nang Chong, Founder, Chairman and CEO, GDC Technology Limited

• TECHNOLOGY • as DTS together to offer complete, suitable, and future-proof solutions to exhibitors.

GDC always looks ahead, and it is not enough just to play a leading role in digitising the cinema industry. By creating a culture of innovation there's that word again - to develop and pitch great ideas, GDC firmly believes its products and services must lead to new markets and more benefits for exhibition customers.

At CineAsia 2022, GDC is giving delegates a look in the future with innovations to greatly improve the sight and sound of motion pictures in Meeting Room 2 on the 7th floor of True Icon Hall.

1. The complete SR IMB Series: With its future-proof architecture, the SR-1000 offers several affordable options, including builtin diskless CineCache storage and a built-in cinema audio processor designed for 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound and 15.1 immersive audio for DTS:X for IAB. a. SR-1000 featuring DTS:X for IAB with up to 32-channels to

be delivered in AES67 and AES3 as well as various audio accessories, b. SR-5400C designed with FAST HFR technology at 4K 3D@96fps, c. SR-6400C designed for the Cinity System capable of playback at 4K 3D@120fps with a single projector, and d. SRC-7500 media server supports 4K@96fps designed for the Unilumin LED cinema screen.

2. A complete suite of Enterprise Software: CA2.0 Cinema Automation, TMS-2000 and upcoming TMS-3000, cloudbased CMS-3000, and cloudbased NOC 2.0 software.

3. Projection and pre-show lighting solutions, only from GDC: Espedeo Supra-5000, the world's smallest, lightest and quietest digital cinema laser projector featuring an optional built-in 5.1/ 7.1 cinema audio processor; 15.1 cinema audio processor with DTS:X for IAB decoder.

Introducing a new pre-show lighting solution - DiveCtrl Dynamic Lighting System that allows a custom light show to entertain your moviegoers with choreography of light that matches the preshow content.

4. Web-based GoGoCinema cinema-on-demand platform allows moviegoers to choose when and where to watch their favorite new and legacy movies, and its integration with popular ticketing systems.

As GDC continues to be the proud 'Official Presenting Sponsor' of CineAsia 2022, the most prestigious event in the Asian cinema industry, this year, it is honoured to partner with DTS and congratulate Bill Neighbors, Chief Content Officer at Xperi, who will receive the Career Achievement Award at CineAsia. It has been their great pleasure collaborating with Bill and the DTS team for more than seven years.

GDC promises to keep committing itself to a culture of innovation, quality and perfection in this beloved industry and beyond. Exceeding the expected is more than a tagline, it's a culture.

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India’s Top Multiplex Chain of the Year

India’s Top Multiplex Chain of the Year

PVR Cinemas

I N OX Leisure

Best Multiplex Theatre of the Year

Alangar Cinemas, T irunelveli, T amil Nadu Tirunelveli, Tamil

Best Single-Screen Theatre of the Year

Miraj Cinemas, Entertainment Paradise, Jaipur

www.bigcineawards.com

Best Adapted Single-Screen to Multiplex Cinema Best Adapted Single-Screen to Multiplex Cinema

Mukt a A2 Cinemas(V aishnavi V aibhavi), Bengaluru Mukta Cinemas(Vaishnavi Vaibhavi),

Shenoy’s Kochi, Kerala

Best Technology Adopter of the Year

Emerging Cinema Chain of the Year

Cinépolis Nexus Seawoods, Navi Mumbai

MovieMax

Innovative Technology of the Year Most Trusted Brand of the Year Special Achievement Award

Kapil Agarwal

Coca-Cola

QSC Q-SYS

PANEL DISCUSSION

The Blockbuster Returns

Panellists: Amit Praveen Sharma - Managing Director, Miraj Entertainment Aashish Singh - Chief Executive Officer, Lyca Productions Kunal Sawhney - Chief Operating Officer, Cineline India G R Dorairaj - Managing Director, GRK Theatres, Puducherry Rohan Sable - Regional Director (South), PVR Cinemas

Sreedhar Pillai kicked off the discussion by questioning about the cinema returning audience.

The opening makes the real say, and without the opening a film cannot run today. He questions, if people are coming back to the cinemas in a big way.

Moderator: Sreedhar Pillai - Trade and Entertainment Industry Analyst

Return of the Audience:

Overview: It's has indeed been a memorable 2022 for the Indian cinema industry with the return of the Blockbusters.

After the pandemic we have had a

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couple of hits, and people are definitely coming back to the theatres, provided the content is good. But the consumption patterns of the consumer and the demand for content has been altered.

In response to Sreedhar's introduction and probing, Amit Praveen Sharma says, "Honestly speaking, India is a large country and from a consumer viewpoint, it is divided into multiple lingual states and the consumption pattern for movies is very different from North to South and

East to West." He adds that in terms of business, the states of Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have faired well in the first half of the year.

He continues that the Hindi fraction catering mainly to the northern belt is yet to recuperate to its pre-pandemic state. Whether it is a blockbuster return for cinemas, the question still remains unanswered.

