Boxoffice - June 2019

$6.95 / / JUNE 2019
CINEEUROPE
2019
FULL COVERAGE OF UNIC’S
ANNUAL CONVENTION
10 YEARS
OF D-BOX
THE MOTION SEATING
COMPANY CELEBRATES
ITS FIRST DECADE
IN CINEMA
SUMMER
MOVIES
INTERVIEWS WITH THE
FILMMAKERS BEHIND
TOY STORY 4, YESTERDAY,
AND CRAWL
FUTURE
PROJECTION
INTERVIEW WITH CINIONIC
CEO WIM BUYENS
BRIE LARSON STARS IN
DISNEY’S CAPTAIN MARVEL
THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF THEATRE OWNERS

Barcelona is a destination I associate with the month of
June. And this year’s CineEurope is particularly special for our
magazine. For the first time since merging with Film Journal
International, Boxoffice will be available at the Barcelona
convention center as the official publication of CineEurope, organized
by the Film Expo Group. To mark that occasion, we’ve
included our usual event coverage, which looks at every angle
of UNIC’s annual convention. CineEurope is a great opportunity
to see the progress that the cinema industry has made in a
number of countries—established and emerging markets alike.
This year’s edition of CineEurope will include a focus on expanding
the roles and opportunities of women in the industry.
As a reflection of that commitment, this issue of Boxoffice includes the first
in a series of interviews with some of the most influential women in our industry,
an effort spearheaded by our associate editor, Rebecca Pahle.
Boxoffice will be celebrating another milestone at this year’s CineEurope: the
launch of shared branding elements with our sister publication, Boxoffice
France. It is the culmination of years of work between our editorial teams in
Paris and New York, two distinct publications with a shared editorial vision
under a unified brand. I encourage you to pick up a copy; it’s a good read, even
if your French is a little bit rusty.
Julien Marcel
Chief Executive Officer
Boxoffice Media / Webedia Movies Pro
2 JUNE 2019

2019 VOL. 155 NO. 6
HELLO 2
TRADE TALK 8
EXECUTIVE SUITE 24
UNIC and NATO: Most excellent partners!
MEMBER NEWS 26
Family Time in the First State: NATO staff
hit the road to visit member locations
CHARITY SPOTLIGHT 30
INDIE FOCUS 32
Gene Siskel Film Center of the School of the
Art Institute of Chicago
CONFERENCE RECAP 36
A merry time in Maryland: Mid-Atlantic NATO’s
Cinema Show & Tell changes its location,
keeps its quality
GUEST COLUMN 64
Piracy went from geeky to easy. What’s next?:
The MPA’s antipiracy efforts are a global effort
CHECKING IN WITH CINIONIC 84
Wim Buyens talks laser past, present, and future
THE ART AND SCIENCE
OF MOVIE MARKETING 88
Facebook provides insights into what really
influences people’s choices
WELCOME TO CINEEUROPE 38
by Laura Houlgatte Abbott, CEO, UNIC
BEYOND THE CONTINENT 39
CineEurope continues to expand its international profile
CINEEUROPE 2019 INTERNATIONAL
EXHIBITOR OF THE YEAR 41
CineEurope honors Blitz-CineStar as 2019’s International Exhibitor of the Year
INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR 43
Kudos to Paramount’s Mary Daily and Mark Viane
A CHAMPION FOR SWEDISH CINEMAS 46
UNIC to honor exhibitors’ association chair Peter Fornstam
NEW PRODUCTS 49
The latest exhibition products and services
CINEEUROPE GOLD AWARDS 82
CineEurope honors its second batch of Gold Award winners
Women in Cinema
66
BOXOFFICE PULSE 100
Pixar at the box office
TIMECODE 118
Part 6 of 12 of our deep dive into the
Boxoffice archives
50 YEARS OF FILM AT
LINCOLN CENTER 120
The Film Society of Lincoln Center rebrands
as it looks into the future
INVESTOR RELATIONS 122
SOCIAL MEDIA 124
EVENT CINEMA CALENDAR 126
ON SCREEN 128
BOOKING GUIDE 136
MARKETPLACE 144
Paying it Forward
LAURA HOULGATTE ABBOTT
INSPIRES AS
UNIC’S CEO
Balkan Star
BLITZ-CINESTAR CEO
JADRANKA ISLAMOVIC KEEPS
THINGS RUNNING
PLUS Alison Cornwell, CFO, Vue International; Dee Vassili, Executive Director Group
HR, Vue International; Grainne Peat, Policy Executive & Managing Director, Event
Cinema Association; Kathryn Pritchard, Group Chief People Officer & Director of
Strategic Programs, ODEON Group; Carol Welch, Managing Director, ODEON Group
Cinemas; Susanna Hermida Barbato, Executive Board Member, NOS Audiovisuals
Boxoffice has served as the official publication of the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) since 2007. As part of this partnership, Boxoffice is proud to feature exclusive columns
from NATO while retaining full editorial freedom throughout its pages. As such, the views expressed in Boxoffice, except for columns signed by NATO executives, reflect neither a stance nor an
endorsement from the National Association of Theatre Owners.
4 JUNE 2019

TOY STORY 4
YESTERDAY
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WOODY, BUZZ LIGHTYEAR, AND
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PIXAR’S TOY STORY 4
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Re-Meet The Beatles
DANNY BOYLE AND RICHARD
CURTIS’S YESTERDAY IMAGINES A
WORLD WITHOUT THE FAB FOUR
106
A Moving Experience
D-BOX CELEBRATES 10 YEARS IN THE
CINEMA BUSINESS
102
INSURANCE COVERAGE
C O M P A N I E S
P R I C E
CRAWL
MIDSOMMAR & KUNG FURY 2
Champing at the Bit
ALEXANDRE AJA’S CRAWL
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EDITED BY LAURA SILVER
BOXOFFICE MEDIA
CEO
Julien Marcel
SVP CONTENT STRATEGY
Daniel Loria
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Kenneth James Bacon
SHOWEAST TO HONOR DAVID
LINDE WITH BINGHAM RAY
SPIRIT AWARD
>> David Linde (pictured), CEO of
Participant Media, will be honored with
ShowEast’s 2019 Bingham Ray Spirit
Award at the convention’s Final Night
Awards Ceremony on October 17, 2019,
at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach.
The Bingham Ray Spirit Award was
established in 2012 in honor of the late
Bingham Ray, one of the most beloved
people in the independent film world.
Each year, the award is given to an
individual who has “shown exemplary
foresight and creativity in the world of
independent film.”
Participant Media is a global media
company dedicated to entertainment
that inspires individuals to engage in
positive social change. Linde is responsible
for leading the company’s overall
strategy, content creation, advocacy,
operations, strategic investments, and
acquisitions.
Linde helped lead Participant Media
toward a historic year recently, receiving
17 Academy Award nominations—the
most ever for the company—resulting
in wins for Best Picture (Green Book), as
well as Best Director and Best Foreign
Language Film (both for Roma). Other
noteworthy films from Participant include
Oscar winner for Best Documentary
Feature An Inconvenient Truth and
Oscar winner for Best Foreign Language
Film A Fantastic Woman.
Linde’s background spans production
and global distribution; he has built
multiple companies from the ground
up. In the past, he served as chairman of
Universal Pictures and was co-founder
of specialty film studio Focus Features,
formed from Universal’s acquisition of
the independent production company
Good Machine, of which he was a partner.
Ray and Linde collaborated closely
during that time, when Ray was a principal
of October Films and Linde served as
president of Good Machine International,
which represented overseas markets
for all of October Films’ productions.
Linde currently serves on the board
of governors of the Academy of Motion
Picture Arts and Sciences, the board of
directors of Film Independent, and the
board of trustees of New Roads School.
METROCINEMAS TO OUTFIT
MULTIPLEX WITH CHRISTIE
PROJECTORS AND AUDIO
>> Honduran cinema chain Metrocinemas
has chosen Christie RGB pure laser
projectors and Christie Vive Audio for
its new Metrocinemas Megamall multiplex.
The multiplex is set to be the first
in Central America equipped entirely
with RGB laser projectors.
Located in the largest shopping
center in San Pedro Sula, the industrial
capital of Honduras, it will be the country’s
most modern multiplex.
Metrocinemas’ 30 screens throughout
the country are all equipped with
the brand’s xenon projectors. “We have
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BOXOFFICE ® (ISSN 0006-8527), Volume 155, Number 6, June
2019. BOXOFFICE ® is published monthly by Boxoffice Media,
LLC, 63 Copps Hill Road, Ridgefield, CT USA 06877, USA.
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8 JUNE 2019

always relied on Christie for its cutting-edge
technology and for the brand’s
well-deserved reputation as the industry’s
undisputed leader,” said Raul Agüero,
Metrocinemas’ commercial manager.
He added, “Metrocinemas are pioneers
in Honduras in the introduction
of new technology, as was the case with
digital projection and 3-D. And that’s
why we also wanted to be the first in the
country to offer RGB laser technology
and to give our audiences the best possible
projection and brightness. We always
strive to be the best.”
Every screen in the new multiplex
will be equipped with the Christie Vive
Audio cinema sound system. “Although
this is our first experience with Vive Audio,
we are 100 percent confident that it
will give us the best dynamic and enveloping
sound available,” said Agüero.
Metrocinemas also installed three
Christie RGB laser projectors in its
Santa Rosa de Copan multiplex, the first
cinema complex in this western Honduras
city, and is introducing Christie
Vive Audio in its VIP Theater in Cines
América, a six-screen complex in Tegucigalpa,
the capital city of Honduras.
TMPC is the integrator for Metrocinemas
and will supply and install the
Christie hardware. “Metrocinemas has always
been at the forefront in introducing
new technology in its cinema theaters and
in giving its audiences the best possible
experience,” said Jaime Sánchez from
TMPC. “That is why we are proud to be
taking part in this project.”
B&B OPENS NEW MX4D
THEATER IN KANSAS
>> B&B Theatres has opened another
MX4D theater system, bringing the
theater chain’s total to six.
“Our continued partnership with
MediaMation (MMI) proves our belief
in MX4D,” says Brock Bagby, executive
vice president of B&B Theatres. Situated
on the Kansas/Missouri state line, Overland
Park is the second-biggest city in
Kansas, with nearly 200,000 residents.
The theater also has the ability to draw
from the nearby Kansas City metropolitan
area, which boasts almost 500,000.
The state-of-the-art seats for all
locations feature a full range of motion
and effects to enhance Hollywood’s latest
releases. Moving beyond standard 3-D,
they use MMI’s newly patented EFX
armrest. Additional atmospheric effects
include wind, fog, rain, and strobes.
MMI’s MX4D Motion EFX Theatres
were introduced to B&B audiences in
Shawnee and Lee’s Summit, Kansas, in
mid-2017. By the end of last year, the
special effects and motion seat theaters
shattered attendance records. Recent
and upcoming releases include Disney’s
live-action Aladdin, Godzilla: King of the
Monsters and Men in Black: International
from Warner Brothers, and Universal’s
The Secret Life of Pets 2.
JUNE 2019
9

IDINA MENZEL PERFORMS
AT THE SCREENVISION
MEDIA UPFRONT
SCREENVISION UNVEILS NEW TOOLS AND
INITIATIVES AT 2019 UPFRONT
>> Screenvision Media touted the emotional impact and
multifaceted reach of cinema advertising at the company’s upfront
event at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City. Joined
by actors Vince Vaughn and Hilary Swank, the company
announced new products, tools, and campaigns to define,
measure, and maximize cinema advertising’s reach.
In addition to once again offering advertisers its “10 Pack”
option in 2020, the company plans to further enhance,
demonstrate, and measure the reach of cinema advertising
with its new Smart Network. This data-enabled digital component
of the “Front + Center” pre-show enhances program
targeting, digital retargeting, and attribution in a way that
goes beyond behavioral data to include transactional data. By
identifying members of the moviegoing audience, the digital
movie pixel compiles rich, actionable data and can measure
how specific movies drove purchases for select advertisers.
Smart Network “gives us the ability to better quantify and
measure the ROI of cinema advertising, giving our partners
a clear and proven look at how their advertisements drive
transactions,” said Katy Loria, chief revenue officer at Screenvision
Media.
The company also announced new initiatives to promote
the inclusion and meaningful representation of women on
the big screen, in particular a partnership with the Geena
Davis Institute on Gender in Media at Mount Saint Mary’s
University, in which the partners will work with studios at the
earliest scripting stages to ensure gender equality in onscreen
representation. The company will introduce a new GD-IQ
certification package in their Front + Center pre-show, where
Davis will introduce a special look at upcoming films that
receive GD-IQ certification.
Screenvision Media has also aligned with the Association
of National Advertisers’ (ANA) “SeeHer” movement, an industry
initiative on gender equality in media and advertising.
SeeHer evaluates brand ads and assigns GEM scores based on
accurate portrayals of women and girls. In conjunction with
SeeHer, Screenvision Media will create a #SeeHer film trailer
package, allowing brands’ ads to target films aligned with
their products.
“We are proud to strengthen our commitment to ensuring
women are fully represented both behind and in front of the
camera,” said Christine Martino, executive vice president of ad
sales at Screenvision Media. “By using GD-IQ and GEM as
tools to evaluate the films and advertisements we work with, we
are honored to help shine a spotlight on this issue and work to
improve both portrayals and presence of women in cinema.”
10 JUNE 2019

ATOM TICKETS PARTNERS WITH TICKETÓN
TO BETTER REACH HISPANIC MARKET
>> Ticketón, a ticketing company geared toward the U.S. Hispanic
market, announced that it has partnered with Atom Tickets
to power movie ticketing on its site. Ticketón currently sells hundreds
of thousands of tickets to live entertainment events across
the country, with over 200 active events at any time. Offering
movie tickets aligns with its core audience interests and complements
the company’s existing line-up of live events, which includes
sports and music concerts. According to the Motion Picture Association
of America, Latinos represent 18 percent of the total U.S.
population and overindex for moviegoing, comprising 24 percent
of frequent moviegoers. Latino audiences also have the highest rate
of moviegoing among ethnic groups in the U.S.
Fernando Orvañanos, partner at Ticketón, said: “Partnering
with Atom is a very important step to the continued growth of
our service offering. We aim to be the leading one-stop shop for
the growing Hispanic entertainment seekers in the United States.
Our consumers will now be able to find their live events and theatrical
options at a single location and under the Ticketón brand,
which has gained the trust of that community.”
To buy movie tickets, customers visit ticketon.com and select
the movies tab on the home page. The new movie section displays
current and upcoming movie releases with details provided
in both English and Spanish. Visitors can select movie, theater,
and show time. They’re then redirected to Atom for purchasing
the tickets. Ticket information will be sent to them via email. At
the theater, users skip the box office lines and go directly to the
ticket attendants, where they scan a QR code on their phone to
redeem their order.
CJ CGV TO OPEN THEATER IN SAN FRANCISCO
>> CJ CGV announced that it will open its third U.S. location
in San Francisco, California, in early 2020. Strategically located
near the Civic Center and Union Square, one of the most visited
tourist attractions in the nation, the new theater will feature 14
screens and 2,217 seats.
4DX enhances the on-screen visuals through synchronized
motion seats and environmental effects such as wind, rain, snow,
fog, and lightning. 4DX is currently available in 631 auditoriums
across 63 countries. ScreenX expands select key scenes of feature
films to the left- and right-side walls. As of April 2019, ScreenX
is available in 205 screens in 18 countries around the world.
CJ CGV is retrofitting and transforming an existing theater
to include the brand’s unique concept, design, and technologies.
The new facility will show primarily Hollywood blockbusters,
paired with a wide range of foreign films and alternative content,
serving diversity and dynamic cultures within the region.
JUNE 2019
11

TRADE TALK
MALCO ANNOUNCES
COLLIERVILLE CINEMA GRILL
EXPANSION
>> Memphis-based Malco Theatres announced
plans to add on to the recently
renovated Collierville Cinema Grill in
Collierville, Tennessee.
The new auditorium will house the
Malco-branded large-format MXT “Extreme”
Theatre, the second location after
the successful March debut at the Malco
Powerhouse Cinema. The state-of-theart
auditorium will include 275 luxury
recliner seats with reserved seating, a
70-foot screen with laser projection, and
Dolby Atmos sound.
The theater recently underwent a
renovation to convert all 16 auditoriums
to reserved luxury recliner seating, a full
lobby upgrade with a sleek, modern design,
and the addition of a gourmet grill
menu with full bar.
”We are thrilled how the MXT
concept turned out at the Powerhouse
Cinema,” said David Tashie, president
and COO, “and will be adding this
amenity to our Collierville, Tennessee;
Jonesboro, Arkansas; Tupelo, Mississippi;
and Owensboro, Kentucky, locations.”
Construction is expected to be complete
in time for the release of Star Wars:
The Rise of Skywalker.
Memphis, Tennessee–based Malco
Theatres is a fourth-generation family-owned-and-operated
business that
celebrated its 100th anniversary in
2015. Malco Theatres operates over
350 screens at 34 locations across the
mid-South, as well as bowling and family-entertainment
centers in Louisiana
and Mississippi. Recently completed
renovations include the Collierville
Cinema Grill, Stage Cinema Grill, and
Tupelo Commons Cinema Grill. Current
projects include those in Jonesboro,
Arkansas; Owensboro, Kentucky; Ridgeland,
Mississippi; and more locations
to be announced.
CINEMARK ANNOUNCES NEW TWO-TIERED LOYALTY
PROGRAM
>> Cinemark Holdings Inc. announced the official nationwide launch
of its upgraded loyalty program: Cinemark Movie Rewards.
Cinemark Movie Rewards is a two-tiered loyalty program that gives
members one point for every one dollar spent at Cinemark. Members
can redeem points for a variety of rewards including movie tickets, concession
deals, and movie swag. Members can join for free as a Movie
Fan member, or upgrade to Movie Club for a monthly subscription
fee. The creation of Cinemark Movie Rewards was fueled by extensive
consumer research.
“Cinemark created Cinemark Movie Rewards to not only meet the
needs of our customers but exceed them by providing a user-friendly
program that’s effortless to manage, personalize, and access,” said Mark
Zoradi, CEO, Cinemark.
Cinemark Movie Rewards combines Cinemark Connections, Cinemark’s
existing free loyalty program, and Movie Club, the monthly
membership program, under one umbrella, giving loyalty members the
chance to choose between two tiers—Movie Fan and Movie Club.
Movie Fan, the free tier, offers members one point for every one dollar
spent to redeem for free tickets, concession items, and collectible movie
swag. Additionally, members receive exclusive access to specialty screenings
and more, all with no upfront cost. Movie Club, the premium tier,
has a monthly fee of $8.99 (or $9.99 in California, Oregon, Washington,
and Alaska), and in addition to all Movie Fan benefits, members receive
one ticket per month, member pricing on additional tickets, a 20 percent
discount on all concessions every visit, and the ability to reserve seats
with no online fees. All unused tickets roll over each month and can be
used any time with no expiration for active members.
All current Cinemark Connections and Movie Club members, as well
as their accumulated loyalty points to date, will be transferred to Cinemark
Movie Rewards.
14 JUNE 2019

HOLLYWOOD ESPORTS
TO USE DOLBY ATMOS
SOUND
>> Hollywood Esports, with
its MX4D Motion and Special
Effects Esports Theatres, will
include Dolby Atmos in its
design.
Based on MediaMation’s
MX4D motion and special
effects technology, the Hollywood Esports MX4D Theatres
bring motion seats, wind, rain, fog, lightning, and other
special effects into the spectator experience. “When a tank
blows up in a World of Tanks competition, the effects are so
dynamic that the spectators go wild,” said Robert Laity, CEO
of Hollywood Esports. “With Dolby Atmos incorporated into
our design, gamers and spectators will soon be able to enjoy
immersive sound quality for select game titles. We plan to
incorporate Dolby Atmos in the Hollywood Esports MX4D
Theatre we are building in San Diego at the Theatre Box.”
Theatre Box will soon be the second location to feature
the unique cinema design of Hollywood Esports, launched
by TCL Chinese Theatres in partnership with MediaMation
and Wilshire Consulting. The
Hollywood Esports theater will
enable Theatre Box to convert
an auditorium from “cinema
mode” to “esports mode” in
under an hour, allowing for the
showing of MX4D films and
hosting of esports tournaments
and events. Both the MX4D
films and esports events will
include Dolby Atmos as part of the experience.
“By developing and managing tournaments and events
that are scalable across locations, we can create a network of
MX4D Esports Theatres to engage in city rivalries that appeal
to the gaming community,” said Laity. “The gaming and
esports events are complementary to the MX4D motion and
special effects film business, as periods of lower demand for
movies are perfect for hosting gaming and esports events to
maximize attendance and revenue potential. The addition of
Dolby Atmos to our Hollywood Esports Theatres will make
the experience even wilder. We plan to add Dolby Atmos to
our flagship location at the TCL Chinese Theatre and incorporate
Dolby Atmos as part of all future locations we build.”
JUNE 2019
15

TRADE TALK
HARKINS WILL EXPAND TO
ARIZONA AND COLORADO
>> Harkins Theatres recently announced
the company’s expansion plans in Arizona
and Colorado, with two new 12-screen
multiplexes coming to Laveen, Arizona,
and Northglenn, Colorado. Both new theaters
will showcase state-of-the-art digital
projection and sound, luxury amenities,
and elevated concessions offerings. With
the addition of the new theaters, Harkins
will operate 36 locations and 539 screens
in five states. Founded in 1933, Harkins
is the largest independently owned movie
exhibitor in the country.
“There is nothing we love more
than entertaining our guests,” said Dan
Harkins, owner and executive chairman
of Harkins Theatres. “We are overjoyed
when we have the opportunity to share
our programs and amenities with new
friends and look forward to becoming
part of the Laveen and Northglenn
communities.”
The new theaters will feature Harkins’
latest innovations and amenities, including
Harkins’ premium large-format
auditorium, the CINÉ1. This auditorium
will boast plush leather reclining
Ultimate Lounger seats, Dolby Atmos
3-D object-based sound, and signature
gold waterfall drapes that will unveil
each performance.
Theater highlights will include:
• CINÉ1 Auditorium featuring Dolby
Atmos 3D object-based sound
• Harkins Ultimate Lounger seats in all
auditorium
• Reserved seating in all auditoriums
• Paperless, mobile ticketing
• In-lobby bar featuring wine and beer,
including local craft favorite
• State-of-the-art laser projection and
digital sound in all auditoriums
• Wall-to-wall curved screens
• Gourmet concessions stand with
expanded dining menu and traditional
snack bar favorites.
Groundbreaking dates have not yet
been announced. Harkins anticipates
opening both new theaters in 2020.
CINEMARK TO OPEN 12-SCREEN
IN MAINE
>> Cinemark Holdings Inc. and Waterstone
Properties Group have announced
they are building a state-of-the-art,
12-screen theater in the mixed-use
development Rock Row, in Westbrook,
Maine, in the greater Portland area. The
new Cinemark location is scheduled to
open spring 2021.
All 12 auditoriums will have reserved
seating featuring Cinemark’s Luxury
Loungers, which are electric-powered,
plush, oversized recliners with footrests,
cup holders, and heat-controlled seats.
The multiplex will also feature an XD
auditorium with an immersive wall-towall
screen and enhanced sound system.
“We are excited to be a part of Rock
Row, a unique and dynamic real estate
project, and to open our first Maine
theater location,” said Mark Zoradi,
Cinemark CEO. “Our brand-new Cinemark
theater will be the entertainment
anchor to this impressive mixed-use lifestyle
center, providing an extraordinary
entertainment experience for Westbrook
and Portland, as well as a regional draw
for southern Maine and northern New
Hampshire.”
In addition to the Cinemark theater,
this 100-acre mixed-use destination
will include over one million square
feet of commercial, residential, and
hospitality space. Highlights of Rock
Row include a beer and food hall, a
Market Basket grocery store, a medical
and wellness campus, 750 apartments,
and an 8,200-capacity concert venue.
Rock Row will also feature walking,
biking, and running trails interconnected
around the former quarry,
which will feature interactive light and
water displays.
KINEPOLIS TO OPEN
LANDMARK THEATER IN
EDMONTON
>> Landmark Cinemas Canada will
bring its premium recliner seating
moviegoing experience to the Grove on
17, in the southeast Edmonton neighborhood
of Tamarack. Construction is
scheduled to begin in August 2019, with
completion in early summer 2020.
All eight of the theater’s auditoriums
feature Landmark’s luxury recliner seating
in a full-stadium configuration. The
new eight-screen theater will also include
Barco Laser Projection from Cinionic.
“We are thrilled to bring the Landmark
luxury recliner moviegoing
experience to the Grove on 17 and are
confident that movie lovers in Tamarack
and the surrounding areas will make this
their moviegoing destination,” said Eddy
Duquenne, CEO of Kinepolis Group.
“Serving as the entertainment destination
for the Grove on 17, Landmark’s
premium moviegoing experience
reinforces our commitment to deliver
a unique experience to the residents of
Tamarack and region, making the Grove
on 17 a premier shopping destination,”
said Blair Forster, president, Forster Harvard
Development Corp.
Kinepolis Group acquired Landmark
Cinemas, the second-biggest cinema
operator in Canada, operating 45 movie
theaters of various sizes, in December
2017. Three new Landmark cinemas
were opened in 2018 (St. Albert,
Saskatoon, and Fort McMurray). Two
more are scheduled to open in 2019, in
Regina and Calgary Market Mall.
Construction of Landmark’s new,
premium recliner movie theater at CF
Market Mall in Calgary commenced on
April 23. The grand opening is scheduled
for December 2019.
ATOM TICKETS STRIKES DEAL
WITH CINEMARK
>> Atom Tickets, the social movie-ticketing
platform, announced today it has
partnered with Cinemark to expand its
national theater footprint. Cinemark is
the third largest national exhibitor in the
U.S. and adds more than 4,500 screens
at 340 locations to the Atom Tickets
network, which now covers over 26,000
screens. The Cinemark deal brings
16 JUNE 2019

TRADE TALK
increased screen count to key markets
such as Dallas, Houston, San Francisco,
Sacramento, and Denver.
The company expects to have Cinemark
locations live on the Atom app and
website by mid-summer. Movie fans will
be able to book tickets through Atom for
any Cinemark location while enjoying
the benefits of Atom’s social-ticketing
platform, including reserving seats in
advance of any movie for themselves and
their guests; inviting friends via contacts;
quickly checking in for movies using a
mobile device; and eliminating the need
for paper tickets.
“We’re thrilled to have Cinemark as
our newest exhibitor partner to satisfy
the significant consumer demand for this
chain of theaters on the Atom platform.
We know this partnership will deliver an
even better user experience when hundreds
of Cinemark locations appear in the Atom
app,” said Matthew Bakal, chairman and
co-founder of Atom Tickets. “Cinemark
is an innovative leader in the exhibition
industry, and we’re excited to partner with
them to grow their audience and attract
more guests with digital ticketing.”
“Our first priority is to make purchasing
tickets as seamless as possible for our
guests,” said Mark Zoradi, CEO, Cinemark.
“Through our partnership with
Atom Tickets, Cinemark’s customers will
now have even more opportunities to easily
access tickets to every must-see movie.”
In the two years since its national
launch, Atom Tickets now has:
• 6 million monthly unique visitors to
Atom Tickets (app and web) with 80%
of its web audience unduplicated from
another leading movie ticketing site
(Comscore, April 2019)
• Over 60 leading exhibitors on its platform,
including seven of the top 10 U.S.
exhibitors.
Cinemark joins a list of Atom Tickets
theater partners that includes AMC Theatres,
Regal Cinemas, Harkins Theatres,
National Amusements’ Showcase Cinemas,
CMX Cinemas, Landmark Cinemas
of Canada, Studio Movie Grill, Malco
Theatres, Landmark Theatres, ArcLight
Cinemas, and Larry H. Miller Megaplex
Theatres, among others.
NATIONAL AMUSEMENTS’
SHOWCASE CINEMAS TEAM
TO RECEIVE SHOWEAST’S DAN
FELLMAN AWARD
>> Mark Walukevich, senior VP of film
and event cinema worldwide; Duncan
Short, senior VP of operations; and Bill
LeClair, senior VP of food and beverage
at National Amusements, will receive
this year’s Dan Fellman Show “E” Award
at ShowEast. The three
individuals will accept the
honor during the final night
awards ceremony hosted by
The Coca-Cola Company on
Thursday, October 17, at the
Fontainebleau Miami Beach.
The Dan Fellman Show “E”
the practice of barring, thus opening
up the market for continued expansion
of the multiplex concept. In that same
year, Walukevich was promoted to VP of
international film. He continued to lead
the company’s international expansion in
Chile, Argentina, Russia, and Brazil. He
was promoted to senior VP of international
film in 2012. Most recently, his title was
changed to highlight his ever-expanding
role with National Amusements.
Short joined National Amusements in
1987 as the company’s first international
employee. He initially trained at Showcase
Cinemas Warwick before
returning home to open the
company’s first U.K. location
in Nottingham in June 1988.
Short continued to oversee
international operations from
the U.K. until 1998, when he
transferred to the corporate
Award, formerly known as the
home office outside Boston.
MARK WALUKEVICH
Show “E” award, was renamed
He was soon promoted to
in 2015 to honor longtime
director of operations, international
theaters, continuing his
Warner Bros. distribution chief
Dan Fellman and to celebrate
involvement in the expansion
his impressive 38-year career.
of the circuit in the U.S. and
Each year the award is presented
to an industry member
overseen the operations of all
Russia. Since 2015, Short has
or company in honor of their
National Amusements cinemas
achievements, dedication, and
across the world, uniting the
longevity in the industry.
company’s territories under
BILL LECLAIR
“We are extremely honored
one operational strategy. In
to present National Amusements
with this award at ShowEast this nior VP of operations, continuing to lead
2016, he was promoted to se-
year,” said Andrew Sunshine, president of all the company’s theatrical operations.
the Film Expo Group, which coordinates LeClair’s 39-year history with National
ShowEast. “For over 80 years, National Amusements began in 1977, when he
Amusements has been a leader in the joined the company as an usher. In 1989,
industry led by Mark Walukevich, Duncan he joined the operations department
Short, and Bill LeClair. We congratulate as director, overseeing more than 100
them on this award.”
indoor theater locations, drive-ins, and
Walukevich began as an advertising flea markets. In 1997, LeClair was asked
assistant in 1980 with National Amusements
before moving into the film book-
beverage team to help develop alternative
to join the rapidly expanding food and
ing department. In 1988, he became the and luxury dining options, including
company’s head film buyer in the U.K., in-seat dining and alcohol service. Today
where he played an integral part in the he oversees the operations of all F&B
Showcase brand international expansion. business in four countries representing
He spearheaded negotiations to eliminate more than 925 screens.
18 JUNE 2019

TRADE TALK
BOW TIE’S JOE MASHER TO
RECEIVE SHOWEAST’S AL SHAPIRO
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
>> Joe Masher, chief operating officer of Bow Tie
Cinemas, will receive ShowEast’s 2019 Al Shapiro
Distinguished Service Award on Thursday, October
17, at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach.
Each year, the Al Shapiro Distinguished Service
Award honors a person who represents the ideals
and standards that the late Al Shapiro set during his
distinguished career. The award salutes their dedication
and concern for people within the motion
picture industry.
“We could not have chosen a more deserving
individual to recognize with this year’s Al Shapiro
Award,” said Andrew Sunshine, president of the
Film Expo Group, which manages ShowEast. “Joe
is a well-respected leader, and his dedication to the
film industry is to be commended and celebrated.”
Born in Albany, New York, Masher started his
career at age 11 as the “rewind boy” at a summer
resort that had a 35-millimeter carbon arc projection
system. In 1990, he was transferred to Binghamton,
New York, where he was responsible for five “hard
tops” and one “drive-in” theater for Loews. In 1994,
he relocated to New York City to open Loews’ new
showplace, the Lincoln Square 12, which featured the
first Imax auditorium in a commercial theater. Later,
he opened the Kips Bay 15 for Loews.
In 2000, Masher joined Clearview Cinemas
as a division manager, responsible for northern
New Jersey, Westchester and Rockland counties,
and Connecticut, and created the company’s first
training program for floor staff. In 2004, he left
Clearview Cinemas and joined Bow Tie Cinemas
as chief operating officer. As COO of Bow Tie, he
oversaw Bow Tie’s acquisition of Crown Theatres
in 2006 and Clearview Cinemas in 2013. Bow
Tie also built several high-profile locations in
Richmond and Reston, Virginia, and three sites in
upstate New York.
Masher serves as treasurer of national NATO
and sits on the Government Relations Committee
and the Political Action Committee for that
organization. Since 2013, he has been president of
NATO of New York State and is a registered New
York State lobbyist. He’s rallied on behalf of theaters
for important issues such as predictive scheduling,
soda cup size regulations, and alcohol in theaters
legislation. He also serves as vice president of CATO
(Connecticut Association of Theater Owners).
22 JUNE 2019

EXECUTIVE SUITE
BY JOHN FITHIAN, NATO PRESIDENT & CEO
UNIC AND NATO
MOST EXCELLENT PARTNERS!
>> I am excited to be back in Barcelona for CineEurope 2019 and to work
with our partners at the International Union of Cinemas (UNIC). UNIC represents
motion picture exhibitors and their national trade bodies in 37
European territories. As the two largest international associations representing
the interests of exhibitors, UNIC and NATO collaborate closely on a daily
basis on a broad spectrum of issues. Though we don’t say it nearly enough,
it’s good to have great friends and colleagues pulling together in pursuit of
common goals.
CineEurope serves as the
official convention of UNIC,
and the event organizers and
UNIC leaders together put
on a great show. Andrew
Sunshine and his team at
the Film Expo Group bring
expertise and passion to their
organization of the event. At
the same time, Phil Clapp,
Laura Houlgatte Abbott, and
the other leaders of UNIC maximize the
opportunity CineEurope affords them
to raise important themes and discuss
current topics as they guide European
operators into the future.
As we gather once more in the Catalonian
paradise, it may be appropriate
to recount some of the myriad ways that
UNIC and NATO partner together. Here
is a brief snapshot:
with GCF Executive Committee
chairman Alejandro
Ramírez Magaña and his
team at Cinépolis, the UNIC
and NATO teams provide
the staffing support for this
important endeavor.
Preserving a Robust and Exclusive
Theatrical Window
JOHN FITHIAN
For both the European
members of UNIC and the North American
members of NATO, preservation of
a robust and exclusive theatrical window
constitutes a fundamental priority.
Though business decisions regarding the
competitive terms of movie distribution
must be made by individual companies
according to their own policies, UNIC
and NATO work together in a general
campaign in support of theatrical
exclusivity. We collect data and educate
Uniting Exhibition around the
our respective members, enabling them
World through the Global Cinema to prioritize this important issue in their
Federation (GCF)
own businesses.
Two years ago here at CineEurope,
UNIC and NATO and 10 leading exhibition
companies announced the formation Cinema Technologies
Sharing Ideas about the Future of
of the Global Cinema Federation. The NATO and UNIC both maintain
GCF serves to educate exhibitors globally active member committees to analyze
and to advocate on their behalf. The GCF and discuss cinema technologies. The two
offers exhibitors their first truly global committees work closely together and
and united voice at an important time of occasionally issue mutual statements on
opportunities and challenges. Working technological matters of concern. In this
way, exhibitors in two important territories
can stay up to speed on the latest
developments and have a say in the future
of their business.
Fighting Movie Theft
Movie theft (“piracy”) costs global
exhibition billions of dollars annually.
NATO, UNIC, and the GCF have thus
made the fight to reduce theft a global
priority. We work together with our
distribution partners to track incidents
of movie recording in cinemas and to
train staff to prevent such theft. We lobby
governments for laws to better constrain
movie theft. And we share best practices
from one territory to the next.
Serving Patrons with Disabilities
Many exhibitors and some of their
local governments have focused recently
on ways to expand access to patrons with
disabilities. UNIC and NATO work with
distributors, technology providers, and
advocates for people with disabilities to
develop better access. At the same time,
the trade bodies also work with governments
to support laws that might grow
access in ways that don’t damage the
underlying business.
Advocating for a Fairer Music
Licensing System
Exhibitors around the world spend
hundreds of millions of dollars annually
to license the music contained in the
movies they exhibit. Third-party collecting
societies impose costly fees on exhibitors
who really have no ability to choose
the music in movies. UNIC, NATO, and
the GCF are working to compare practices
from around the world and shed some
light on the methods of the collecting
societies, in the hopes that future fee rates
might be more reasonable.
We look forward to discussing these
and other key topics during the week
at CineEurope. For those readers lucky
enough to attend this important conference,
have a great show!
24 JUNE 2019

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MEMBER NEWS
BY DAVID BINET, DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP, NATO
FAMILY TIME IN THE FIRST STATE
NATO STAFF HIT THE ROAD TO VISIT MEMBER LOCATIONS
ATLANTIC MANAGEMENT LTD. (DBA MOVIES AT MIDWAY)
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
www.moviesatmidway.com
Tiffany Derrickson, Vice President
Visit Date: Sunday, February 17, 2019
Movie:
They Shall Not Grow Old
Concessions: Small popcorn, Reese’s Pieces, Aquafina water
>> One advantage of living on the East Coast is
that many fun travel destinations are within a day’s
drive, which helps with planning and logistics. I
had never visited Rehoboth Beach, so I set out to
visit the beaches of lower Delaware over a brisk
President’s Day weekend. Although the boardwalk
and small-town scenery retain their pleasant
attractiveness in winter, the movies are a nice (and
warm) indoor activity.
The Movies at Midway, a 13-screen complex,
stands out among a long line of strip mall stores
and restaurants on the highway leading into Rehoboth
Beach. The façade includes the company’s
distinctive cresting-waves logo, as well as multiple
digital screens with movie posters and show times.
The Movies at Midway is a third-generation cinema
company, the only one in the state of Delaware.
William Derrickson began operating cinemas
in 1941 and passed his knowledge on to his son
Richard, who then passed that knowledge on to his
daughter Tiffany.
We met Joy, the assistant manager on duty that
day, in the cinema lobby. She took time before a
busy changeover (The Lego Movie 2 opened that
weekend) and showed us the Cube, their premium
large-screen auditorium with recliner seats.
Our screening was in another auditorium, so we
thanked Joy for her hospitality and made our way
to the concessions stand. A distinctive feature
of this cinema is that the concessions stand is
cash-only. Yes, you can purchase tickets on-site and
online with a credit card, but the food is cardless
(although that will change this fall). This was a minor
shock to our city habits, but the advantage was
26 JUNE 2019