Cinemagoers are returning to the theatres; however, the number of audiences continues to be disappointing. "Why people are not coming back to cinemas in large numbers or why the openings are not great, is an introspection that needs to be done by the industry, especially by content makers, studios, producers as well as exhibitors. In the last two years of the pandemic, the consumer behaviour and the consumption pattern has certainly shifted. The kind of content we give out becomes very important." While the last two years witnessed a shift in the pattern of the consumer, the makers have not been riding the same wave. The movies being released today, as Amit points out, were in making pre-pandemic. "These are all stories and films which were prepandemic in making. So far, they have not yet got the formula for exactly what people want to see."

He also points out that films that had potential have not been marketed well.

Amit says, "Marketing the film, the

teaser of the film and the story you want to tell the people that makes a lot of difference." The opening depends on the right connection with the audience, the marketing involved in the promotions, whether or not the cast of the film indulges in these promotions.

Continuing the discussion, Aashish Singh adds, "Content definitely is the king here. When we are comparing the Hindi films that have not performed, clearly the content was lacking and we have to accept it. The films with good content have done well. Like Amit spoke about Bhool Bhuliayaa 2, it's a blockbuster for that budget. Kashmir Files, Gangubai Kathiawadi, it's a blockbuster again. So we've had successes, but the unfortunate thing is that the films that have tanked, have tanked very badly. The downside has been a revelation to all of us. Today if we see the business of Laal Singh Chaddha, sadly, the five-day business is equivalent to the first day business of Thugs of Hindostan."

Kunal Sawhney points out that the question of the audience returning to cinemas has been plaguing the cinema industry during the pandemic itself. He adds, "If we go back to 2018, people had already started to shift from star studded movies to movies with good content. The shift had already started, what added to this was the pandemic where people preferred in-home

entertainment. In addition to that, earlier people would come to cinemas and then judge a movie. Today with the virtue of internet, every person is a critic and there is so much pressure on the movie before it releases. Today the audience goes to the cinema on a Friday just to review the movies." He points out that these spontaneous reviews are also culpable for the underperformance of the movies at cinemas. The Friday collections today are equivalent to 20 per cent of the Sunday collections.

Moviegoer Demographic: Sreedhar furthers the discussion by pointing out, "In Tamil Nadu they believe that 80 to 85 per cent of the audiences are the youth and the family audiences, especially in tier two and tier three towns." He drives the discussion from bringing back the audiences to cinemas, to the kind of audiences that are returning to cinemas already.

G R Dorairaj responds to this saying, "Content is only fifty per cent, people need to have entertainment; I personally feel that we have moved away from the fundamentals of cinema. By costing, value addition we have gone up on the prices. In tier two towns 35 to 40 per cent of the population wish to see movies in their homes because of the costing." He points out that, "The billion-dollar question is how are we going to

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reduce the pricing. I have personally seen that post covid, once we reduced the prices there was a steep hike from 40 per cent occupancy rate to 60 per cent occupancy. In my knowledge, children bring in the audience, especially families in to theatres."

He adds that for single screen theatres 50 per cent of their target audience are the ones that have not visited the theatres; hence, they target these audiences with the costing. He continues that reduction of pricing in parking charges and food and beverages presents a value-added scenario to the visiting audience. He continues, "By doing this we have seen a steep hike in the audience.

Everybody needs entertainment, in small tier two towns, there is no other channel; real entertainment for a family is bringing their children and loved ones to the theatre."

Talking about single screen theatres, Sreedhar adds, "Single screens in the south of India have renovated themselves into posh air-conditioned theatres, with lavish car parks and kept their ticket rates far below the multiplex rates, bringing in regular audiences. They are now playing multiple shows and late-night shows that are working to a large advantage in smaller towns."

Dorairaj adds, "In another three to four years, I am sure we are going to see a change in moviegoing

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audiences, you will have a five-star property catering to those who can afford it, and there will be single screens and multiplex catering to the normal audiences." He advises to tier two and three city/town theatre owners and operators to invest wisely in their infrastructure and technology to ensure their properties and cinema projects are cost efficient.

Distinguishing Occupancies Across India Rohan Sable addresses the discrepancy in occupancy rates in the south of India in comparison to the north; he says, "Firstly, yes audiences are returning to the cinemas. They have become a lot choosier but they are returning. In March, we had the highest number of admits and occupancy rate; it proves that when the going is good, it is really good.

Quarter 1 of this financial year has been one of the best and it is a proof.

If we talk about South India particularly, it is part of popular culture." He points out that there is wide range of options to choose from for the audiences as each week there are at least one to two movies being released in every language along with the dubbed versions of the Hindi movies. He adds, "There is something for every genre, something for every market; the sheer number of releases help. Secondly, I think, we always have this constant push and pull with OTT,

firstly, we as human beings are social beings, we like going out. People want the space and freedom to do things their own. Hence, there's always going to be a balance. With the OTT the power of choice has come to the consumer, they have become more discerning."