MEMBER NEWS
What do you appreciate the most about
your customers?
The thing we appreciate most about our customers
is their loyalty. Our staff is on a first-name
basis with many of our regular customers. The
staff knows the concessions order for many of the
loyal customers before they even order. We are
a small town, and we like to know our customers.
Our regular patrons come to the theater to
see a movie and we treat them like family while
they are there.
ALL IN THE FAMILY
Richard Derrickson and his
daughter Tiffany
affordable concessions for everyone, as evidenced
by the ubiquity of popcorn, soda, and candy purchases
that day.
Following our visit, Tiffany Derrickson was
gracious enough to share some background about
the family business:
What attracted you to the cinema industry—
how did you start?
I guess, just like my father, I was born into the
cinema industry. One of my earliest childhood
memories is from when I was about 3 and sitting
on the floor in a sold-out auditorium watching
American Graffiti while I waited for my dad, who
was probably working. I remember seeing Jaws
when I was 7, and my favorite T-shirt that summer
had an iron-on decal of Jaws. When I turned 12,
I started working at the movies, tearing tickets
for my summer job. From there, I worked my
way up to concessions, then box office, and then
the projection booth. (Yes, I know how to run
35-millimeter film … I miss the days of being able
to actually see what is going wrong.) I worked at
the cinema during summers throughout college.
After college, I left to pursue a career with my
teaching degree. I returned to the theater in 2008
as I was starting a family of my own. I am proud
to say my 8-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter
already know how to help at the concessions stand
and clean auditoriums! I hope that one day they
will continue to pass on the love of cinema and the
movie industry to their children.
How have three generations in the family business
affected the company culture?
Family is the culture of the company at The
Movies at Midway after three generations. We also
believe it is important to be actively involved in your
community and support the people who support
you. For over 20 years, we have partnered with the
local school for autistic children and open our doors
every morning as a job-training site. The Movies at
Midway recently collaborated with our local hospital
to raise money to build an outpatient surgery
building by giving proceeds from our “I Believe in
Beebe” popcorn bucket campaign. As a family-run
business, I support other small businesses in the area
whenever possible. I am also very fortunate to have
an amazing staff, and some of them have worked at
the theater for 15 or 20 years. My main projectionist
has worked at the theater since he was 17 years old,
and he is in his 60s now! The Movies at Midway is
part of an incredible community, and we treat each
other like family at the theater.
What is your biggest challenge with the cinema?
(Does anything keep you up at night?)
Currently the biggest challenge to running a
cinema is the film-rental fees. The film fees keep
going up and remain at high rates for the entire engagement
of the film. When the movie studios raise
film-rental fees, they are making it harder and harder
for small-town independently run theaters to stay in
business. We have all the cost and lots of overhead
just to put their movie up on our screens with no
guarantees that people will pay to come see it.
What is your favorite movie, and what concessions
would you have while watching it?
My father’s favorite movie is The Sting with just
popcorn and a drink. My favorite movie—I have
so many favorites from different decades that picking
one is hard … I am picking two old favorites:
The Apple Dumpling Gang and Raiders of the Lost
Ark with popcorn, soda, and Raisinets.
28 JUNE 2019

CHARITY SPOTLIGHT
TO ADD EVENTS IN AN UPCOMING ISSUE, PLEASE SEND ANNOUNCEMENTS TO INFO@BOXOFFICE.COM
PHOTO: DANIEL RHONE
DISNEY PARTNERS WITH THE MAKE-A-WISH
FOUNDATION FOR THE #FRIENDLIKEME
CHALLENGE
>> In advance of the release of Aladdin, Disney has partnered
with the Make-A-Wish Foundation for the #FriendLikeMe
Challenge. Supported by Disney and Aladdin star Will Smith,
the challenge prompted social media users to share their answer
to the question: “If you were the Genie in Disney’s Aladdin and
had the chance to grant three heartfelt wishes for someone, who
would you share them with?” Between April 29 and May 24,
Disney donated $5—up to a total of $1 million—to the Make-
A-Wish Foundation for every public Facebook or Instagram post
containing the #FriendLikeMe hashtag.
“The release of Aladdin presents an authentic opportunity to
connect the film’s powerful theme of wish-granting to the wonderful
work Make-A-Wish does in support of children dealing
with serious illnesses around the world,” said Elissa Margolis,
senior vice president, enterprise social responsibility, for The Walt
Disney Company. “Wishes are all about hope, and we’re so glad
to be able to continue our work with Make-A-Wish and invite
fans to join us in helping grant more wishes that will bring hope
into the lives of deserving kids and their families.”
Since 1980, Disney and Make-A-Wish have helped grant
life-changing wishes for more than 130,000 children with critical
illnesses around the world. Today, one out of every two wishes
granted in the U.S. is a Disney wish.
Michel Rudolphie, president and CEO of Make-A-Wish
International, added: “By participating in the challenge, members
of the global community can do their part to bring the
life-changing impact of a wish to more children. We are grateful
to Disney and Will Smith for joining us on this journey to transform
the lives of more children, families, volunteers, supporters,
medical professionals, and entire communities worldwide.”
LOLLIPOP THEATER NETWORK
CELEBRATES ITS THIRD
ANNUAL SUPERHERO WALK
>> The streets of Beverly Hills were
flooded with hundreds of Lollipop Theater
Network supporters donning bright
red superhero capes in celebration of the
third annual Lollipop Superhero Walk
on April 28, 2019.
Just prior to the walk, eight outpatients
from Los Angeles–area hospitals
revealed their inner superhero, complete with one-of-a-kind
costumes designed by members of the Costume Designers Guild.
As the superheroes made their grand entrance at 100 North
Crescent Drive, each was surprised with a full-size movie poster
featuring his or her alter ego.
Said the mother of superhero “Golden Fly,” one of the eight
heroes honored at this year’s walk: “We had so much fun yesterday!
Everything was amazing. I honestly cried
at the part where [Lollipop] showed
Pedro’s poster. I am extremely grateful for
where we are at this very moment and
for the Lollipop Theater Network.”
In addition to its annual Superhero
Walk, the Lollipop Theater Network
brings the magic of the movies to
hospitalized children. The generous
sponsors responsible for making the
2019 Superhero Walk possible include:
Film Expo Group, New Line Cinema,
Samsung, Dolby, Eugenetek Corp., Red Crown Productions,
Christie Digital, Sony Pictures, Cinemark, Stampede Global, and
Jerry Leigh.
PHOTO: BRIAN BOWEN SMITH; POSTER DESIGN: VOX + ASSOCIATES
PHOTO: BRIAN BOWEN SMITH; POSTER DESIGN: VOX + ASSOCIATES
30 JUNE 2019

Thanks to Stein’s Home & Garden and its many
partners, Variety Wisconsin was pleased to present
adorable sisters Anna & Ivy Cosgrove with brandnew
adaptive hand bicycles during the Stein’s
Grand Re-opening Event in Brookfield, Wisconsin.
back row Lynn Hawkins (CFO at Stein’s Garden & Home); Pamela Mattox; Anna and Ivy’s
mother, Jennifer Cosgrove; Matt Hall; Nancy Major, CEO of Variety Wisconsin; Brent Emery;
Samantha Bentley; Miranda Zwieg; Norman Brooks; Preston Cosgrove (the girls’ father);
Robert Young (president & CEO of Stein’s Garden & Home). front row Anna Cosgrove, Alley
Faith (103.7 KISS FM), Ivy Cosgrove
UPCOMING EVENTS
VARIETY – THE CHILDREN’S CHARITY OF DETROIT
MONDAY, JUNE 17 / BIRMINGHAM, MI
On June 17, the 30th annual Variety Kovan Golf Classic will take place at the
Birmingham Country Club. Proceeds from the event support Variety Detroit’s
six core programs, which provide assistance to underserved children with cognitive
and/or physical challenges or who are victims of disadvantage, poverty, or
natural disaster. Additional information can be found at:
www.facebook.com/events/948064232066797/
Variety Detroit’s Hearts & Stars 2019 took place on
May 4 at the Townsend Hotel. Rosalie and Joe Vicari
(below) were honored for their extraordinary commitment
to children in need. Presenting sponsor of
Hearts & Stars was Lincoln of Troy; co-chairs for the
event were Variety board members Rhonda Sabatini
and Laurie Fischgrund (above.)
VARIETY – THE CHILDREN’S CHARITY OF NORTHERN
CALIFORNIA
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 19 / SAN FRANCISCO, CA
The Variety Gold Heart Relay will take place Wednesday, June 19, from 10 a.m.
to 2 p.m. in the East Garden of San Francisco’s Yerba Buena Gardens. This
fun and unique event helps to promote inclusive riding for all ability levels.
Corporate teams of 10 will take turns riding stationary bikes to help raise funds
for Variety – the Children’s Charity of Northern California’s Freedom program,
which helps children with disabilities to get custom-built adaptive bicycles and
low-income children to receive their first bikes. The Variety Gold Heart Relay is
“geared” toward raising funds so that kids can be kids. Open to riders of all abilities,
this event brings companies together to provide much-needed equipment
to kids who need it most! Visit www.varietync.org/relay for info on sponsorship,
volunteer, registration, and more.
JUNE 2019
31

INDIE FOCUS
b r o u g h t t o y o u b y
Gene Siskel Film Center of the
School of the Art Institute
of Chicago
BY KAREN DURHAM
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF
PUBLIC RELATIONS
AND MARKETING
– CONTINUED ON PAGE 34 –
32 JUNE 2019

INDIE FOCUS
SCREENS: 2
CAPACITY: 196 (Theater 1)
63 (Theater 2)
HISTORY
The Gene Siskel Film Center was
established in 1972 and started programming
to the public in 1973. Films
were screened in Fullerton Hall at the
Art Institute of Chicago (AIC) and
later in the School of the Art Institute
of Chicago (SAIC) Auditorium before
moving to our current home at 164
North State Street in June 2001. While
AIC managed Fullerton Hall and SAIC
managed the auditorium, when we
moved to our own dedicated facility, we
gained autonomy, first operating at five
days a week and then offering a full seven-day
slate of programming. As a result
of our autonomy and seven-day-a-week
schedule, our programming directors
established relationships with studios
which, at the time, meant access to
higher-quality exhibition copies (as opposed
to educational distributors, which
have a reputation for having exhibition
copies that aren’t well-maintained). We
have our own staff and budget but share
our 501(c)(3) nonprofit status with
both AIC and SAIC. While we are part
of both an art-school and an art-museum
community, that does not guarantee
a built-in audience.
COMMUNITY
Our core audience is composed of
cinephiles, but who attends screenings
can vary significantly in one day
depending on what’s being shown. We
attract special interest groups through
such films as documentaries; local
Europeans and the well-traveled set
when we present our Chicago European
Union Film Festival; Chicago’s black
community when we host our Black
Harvest Film Festival (BHFF) and
Black Harvest Presents movies (films
shown in the spirit of BHFF during
nonfestival months); and have growing
audience segments coming from the
LGBTQ and Latinx communities. We
also attract a cultural audience due to
the number of visual art, music, and
dance documentaries presented.
PROGRAMMING
Our programming is well thought
out in terms of attracting not only
cinephiles but the cultural community as
well, since we show films related to the
performing and visual arts and we’re part
of an art museum and an art school and
our downtown location means there are
people who either work or live nearby
to access museums, music, and other
performing arts or come downtown for
that purpose. We stand apart due to the
fact that we have over 200 guest artist
appearances annually and celebrate the
work of independent and international
filmmakers with 1,500–1,600 screenings
every year. We have become a hub and
created a sense of community and cohesion
for the local filmmaking community,
which used to be rather fragmented.
Such programs that exemplify our ongoing
showcasing of local work include
34 JUNE 2019

the annual Black Harvest Film Festival;
the Cortadito program part of Panorama
Latinx, a short film showcase of work by
local Latinx directors that was inaugurated
in September 2018; and the inclusion
of locally produced films in our monthly
programming calendar.
A RECORD YEAR
2018 was a record year in attendance
for the Gene Siskel Film Center. We
enjoyed success with our two biggest film
festivals, the Black Harvest Film Festival
(every August) and the Chicago European
Union Film Festival (every March) and
are growing audiences with Asian American
Showcase and the Chicago Palestine
Film Festival, both partnership endeavors
presented every April. These festivals—
especially Black Harvest—bring in a
number of patrons who may not come
here otherwise (though we’re now trying
to engage them to become regulars) and
filmmakers, which means added publicity
and more audience engagement.
Premieres of the biopic Tom of
Finland and Kartemquin Films’ All
the Queen’s Horses contributed to our
highest-grossing January ever. Other art
house premieres such as The Animation
Show of Shows, Science Fair, and
Kusama: Infinity did well due to robust
promotional partnerships as we were
targeting special interest audiences for
these programs.
Locally directed films, like the
documentaries The Area and Academy
Award–nominated Minding the Gap and
narrative features Mercury in Retrograde
and Rogers Park, with filmmakers in person
at most of the screenings, resulted in
sold-out and capacity shows. We pride
ourselves on having over 200 guest artist
appearances every year.
A best performing title can also mean
a landmark occasion such as having the
likes of Argentinian director Lucrecia
Martel, who appeared in person with her
highly anticipated feature Zama, her first
film in nine years.
We also benefit from the second-run
business—such titles in 2018 included
My Friend Dahmer, Loving Vincent, Faces
Places, Free Solo, and Tea with the Dames.
FOOD & BEVERAGE
Popcorn is obviously a perennial favorite
as well as tea and coffee (although
it also depends on the weather, which
can vary vastly in Chicago). Candies
such as the traditional Twizzlers and the
German-made Ritter Sport sell especially
well. Noting that we were one of the
first cinemas in Chicago to serve alcohol
(now most of them do), we do sell a fair
amount of wine, which has an edge over
beer (both imports and exports as well as
craft beers are offered). We try to cover
all our options and especially pay attention
to the season/time of the year.
GRASSROOTS MARKETING
When our steadfast advocates (such
as our Black Harvest Community
Council, in existence since 2003) step
up to promote such programs as Black
Harvest, we see how their knowledge of
Chicago’s black community translates
into higher box office sales, engaged
audiences at Q&As, and repeat customers
(and increased membership sales).
We also have great success when we
work with filmmakers who have a robust
outreach infrastructure in place (such
as Kartemquin Films) and distributors
who hire grassroots marketing firms and
regional publicists.
CINEMA ADVERTISING
The biggest impact of on-screen
advertising is the revenue Spotlight Cinema
Networks generates for us. The additional
revenue per year goes right into
general operating expenses, which contributes
to the Gene Siskel Film Center
being able to present a year-round
curated film program. Because we can’t
solely rely on grants, donations, ticket
sales, and membership revenues, we are
truly grateful for this opportunity and
would definitely recommend Spotlight
Cinema Networks to any for-profit or
nonprofit art house cinema.
JUNE 2019
35

CONFERENCE RECAP
BY REBECCA PAHLE
A MERRY TIME IN MARYLAND
MID-ATLANTIC NATO’S CINEMA SHOW & TELL
CHANGES ITS LOCATION, KEEPS ITS QUALITY
>> This year marked a change for Cinema Show
& Tell, the annual convention of the Mid-Atlantic
NATO. For the first time, the show skipped a bit
north from its usual venue in Virginia to the Live!
Casino and Hotel in Hanover, Maryland. The
venue might have been different, but the show—
taking place over a day and a half on May 15 and
16—gave attendees the same quality experience
they’ve come to expect.
Mid-Atlantic NATO caters mostly to exhibition
professionals throughout Virginia, Maryland,
and the District of Columbia, including
international circuits—Regal and Cinemark
locations, for example, were well represented at
this year’s show—regional exhibitors, and independent
outfits.
In prior years, executive director Doug Murdoch
explains, the logistics of the show meant that
attendees would have to shuttle back and forth between
Cinema Show & Tell’s event space, partner
theater, and hotel, with all-important networking
carried out in whatever nooks and crannies people
could find.
This spread-out footprint hasn’t impeded
Cinema Show & Tell’s ability to build a reputation
as one of the premier regional trade shows.
At the scholarship awards luncheon that closed
out the show, NATO president and CEO John
Fithian feted Mid-Atlantic NATO as “one of the
better conferences in the country,” in part because
Mid-Atlantic NATO has “a tremendous regional
leader in Doug Murdoch.”
Still—the new venue has only helped Cinema
Show & Tell do what it does best: facilitate relationships
between professionals from all corners
of this industry, whether they’re theater managers,
vendors, or studio representatives. Taking place as
it does on the heels of CinemaCon, Mid-Atlantic
NATO provides a necessary opportunity for its
attendees to have leisurely one-on-one conversations
that can lead to concrete deals. With the
move to the Live! Hotel & Casino, those conversations
were able to take place a few floors down
from attendees’ hotel rooms, late into the night,
no shuttles required.
But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. The “latenight
deal-making” portion of any show comes
after its programming, which in Cinema Show
& Tell’s case included information on a number
of issues affecting the exhibition industry. Late
Monday morning, NATO’s director of government
relations Esther Baruh led a wide-ranging
presentation that covered everything from music
licensing (check out Fithian’s piece in our May
issue for details about how changes in that area
can affect your theater’s bottom line) to minimum
wage increases to regulations on predictable scheduling
and paid leave.
These issues, Baruh noted, are holdovers from
previous years. The wheels of government do not
turn quickly. But two new issues got stage time as
well: the increasing pressure from advocacy groups
to ban single-use plastics and a proposed “automation
tax.” The latter hasn’t gathered the amount of
steam that the plastic ban has, but it’s potentially
very significant for the industry, proposing as it
does a tax on businesses that (for example) install
ticketing kiosks when they would have otherwise
hired employees. None of these proposed regulatory
changes is cut-and-dried. None of them has
a simple solution. And that’s why gatherings like
Cinema Show & Tell, where people from the exhibition
industry can gather and share experiences
and proposed solutions, are so essential.
Other topics addressed at this year’s Cinema
Show & Tell were accessibility regulations and the
Cinema Buying Alliance, the latter a component
of the Independent Cinema Alliance (ICA), which
36 JUNE 2019

hosted an indies-only session. From there, it was
on to the trade show, where everyone from theater
managers to NATO officials and major vendors
could have discussions about their shared needs
and how to meet them over the coming year.
Said Danny Martinez of augmented-reality app
Fuze Viewer, one of Cinema Show & Tell’s vendors
and sponsors, “We met a lot of new theater
owners. The experience was amazing. It was very
well put-together. … My takeaway is that it’s a
very tight-knit group and to be invited to be part
of it was very exciting.”
(It may not be the most glamorous compliment,
but Martinez’s observation about Cinema
Show & Tell being “well put-together” echoes
one of the most common sentiments expressed by
attendees this year. To paraphrase: “Wow, everything’s
running on time.”)
When attendees weren’t gathering relevant info
during presentations, chatting with trade show
vendors, or networking at one of the Live! Casino
and Hotel’s bars, they were over at the Cinemark
Egyptian 24 and HD theater—which, incidentally,
is right next door to the Live!, just a few minutes’
walk away. It was there that attendees got to
check out two screenings (Amazon Studios’ Late
Night and Sony’s Brightburn), presentations from
studio partners, and a series of “speed dating”
(Murdoch’s term) presentations from Fuze Viewer;
“Ask the Audience” survey findings from National
CineMedia; GDC Technology introducing their
new series of media servers; and advice from the
Federal Trade Commission on how to combat
cybersecurity threats. Those who got there early
could lounge in one of the Cinemark Egyptian
recliners while watching National CineMedia’s
Noovie pre-show.
Cinema Show & Tell closed out on Thursday
with the aforementioned scholarship luncheon,
where 14 young employees of Mid-Atlantic
NATO member theaters were given college scholarships
ranging from $1,000 to $5,000. Though
suffused with Cinema Show & Tell’s trademark
congeniality, the luncheon had its bittersweet
elements, too. Two individuals key to Mid-Atlantic
NATO—Betty Cohen, wife of the late R/C
Theatres founder Irwin R. Cohen, and Regal
Cinemas’ Lee Milstead, Cinema Show & Tell’s
long-standing “official photographer”—had passed
away during the previous year. To honor them,
Mid-Atlantic NATO introduced the Lee Milstead
Memorial Scholarship and altered the Irwin R.
Memorial Scholarship to include Betty.
The Mid-Atlantic NATO family continues
to grow; in the general membership meeting
on Wednesday morning, Ted Pedras (emeritus),
David Phillips of R/C Theaters, Rick Novak of
Royal Cinemas, and Jennifer Abney of Cinemark
were officially named new or returning members
of the board.
With all the goody bags given out and the
hotel rooms turned over to other visitors, Murdoch
reflected on another year’s Cinema Show &
Tell: “Everybody said they loved it. They loved the
location. I’ve already heard from several vendors
that have asked about the dates for next year and
stated that they can’t wait to come back. I’ve had a
lot of very positive reactions.”
JUNE 2019
37