Audiences are exposed to content from across the globe at the convenience of their fingertips. They are no viewing both the artistic side and the commercial side of movies.

Rohan adds, "Today movies with good scripts tend to work far better; if you look at RRR, more than the director thinking that it was a movie in Tamil or Telugu, he was making a movie for India, it was adaptable. The adaptability helped South movies not only to do well in the south but also in the north and the west."

How Important is Content?

Sreedhar further the discussion by probing the importance of content, he says, "Earlier Laal Singh Chaddha would have been considered a classic, but today the audiences are preferring Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, where entertainment is very important." He probes the question on what sort of content should filmmakers produce and how significant is the commercial aspect.

Aashish responds to this, "The films that have done well, have been larger

than life. What we haven't discussed is the windowing and the showcasing of films on OTT. This has changed dramatically during the pandemic for Hindi films. It used to be an eightweek window that has now become a four-week window for most of the films. Psychologically for a viewer, a film of small scale does not excite them to go to theatres. Therefore, the content we need to create has to be slightly larger than life to break this; obviously the windowing will change over a course of period and smaller films will also do well."

Amit furthers the discussion, "When we look at cinemagoing audience, we have been clocking one billion ticket sales year on year pre-pandemic." He adds that movies are like a bouquet of flowers, and cinema needs to have different genres and different kinds of movies churning out throughout the year to cater to the vast number of moviegoers. "The four-week window," Amit points out, "has dented the smaller films, but once we are back to the eight-week window, cinemas need those kinds of films as well. It is up to the content maker to decide how he wants to convey the story; whether it is a small budget film or larger than life film, the creator needs to be absolutely committed to what they're creating. They should not make projects, but make creative content."

"Movie watching in every state is a habit; the reason why south is doing good because there are regular movies," comments Kunal. He adds that between Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and Laal Singh Chaddha, there was slack of around 50 days. "Currently, it is not that people are not coming to cinemas, we increased shows for Karthikeya 2 which gave us very good footfall, even in western parts of India.

If we have a regular flow of movies, even if a smaller movie which is not commercially successfully will at least collect 20 per cent higher."

Diving deep in to the discussion, Sreedhar points out that, in Tamil Nadu, many viewers complain of the lack of small-scale movies being screened in cinemas. The dates as Sreedhar notes are given only to high ticket and high budget movies.

Dorairaj addresses this complain by stating that, "This is something that has happened over a period of time and the correction needs to be made.

We were screening small movies, but with the content getting bigger, the audience comes in only for these movies. Now the point is that we have to go back to the end user." He continues, "We are giving time and space for smaller movies, especially single screens, but we have to understand the main agenda, which is that we are here to entertain the people and not leave anyone behind."

Rohan furthers this discussion by adding, "PVR has about 295 screens, so we are able to play a diverse mix.

One release slate has about 30 to 40 movies and we are able to give them a little space. Post this, they have to chart their own destiny and territory.

As far as the content is concerned, good storytelling has been the crux of any good movie. You have movies with the most basic of stories, for instance Malayalam movies, they're not flashy or larger than life, but they have clean and good storytelling, real emotions, good cinematography and I think people are appreciative of this."

Commenting on the discussion, he adds, "The window does make a difference, but smarter filmmakers have also understood that when you give up a movie to OTT, you have a fixed revenue, whereas in a

theatrical window, there is an unlimited amount of income you can generate, because there are no fixed ceilings." Rohan points out that it is a boon to OTT platforms as well as they can view the theatrical performance and discern on the amount of investment and the marketing to be developed.

When questioned on the screenings of small-scale movies, where they are only provide spaces on Fridays and not on the following weekend for most, Rohan added, "It is about data.

Because we are multiplexes, we are still able to give a longer period. But data is the one that speaks. If the movie is able to garner about 40 per cent occupancy, it stays irrespective of its scale or budget."

Moviegoing Habits: "Within 25 days, movies are now released on OTT, so the audiences question why should I pay 500 bucks for my ticket and see this movie on the opening day,” added Sreedhar.

Amit responds, "If the content is not good, even if you offer for free the people will not come. But if the content is good, people are ready to buy tickets in black as well. It is about whether I want to invest my three hours on a film which I can't watch.

Even on OTT there are films that as a theatre owner I couldn't watch in cinemas and could not complete on OTT because the content was

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lacking. We need to ask ourselves, if we are making the right content. I am not blaming the content maker; as at the same time as theatre owners we are responsible for the marketing of the films. We also need to ensure that this is our product, we need to amplify and market it and take it to the people and let them decide."

Sreedhar points out that many viewers believe a movie should be produced with two cuts, one being the theatrical cut and the other being the digital. In response to this, Aashish adds, "It depends on the content and genre, there is no one straight answer to this. If the film is bad, even on OTT you don't switch it on or you shut it. If content is engaging, people will watch either way. Maybe we can have two versions in terms of censorship because OTT has less censorship; but if you want to bring people in to theatres and make more universal films and bring in more people for U or UA certificate film, maybe your cut could be different.

But for OTT if you want to show more blood, violence and gore you could have a different cut. I think it applies only to specific genre, but overall, I don't think it applies."

Sreedhar moves the discussion into the effect of social media and how they drive moviegoing habits by their spontaneous reviews. Kunal responds,

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"Cinema is an experience, and place where we can go. I believe that, the reviews by critics or non-critics are killing the market. How good or bad a movie is, it should at least get some justice and few number of people should come and watch it." Kunal adds that tastes of the audiences are very different, hence, they should be at the least given a chance to discern for themselves. "On the other hand, the internet has also boosted our online ticket sales. You cannot stop technology, but the production houses and cinemas should come together for strong marketing that overtakes these reviews. It will still have an impact, but the negative impact will be much lower," ends Kunal.

Focusing on the southern belt of India, Sreedhar asks how the films fair in cinemas after they are released on OTT platforms. Dorairaj states that if the marketing of the film is done in a systematic and bigger manner, the audience does not hesitate in visiting the theatres. But the production houses as well as cinemas need to identify their customers. He continues, "In India, even in Tamil Nadu, the customer base is variant. The metro population has a different taste and the rural has different taste and the purpose of visiting the theatre.

There's a different class of people visiting the theatre."

Rohan further comments on PVR's refusal to screen films that have been released on OTTs, "These decisions are taken depending on the time and a variety of other things. Largely the moviegoing experience is all about the choice. When you sit for two to three hours in a theatre, it is the joy of collectively laughing, the joy of collectively crying, the noise, the claps; you go for that experience, especially in south India. It is a very threedimensional emotional experience. I'm consuming what is in front, beside and behind me. In the south there is die-hard fandom for a lot of stars, so you go in support of your favourite star and you go for the collective experience."

He continues, "Those three hours at home, you check your phone, you probably switch a channel or have a meal in between, everything is a bit distracting. But those three hours in a dark room with the perfect acoustics, is always going to triumph. You might want both, you don't have to choose an either or. If you look at the collective admits for theatres in India and you look at the population you will see 28 to 29 percent is coming to the theatres."

Winding up the conversation, Sreedhar talks about the future of cinemagoing; Amit adds, "Cinema is the only place where you put your mobile phone aside by choice. When it comes to the future of cinema, as an exhibitor, I would say we are not the ones making the blockbuster movies, we can't make blockbuster movies, we can make blockbuster cinemas. We sell an experience, we sell happiness, what we sell is a blockbuster cinema experience." Following up, Aashish says, "The future is absolutely optimistic. People in India and globally want to watch content, without a doubt people will come back to cinemas. Even in Mumbai, the experiences are getting more

personalised." He talks about personalised technology where applications by multiplex chains push relevant notifications to the consumer creating the need for cinemagoing experiences. Kunal concludes by saying that cinema has always existed and will always exist. We as consumers are more likely to remember movie actors and actresses

instead of television stars as cinemas provide a memorable larger than life experience.

Dorairaj adds, "There is a big transition that is underway and definitely we are going to give better products, cinemas and experience to the public. We are here to entertain the end mass. People need entertainment so there is no going

back, we only need to figure out how to bring them back. We cannot leave anybody behind." Rohan concludes the discussion, "The future is going to be absolutely stunning. The new learning that if you make a good south movie it could go to the US or north India and still do well has inspired more and more people. The whole transition is very exciting."

Premium Large Screen Formats Wooing Audience Back to Theatres

Panellists: Preetham Daniel - Vice President - Theatre Development (India, SE Asia, Aus & NZ), IMAX Senthil Kumar - Co-founder, Qube Cinema Manoj Paramahamsa - Cinematographer, (Radhe Shyam, Beast, etc) Eranna Yekbote - Chief Architect, Era Architects Moderator: Akshaye Rathi - Director, Aashirwad Theatres

Overview: Premium Large Screen Formats have been redefining moviegoing experiences for the cinema patrons since their inception. With the

pandemic overhead, cinemagoing practices were drastically hindered rendering theatres and multiplexes empty. The cinema industry has

started to recuperate as it brings patrons back with content driven movies and films. Alongside this driving force, the overall cinemagoing experience has been determined by the quality of the experience being provided.

Akshaye Rathi kicked off this discussion by probing the question about how content has been driving audiences to the cinemas in the post-pandemic phase. However, with streaming services being the new normal, how do cinema exhibitors define cinemagoing as the premium choice. He adds, "Now that over the last two years of the pandemic, December 2022 - February 2023

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people have been sitting home and watching a lot of content and it definitely enables a lot of convenience, but in a market like India, where we don't have many outdoor recreational activities, moviegoing continues to be one of the inexpensive and more accessible options.” He questions how we could differentiate the consumption experience for the consumers.

screens, therefore, what you see on an IMAX screen is obviously a little different than what you'd consume on a regular screen."

Moviegoing: An Unparalleled Experience

Furthering the conversation on quality of screens and the experience they provide, Senthil Kumar adds as he addresses the projection angle, "In terms of regular screens, the big difference is social experience.