welcome to
by Laura Houlgatte Abbott, Chief Executive Officer, UNIC
>> I’m delighted to welcome you all
once again to the beautiful city of Barcelona
for this year’s edition of our annual
convention—the biggest of its kind in
Europe. CineEurope is one of the key
events in the international calendar of
what is becoming an increasingly global
industry. As a result, while our main
focus remains with the European cinema
sector, now more than ever we find
ourselves addressing topics of relevance
not just to Europe but also to colleagues
worldwide—as reflected in our dynamic
2019 program.
Looking back, 2018 was yet another
great year for European cinemagoing,
marking the fourth consecutive year that
cinemas across UNIC territories welcomed
over 1.25 billion admissions. On
top of this, there is certainly no time like
the present to celebrate the cinemagoing
experience thanks to the success of Avengers:
Endgame and the impressive calendar
of upcoming releases throughout the rest
of the year.
For us, there is no better place to
showcase European cinemagoing than
CineEurope. The convention embodies
everything that makes the European
cinema industry unique and explores the
latest trends and developments in the
big-screen experience, highlighting the
growth and prosperity of the sector and
its continued value for audiences. And
this edition will be no exception.
This year, we will kick off with a
session on Emerging Global Markets,
which promises to provide fascinating
insights into the industry in the contrasting
territories of South Africa and
Serbia. We can then look forward to
an executive roundtable welcoming
high-level panelists from across the
industry and a European Commission
session, exploring as yet “untapped”
audiences. Later on in the week, our
friends at Coca-Cola will explore the
possibilities of digital retail and the
industry’s efforts toward harnessing its
appetite for innovation in sustainability.
A selection of focus sessions on the
trade show floor will cover a broad range
of subject matter, including premium experiences,
direct-view displays, and other
technological developments. Speaking of
innovation, don’t forget to spend some
time on our trade show floor itself, to
discover the latest in sound, image, seats,
and concessions! The pursuit of innovative
solutions also forms an integral part
of a discussion to follow in our Thursday
session on accessibility. And, when we
talk about safeguarding the future from a
more industry-focused perspective, there
are few bigger threats than piracy—a
topic that we will explore in our Wednesday
session.
We’re of course delighted to again
bring you the widest and best possible
range of film content from our valued
European and U.S. studio partners
UniFrance, Studiocanal, Warner Bros.
Pictures International, Universal Pictures
International, STX International, Sony
Pictures Releasing International, Walt
Disney Studios Motion Pictures International,
and Paramount Pictures International.
This week will see no fewer than
six exclusive slate presentations and four
fantastic films, including the first-ever
slate presentation for Event Cinema in
the main auditorium.
And don’t forget to join us for our
awards ceremony on Thursday to congratulate
all our 2019 awardees!
During the week, UNIC will also
continue its efforts toward developing
the UNIC Women’s Cinema Leadership
Programme—our pioneering mentoring
scheme for women in cinema exhibition—to
reflect not only the ongoing
need for more gender balance both onand
off-screen but also the tremendous
support that the initiative has received so
far across the sector.
None of this would be possible without
the dedication, commitment, and
work of all our partners and colleagues.
Here, special thanks must go to our partners
at the Film Expo Group–our strong
relationship is key to the show’s success.
I’m also particularly pleased to be
continuing our partnership with the
European Commission, which reflects
our commitment to engaging in dialogue
with the European institutions on the
benefits of a vibrant cinemagoing culture
in Europe.
Huge thanks of course to our colleagues
in distribution for giving us
amazing content year on year, as well as
our sponsors and industry partners—your
continued trust and support is invaluable.
And last but certainly not least, thank
you to all our attendees for participating
in our show. I’m very much looking forward
to catching up during the week!
38 JUNE 2019

BEYOND THE
CONTINENT
CINEEUROPE CONTINUES TO
EXPAND ITS INTERNATIONAL
PROFILE
by Kevin Lally
“It’s not just a European event anymore.”
Andrew Sunshine, president of the Film Expo
Group, is talking about CineEurope, the official
convention of the International Union of Cinemas
(UNIC), which opens its 28th edition on June 17
at the Centre Convencions Internacional Barcelona
in Barcelona, Spain.
“The show has really grown in stature over the
last five to 10 years,” Sunshine continues. “You
hear it at CinemaCon all the time: It’s a global
industry. And if you look at where we’re positioned
within the global market, our international shows,
CineEurope and CineAsia, represent a lot more of
the box office than just North America. Cinema-
Con is branded as a global show, but CineEurope
has also taken on a whole new role.”
At press time, delegates from 67 countries were
planning to attend the show, including from places
as far away as Japan, Malaysia, and Brazil.
Still, CineEurope maintains its status as the
key annual event for European cinema owners.
“Just as NATO supports CinemaCon, having
UNIC as our partner, bringing their members in,
is what really helps drive our show,” Sunshine says.
“UNIC now represents 37 countries. The challenge
within Europe is that you have 37 countries that
all have different languages. All can potentially
have different rollout dates, different marketing
materials in multiple languages, censorship in some
markets. One of the presidents of distribution
said to me just the other day that his international
team, in his opinion, works 10 times as hard as the
domestic distribution team. It’s a unique challenge.
Having UNIC there being able to bring everybody
together is the most important thing for us.”
CineEurope this year is bringing in a programming
concept from CineAsia, with sessions on
emerging markets. The Monday morning schedule
will kick off with a “Focus on South Africa,” presented
by Aboobaker “AB” Moosa, CEO of South
African circuit Avalon Group, followed by a “Focus
on Serbia” with Christof Papousek, chief financial
officer of Serbian exhibitor Cineplexx. Sunshine
expects these sessions
examining breakout markets
to become an annual
CineEurope tradition. “I
think it’s important to
have these countries talk
about what’s happening
there and maybe share
some information with
other people.”
The busy Monday
morning agenda will also
include a roundtable
with three leading executives—Universal
Pictures
International distribution
president Duncan Clark,
Cinépolis CEO Alejandro
Ramírez Magaña,
and Vue Entertainment
CEO Tim Richards—
moderated by Boxoffice
and Webedia Movies Pro CEO Julien Marcel.
Then, Lucía Recalde, head of the European Commission’s
Creative Europe Media unit, moderates a
panel exploring how theaters can attract the large
segment of the European population that never
goes out to the cinema.
Other focus sessions take place on the trade
show floor, a CineEurope tradition that began a
few years ago. “We made it bigger last year, and
we can accommodate up to 400 people,” Sunshine
notes. “We do programming there now Tuesday,
Wednesday, and Thursday. I think that helps drive
people to the trade show and keeps people invested
in the different technologies that are happening.”
Topics this year include premium cinemagoing
experiences, customer insights, film theft, accessibility,
movies on demand in private cinemas, and
“creating the ultimate viewing experience.”
Along with the educational component, “these
shows are all about product,” Sunshine says. “We
get tremendous support from all of the studios
when it comes to product. I don’t know if it’s
because it’s the international market, but we have
all the studios coming back and doing product
presentations again this year or screening a movie.”
Film screenings announced at press time were
Universal Pictures’ comedy-fantasy Yesterday, about
a world without The Beatles, and Warner Bros.’
horror sequel Annabelle Comes Home. Sony and
Disney will also be screening major titles. Cinionic
ANDREW SUNSHINE
JUNE 2019 39

WE CAN WORK IT OUT
Universal will be hosting
a special screening of its
Beatles fantasy, Yesterday.
is the show’s projection partner, and the booth will
house six projectors, including two laser setups.
Sunshine adds, “We’re doing something special
for the first time in the big theater with the
Event Cinema Association. We’ve been working
with their new executive director, Grainne Peat,
a wonderful lady. Europe is very, very strong
for alternative content in theaters, so the ECA
is going to have companies like Trafalgar and
Fathom and their other members present their
upcoming product.”
For the second year, CineEurope will be
presenting special Gold Awards, inspired by
ShowEast’s long-running Hall of Fame awards.
“The Hall of Fame was created to recognize people
in our industry, not only top executives, but also
some of the under-the-radar people,” Sunshine explains.
“The European version started as a program
to thank those who helped us launch Cinema Expo
over 25 years ago. That was successful, and then
the idea came basically to create a hall of fame.
But we decided to call it the Gold Awards, The
concept is to recognize and salute the person who’s
dedicated their life to this industry and would
never be recognized in
another fashion. All
of UNIC’s country
associations submit
recommendations, and
then UNIC and their
committee make the
final selections. This is
something that they’ll
be able to cherish—
they get their moment
in the sun. We expect
it to be even more
successful this year,
just by the number of
names that were added
to the list of potential
people.” Details on this
year’s winners may be
found on page 82.
Sponsored by The
Coca-Cola Company,
the CineEurope
awards program on
Thursday, June 20,
will also honor Disney
and Marvel’s Avengers:
Infinity War with the Comscore European Box
Office Achievement Award, and Peter Fornstam,
managing director of Nordic circuit Svenska Bio
and chairman of the Swedish Exhibitors’ Association,
with the UNIC Achievement Award.
International Exhibitor of the Year honors go to pioneering
Croatia-based circuit Blitz-CineStar, to be
accepted by founder Hrvoje Krstulovic and CEO
Jadranka Islamovic. And Mark Viane, president
of international theatrical distribution, and Mary
Daily, co-president, worldwide marketing and
distribution at Paramount Pictures, will accept the
International Distributor of the Year Award.
“We always want to recognize executives who
are doing good things for their studio,” Sunshine
says. “Mark and Mary have worked very, very
closely with Jim Gianopulos to put together what’s
going to be a tremendous new slate of films.
They’re excited as hell about what they’ve got
coming forward the rest of this year and beyond.
They’re going to do a 90-minute product presentation.
We’re recognizing them for their contributions
to the industry, not only going forward, but
for what they’ve done in the past.”
40 JUNE 2019

CINEEUROPE
2019
INTERNATIONAL
EXHIBITOR OF
THE YEAR
CINEEUROPE HONORS
BLITZ-CINESTAR AS 2019’S
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITOR
OF THE YEAR
by Rebecca Pahle
>> Blitz-CineStar, the biggest exhibition chain in
the Balkans, has its roots in a completely different
corner of the film industry. As a 20-something
in 1992, eventual Blitz-CineStar founder and
member of the board Hrvoje Krstulovic kicked off
his career by establishing a video rental chain. That
segued into Blitz Film and Video Distribution,
which is still in operation as “an important market
leader in Croatia and the countries of the former
Yugoslavia,” Krstulovic explains. The distributor
“has established excellent relationships with the
world’s leading film content providers,” both independents
and major studios in the United States
and Europe.
Krstulovic’s background in distribution made
it easier for him to establish the Blitz-CineStar in
2003; very soon afterward, it became “the largest
exhibition company in the former Yugoslavia.”
Easier, but not easy. Krstulovic admits that the theatrical-exhibition
landscape when Blitz-CineStar
came onto the scene was “poor,” beset by a “lack
of investments in cinemas and a constant drop in
cinema admissions.”
Fifteen years later, things are different. CineStar
boasts 23 multiplexes with a combined total of
nearly 23,000 seats throughout Croatia, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, and Serbia. “Admissions,” Krstulovic
notes, “are on the constant increase.” Box office,
too, is on the rise; depending on the country,
Blitz-CineStar’s box office take increased from 10
to 15 percent in 2018, with the highest-grossing
titles of that year being Bohemian Rhapsody, Avengers:
Infinity War, and A Star Is Born.
Krstulovic admits that there are still challenges
unique to the Balkan market, specifically “the relatively
lower standard in comparison to developed
markets, which leads to lower ticket prices with the
same level of investment; negative migrations from
our region to more developed countries; and the
fact that our territory is quite fragmented, consisting
of several countries with different languages,
laws, taxes, habits, and even religions.”
Despite these challenges, Blitz-CineStar has
over a relatively short period of time built itself up
to provide premium experiences to its moviegoers.
It’s for this and other reasons that Blitz-CineStar
has been named the International Exhibitor of the
Year at this year’s CineEurope.
Blitz-CineStar’s motto is “Five Star Cinemas.”
That five-star mentality, Krstulovic explains, means
“providing each visitor the best value for their
money through first-class service” as well as offering
“the best selection of films in technologically
superior cinemas with the most comfortable seats.
We believe that the cinema is and should remain
the best place to watch a film.”
Blitz-CineStar’s first multiplex, the CineStar
Zagreb, opened in 2003; with 13 screens and
2,940 seats, it’s still the largest multiplex in the former
Yugoslavia. Last year, Blitz-CineStar received
ICTA’s New Build Cinema of the Year award for
the CineStar 4DX Mall of Split in Zagreb, Croatia.
The successes of these theaters, Krstulovic notes,
only spur the chain to expand its level of quality
moving forward. To that end, Blitz-CineStar
opened the CineStar Banja Luka in Bosnia and
Herzegovina earlier this year. Its next project is a
multiplex at Belgrade’s Ada Mall, set to open later
in 2019. “We expect a lot from this site, which
is going to be the most beautiful state-of-the-art
cinema in Serbia. It will have a 4DX screen, a bar,
and birthday party rooms. The concept has been
HRVOJE KRSTULOVIC
JUNE 2019 41

proven to make our cinemas into favorite entertainment
destinations,” says Krstulovic.
Over the 15 years that Blitz-CineStar has been in
operation, the chain has put a lot of effort into building
up experiences that serve different slices of its audience.
There’s the Kids Cinema, with a playground and a slide.
Different loyalty program tiers cater to students and seniors.
Explains CEO Jadranka Islamovic, those two groups
“are more vulnerable economically, so we have been able to
approach them with specially tailored offers. The student
card is very popular, while the senior card is reasonably
well accepted.” With the latter group, “there are faithful
audiences who tend to see more special events and domestic
productions.”
Blitz-CineStar goes the VIP route with its Gold Class
theater concept; these, explains Islamovic, “are special
theaters with a separate reception area and a lounge bar
for Gold Class visitors only. We offer a complete night
out, with a film, dinner, drinks, and high-level food and
beverage service available throughout the screening. This
project upgraded our overall service level by [catering to]
visitors with a more solid personal income who look for
more luxury.”
Blitz-CineStar took the luxury concept to the next
level with the launch of the Kaptol Boutique Cinema in
Zagreb, Croatia. At the time the Kaptol Boutique opened,
Blitz-CineStar was already running three cinemas in
Zagreb. While citizens of Zagreb had movie options, “none
of them offered the boutique cinema concept—a cinema
where you can talk about the film and exchange impressions
in a nice atmosphere, having drinks and listening
to great, often live, music,” says Krstulovic. That lack
prompted Blitz-CineStar to “create something that we had
never done before. We took over an existing cinema site
and, rather than just continuing the business, we decided
to shut it down for complete reconstruction and refurbishing.
We sacrificed one of the existing six halls to build the
Wow bar, while the remaining five halls were completely
refurbished in such a way that each one of them has a
unique interior design.”
Blitz-CineStar’s strategy going forward involves a mix of
new-build theaters and refurbishment. “We believe there is
still room for expansion in the Balkan market,” Krstulovic
says. Croatia is “already well-saturated,” though not entirely
so—the chain is currently developing another cinema
in Zagreb. “We believe there is still room for premium
cinemas in the other countries in the Balkan region.”
Across the board, “we constantly invest in projection technology
in order to keep up with the worldwide trends in
the industry. We are happy to say that we believe that our
standard of technology, experience offered, and design can
match any of the best international exhibitors.”
42 JUNE 2019

CINEEUROPE 2019
INTERNATIONAL DISTRIBUTOR
OF THE YEAR
MARK VIANE
PRESIDENT OF INTERNATIONAL THEATRICAL
DISTRIBUTION, PARAMOUNT PICTURES
MARY DAILY
CO-PRESIDENT, WORLDWIDE
MARKETING & DISTRIBUTION,
PARAMOUNT PICTURES
BY KEVIN LALLY
Paramount Pictures was revitalized in 2018 with
the success of Mission: Impossible—Fallout (the
biggest film in that long-running franchise),
Bumblebee, and the sleeper horror hit A Quiet
Place. In all, the studio generated $1.1 billion at
the box office last year.
>> Key to that success were Mark Viane, Paramount’s
president of international theatrical distribution,
and Mary Daily, co-president, worldwide
marketing and distribution, who will be honored
with the International Distributor of the Year
award at CineEurope.
Viane joined Paramount in 2007 as senior
VP of theatrical distribution for Europe, Middle
East, and Africa (EMEA). He was subsequently
promoted to roles as senior VP, theatrical distribution,
Asia-Pacific and Latin America, and
co-president, international theatrical distribution
and marketing.
Daily joined Paramount Pictures in 2017 as
president of international theatrical marketing and
worldwide home media entertainment after nine
years at 20th Century Fox. In her current role, she
is responsible for the design, development, and
implementation of all elements of marketing.
Paramount’s 2019 slate includes the high-energy
Elton John biopic Rocketman, Terminator:
Dark Fate, Dora and the Lost City of Gold, and
Ang Lee’s groundbreaking Gemini Man. Coming
up in 2020 are Tiffany Haddish and Rose
Byrne in Limited Partners, Sonic the Hedgehog, the
John Cena action comedy Playing with Fire, and
sequels to Top Gun, Coming to America, A Quiet
Place, and G.I. Joe.
Viane and Daily spoke to Boxoffice about
their proudest accomplishments and what’s in store
at this legendary studio.
Mark, how has the business changed since you
joined Paramount in 2007?
Mark Viane: I initially started with United
International Pictures in 1996, when box office
split between international and domestic was
roughly one-to-one. The international marketplace
has grown significantly since then, now
representing close to 70 percent of worldwide
MARY DAILY
MARK VIANE
JUNE 2019
43

DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR
BEHIND THE SCENES
Director Ang Lee with Will
Smith on the set of the
upcoming Gemini Man
box office. International is now a crucial driving
force on decision making rather than the afterthought
it once was.
Mary, the same question for you: What industry
changes have you noted since you arrived at
Fox in 2008?
Mary Daily: In the past ten years, there has
been a huge proliferation of content and more
consumer entertainment choice than ever before.
As such, delivering consumers a true theatrical
experience has become increasingly important and
a key differentiator for our business.
What are your proudest accomplishments
at Paramount?
Viane: I was very proud to be a part of the team
when Paramount Pictures International was the
first studio ever to break the $3 billion box office
threshold in 2011. And I continue to be proud to
work with the very professional and talented team
we have in place around the world.
Daily: I feel very proud to be part of the
Paramount team. This is one of the oldest movie
studios, with an incredible storied past and in my
mind a great future ahead. I am really happy to
play a part in shaping the future together with my
amazing colleagues around the world.
What films are you
most gratified to
have worked on?
Daily: Our slate
is so diverse that each
movie brings with it
different challenges
and opportunities
which are really
energizing. As a huge
music fan, the most recent
highlight has been
working on Rocketman.
The movie delivers a
truly unique theatrical
experience. A real
audio/visual spectacle.
It’s a very special movie
in so many ways.
Viane: There are so
many films that I have
been proud to work
on, but last year I was
incredibly proud to work on A Quiet Place and
turn the film into a major box office success along
with the filmmakers. It was such a unique film
with very little dialogue, yet it was so effective in its
storytelling. We believed in this film from conception
and now we are making a sequel. Recently, I
was also very proud to have worked on Rocketman.
Now that there’s one less major in the
marketplace, what kind of impact does that
have on Paramount?
Daily: With our increasing slate, I think we
are well placed to take advantage of the increased
growth in interest and appetite for movies around
the world.
Viane: It makes our partnership with exhibition
ever more important, so we can ensure that each
and every market is well served with great movies.
Which territories are experiencing the most
rapid growth?
Daily: China continues to be a major growth
market along with Indonesia and Vietnam. We
also see future growth opportunities within Asia in
markets like Cambodia and Myanmar.
Viane: The Middle East is also a market that
has steady growth, but the real box office opportunity
is in Saudi Arabia.
44 JUNE 2019

What are the biggest challenges of overseeing
so many territories?
Daily: Ensuring that you understand the cultural
nuances and needs of the territories. It is not
one size fits all, and being able to adapt campaigns
to ensure the movies resonate in each market takes
time at every level. We are committed to maximizing
each of our releases with attentiveness to
different territories’ various needs.
Viane: To add to that, managing your time
effectively and efficiently is always a challenge, as we
strive to give every market and team member the
time and energy they deserve. Every market is incredibly
important to the company—and our films.
Tell me about Paramount chairman Jim
Gianopulos and his leadership.
Daily: This is my third time working for Jim
and that’s no coincidence. He is super-smart and
has great instincts, not to mention the energy
of a 25-year-old! His leadership style is direct
and inclusive and you learn from him every day.
And he is a really good person—not a given in
this industry.
Viane: This is my first time working for Jim,
and I have never been more excited to work with
such an energetic and knowledgeable leader. Jim
embodies the best characteristics of a great boss
and fully supports and cares for the people within
the organization. Under his leadership, the studio
is back on a path of greatness.
Which of your upcoming films are you most
excited about? Is there a film that’s going to
surprise people?
Viane: With Paramount’s slate having increased
dramatically for 2020, we are very excited about
Ang Lee’s Gemini Man starring Will Smith, Sonic
the Hedgehog, the A Quiet Place sequel directed
by John Krasinksi and starring Emily Blunt, The
SpongeBob SquarePants movie (20th anniversary),
and of course Top Gun starring Tom Cruise,
among others.
Daily: Honestly, I am really excited about the
diversity of our overall slate. We have movies that
are broad in appeal to a wide audience, alongside
movies that are made for specific audiences.
Do you expect to explore more legacy titles like
Top Gun and Coming to America?
Daily: Paramount has one of the richest
catalogues of any studio; that combined with the
studio’s approach to working across the Viacom
network opens up endless opportunities. Obviously,
we look at every potential project on a case-bycase
basis and evaluate the needs and desires of
the marketplace in assessing what audiences will
respond to. Even in these early stages, the response
to and chatter around the Top Gun and Coming to
America sequels reinforce audience enthusiasm for
these properties. So certainly looking forward, we’ll
continue to explore which legacy titles might be
ripe for a reprisal.
What efforts are you making to bring diversity
to your slate?
Daily: While fostering diversity is an ongoing
undertaking, recently our efforts have included
the formation of a Content Creation Council in
partnership with Viacom’s Global Inclusion Advisory
Committee. The Council aims to promote
diversity from the pre-greenlighting process and
requires productions to complete a plan designed
to enhance access and opportunities for historically
underrepresented groups in the industry.
What are your feelings about the overall health
of theatrical film in this new streaming era?
Viane: The theatrical film market isn’t only
alive and well, it’s actually thriving. The industry is
coming off a record box office take worldwide, and
we see no signs of a slowdown. Going to the movie
theater is the best way to experience a film, as the
audience becomes fully immersed in the world on
the screen. Streaming a film in your home or on
your mobile device is such a different experience
than watching a film in a theater. Cinemas today
are creating the best moviegoing experience ever, as
the proliferation of the premium large formats has
really raised the bar for incredible entertainment.
Daily: Since the beginning of cinema, every
time there is a new format or major development
in the industry, there are always concerns over the
health of theatrical film. While there is a proliferation
of content and options, there is still nothing
like the communal experience of cinema, which
has delighted audiences for over 100 years. The
ever-increasing role of technology in our everyday
lives makes the cinematic experience more valuable
than ever: It is a true opportunity for audiences to
unplug and give their full attention to the storytelling
experience.
JUNE 2019
45

2019 UNIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
A Champion for
Swedish Cinemas
UNIC TO HONOR EXHIBITORS’ ASSOCIATION CHAIR PETER FORNSTAM
BY KEVIN LALLY
46 JUNE 2019

Peter Fornstam is a leading force in Swedish theatrical exhibition, as founder and managing director of
the country’s second-largest circuit, Svenska Bio, and chairman of the Swedish Exhibitors’ Association. But he’s
disarmingly humble about being honored with the 2019 UNIC Achievement Award, given by the International Union
of Cinemas in recognition of outstanding dedication and service to the European cinema industry.
“You always feel: What did they give
it to me for?” Fornstam says. “But I feel
honored. I’m sure that my grandfather
and my father are smiling from somewhere
way up.”
Fornstam represents the third generation
of a venerable exhibition family. His
grandfather Karl entered the business in
1914. “I heard that he traveled around
with a projector, and from that he built up
a chain of movie theaters. My father joined
him in the late ’40s, and later they had a
small distribution company. And I came to
work with them in the mid-’70s.”
He notes, “My grandpa had the
pleasure of being part of an industry
when the growth there was pre-television.
My father took over the business
when television hit big, and I took
over when home entertainment hit
the industry.”
Fornstam’s father, Gosta, “was very
good at programming theaters,” he
recalls. “And I learned from him to be
hands-on, to be involved with details.”
Fornstam founded the current incarnation
of the family business, Svenska
Bio, together with the Bonnier Group
(now Filmstaden) in 1987. The circuit
today operates 200 screens in Sweden and
Finland, plus screens in Denmark under
the Biografkompaniet banner.
The idea behind the founding of
Svenska Bio, Fornstam says, “was to be
a mom-and-pop operation, closer to the
action rather than this big multiplex. We
dealt with small and midsize markets
where we felt that a more close-to-themarket
approach would be good business,
and we were right. There were a lot of
opportunities with smaller markets that
didn’t perform, which we could buy
cheaply because they were underperform-
ing. We could fix them and change them
and build them up. We started in five
markets with 10 single screens. Now we’re
operating in 47 markets with 200 screens.
I guess we were right on that hunch.”
Fornstam is upbeat about the state of
exhibition in Scandinavia. “I think we’re
pretty healthy. The difference with smaller
territories is that we’re dependent very
much on the studios being stable, but
also having local production on a good
level. In smaller territories, we are much
more dependent on local production. If
local production is combined with studio
stability and good output, then we have a
great year. The ups and downs mirror the
U.S., but we can balance that with good
local productions. Finland, for example,
has had a couple of very good years,
because they had studio movies combined
with good, strong local films. But Sweden
has been lagging behind for a couple of
years on local productions, and we see the
effects of that.”
Fornstam reports that last year in
Finland, 25 percent of box office went to
local productions, while in Sweden the
local production share was only 17 percent.
“We should be somewhere between
20 and 30,” he opines. “In Finland the
year before last, it was 31 percent.”
He explains the discrepancy: “In
smaller territories, local productions are
very dependent on subsidies from the
local film institutes. Depending on their
approach to the films they subsidize, I
think that is reflected in the box office.
In Finland, for example, they really want
to make sure that the film has a wide
appeal. In Sweden, they have a different
approach, and that hurts the box office.
Sweden has no tax rebates. Finland has
tax rebates. All those things are very
important for the health of the industry.
I heard an expression when I was
in Las Vegas [for CinemaCon] that
the health of the exhibition business
is determined by the health of the local
productions. I agree with that.”
Fornstam notes that “we are very
spread out in Sweden. We have two very
good art houses in Stockholm, while our
Empire theater in Copenhagen has a
somewhat broader audience. But in the
rest of the theaters where we operate, if
you have a local hit that works, normally
that’s where the audience is. The key cities
are normally 80 percent of the total market,
but when you come to the local films,
those numbers change. The audience for
local films is much bigger around the
country than in key cities. If you really
want to help the industry and help the
smaller markets, make good local movies.”
The Svenska Bio chair calls his
relationships with the American studios
“excellent. We just had a managers meeting.
Every year we bring the managers
together and have a two-day program.
JUNE 2019
47

UNIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
And this year, Disney’s MD flew down
and did a presentation. The chemistry
with the MDs varies, but overall we have
a very good relationship.”
One notable recent American success
in Sweden was A Star Is Born. “It did
750,000 admissions—that’s a big number.”
He has very high hopes for the next
Star Wars chapter (“Sweden has always
been a big Star Wars territory”) and the
upcoming James Bond movie.
As chair of the Swedish Exhibitors’
Association, Fornstam says his greatest
current challenge is a recent change in the
VAT policy affecting cinema tickets. He
explains the history: “For 53 years, we had
a deal where when you went to the movies,
10 percent of the movie ticket went to
the Swedish Film Institute. That money
was then recycled back into film production.
Six percent was paid as a culture tax,
like a VAT, treating the movie theater as if
you went to the opera or another cultural
activity. Now, only 10 million people live
in Sweden and we have about 800 screens
in total, so the screen average per citizen is
pretty high, much higher than the rest of
Europe. That means we have many small
screens that show movies just a couple of
days a week. I’m not talking about my
circuit; I’m talking as an industry. The deal
done in 1963 was if you showed movies
fewer than five times a week, you didn’t
have to pay 10 percent to the Swedish
Film Institute, you only had to pay the 6
percent culture tax.”
Then, he recounts, “the minister of
culture eight months into office canceled
this deal. The way this was calculated, the
margin of change for the bigger circuits,
although the money was big, was 3 or 4
percent. My circuit or Filmstaden, the
biggest circuit, could deal with those
issues by cutting costs. We could handle
that change. But the smallest movie
houses, they went from 6 percent to 25
percent. Those are theaters where the
margins are tiny to start with—historically,
those theaters were created before
television came into the market. They
were hanging on, they were already
having problems surviving. When this
happened, that became a big problem
for them. We are the only territory in all
of Europe where we have a different tax
on moviegoing. Wherever you look in
Europe, taxing a movie ticket is the same
as all other culture institutions.”
Fornstam notes, “All of those theaters
that got hurt the worst, I don’t have any of
them. So when I went out to plead their
case, nobody could say that I spoke for my
own circuit. My credibility was never an
issue. It was a shock to the industry and it’s
been painful. The call I had before yours
was with the Swedish Film Institute. They
NO SURPRISE HERE
The highest grossing movie in Sweden
in 2018? Mamma Mia! Here We
Go Again, earning $6 million more
than Avengers: Infinity War
are now going to hire a person whose job
it is to try to understand the financial consequences
for those theaters. I have small
members who are struggling, and one of
my worries is that these second-generation
exhibitors who have an emotional
[connection to their theaters], when they
give up, nobody’s going to replace them.
The big cities are always going to be fine.
But once [these smaller theaters] go out
of business, they’ll stay out of business.
There’s been a lot of damage done, and I
don’t think the minister of culture, who’s
no longer the minister, understood the
consequences of what she did.
“I will never give up this fight,” Fornstam
declares, “because it’s a bad decision.
The consequences of this decision are that
smaller theaters have a hard time surviving
and the Swedish Film Institute has less
money at its disposal than before they
made this change. So there are no winners,
there are only losers. If we get the right
government that understands this, then
we have a shot for change. Especially since
we’re living in a world where everyone
says: ‘Why should the bigger cities just
get bigger? Is there anything that we can
do to reverse that?’ I think having a movie
theater is a good way of staying where
you are. It’s a typical political issue where
the politicians think: I’m going to do
something nobody has dared to do. Well,
maybe there was a reason.”
Meanwhile, Svenska Bio continues to
grow. Fornstam expects to open between
five and 10 new screens in Sweden this
year and about the same number next year
in both Sweden and Finland. Like so many
of today’s exhibitors, he’s installing VIP
recliner seats with double armrests and
extra legroom in select screens, and adding
laser projectors in some theaters.
In a few weeks, Svenska Bio will be
opening its first in-cinema dining theater
in the city of Nyköping. “In the lobby
area, we have a restaurant already established
called Pinchos. It’s an app restaurant.
You choose your table with the app,
you order your food with the app and go
to pick up your food and drinks, and you
pay with the app. We now have our first
luxury theater with recliners only, where
you can eat during the movie and order
with an app.”
Fornstam will receive his UNIC award
at CineEurope in Barcelona, Spain,
on June 20. As Phil Clapp, president
of UNIC, stated, “We are delighted to
recognize Peter’s extraordinary career in
European exhibition, as well as his key role
in making Svenska Bio a pioneer in enhancing
the cinemagoing experience. This
award recognizes in particular Peter’s considerable
contribution to developing both
the Swedish and wider European cinema
sectors through his work as chairman of
the Swedish Exhibitors’ Association. On
behalf of the entire UNIC board, I thank
him for his tremendous support as UNIC
has evolved in recent years.”
48 JUNE 2019

ARTS ALLIANCE MEDIA
PRODUCER CIRCUIT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
>> Arts Alliance Media’s Producer Circuit Management System
(CMS) empowers exhibitor head offices with visibility and control
over every screen in their circuit. Connect your theater management
system to AAM’s innovative cloud-based CMS to easily diagnose
and resolve common issues like schedule conflicts, missing
KDMs, and failed content transfers from any device with an
internet connection, even on mobile. Providing real-time playback
monitoring, drag-and-drop centralized playlist building,
and automated KDM delivery all from one intuitive interface,
Producer helps cinemas save time and minimize human error.
Get your demo at booth 601 and find out how you could schedule thousands of
shows in seconds.
BOOTH: 601 / www.artsalliancemedia.com
ATOM SEATING
>> Spaces and Between’s seating brand, Atom Seating, brings innovations to
their VIP recliners. Standard features include:
• Weight sensor mechanism, which allows the recliner to open only when a
person is sitting on it, and close if no one is
occupying the seat
• Wireless chargers for compatible phones
• Two cleaning options: remote open/close
mechanism and lift-up mechanism
• Heat pads for a cozy experience
on a cold day
• Numerous upholstery material
and design options
• Variety of table tops, cup holders, and
control options
• Daisy chain power connectivity option
• Five years quality assurance and warranty
BOOTH: 812 / www.spacesandbetween.com
CHRISTIE
CP2309-RGB PROJECTOR
>> The Christie CP2309-RGB is an entry-level CineLife series 2K cinema projector
featuring RealLaser illumination technology that gives exhibitors
the latest in solid-state cinema projection at a cost of
ownership comparable to xenon. Without an external chiller,
this compact, all-in-chassis RGB pure laser projector outputs
8,500 nominal DCI lumens with a contrast of 2000:1 for easy
installation in smaller-screen mainstream cinemas. Christie’s
RealLaser provides a long-lasting, stable light source for over
30,000 hours of optimal brightness on-screen and is fully sealed
for zero dust ingress, making it extremely simple to maintain. It
also delivers impeccable image performance with more color and
more contrast for an ultrarealistic picture that improves the audience experience.
SUITE D / www.christiedigital.com
JUNE 2019
49

NEW PRODUCTS
CINEMECCANICA
LUCILLA
Lucilla is a brand-new RGB laser lamp specifically designed to replace the traditional
xenon bulbs on digital cinema projectors and be affordable. With a power
from 8,000 up to 30,000 lumens—scalable for all screen sizes—and 30,000 lifetime
hours, it is meant to improve projection quality and reduce operating costs.
Lucilla allows energy savings up to 50 percent in comparison with the equivalent
xenon lamp; it is designed to be fitted inside the projector (maintaining the
original projector footprint) in very few and fast installation steps. Two years of
standard warranty are included, while an extension up to seven years is available
as an option on both Lucilla and projector.
BOOTH: 527 / www.cinemeccanica.eu
CINIONIC
BARCO SERIES 4 PLATFORM
The Barco Series 4 platform provides outstanding 4K RGB laser
image quality powered by Barco Active Image Management (AIM)
technology, a future-proof design that’s 4K 120fps-capable and ready
for Barco immersive sound and HDR. It is ultra-low maintenance, as
well as industry-leading Barco EcoPure energy efficiency. Explore the
all-new Barco Series 4 projectors from Cinionic at CineEurope.
BOOTH: MR 125 / www.cinionic.com
CJ 4DPLEX
4DX WITH SCREENX
4DX provides moviegoers with an immersive, multisensory experience, allowing
the audience to connect with movies through motion, vibration, water, wind,
snow, lightning, scents, and other special effects that enhance the
visuals on-screen. Each 4DX auditorium incorporates motion-based
seating synchronized with more than 20 different effects, maximizing
the feeling of immersion within the movie, beyond the limits
of audio and video. More than 650 Hollywood and local titles have
been screened in 4DX.
ScreenX is the world’s first multiprojection system used within a
theater setting, marking it as the most visually immersive theater
experience of CJ 4DPLEX. ScreenX allows moviegoers to go beyond
the frame of the movie screen by utilizing the left and right walls of
the theater, creating an immersive, panoramic, 270-degree viewing
experience.
Together “4DX with ScreenX” creates a remarkable, one-of-a-kind
experience and a natural convergence of two technologies that is
rapidly spreading around the world and growing in popularity. The
cutting-edge format made Fast Company’s list of The World’s Most
Innovative Companies in Live Events for 2019 and won the Silver
Edison Award in Media, Visual Communications & Entertainment
in 2018. As of May 2019, “4DX with ScreenX” has been installed in five screens
around the world, including two screens in South Korea, two in France, and one
in China. Mexico and Japan’s first “4DX with ScreenX” will open later this year.
BOOTH: MR 122 / www.cj4dplex.com
50 JUNE 2019