Watching at home versus watching in the cinema, having the emotions of hundreds of people influence you and having the shared experience of laughter, fright and action makes the movie experience better and it is the experience everyone seeks."

IMAX is one of the most popular, most celebrated and definitely most successful premium large screen formats currently existing in the cinema exhibition market. In response to this thought, Preetham Daniel adds, "Out of the pandemic we saw that people preferred watching a film on IMAX instead of the regular formats not just in India but globally as well. This leads to the element of experience and content quality, and how this makes a whole lot of difference. The screens in our houses today are advanced and good in terms of quality, so what do I (consumer) expect when I go to a cinema? Do I expect it to be the equivalent to what I see at home or can it be better? Can the moviegoing experience add more value and bring in a social element? I think we check all the boxes with IMAX. The filmmakers today are designing films for IMAX

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He further adds that the main element today to bring people out of their homes and to cinemas has got more to do with the premium experience which is not restricted to premium large formats but is also backed with content, technology and marketing.

Despite having televisions at home, there is a likelihood of interruptions in and around the room and the ability to control the screen by the spectator.

Senthil adds, "I am in control of the screen, versus the screen is in control of me, changes the perception of the movie and the enjoyment."

He continues, "As far as our format EPIQ is concerned, our motivation was - what if you can give everything a premium large format needs and make it accessible, not just to the audience

where they don't have to pay a premium, but also to the exhibitors.

Hence, it is not extensively more expensive in comparison to a regular screen, and even to the creators there are no different specifications to get the content on this format. The idea is to have a great social experience, but a PLF format will give you an even larger than life visuals/experience when made affordable.

Accessibility to Exhibitors and Consumers: As the question of affordability and accessibility arises, Akshaye adds, "Through formats like EPIQ, are trying to make premium large formats more accessible to exhibitors and consumers, but what is certainly not cheap is the cost of real estate that gets deployed for the construction of these properties." He questions if apart from the tier 1 multiplex chains, can single screen owners and small theatre operators indulge in these formats as well, given that the revenue seems to be diminishing.

In response to this, Eranna Yekbote says, "Premium Large Formats occupy a lot of space in the malls, but the development is slow paced and the real estate within them is expensive. To install a PLF within them, it has to be conceptualised while the building is being planned to

factor in the height and footprint that a premium large format would require." Coming to the single screens, he adds, "It is a challenge to convert these screens into large formats, but the challenges are equal in operating them as well. Older screens have their own structural issues when converting them which can only be overcome architecturally if the appropriate drawings and blueprints are available. Once it is converted it can support any of the large formats, be it IMAX or EPIQ." While the perspective of providing larger than life experiences from the points of view of integrators and exhibitors provide an insightful take, Akshaye acknowledges the fact that audiences are driven to cinemas for this larger-than-life experience.

However, it is also content that brings them in. He therefore probes on the idea of creating content for the consumers.

Content Creation for Patrons: Addressing the question on creating content for masses, Manoj Paramahamsa speaking from his experience on the technical side of content discusses the evolution of the cinema exhibition industry. The industry has undergone tremendous development through the decades starting from theatres to anamorphic

screening to single screens becoming obsolete with rising issues of piracy and easy internet accessibility. With the introduction of digital cinema, cinema exhibition was altered as producing and delivering content became more accessible.

Contributing from a creator's perspective Manoj adds, "Premium Large Screen formats are not cheaper solutions to begin with; the technology in itself has been in R&D for over 10 years. With IMAX, they have their own cameras that are not affordable to all filmmakers." He further talks about the exclusivity, wherein filmmakers have to undergo several processes for the movie to be showcased in IMAX. Talking about IMAX, Manoj continues, "We can also submit the content shot on other cameras and sound files and IMAX will conduct a mastering process under their own norms following certain aspect ratios. IMAX will remaster the content to the same standard as that shot with an IMAX camera."

Operators and distributors need to be made aware of the technology and incorporate a common aspect ratio for content and filmmaking. This allows the creators to incorporate more details and include a wider visual background. In terms of content, the focus of the audiences currently lies on content, however, stardom is not far behind. Manoj says, "We are in an

industry where stardom overtakes content, but recent films have gained success because of both. Even the actors are rethinking their choices of scripts and movies. It is not only about the big screen experience; the content has to be enjoyable as well.

Audiences can now decide from trailers which movie will offer the thrill and the bigger screen experience." In the case of Hollywood as well, Netflix continues to focus on the content it delivers. Hence, only legacy movie franchises and their sequels and prequels tend to garner attention at the cinemas, whereas, other movies are sidelined to small screens at home or on streaming platforms.

India's Market for PLF: Akshaye furthers the discussion to India as a market being under screened and probes on the question of affordability. He adds, "Against a market like China, which is similarly populated as India, we are certainly falling short. Not only is the count of screens low, the count for premium large format screens is extremely low for a movie loving and movie crazy nation like India where we do put out large screen spectacles like RRR, KGF or Shamshera." There exists a need and a demand for more large screen formats to actualise the magnitude of these movies.

In response to this, Preetham says, "We do have about 20 IMAX screens

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EVENT CALENDER

2022 5-8 DECEMBER CINEASIA BANGKOK, THAILAND www.cineasia.com

2023 24-27 APRIL CINEMACON LAS VEGAS, USA www.cinemacon.com

MAY AUSTRALIAN INTERNATIONAL MOVIE CONVENTION SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA www.movieconvention.com.au

19-22 JUNE CINEEUROPE BARCELONA, SPAIN www.cineeurope.net

8-9 AUGUST BIG CINE EXPO CHENNAI, INDIA www.bigcineexpo.com

SEPTEMBER KINO EXPO ST. PETERSBURG, RUSSIA www.kinoexpo.ru

SEPTEMBER EXPOCINE SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL www.expocine.com.br

OCTOBER SHOWEAST FLORIDA, USA www.showeast.com

24-25 OCTOBER META CINEMA FORUM DUBAI, UAE www.menacinema.com

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December 2022 - February 2023

open, but we have about 40 contracted. As a brand, I think we have gone over the phase where IMAX is the most expensive product.

In the next two months we will be opening the first IMAX in Coimbatore which is unheard of. IMAX is in discussion in many tier 2 and 3 locations. We are under screened, but we are also not an IMAX screen every next door. It has to be a flagship location; it has to be where the audience will prefer to see and be themselves. From the perspective, we are well positioned in the country." He continues, "The interesting bit is that it is not an expensive product anymore. The gamechanger was Laser, now the commodity is accessible and affordable to everyone in the tier 1 and tier 2 cities as well."

Given that the technology and commodity is not gatekept to tier 1 cities alone, the demand and supply is considerably increasing as Preetham pointed out.

Akshaye continues the discussion on the cinematic experience as he discusses 3D formats and despite them not being as much a premium format today, they still garner the interest of the consumer. He further talks about the difference in content reception despite the movies being similar in style and formats.

Commenting on this, Senthil says, "If you make a great 3D film with a lot of efforts, it can be fantastic and enjoyable for the audience, we all saw that with Avatar 1. But 3D is also used by both producers and exhibitors as a way to charge a premium. When you use 3D this way, it loses its appeal and it needs to be

avoided. We need to ensure that the content is so wonderful for the audience, that they really want to experience it in 3D." 3D is only another aspect of the movie that involves the audiences even more; therefore, it adds to the popularity of the movie. He adds, "3D does cause eye-strain however good the technology is, so it needs to be used wisely and creatively. As an exhibitor we have to acknowledge that there is extra money to be spent to have a better 3D experience. This means you have to spend on the lamps, the light for the projectors; there are various factors to be considered. We should use 3D sparingly and for the best movies. And theatres must really spend the money to make the experience remarkable."

Akshaye further points out that, "IMAX as a format has become affordable, however the real estate as mentioned continues to be expensive." He probes the question whether architecture can enhance the growth of the count of screens and the creation of premium large format screens. He questions the cost and time invested in creating these projects.

In response to this, Eranna says, "Prefabrication is an immature technique to support an IMAX screen because there are a lot of acoustical issues to be tackled with prefabricated structures; furthermore, the room has to be isolated entirely to

create the whole experience. It is very complicated to incorporate these structures within the mall because the floors below the cinema are used for other purposes as well. Hence, the challenges are immense. The designing of the roof is very important in a large format, so that sound from outside does not penetrate and the internal sound does not seep out."

Winding up on the discussion, Akshaye returns to the question how the Hindi film fraternity is not being able to produce content that is theatrical worthy. "With the kind of revenues that Hindi cinema has collected recently, they have been a bit disappointing. Somehow the southern fraternity have been able to score a lot more frequently in terms of movies that are theatrical worthy, that give you the theatrical cinematic high," adds Akshaye.

From the perspective of a cinematographer, Manoj says, "The south fraternity has always been content driven. Good content has always been from Tamil or Malayalam

films. Not talking about the scale, but only in terms of content, South has had a superior hold. Bollywood has more advantage because of their scale as Hindi films can be screened all over the country. Hence, their budgets start in bigger numbers, and automatically the locations and details used to be grander." The grandness of Bollywood has created the attraction towards it for the audience.

The south fraternity on the other hand had the benefit of creating sensible content alone.

With the rise in globalisation and the audiences being acclimatised to multilingual content, the content produced across the country is receiving well-deserved attention. The screening has become widespread as the movie releases are not gatekept to Southern India alone.

Manoj continues, "The content has always been good; the difference is the extent of scale now. We are not taking this for granted and continuing to create more detailed movies. It is not about delivering good content

alone; it is also about the way you shoot and the detailing. When we talk about successful films, we continue to go back to Bahubali, KGF and RRR. The creators have had a vision from day one that these movies are not going to only cater to the regional audience, hence, they planned them very well, and took over two to three years to create them."