DESTINY SEATING
LYNX SLIDER LUXURY SEAT & KIDDIES SEAT
Destiny Seating is launching a variety of innovative cinema seat designs at
CineEurope. The Lynx Slider seat is a luxury VIP model that offers luxurious comfort
with a smooth backrest and corresponding seat sliding, either with manual or
power adjustment. The Lynx Slider offers the same comfort level as regular recliners
but requires regular-size tread spacings with a center-to-center dimension of
665/675mm. Upholstery is available in the finest grades of soft genuine leathers,
conforming to BS5852 Crib 5 fire regulation specification, and PU and fabric color/
specifications of your choice.
Today, specific cinema halls are dedicated to kids’ cinemas, with regular seats
in the back rows for parents’ supervision/viewing. This concept is currently yielding
high ticket sales in complexes that have taken the plunge. The highly durable
Destiny Kiddies cinema seat offers exceptional comfort and adequate sight line
dimensions for children and is fitted with nylon injection molded cup holders,
incorporating easily identifiable seat numbers. Upholstery is available in a variety
of vinyl PU colors.
Destiny Seating will also be introducing its innovative Tempur Foam concept at
the show.
BOOTH 701 / www.destinyseating.com
DK AUDIO
AX5 CINEMA SPEAKER
DK Audio’s AX5 is an extra-small surround high-end cinema speaker designed
to reproduce surround channels within a 3-D immersive system. AX5 is equipped
with a low/medium-frequency 5-inch (12.7 cm) loudspeaker and a 1-inch Ferrite
high-frequency driver.
The use of a coaxial loudspeaker reduces as much as possible the height of
the enclosure and enables a wide, circular, and homogeneous
directivity, near 95 degrees.
The AX5 can be augmented with DK
Audio’s extra-thin bass reinforcement
modules: R212 (17 cm depth), R15 (34.5 cm
depth), or R18EXP (34 cm depth). This
versatile speaker comes with three
different enclosures to cover all possible
common surround configurations
with its included wall-mount bracket.
Musicality, precision and dynamics are
merged with excellent performance in
a tiny form-factor enclosure. This allows DK Audio’s
AX5 to easily reproduce the most sophisticated and constraining
soundtracks with studio audio quality. Its design and ergonomy fit with
immersive 3-D audio whitepapers and thus offer a minimal height under
ceiling, whatever the vertical inclination. AX5 has been designed to fit in any
immersive system in small rooms, whatever the distance between the walls
or ceiling and the seats. It can be used under balconies in large theaters or
in any small room configuration (Dolby Atmos mixing room, premium home
cinemas, etc.).
BOOTH: 217 / www.dkaudio.fr
JUNE 2019
51

NEW PRODUCTS
DOLBY
DOLBY CINEMA PROCESSOR CP950
The award-winning Dolby Cinema Processor CP950 is the newest
innovation in Dolby’s lineage of
cinema processors. It’s designed
with more of the capabilities
you want—and less of those you
don’t—in a flexible, modular,
cost-efficient solution. The CP950
supports their most seamless
means of installing Dolby 5.1 and 7.1 surround and includes
an expansion slot for future upgradability to Dolby Atmos (check with
your local sales rep) to deliver the most memorable and creatively accurate
sound experience for your guests. Shipping August 1, 2019.
SUITE B / www.dolby.com
EUROGROUP UK
THE ROSE CHAIR
The wing chair began its long ancestry during the 1600s in England. It was
originally invented as a comfortable chair option that would prevent drafts in
old manor houses from reaching the upper parts of the body, or to protect
against the blistering heat of the large open fireplaces that were very popular in
the 1600s and 1700s. In Britain, wing chairs were thought of as essential for a
comfortable living room or parlor. Victorian writers describing scenes of idealized
family life round a blazing hearth often mentioned a fireside chair.
Infinity Seating by EuroGroup UK brings this warm and homey seating to the
cinema auditorium with their version of the wing chair, the Rose. The design is
customizable, from its dimensions to the fabrics.
BOOTH: 113 / www.eurogroup.co.uk
EZCARAY INTERNACIONAL
Ezcaray Internacional presents at CineEurope a new range of reclinable VIP
seats. Ergonomics, comfort, quality, and resistance, combined with the possibility
of manufacturing in different sizes, mean that their offer can be adapted to
different spaces and combinations. Check out new models Doze
and Zero.
BOOTH 635 / www.ezcarayinternacional.com
FLEXOUND AUGMENTED AUDIO
Flexound Augmented Audio combines high-quality
audio with physical vibration, creating a unique
immersive experience. The patented technology complements
current cinema sound systems and is easily integrated
into a wide range of seats. The technology offers equal sound
quality in every seat independent of seat location. It also improves
the clarity of dialogue and enables lower sound volumes
in the theater. Augmented audio requires no wearable accessories.
BOOTH: 722 / www.flexound.com
52 JUNE 2019

NEW PRODUCTS
GDC TECHNOLOGY
SR-5400 & SR-6400C STANDALONE IMB
In April 2019, GDC expanded its SR Series Standalone IMB product line to
include the SR-5400 and SR-
6400C, revolutionary media
servers designed for advanced
cinema imagery. The series
won the Catalyst Award for
Best New Technology of CinemaCon
2019 for its ultra-reliability
and innovative FAST
(Flexible Architecture Stable
Technology) engineering design
featuring the world’s highest bitrate and frame rate.
The advanced embedded power electronics used in medical and military
products makes enhanced capabilities possible. The SR-5400 Series is capable of
playing DCP content in 4K 3D and 4K@60fps and is compatible with the next-gen
DLP Cinema projectors from Barco, Christie, and NEC. SR-6400C is capable of
groundbreaking playback at 4K 3-D and 4K@120fps and is compatible with the
new Christie projector featuring RealLaser illumination and CineLife+. SR-6400C
can also play back 4K@240 fps in 3-D mode with the Cinity Cinema System.
BOOTH: MR131 / www.gdc-tech.com
GOLD MEDAL PRODUCTS
The best self-serve solution for popcorn is here! The ReadyServe
popcorn dispenser can transform the way you serve popcorn. Consider
why a self-serve model may be the best option for you:
1. Cut down on long lines. Long lines deter customers, meaning
you lose potential sales. But a self-serve popcorn machine gives
guests the convenience of a grab-and-go snack.
2. Save on labor. Minimize labor by allowing customers to
serve themselves. Your staff will be able to attend to other
responsibilities.
3. Increase customer satisfaction. Customers will appreciate the
ability to purchase freshly popped popcorn.
4. Give guests an experience they can’t find at competitors. A
popcorn dispenser is an experience that guests will enjoy.
5. Receive benefits that managers will appreciate. Popcorn
brings many advantages, including low costs, minimal labor, and
attractive profit margins.
The ReadyServe is an impressive popcorn display cabinet that
offers key benefits to operators. Created for cinemas, the unit
features a 48-inch base with a dual auger system, allowing two
customers to fill their cups or bags at once. Simply fill the cabinet
with popcorn, then individuals can dispense the popcorn using a
convenient push-button system. It also includes an integrated butter topping
dispenser and eye-catching LED backlit sign. Contact Gold Medal, the global leader
in concession equipment and supplies, for more details at 513-769-7676 or info@
gmpopcorn.com.
BOOTH: 500 / www.gmpopcorn.com
54 JUNE 2019

NEW PRODUCTS
FLEXOUND AUGMENTED
AUDIO
Flexound Augmented Audio
combines high-quality audio with
physical vibration, creating a unique
immersive experience. The patented
technology complements current
cinema sound systems and is easily
integrated into a wide range of seats.
The technology offers equal sound
quality in every seat independent of
seat location. It also improves the
clarity of dialogue and enables lower
sound volumes in the theater. Augmented
audio requires no wearable
accessories.
BOOTH: 722 / www.flexound.com
JIMMY
PRODUCTS
Jimmy Products
is a family business
with more than 70
years of expertise.
Popcorn professionals
since 1992, they make
high-quality popcorn
under the brand
name JIMMY’s. Jimmy
Products is constantly
innovating its range of
ready-to-eat popcorn,
nachos, and fresh sauces, adding new flavors and innovations. They support
their customers in increasing their turnover and improving their return.
Jimmy believes you can consume popcorn anywhere but only experience this
at the cinema. The perfect partner!
BOOTH 801 / www.jimmys.eu
LUMMA AUDIOVISUAL ENGINEERING
4D E-MOTION
Lumma offers comprehensive and skilled services
for 4D E-Motion’s worldwide implementation: study of
feasibility, overhaul of existing auditoriums, development,
production, installation, support, and maintenance. Lumma’s
synchronization department, based in Los Angeles, works
closely with Hollywood studios to program some of their
most impressive titles.
4D E-Motion offers high performance and either a full
retrofit or gradual incorporation of special effects. It is compatible
with all formats and does not require a special DCP.
It also offers immediate access from any smart device in real
time and is compatible with most projection systems.
BOOTH: 743 / www.4DEmotion.com
POSITIVE CINEMA
POSitive Cinema is focused on serving the needs of small and medium-sized
cinema chains worldwide. It is a complete, fully integrated, scalable, and user-friendly
cinema management software. The POSitive Cinema Solution is a
comprehensive offering that serves a wide range of needs at an optimal price.
Functionality includes ticketing, concessions, restaurant, dine-in, online, mobile,
kiosk, digital signage, loyalty, vouchers and gift cards, dashboards and analytics,
cash management, group sales, HQ and cinema level management, and more.
POSitive version 2.0 has a redesigned architecture based on Microsoft SQL 2017,
which provides optimal performance, low system requirements, and minimal
system maintenance, resulting in less complexity and reduced costs. Requests for
software changes can be delivered quickly, easily and inexpensively.
BOOTH: 622 / www.posit\ivecinema.com
56 JUNE 2019

THE
LUXIN-RIO
GROUP
VISIT US AT
BOOTH #601
A R T S A L L I A N C E M E D I A . C O M
THE GLOBAL LEADER IN DIGITAL CINEMA SOFTWARE AND SERVICES
SCREENWRITER
TMS
PRODUCER
ENTERPRISE TMS
LIFEGUARD
NOC TOOLS
ADFUSER
SAC TOOLS
UNITED
W I T H M E D I A M A T I O N
T O B E C O M E Y O U R S O U R C E F O R
4 D M O T I O N E F X S E AT S
& I M M E R S I V E C I N E M A

NEW PRODUCTS
PULZ ELECTRONICS
AD21300 2 CHANNEL POWER AMPLIFIER
Pulz’s AD21300 2 Channel Power Amplifier is designed and built for applications
where sonic transparency and robust high-power output capability are the
prime criteria.
Built around an oversized classic
toroidal power supply and ultra-linear
Class AB output stage, AD21300 packs
3500W of continuously deliverable clean
audio in a 2U chassis. This is made possible
by the innovative Dynamic Power
Tracking (DPT) controller, which fluidly
adjusts the power supply rails to track the signal. As a result, unwanted power
dissipation in the output stages is minimized by almost 80 percent. The amplifier
remains relatively cool even when driving the most demanding low-impedance
subwoofer loads. This approach is superior to the standard SMPS-based power
supplies, which are prone to failures and compromise the sonic purity due to
interference. All the components used in the Pulz AD21300 are of the highest
standard and from the most reputed manufacturers.
Channel-independent soft clipping, level indicators, sensitivity selection,
protection, and high CMRR balanced input stages are additional useful features
that make Pulz AD21300 outperform the standard amplifiers currently available.
It features high-efficiency DPT technology, a premium heavy-duty toroidal
transformer, highly sensitive CMRR balanced input stage, ultra-low-load output
capacity and channel-independent power with signal and clip LEDs.
BOOTH: 727 / www.pulz.co.in
QSC
DPA-Q SERIES AMPLIFIERS
The new DPA-Q Series amplifiers are four- and eight-channel network amplifiers
uniting the QSC legacy of robust power amplifiers, advancements in high-efficiency
output devices and native network transport, and the control and monitoring capabilities
of the Q-SYS ecosystem. DPA-Q Series amplifiers are fully native components
of the Q-SYS audio, video, and control (AV&C) ecosystem. Like all Q-SYS peripherals,
DPA-Q Series amplifiers offer simple drag-and-drop integration into a Q-SYS design,
enabling network routing, advanced processing (including Intrinsic Correction
custom voicings for QSC loudspeakers), and control. This expedites the installation
process and provides superior system performance.
BOOTH: 629 / www.qsc.com/cinema
ROMUS/GRADUS
ELAF 5150 LED STAIR NOSING
Romus/Gradus is a worldwide leader in LED lighting systems, with international
references in the cinema industry. They manufacture and provide LED
stair nosings, aisle and floor trim lighting, wall lighting, row indicators, mats,
and cover strips.
The new ELAF 5150 is preassembled LED stair nosing with or without integrated
row indicator, boasting low voltage and low consumption continuity effect.
BOOTH: 515 / www.romus.fr
58 JUNE 2019

NEW PRODUCTS
STEPGUARD BY
LIGHT TAPE
The StepGuard system was methodically developed for
Light Tape after years of field testing. It allows the manufacturer
to not only make the profile but also the light source, resulting
in a complete egress lighting solution of tremendous value.
Light Tape, a non-LED, bulb-free illuminating membrane,
has over a decade of performance in aerospace and automotive
industries, known for demanding reliability and durability
in the toughest application environments. StepGuard comes
made to measure, ready to plug and play, and can be installed
directly to raw step edges or over existing carpet. There is no
need to prepare the surface. Power can be remotely located
with only one supply to illuminate an entire theater.
Light Tape itself is heavy-load capable and vibration and
impact resistant. The StepGuard System adds a layer of
protective armor, allowing it to resist the most extreme conditions
expected with modern high-footfall multiplex cinemas. Light Tape also
uses 40 percent less power than traditional LEDs at equal brightness. Unlike
LEDs, the Light Tape illuminating membrane is designed to never get hot. It
will operate for more than 40,000 hours in extreme temperatures. It provides
a uniform illumination source with no need for diffusion, and most importantly
it throws no light reflection from steps onto the cinema screen.
BOOTH: 817 / www.lighttape.com
TF CREATION-VELTO
SENSITIVE BY VELTO
TF Creation, specialist in certified fire-retardant fabrics, introduces its new
range: Sensitive by Velto. This line of coating fabrics comes in two collections
coordinated with the Velto range: Impala (14 colors) and Oryx (8 colors).
Advantages include:
Durability: Martindale is greater than 100,000
Elasticity: Knitted support allows flexibility
Security: Their range is flame-retardant NF P 92503: M2, CA # 117, BS 5852
(Crib 5)
Sensitive by Velto, the luxury touch for your seats.
BOOTH 313 / www.velto.fr
TICKET.INTERNATIONAL
DOLPHIN.X VERSION 10
Ticket System & Solutions rereleases its Dolphin.X Version 10, a new generation
of ticketing software that points the way toward browser application. The
new version is remodeled, simpler to use, and more user-friendly. It also includes
new features. This browser-based application has a view in dashboard execution.
With the Dolphin, patrons can order concessions from their seats with one click
and pay on the spot. The digital signage synchronizes videos and images across
multiple monitors. The online booking from Ticket.International has been fully
integrated as a voucher shop.
BOOTH: 222 / www.ticket-international.com
60 JUNE 2019

NEW PRODUCTS
USHIO
LUMINITY
Ushio continues their drive to bring
xenon back to the forefront of cinema
technology by releasing the LU-series
of digital projector lamps, compatible
with leading manufacturers such as
Barco and NEC. New lamp models
are DXL-30BAF/LU, DXL-40BAF/LU,
DXL-60SN/LU, and DXL-65BA/L(U). The
new DXL-30BAF/LU takes the operational
warranty for a Luminity lamp to
2,200 hours. Luminity benefits from
longer life, fewer required lamp replacements,
and significantly reduced
operating costs. Luminity (LU-series)
lamps boast an extended warranty of
up to 500 additional hours.
BOOTH: 117
www.ushio.eu
VISTA GROUP
VISTA HORIZON
Vista Horizon is the next-level real-time
business intelligence experience
that is here to deliver real-time
operational data insights that enable
cinemas to make informed decisions
faster. Horizon’s three main components—Stream,
Store, and Discover—
together unveil the full landscape of
possibilities within your data. Stream
data around a circuit in real time
for insights and flash reporting that
responds to the moment, finding
trends as they unfold and reacting to
them now, not retrospectively. Store
full (treasure) troves of operational
and activity data safe and sound and
in full detail in the cloud. Discover the
possibilities with clear and practical
dashboards and self-service analysis
tools to dive deep into the insights
your data can hold—then use them
to build better business outcomes.
BOOTH: 101
www.vistagroup.co
WEBEDIA MOVIES PRO
BOOST, a division of Webedia Movie Pro, is a suite of
high-performance online ticketing products that helps
connect moviegoers and exhibitors directly, especially
when finding show times and purchasing tickets. BOOST
premium and innovative turnkey digital solutions
include: websites, mobile applications, CRM, voice A.I.
integration, and online ticketing solutions for thousands
of exhibitors worldwide. In 2018, BOOST products generated
over half a billion dollars in box office revenue for
theater exhibitors.
TICKETING SOLUTIONS
Bringing show times and ticketing services to the forefront of
search engines. Through visibility on Google, Bing, IMDb, and Facebook,
they help you reclaim your third-party customers and drive online
revenue with in-house ticketing platforms.
WEBSITE ADVANTAGES
Through fully branded websites, they create exclusive consumer experiences to
drive moviegoer traffic, fan engagement, and most importantly online revenue.
MOBILE APP
Creating movie ticket sales on the go! They help exhibitors directly
market to their core customers through immersive experiences,
innovative AMP ticketing, food and beverages, and loyalty
programs.
SMART EMAIL BLASTS
Easy-to-use communication tool creates turnkey newsletters and announcements,
with highly targeted lists, automated show times, and movie facts.
BOOTH: M219 / www.webediamoviespro.com
62 JUNE 2019

GUEST COLUMN
BY STAN MCCOY, PRESIDENT AND MANAGING DIRECTOR, MPA EMEA
PIRACY WENT FROM GEEKY TO EASY.
WHAT’S NEXT? THE MPA’S ANTIPIRACY EFFORTS
ARE A GLOBAL EFFORT
>> Innovation is everywhere in film and
television—on the screens of CineEurope
and in the digital technology that enables
cutting-edge production and distribution.
Unfortunately, while the makers
innovate, so do the takers. In the last 15
years, piracy went from geeky to easy.
Transmission technologies improved with
the advent of streaming, and delivery via
new apps and devices bridged the divide
between the PC and the living room.
Today’s piracy has become a very
different type of organized crime: more
sophisticated, tech intensive, very elusive,
and massive in scale. Where will it go
next? Increasingly, industry antipiracy
efforts are bending the trajectory from
geeky, to easy, to … broken.
Try accessing a pirate site in much of
the EU, and you’ll find ISPs redirecting
the top ones to something like Denmark’s
“share with care” campaign, inviting
users to buy cinema tickets or sign up for
legit streaming services. Try looking for
alternatives on a search engine and you’re
more likely than ever to get malware
and clickbait sites posing as pirates. Are
64 JUNE 2019

you feeling lucky? Sign up for a “dodgy box”—an
IPTV device loaded with pirate apps—and you’ll
risk finding that you’ve just subscribed to a doorstop.
When the pirate app store gets taken down,
or the service blocked, as happened to TVaddons,
Filmspeler, and still happens to dozens more every
week, your box becomes dead weight—unless
you’ve got the time and tech savvy to fix it yourself.
Much of this pirate frustration comes courtesy
of the Motion Picture Association and a wider
industry partnership, the Alliance for Creativity
and Entertainment. Recently, for example, ACE
reached a settlement that put the infringing hardware
and service provider Dragon Box out of business
in the U.S. Around the same time, on
the other side of the world, ACE helped
Thai law enforcement to shutter multiple
online piracy sites. ACE is modern antipiracy
innovation at its best: global and
flexible, using an innovative mix of civil
and criminal enforcement.
Meanwhile, audiences find the genuine
experience is better than ever, both in cinemas
and online. It needs to be: Consumers
demand it, and piracy unfortunately
remains a big threat.
A pair of studies from Carnegie Mellon
University (2014 and 2016) showed
that, on average, prerelease movie piracy
results in a 19 percent reduction in box
office revenue relative to what would have
occurred if piracy were only available
after the movie’s release. If piracy could
be eliminated from the theatrical window,
then box office revenues would increase by
14 to 15 percent.
Dodgy boxes also take a bite out of our
industry. According to a 2017 Sandevine
study, which examined all forms of subscription
TV piracy, 6.5 percent of North
American households are accessing known
subscription television piracy services.
Almost 95 percent of TV piracy is driven
by purpose-built set-top boxes.
In the U.K., nearly five million adults
currently have access to platforms such
as illegal Kodi boxes, Amazon Fire TV
Chipped Sticks, and illegal streaming apps
on smartphones and tablets, according to
a 2017 YouGov survey. The government
estimates that more than one million
illicit streaming devices have been sold in
the U.K. in the last two years.
Complicating this threat is a range of
new technologies that pirates are seeking
to add to their self-enrichment arsenal,
including cryptocurrencies and artificial
intelligence.
The emerging threats point to a
continuing need to work together. Piracy
ain’t broke yet. But it can become a lot less
attractive if we keep on putting as much
innovation into fighting it as cyber-criminals
put into building it.
Q: What is the key to
fighting piracy, and how can
exhibitors contribute?
A: Fighting piracy today requires
a multifaceted approach
including the “three E’s”:
enforcement, education, and
exciting legal offer. Exhibitors
have a key role in each.
Of course, every exhibitor
knows the value of an exciting
cinematic experience. And
exhibitors widely support
enforcement against, and prevention
of, illegal camcording,
which remains heavy in some
markets (notably Russia) and a
constant threat elsewhere.
Data confirms that exhibitors
also have a key role to
play in supporting consumer
education campaigns: According
to the MPA’s THEME
(Theatrical and Home Entertainment
Market Environment)
report released in March 2019,
frequent moviegoers are more
likely to belong to younger age
brackets and own key technology
products, especially video
streaming devices. Sixty-two
percent of those who own
streaming devices are also
frequent moviegoers.
Showing campaigns such
as the I Make Movies videos
on the big screen, as exhibitors
in Ireland have recently
done, gives those education
campaigns a big boost.
I Make Movies features the
many people who form the
long list of “closing credits”
and showcases their individual
stories, putting a face on the
victims of piracy.
JUNE 2019
65

TOP WOMEN
IN GLOBAL
EXHIBITION 2019
EDITED BY REBECCA PAHLE
PAYING IT
FORWARD
LAURA HOULGATTE
ABBOTT INSPIRES AS
UNIC’S CEO
by Rebecca Pahle
>> As the CEO of UNIC, the largest
international trade body in cinema,
Laura Houlgatte Abbott has a lot to
juggle. Representing the needs of UNIC’s
37 member companies (soon to be
38—“Hopefully we manage to get Cyprus
on board”) requires legal knowledge,
political acumen, and an ability to operate
within the cultural arena. It requires a
gift for listening to and collaborating with
people who often have different backgrounds
and needs. On the more trivial
side of things, it requires an ability to stay
on top of member countries’ various time
zones, which Houlgatte Abbott admits is
something of a challenge—“It does my
head in most of the time. What do I say?
‘Good morning’? ‘Good evening’?”
Time zones aside—Houlgatte Abbott
has more than earned her place on this
year’s list of Top Women in Global
Exhibition, published by Boxoffice in
conjunction with Celluloid Junkie.
Houlgatte Abbott’s educational background—and
the seed of her eventual
role with UNIC—is in political science,
which in her native country of France is
an area of study that encompasses more
than it does in the U.S.: “You study
economics, you study history, you study
languages, you study law.” All subjects, of
course, that come in handy if you’re running
an international trade body, which
at the time Houlgatte Abbott had no
intention of doing. “I had no idea what
I wanted to do with my life. Absolutely
none,” she recalls.
“I’ve always been very much into films
and culture, but my parents always told
me, ‘You’re never going to find a good
job in that sector. You’re always going to
struggle. It’s really hard and competitive,
and it’s such a small pool. You’re never
going to manage. Study something that
will give you a real job!’” Houlgatte Abbott
chuckles. The job in film, admittedly, didn’t
come straight away. Houlgatte Abbott
started as a cultural services trainee at the
French embassy in Ireland. From there,
she moved to her current hometown of
Brussels, where she worked for the British
Council and then with the Federation of
European Publishers. Then came “a bit
of luck,” as she describes it. “UNIC was
looking for someone to help on policy at
the time.” She was hired. Two years later,
when her predecessor, Jan Runge, left, she
applied for and got the job as CEO. With
her background and the UNIC’s multifaceted
requirements, “it was a match made in
heaven.”
“The call was stronger than anything,”
Houlgatte Abbott reflects. “I’ve
been lucky enough to find these opportunities.
Sometimes you need to believe
in your dream.”
It’s not just luck, skill, and professional
background that are responsible for
Houlgatte Abbott’s being in her present
position. The executive also credits her
“amazing team” at UNIC. “It’s not only
a good team, it’s a happy team. I think
that’s how we manage to do everything
we do, even though we’re a small office
here in Brussels. … It’s not a woman-alone
job!”
Mentors also played a key role in
Houlgatte Abbott’s professional rise. (“I
could probably list 30 of them!”) Barring
a bulleted list, she singles out a few key
women who served as mentors when she
started as UNIC’s CEO: The “absolutely
amazing” Anne Fitzgerald of Cineplex
and Cinevital CEO Edna Apelbaum, a
vice president on UNIC’s board.
Houlgatte Abbott pays it forward with
UNIC’s Women’s Cinema Leadership
Programme, which launched at CineEurope
in 2017. Now entering its third
cycle, the program pairs up-and-coming
women in the exhibition space with
female senior executives, from whom they
receive on-one-one guidance and advice
over the course of the year. “When we
launched it in 2017, it was a pilot scheme
66
JUNE 2019

for us,” Houlgatte Abbott says. “We
didn’t know what the results were going
to be. The kind of support we got,
and the feedback, not only from the
participants in the program but also
from the industry overall, was overwhelming.
We realized that there was
nothing like this in the industry. That
it was very much needed. Young women
were looking for role models and
advice, which they didn’t think they
could ask for sometimes in their own
company, because sometimes you need
to open up about things that are quite
personal.” The flow of information
goes both ways, with mentors sharing
with Houlgatte Abbott that “they were
also learning a lot from their mentees,
which is incredible.”
This year’s mentors and mentees
will be announced at CineEurope.
Looking down the road, the Women’s
Cinema Leadership Programme’s
fourth year might include mentors
who were mentees the first year, a reflection of
how some of the program’s participants have
“made such big jumps in their careers already.”
“We don’t pretend that we’re going to solve the
issue of gender balance in the industry, because
we certainly cannot do that,” Houlgatte Abbott
says. At the same time, the benefit UNIC’s Women’s
Cinema Leadership Programme provides goes
beyond individual mentors and protégés. “It’s
also created this incredible network of amazingly
talented, professional women. That’s really
heartwarming, because sometimes you can walk
around in this industry and, you know … the
diversity in some of our territories is not great.
‘Challenged,’ to be polite. It’s such a great energy
when you are in a room with all these women. We
have get-togethers twice a year, once in Barcelona
during CineEurope and once in Brussels during
our Cinema Days. The feedback that we get and
the energy that’s flowing from it is just amazing.”
On a personal level, Houlgatte Abbott has
pulled inspiration from women outside the
exhibition space: “I’ve had incredible role models
outside the industry that have been extremely important
in my career. Just seeing women here in
Brussels being CEOs and telling you, ‘You can do
it. You have to work hard, but it’s possible.’ That’s
all made a difference.”
In one’s professional life, too, Houlgatte Abbott
recommends opening the lines of communication
and being receptive to ideas from people in different
industries—or within one’s own industry who
have different ways of doing things. “You have to
think outside of the box sometimes. You see it in
our own industry: people who have incredible career
paths who did something completely different
before they arrived in cinema. They can bring a lot
of new ideas to this sector.”
Regular get-togethers and the exchange of
ideas—CineEurope is the site of UNIC’s biggest
gathering, but there are smaller ones at Cannes
and elsewhere—are what Houlgatte Abbott counts
as “the most valuable moments. You really can’t
replace them.” Yet inevitably, members have their
share of differences. There are big chains and small,
mature markets and emerging, differences in local
regulations and moviegoing cultures. But the ultimate
goal is the same: Getting people to the movies.
“I think it’s easier to find something that we can
all fight for than something that’s going to divide
us. The diversity of the markets contributes to the
beauty of the organization, because it’s a source of
inspiration. People are looking at what’s happening
in other markets and thinking, ‘Oh, I could try that
as well.’ Or ‘This is something that we could bring
to our local government.’ That’s a big asset.”
LAURA HOULGATTE
ABBOTT
JUNE 2019
67

TOP WOMEN IN GLOBAL EXHIBITION 2019
JADRANKA ISLAMOVIC
BALKAN STAR
BLITZ-CINESTAR CEO
JADRANKA ISLAMOVIC
KEEPS THINGS RUNNING
by Rebecca Pahle
>> For a cinema
chain to succeed, it
takes a team. For a
cinema chain to be
named International
Exhibitor of the Year
at CineEurope, it takes
a really, really good
team—one, in the
case of Blitz-CineStar,
that includes Jadranka
Islamovic. CEO of
Blitz-CineStar since
2015, Islamovic is one
of the women honored
by Boxoffice and
Celluloid Junkie in their 2019 list of Top Women
in Global Exhibition.
Islamovic initially joined Blitz-CineStar in
2007, only four years after the founding of the
company and the opening of its first multiplex.
Initially the chain’s head of accounting, she
eventually became its director of finance before
being promoted to CEO. Her time working on
Blitz-CineStar’s money matters gave her “a thorough
knowledge of the company’s finances—and
that is the foundation of what I do today.”
“Figures are the basis of everything in this
industry,” she argues. “My experience in finance
and understanding of the financial indicators of
success—or failure—is very helpful in managing
the company’s day-to-day operations.”
It’s making sure those day-to-day operations run
smoothly that is Islamovic’s main role at Blitz-
CineStar—and it’s by no means a small one, particularly
given the chain’s substantial growth. After
becoming CEO, Islamovic was able to “streamline
the internal processes of the company so as to
shorten and expedite the communication flow
between the management and cinema operations
and get quicker feedback from cinema visitors. I
had support from my core team, which I expanded
with some new experts, allowing us to stay on top
of new technologies and help our employees be
more effective in their work.” Long-time employees
trained the newcomers and oversaw operational
procedures, and hand-selected sales staff helped to
set “higher standards and targets” for the chain as
a whole. “I believe we have great people. We make
an excellent team. This is our biggest strength.”
The importance of building a good team is
one of the lessons Islamovic learned early on in
her career. On her own team she counts mentors
Hrvoje Krstulovic and Heiner Kieft, who “taught
me a great deal, but also allowed me to grow and
develop as the business has grown. … [Krstulovic’s]
experience as a distributor also allowed me to learn
from him parts of the other side of the business
and to better understand distributors as valuable
business partners. The learning process continues
today, because we are a dynamic industry.”
The goal of everything Islamovic does at
Blitz-CineStar is, of course, providing the best
possible experience for moviegoers. To that end, Islamovic
names as a priority pursuing “technologies
that will allow us to upgrade our services, including
better use of our CRM and big data analysis.”
Key, here, is streamlining things not just for
the theater employees, but for everyone who buys
a ticket. “It is essential that there are no obstacles
for the visitor from the moment he or she decides
to obtain information on the films to when they
make a decision to buy a ticket,” she says. “They
must be able to go through the whole process
quickly and smoothly. There are a lot of moments
in the flow of information where we can either win
the buyer or lose them. These are business processes
that we learn every day, and every day we get
better. We never forget that free time is sparse, and
we appreciate that people wish to spend their free
time at our cinemas.”
As for the cinemas where Islamovic likes to
spend her free time—those would be Blitz-Cine-
Star’s Gold Class Theater or their Kaptol Boutique
Cinema, “where everything is adjusted to the needs
of the visitor.”
In the end, “cinema exhibition is an industry
that you either fall in love with, or you don’t,”
Islamovic argues. “To succeed, you need to have
the feel for this business, the determination to
put your ideas into practice, to be able to create a
good team, and, first and foremost, to work a lot
and build good relationships with the visitors to
your cinemas.”
68 JUNE 2019

Earlier this year, Boxoffice partnered with Celluloid Junkie to present the fourth annual list
of Top Women in Global Exhibition, published in our CinemaCon issue. Throughout 2019,
Boxoffice will continue to honor the women who have an immeasurable impact on the exhibition
industry with a series of in-depth profiles. First up: executives who bring their dedication
and expertise to European markets.
VUE INTERNATIONAL
Alison Cornwell, CFO, Vue International
Vue’s CFO since 2014, Alison Cornwell has
overseen several of Vue’s acquisitions, including Italy’s
leading cinema chain The Space Entertainment,
JT Bioscopen’s now-rebranded Vue Nederland,
and Vue’s biggest procurement to date, CineStar
in Germany. Her role looks set to expand dramatically
over the next few years with the completion
of recent corporate acquisitions. Cornwell is also
a non-executive director of the Edinburgh International
Film Festival and of the Scottish charity
Moving Image. (continued on page 70)
ALISON CORNWELL
JUNE 2019
69

TOP WOMEN IN GLOBAL EXHIBITION 2019
DEE VASSILI
Dee Vassili, Executive
Director Group HR,
Vue International
Dee Vassili is a
long-standing member
of the Vue family,
having joined back in
2003. As the chain’s
HR executive director,
Vassili’s passion
for finding the right
caliber of people for
the right roles shines
through everything she
does. She is undoubtedly
a key player in
Vue’s success, from its
inception to its current
status as the largest
privately held cinema
operator in Europe.
Vassili is also known for being incredibly generous
with her time when it comes to encouraging wider
diversity and representation in the industry.
What is the biggest challenge facing exhibition
in 2019?
Alison Cornwell: The biggest challenge is
keeping apace of the numerous opportunities
available to us. With three of our five key markets
(the U.K., Poland, and the Netherlands) delivering
record attendances in 2018, the industry is in
great shape. The film slate for the next 12 months
looks phenomenal.
We are also very focused on integrating our recent
acquisitions and making sure that we are well
positioned to fully optimize our estate and slate
across our 10 territories. It’s a very exciting time to
be in exhibition!
Dee Vassili: The biggest challenge facing exhibition
is probably more of an opportunity. Exhibition
is a growth sector. We are seeing unprecedented
numbers, and our strategy for international
growth remains at the forefront of everything we
do. While we can celebrate the dynamic and long
history of the industry, we can never stand still and
never be complacent. Consumers demand more.
There is far greater diversity of content than
ever before. The success of the industry is not
just about exceptional content enjoyed in premium
environments but also the people that bring
everything together. We have to keep moving with
the times, responding to change, and evolving the
big-screen experience.
What’s your proudest achievement from your
time so far at Vue?
AC: Building a world-class finance team across
our 10 territories.
DV: Being part of the senior team that created
the Vue brand and transformed it from a 35-cinema,
U.K.-only business with just over a thousand
people to a pan-European circuit with 287 cinemas
across 10 countries and over 8,500 people is very
special. The other thing that is just as special is
finding talented people, watching them grow, and
becoming part of driving the company’s success.
Many of these people have achieved great things,
either at Vue or elsewhere. Vue alumni are currently
to be found in key positions across exhibition,
distribution, and other businesses within the
leisure and entertainment industry. Playing a small
part in their personal development and success
makes me proud.
How would you evaluate the progress women
have made in the exhibition business in the
past few years?
AC: I am relatively new to exhibition, but my
observation is that Vue has a significant number
of women in senior positions—more so than I
observed in my previous roles in film and TV distribution,
broadcasting, and film financing, both in
the studio and independent sectors.
DV: There are some very talented and successful
women in exhibition, and it is great to see such
positive role models emerging. I totally support
industry initiatives such as the UNIC Women’s
Cinema Leadership Programme, which leverages
this in a positive way. These types of initiatives
create an opportunity for talented women to share
experiences and learn from each other. They also
provide the opportunity to meet inspirational
female role models within the industry who have
achieved amazing things and can have a positive
influence on one’s thinking, as well as ultimately
becoming part of a personal support network.
Tell us about your mentors in this business.
AC: Throughout my career I have always
enjoyed learning by working with people at all
levels and from varying disciplines and different
70 JUNE 2019

TOP WOMEN IN GLOBAL CINEMA
We Proudly Salute
Carol Welch
and
Kathryn Pritchard
Congratulations to these outstanding women from ODEON
for being selected to this prestigious group of Top Women in Global Cinema.
Thank you for your commitment to excellence in the cinema industry.
Your efforts are resulting in an overwhelmingly positive impact on the exhibition industry.
+1.662.539.7017
www.vipcinemaseating.com

TOP WOMEN IN GLOBAL EXHIBITION 2019
For me, the ideal moviegoing experience
should have an air of anticipation and
excitement built around two to three
hours of escapism from the hustle and
bustle of everyday life.
– DEE VASSILI
countries. Observing how not to do something can
often deliver the best learning experience.
DV: I have been fortunate enough to meet
some amazing people both within this industry
and outside. People we meet can have a lasting
impact on us, both in a negative and positive way,
which can ultimately contribute to the shaping
of what and who we become. The most memorable
experiences I can recall from working in this
business involve working with talented men and
women who have challenged me, taken me out
of my comfort zone, and provided a different lens
through which to view the world.
What advice would you give to women just
entering the movie exhibition business?
AC: My advice would be the same for any business
and any person: Be yourself, be curious, and
understand as much as you can about all aspects of
the business. Identify what’s important and be clear
on what you are trying to achieve. Prioritize, be a
team player, and behave with respect and integrity.
DV: I would say it is a great industry to work
in, with so many opportunities to play a positive
part in shaping the future of exhibition. Get out
there and be a part of that by learning how the
industry works, talking to lots of different people,
and gaining a diverse perspective. Share your views,
constructively challenge others, do great work, and
have fun!
What are the key accomplishments you would
still like to make during your time at Vue?
AC: Deliver further enhancements in automation
of leading-edge management-information and
decision-making tools.
DV: We know that the world is changing at
a rapid speed, faster than ever before. Digital
transformation is completely changing the business
landscape and creating demand for new skills.
Eighty percent of schoolchildren between the ages
of 4 and 9 will get jobs that don’t even exist today.
Methods of communication have become faster,
the political climate is changing, globalization has
led to increased consolidation, and new competition
that disrupts the status quo can appear overnight.
Legislative changes like GDPR and higher
retirement ages have affected the way we run our
businesses. The workforce is changing; by 2020,
we will have five different generations working side
by side, all with different needs, motivations, and
career models.
From an organizational development perspective,
this creates massive challenges. I would
like to be in a position where I play a key part in
successfully navigating our business through these
changing times.
Describe your ideal moviegoing experience.
AC: Enjoying the social experience of watching
an art house film with my four teenage children at
a Vue with top-quality seats, screens, and sound.
DV: For me, the ideal moviegoing experience
should have an air of anticipation and excitement
built around two to three hours of escapism from
the hustle and bustle of everyday life. This is
brought to life by a stress-free environment, being
served by happy and helpful people, indulging in
some “Pic ’n’ Mix” and then ending it all by pretending
to be film critics with a bunch of friends
over a glass of wine.
Can you describe a formative moviegoing
experience from your childhood?
AC: Being traumatized by Bambi at age five
(many years after its original release)!
DV: The first time I went to the cinema, I was
5 years old. It was a Saturday morning, and it
became one of my very first childhood memories.
The experience was new and exciting. I think the
experience became sharply etched in my childhood
memory not just because watching a film on
the big screen blew me away, but because it was
72 JUNE 2019

a shared experience with people who meant a lot
to me. Life is all about creating memories with
people you care about. Having had one of my first
and most memorable childhood experiences in the
cinema, moviegoing became the setting for the
creation of many more treasured memories.
What can companies like Vue do to encourage
diversity within the exhibition industry?
AC: Monitor the diversity of people being hired
to ensure that there is no obvious bias. Then support
and encourage all people and provide learning
opportunities. The best teams have a good gender
and cultural mix. My current London-based head
office team at Vue enjoys an approximately 50/50
gender mix and has people from many countries,
including Europe and beyond.
DV: Research and studies have shown that a
high-performing and diverse workforce gives an
organization a competitive advantage. Valuing
difference and fostering wide-ranging perspectives
and complementary strengths can ultimately deliver
more informed and effective business solutions.
Sourcing, engaging, and retaining diverse top
talent means that organizations must have in place
a business culture that allows this to flourish. It is
not about soapbox speeches and initiatives that pay
lip service and look good to the outside world. It
is about ensuring that business policies, processes,
infrastructures, and working practices are all underpinned
by clear principles that enable business
decisions relating to people to be based on inclusion,
transparency, objectivity, and meritocracy.
In today’s world, [having] websites like Glassdoor
and Indeed, where employees post anonymous
reviews about companies, means that
businesses can no longer hide their internal organizational
culture. Rather, it has become part of their
brand. If a positive and effective business culture
is created, organizations will by default attract and
retain highly talented diverse individuals, resulting
in a well-balanced workforce.
Alison, how has your role at Vue changed in the
aftermath of its recent slate of acquisitions?
AC: As Vue has been acquisitive over many
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JUNE 2019
73