All films can't be made in the same manner as the blockbusters were made; however, now the competition is tight and cutthroat and is forcing filmmakers to revisit and rethink their content creating strategies. Manoj points out that many filmmakers today tend to lean towards creating movies centred around Indian mythology. He adds, "We have to accept the fact that, if you make a good content, it can go any place; like how our content is doing good business in Japan and China. Similarly, we have to target our audience, and then we can easily sell more content. The scale already exists, we need to bring in more sensibility."

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REVIEW

17 - 20 October 2022 Miami, Florida

Remaining true to its commitment in organising a show catering to everybody’s needs, ShowEast returned to Loews to celebrate and shape the future of the cinema exhibition industry.

Content remains the focal point at ShowEast as it showcased five feature films. It also boasted a backdrop of programming that addressed new technologies and trends in the industry, diversity and inclusion and studio presentations.

Highlights ShowEast joined hands with The Coca-Cola Company and presented a special program on Inclusion & Diversity by putting together an impressive panel.

The Hall of Fame Luncheon, one of the pillars of ShowEast inducted six members into the prestigious group Byron Berkley, Morrie Birnbaum, Paul Holliman, Mark O'Meara, Phil Rafnson, and Krista Schulte.

Studio Presentations ShowEast features a vast number of studio presentations from those including, Paramount Pictures, International Sony Pictures Releasing International, Warner Bros. Pictures International, The Walt Disney Studios, Universal Pictures International, UA Releasing, Trafalgar Releasing, and Lionsgate.

Fathom Events presented Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon; and Searchlight Pictures showcased The Menu and Empire of Light.

Award Presentations International Exhibitor of the Y ear Year Miguel Mier, Chief Operating Officer, Cinépolis International Distributors of the Year - Claiton Fernandes, Vice Chairman, California Filmes; and Vladimir Fernandes, Chairman, California Filmes Career Achievement Award Mauricio Duran, Formerly Universal Pictures Int'l

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Comscore International Box Office Achievement Award - Universal Pictures International for El Exorcismo de Dios Comscore Domestic Box Office Achievement Award - Paramount Pictures for Top Gun: Maverick Dan Fellman Show "E" Award Rolando Rodriguez, Marcus Theatres & Chairman, NATO Al Shapiro Distinguished Service Award - Elizabeth O'Neil, Executive Director, Variety the Children's Charity of Southern California Salah M. Hassanein Humanitarian Award - Mark Christiansen, EVP, Worldwide Distribution Operations, Paramount Pictures Bingham Ray Spirit Award - Lisa Bunnell, President Distribution, Focus Features NAC Icon Awards - Rob Novak, Marcus Theatres; Rob Lehman, Santikos Entertainment; and Doreen Sayegh, Cranford Theater The Coca-Cola Empowerment Award - Joe Masher, Owner & Operating Partner, Bow Tie Management

PREVIEW

5 - 8 December 2022 True Icon Hall, Bangkok

Continuing to expand to satisfy the demand for more exciting networking opportunities, CineAsia is celebrating its return to Bangkok. After 25 years as the most successful convention for theatrical exhibition in the Asia-Pacific region, it brings more exciting studio presentations, more variety on the trade show floor, and more valuable seminars and programming.

CineAsia looks to focus on the strategic change necessary to adapt in the post-pandemic cinema landscape for both exhibitors and distributors.

The Asia-Pacific market is one of the exciting territories for the movie exhibition business given its rapid growth and high presentation standards of cinemas. Out of the top ten international box office markets, four of them are in Asia- India, South Korea, China and Japan. CineAsia will be an effective platform for business to network with prospective clients and partners in the Asia-Pacific region.

The 26th edition of CineAsia promises to bring more of the very best in exclusive studio screenings and product presentations from Hollywood and Asia-Pacific studios, cinematic technologies and innovations on the trade show floor and educational seminars to keep businesses on top of industry trends.

CineAsia is an opportunity for social interaction with current and new

clients to build long-lasting and sustainable business relationships.

Top Countries in Attendance

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In-theatre Dining

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Kiosks

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Lasers

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Lighting

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Australia

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Lobby Displays

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Cambodia

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Mobile Payment Systems

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China

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Movie Merchandise

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Indonesia

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Promotions

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India

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PPE Products

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Japan

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Real Estate

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Korea

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Sanitation Supplies & Services

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Malaysia

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Screens

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Singapore

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Seating

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Taiwan

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Security

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Thailand

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Signage

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U.S.A

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Social Networking

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Vietnam

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Sound/Speakers/Amplifiers

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Ticketing/POS Solutions

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Uniforms

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Wall/Acoustic Panels

Exhibitor Profile •

3D & 4D

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Alternative Content

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Amusements/Gaming

Award Presentations

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Assistive Listening Devices

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Beer/Wine/Spirits/Alternative Drinks

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Booth/Projection Equipment

Motion Picture Association (M PA) (MP Asia - Pacific Copyright Educator (A.C.E.) - Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, Vietnam Film Development Association

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Concessions

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Concession Equipment

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Construction/Architecture/Interior Design

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Digital Cinema Equipment

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Financial Services

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Green/Energy/Environmental

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HVAC/Air Filtration

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Immersive Seating

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Immersive Sound Systems

Exhibitor of the Y ear Year Lumiére Pavilions Distributor of the Y ear Year Dinh Thi Thanh Huong, Galaxy Media and Entertainment CineAsia ICON Award Hiro Matsuoka, The Toho Co., Ltd. CineAsia Career Achievement Award - Bill Neighbors, DTS/Xperi December 2022 - February 2023

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A glimpse of movies coming soon…

Emancipation

Empire of Light Production Overbrook Ent.

Production Searchlight Pict.

Director Antoine Fuqua

Director Sam Mendes

Starring Will Smith, Ben Foster

Starring Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward

Genre Action, Thriller

Genre Drama, Romance

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

Spoiler Alert

Production NEON

Production Focus Features

Director Laura Poitras

Director Michael Showalter

Starring Nan Goldin, Marina Berio

Starring Bill Irwin, Jim Parsons

Genre Documentary

Genre Comedy, Drama

Corsage

Hunt Production Magnolia Pictures

Production IFC Films

Director Lee Jung-jae

Director Marie Kreutzer

Starring Jung Woo-Sung, Lee Jung-jae

Starring Vicky Krieps, Colin Morgan

Genre Action, Adventure

Genre Drama

December 2022 - February 2023

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F U T U R E Women Talking

M3GAN Production Orion Pictures

Production Universal Pictures

Director Sarah Polley

Director Gerard Johnstone

Starring Frances McDormand, Rooney Mara

Starring Allison Williams, Ronny Chieng

Genre Drama, Adaptation

Genre Horror, Thriller

A Man Called Otto

Production Viva Kids

Director Marc Forster

Director Toby Genkel

Starring Tom Hanks, Mariana Treviño

Starring Hugh Laurie, Emilia Clarke

Genre Comedy

Genre Family, Animation

Shotgun Wedding Production Netflix Originals

Production Amazon Studios

Director Noah Baumbach

Director Jason Moore

Starring Greta Gerwig, Adam Driver

Starring Jennifer Lopez, Josh Duhamel

Genre Drama

Genre Action, Comedy, Romance

Babylon

December 2022 - February 2023

The Amazing Maurice

Production Sony Pictures

White Noise

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The Silent Forest Production Paramount Pictures

Production Blue Fox Entert.

Director Damien Chazelle

Director Saralisa Volm

Starring Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie

Starring Henriette Confurius, Joseph Bierbichler

Genre Drama, Period

Genre Horror, Thriller

F U T U R E Knock at the Cabin

R E L E A S E S Jesus Revolution

Production Universal Pictures

Production Lionsgate

Director M. Night Shyamalan

Director Jon Erwin

Starring Dave Bautista, Rupert Grint

Starring Joel Courtney, Kimberly WilliamsPaisley

Genre Thriller

What About Love

Genre Drama, True Story

Cocaine Bear

Production JPSLD

Production Universal Pictures

Director Klaus Menzel

Director Elizabeth Banks

Starring Sharon Stone, Andy Garcia

Starring Keri Russell, Ray Liotta

Genre Drama, Romance

Genre Comedy, Horror

Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves

Production Jagged Edge Prod.

Production Paramount

Director Rhys FrakeWaterfield

Director Jonathan Goldstein Starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez

Starring Amber Doig-Thorne, Natasha Tosini

Genre Adventure, Fantasy

Genre Suspense, Thriller

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania

Creed III

Production Walt Disney Studios

Production Chartoff Productions

Director Peyton Reed

Director Michael B. Jordan

Starring Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly

Starring Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad

Genre Action, Adventure

Genre Drama, Sports

December 2022 - February 2023

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F U T U R E Shazam! Fury of the Gods

Production T-Series

Director David F. Sandberg

Director Om Raut

Starring Zachary Levi, Jack Dylan Grazer

Starring Prabhas, Kriti Sanon

Genre Action, Adventure

Genre Action

Pathaan

Production Lionsgate

Production Yash Raj Films

Director Chad Stahelski

Director Siddharth Anand

Starring Keanu Reeves, Shamier Anderson

Starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone

Genre Action, Crime

Genre Action, Drama

Tehran

Cirkus Production Reliance Entert.

Production Maddock Films

Director Rohit Shetty

Director Arun Gopalan

Starring Ranveer Singh, Pooja Hegde

Starring John Abraham, Manushi Chhillar

Genre Comedy, Drama

Genre Action, Thriller

Ganapath – Part 1

Maidaan

Production Pooja Entert.

Production Zee Studios

Director Vikas Bahl

Director Amit Ravindernath Sharma

Starring Tiger Shroff, Kriti Sanon Genre Action, Sports

December 2022 - February 2023

Adipurush

Production Warner Bros.

John Wick: Chapter 4

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Starring Ajay Devgn, Priyamani Genre Biographical, Sports