TOP WOMEN IN GLOBAL EXHIBITION 2019
years, the recent acquisitions are part of our
DNA. We have well-established procedures for
integrating new businesses and welcoming new
talent into the group. As any business grows and
the span of control widens, the key enablers to
success are effective communication, prioritization,
and the presence of robust management
information systems.
Dee, you’ve been with Vue since the beginning.
As a company like yours grows, how do you
ensure that corporate culture stays positive?
DV: During our rapid expansion, we have
worked hard to ensure that our internal infrastructures
and ways of working have developed and
evolved in such a way that they remain fit for our
purpose. In the process of achieving this, we have
also worked hard to protect what made us successful
in the first place.
Our business is all about people, and our core
values have never changed. They underpin everything
we do. When we recruit into our business,
we will only hire people who are aligned to our
values and culture. This means they will to bring
to life our culture through the way they behave
and also through the types of people they go on
to recruit. This has created a broad and diverse
workforce that shares the same core values while
having very different strengths. The result is a
powerful and complementary mix of expertise
and knowledge gained from exhibition and other
relevant sectors.
GRAINNE PEAT
EVENT CINEMA ASSOCIATION
Grainne Peat, Policy
Executive & Managing
Director, Event
Cinema Association
The UK Cinema
Association’s (UKCA)
policy executive for
the last five and a half
years, Grainne Peat
last year took on the
mantle of managing
director for the Event
Cinema Association (ECA). Peat’s refined vision
for the ECA was on display at the group’s 2019
Slate Day, which paired presentations on a range
of content with insight-based conferences geared
toward how to effectively market event cinema.
What is the biggest challenge facing event
cinema in 2019?
Event cinema continues to draw audiences from
around the world. The diversity of content that is
now on offer is richer and stronger than ever. We’ve
seen a huge growth in the popularity of concertand
documentary-based content, which continues
to attract new audiences of all ages to cinemas.
Consumer-facing challenges remain centered
around promotion and consistent marketing
of what is considered event cinema. The Event
Cinema Association looks to how we can improve
consumer awareness and find a comprehensive and
cost-effective way to better promote all content.
In terms of industry challenges for event cinema,
there is work to be done around content delivery,
programming (particularly for single-site cinemas),
and global box office and admissions data.
What’s your proudest achievement from your
time so far at the ECA?
A few months ago I would have said the ECA
Slate Day back in January. The event, which was
the first under my leadership, was effectively our
relaunch. The level of attendance and enthusiasm
was hugely encouraging, and the diverse range of
content presented really demonstrated how much
event cinema is evolving and growing.
However, I now feel our presence at CineEurope
is my proudest achievement to date. It’s the
first time event cinema (taken as a whole) has had
a product presentation at any trade show. I hope it
cements the new direction of the association and
the growing importance of event cinema in terms
of global box office and cinema programming. It’s
been a pleasure working with Andrew Sunshine
and the Film Expo Group team to make this
happen. We’ve got lots happening throughout the
week, with a firm focus on driving membership
with partners and colleagues from across Europe.
How would you evaluate the progress women
have made in the exhibition business in the
past few years?
Women in exhibition have long driven innovation.
They’ve excelled as leaders and have been an
74 JUNE 2019

We Proudly Salute
Duncan Reynolds
GROUP DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR, ODEON CINEMAS GROUP
2019 CinéEurope Gold Award Recipient
Congratulations on this prestigious, well-deserved award.
Thank you for your commitment to excellence in theatre experiences around the globe.
+1.662.539.7017
www.vipcinemaseating.com

TOP WOMEN IN GLOBAL EXHIBITION 2019
integral component of all areas of exhibition and
the wider film industry. It is only in recent years
that the industry has started to shine a light on
the successes of female leaders and recognize the
challenges they have faced and continue to face
in this largely male-dominated industry. Pioneering
initiatives such as UNIC’s Women’s Cinema
Leadership Programme are a huge step forward in
acknowledging talent and nurturing future female
leaders. They create an empowering network for
women to share experiences, skills, and knowledge,
something that was severely lacking in the
industry.
Tell us about your mentors in this business.
Particularly in my role at the ECA, the members
of the board of directors give me support and
advice pertaining to the event cinema landscape.
It’s been a pleasure working with them over these
first few months.
My most long-standing mentor is Monica
Chadha, non-executive director and executive coach
at Mocha8. I caught her attention with a charity
pitch I did over 10 years ago. Monica has long
championed, guided, and supported me throughout
my career. She challenged me, offered me a different
perspective on situations, and taught me the importance
of keeping my integrity. She is my independent
voice of reason and a great friend.
Veronica Lindholm [managing director of
Odeon Group Cinemas] was my mentor in the
UNIC Women’s Cinema Leadership Programme.
I was beyond honored to be paired with Veronica.
She is the sort of a leader and individual I aspire
to be. I learned a great deal from Veronica, like the
importance of speaking up, trying not to overthink
too much, and having confidence in my professional
ability. My mentoring came at a time when I was
ready to look for my next career move, which ended
in my taking the managing director role at the Event
Cinema Association. Our time together helped me
to take the leap to be involved in something I was
passionate about.
Phil Clapp, CEO of the UK Cinema Association
and president of UNIC, taught me a great deal about
leadership and how to run a successful trade body.
Structure and clarity of purpose is vital for any trade
body. Members need to have a good understanding
of how their needs can be met and how they can be
represented. Phil has been supportive of my taking
the managing director role at the ECA, and I am
truly grateful to have had the pleasure of working
alongside him. Lucky for him, my role at the ECA
presents lots of scope for future collaborations!
Last but not least, I have to make note of my inner
sanctum, a group of like-minded female industry
professionals whom I also call my friends. We’re
a diverse bunch, but we’re all ambitious, supportive,
competent, and enjoy a glass of wine! It’s great to
have a network to chew the fat with.
What advice would you give to women just
entering the movie exhibition business?
Have confidence in your capabilities. Then have
confidence in yourself. Always keep your integrity,
speak up, and put yourself forward. Once in a while,
go outside of your comfort zone.
What are the key accomplishments you would
still like to make during your time at the ECA?
I feel my time at the ECA is only just beginning.
There is so much more in store for the association.
Making it a truly global—and recognized—group
will be the biggest accomplishment.
The association has lots to address in regard
to technology, marketing, and data. These are the
three key strands of the ECA’s new strategy. Event
cinema has a lot to offer—including a different
perspective—in industry conversations around
audience development, technology, and marketing.
Tell me about the most important lesson you
learned while you were starting out in this
industry.
Knowledge is key. Own what you do and do
it well. That is what I respect in colleagues from
across the industry. Establish a support network of
like-minded professionals. Having an independent
perspective on things is hugely important to professional
development and growth.
Describe your ideal moviegoing experience.
I’ll probably be going against the grain by saying
that I actually enjoy going to the cinema on my
own. It’s the perfect “me” time. I can switch off from
everything while still being in a social environment.
In terms of what is important to me at the cinema,
three things: seats, sound, and the quality of the
nacho cheese dip! I’ve long championed the power
of the cinema to provide escapism. It’s the one time
I switch my phone off and get fully immersed in
what I’m watching.
76 JUNE 2019

What’s the sort of event cinema programming
that you, personally, like to go see?
Mainly concerts and theater. One of my favorite
childhood books is The Curious Incident of the Dog
in the Night-Time. I went to see the West End
production, but my seats were awful and I had a
terrible view of the stage. When the performance
was bought to cinemas, I was thrilled that I could
see it again, properly this time. With nacho cheese
dip, which they don’t do in stage theaters.
I am also a huge lover of music. The opportunity
to watch performances in comfort on a big screen
with great sound is a big win for me. Beyoncé’s
“Homecoming” should have gone to cinemas rather
than straight to Netflix. It’s stunning—the choreography,
the music, the costumes, the passion. It
should have had the big-screen experience.
And finally, can you tell me what we can expect
to see from the ECA’s product presentation at
this year’s CineEurope?
The focus has been to bring as much wow factor
to the stage as possible, whilst ensuring we include
the many facets of event cinema. You’ll have to come
see the presentation, on Wednesday, June 19, at 10
a.m.! Needless to say, this is an exciting time for
event cinema and the association’s members.
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF
THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-
TIME, AS SCREENED BY
FATHOM EVENTS
JUNE 2019
77

TOP WOMEN IN GLOBAL EXHIBITION 2019
ODEON GROUP
Kathryn Pritchard, Group Chief People
Officer & Director of Strategic Programs,
ODEON Group
Although a relative newcomer to cinema, having
joined Odeon in 2015 from the U.K. government,
Kathryn Pritchard has made quite the
impression. 2018 was a busy year for Odeon, and
Pritchard’s work saw her win numerous awards in
her time with the company. She is responsible for
developing the company’s business strategy and
has reinvigorated Odeon’s workforce. She also
has an MBA and a master’s in leadership coaching.
In May, Pritchard left Odeon to explore
other opportunities.
Carol Welch, Managing Director,
ODEON Group Cinemas
Carol Welch has had a busy year. Not only has
she overseen the adding of a further nine Odeon
Luxe cinemas to their burgeoning portfolio, including
the famous Odeon Luxe Leicester Square
just before Christmas, but she also found time to
be appointed a non-executive director of Hammerson
PLC and fulfill her commitments to the
UK Cinema Association (UKCA).
What’s your proudest achievement from your
time so far at Odeon?
KP: I have so many. In the last four years we
have cracked top decile OHI (Organizational
Health Index). We’ve won so many awards, and
we launched our first diversity strategy. But the
things I’m most proud of are the teams we’ve
built and the careers I’ve watched flourish. Nothing
beats watching someone brilliant hone their
skills and become more brilliant. It’s what gets
me up in the morning. They’re too many people
to mention, but I hope they all know just how
proud I am of them.
CW: I have two. The first is the success of
Odeon Luxe, our recliner cinema experience. This
required the efforts of many, many people, and
the response from our guests has been fantastic
every time.
The second is seeing the talent in our business
grow. Due to the launch of the Bright Lights and
Our Incredible Differences programs, we now have
a more diverse set of leaders than ever before. Long
may they continue to flourish.
What is the biggest challenge facing exhibition
in 2019?
Kathryn Pritchard: The biggest challenge is
making every cinema visit feel special for every
guest. Lifelong personal memories are made in
the cinema. Yet, we operate at scale and pace.
Ensuring the experience isn’t just transactional
or perfunctory is vital. That means every guest
touch point needs to be delivered with care and
attention, and that’s tough.
Carol Welch: I only see opportunities. Our
focus at Odeon is ensuring we provide every guest
with the best experience whilst they enjoy watching
one of the fabulous films from our distribution
partners. In a world where the “small screen” is so
much a part of our daily lives, the opportunity
cinema has is to whisk guests away to immerse
themselves in their choice of movie. From The
Favourite to Avengers: Endgame to Rocketman,
there is nothing quite like being treated to the
full big-screen experience. Our role is to up our
game every time, so guests come back to share
their immersive experience with others!
KATHRYN PRITCHARD
78 JUNE 2019

How would you evaluate the progress
women have made in the exhibition
business in the past few years?
KP: We have more women in leadership
roles than we did four years ago but, like
many organizations, we don’t have a true
meritocracy yet. And that’s the ultimate
goal in all sectors, because it’s a meritocracy
that drives business performance; it means
the most capable people get chosen for
any job. Unfortunately I still see fabulous
women whose careers are progressing more
slowly than their male counterparts. The
reasons are complex, but it needs sustained
effort to rectify. And frankly it needs men,
who currently hold the roles and power, to
make a difference, to act with women to
bring about change.
CW: Progress is definitely there—two
of the five MDs at Odeon Cinema Group
are female and there are three women on
our UK&I board, but progress could and
should be faster. For a healthy business,
the diversity of our guest base should be
CAROL WELCH
JUNE 2019
79

TOP WOMEN IN GLOBAL EXHIBITION 2019
reflected in the leaders that run it. The exciting thing for me is
the diversity of leaders coming up through the business at the
next level. It’s vital that we create the right environment for a far
greater diverse set of leaders in future.
Tell us about your mentors in
this business.
KP: I’m influenced by so many people. I love working with
people who’ve been in the industry a long time—[Odeon’s]
Juan Antonio Gomez, Duncan Reynolds, Martin Waller, Ben
Richardson, Gary Suter, Jason Coles—but I’ve also had two great
bosses, Mark Way and Paul Donovan, who have allowed me to
grow and develop. Both trusted me to do things I hadn’t done
before, and that’s gold dust for any career.
CW: I’m lucky in that I have a broad range of mentors from
industries I have worked in before exhibition—FMCG and retail—alongside
the cinema and leisure business. I think it’s important
to always have a set of mentors with broad experiences
and reflective styles that you can call on for different types of
advice. It’s also important to pay this forward to others!
What advice would you give to women just entering the
movie exhibition business?
KP: Define your purpose, know what drives you, and then
build teams that can help you deliver that. Invest time building
trusting relationships. Leaders achieve very little alone, so give
credit to those who deserve it. And pace yourself. Despite the
way it feels, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
CW: Place the guests and your teams at the heart of your
decision making. Be bold, trust your instincts, and have fun—we
are in the entertainment industry!
What are the key accomplishments you would still like to
make during your time at Odeon?
CW: We are on an incredibly exciting journey and have a long
road ahead to achieve everything we would like to. Following the
relaunch of our flagship Odeon Luxe Leicester Square last year,
we are continuing to launch Luxe cinemas and our new concession
offers. We have just entered an exciting partnership with
Vista, our new technology partner, and we have some fabulous
and diverse talent moving up through our business. We still have
much to do!
Tell me about the most important lesson you learned while
you were starting out in this industry.
KP: To listen better. To not assume that cinema is like retail or
hospitality or any other analogous industry, but to listen to people
who know it best and understand its unique drivers. And then use
that insight to inform how to change it and make it better.
CW: Listen intently and reflect carefully on what you hear.
But also to trust your instincts.
NOS AUDIOVISUALS
Susanna Hermida Barbato, Executive Board Member
Susanna Hermida Barbato is an executive board
member of NOS Audiovisuais (part of the holding
company NOS). Barbato was behind the launch of
the first IPTV, VOD, and FTTH service in Portugal.
Today she is responsible for the strategic development
of theatrical distribution, acquisitions, as well as marketing
across different platforms. NOS is the leader in
Portugal in pay TV, in the latest generation broadband,
cinema distribution, and exhibition, with over 200
cinemas in Portugal, including Imax, 4DX, full laser
projection, and Dolby Atmos.
Describe your ideal moviegoing experience.
KP: Odeon Luxe in Lee Valley with my goddaughters on a
Saturday afternoon. Because they’re still little, and they’re always
so excited about the ice blast and recliners!
CW: Going to the cinema was a memorable family experience
to share as a kid, so I love giving my kids the same. Bohemian
Rhapsody with my husband and two boys was a really big night
out. Combos and a glass of wine, Luxe recliner seats, a great
experience, and my 13-year-old being Freddie Mercury in front
of the mirror for the next week. What’s not to love!
Can you describe a formative moviegoing experience from
your childhood?
KP: I remember queueing to watch Snow White in Bracknell
with my mum. The excitement was enormous. I also remember
watching E.T. fly through the sky and believing it was real!
CW: Saturday Night Fever—a special daughter and dad bonding
moment watching a very grown-up film.
What can companies like Odeon do to encourage diversity
and increased representation within the exhibition
industry?
KP: It’s very simple: Hire more women for jobs they may not
quite be ready for. We’re rarely completely ready for big career
moves, but I see more men being given the opportunities. Maybe
men create them, maybe they’re encouraged—I’m not sure—but
they’re no more ready than the women. The phrase equal opportunity
needs to be applied at face value. Let more women have a go!
CW: I firmly believe that we must always try to provide
the right environment and support, taking risks on people
with potential and building their confidence. They may just
surprise you!
80 JUNE 2019

CINEEUROPE HONORS
ITS SECOND BATCH
OF GOLD AWARD
WINNERS
>> For the second consecutive
year, UNIC and the Film Expo
Group have partnered for
the CineEurope Gold Awards,
granted to exhibition professionals
who have displayed
a dedication to service both
within their respective companies
and to the European
market as a whole.
Said UNIC president Phil Clapp
in a statement: “The Gold
Awards recognize that the success
of our industry is dependent
on the skills and expertise
of the people who work within
it, whose devotion and passion
exemplify precisely what
makes the sector so special.
We are delighted to see their
hard work and dedication being
celebrated at CineEurope.”
This year, these individuals
have been honored with the
CineEurope Gold Award.
Simon Brown
Director, Film Content Protection
Agency (FCPA)
As the director of the U.K.’s Film
Content Protection Agency (FCPA),
Simon Brown has proven integral in
protecting theatrical film distributors in
the U.K. from the threat of piracy. Brown
developed and has managed the FCPA’s
anti-piracy program for cinemas since its
introduction in 2006. He has a bachelor
of science degree from the University of
Sheffield and on British IP Day 2018 was
presented with the IP Champion Award
in honor of his exceptional work in safeguarding
the U.K. from illegal recordings
in cinemas.
Simon Brown: “I’m absolutely
delighted and honored to be receiving
this Gold Award at CineEurope 2019.
I would like to take this opportunity to
thank everyone who works with FCPA
and especially the cinema operators
and their staff who engage with our
program, and in doing so contribute
significantly to keeping theatrical
releases secure from film theft and
copyright infringement.”
Marcin Czubak
CTO, Helios SA
Associated with Helios since 2002,
Marcin Czubak is a manager with 15
years of experience in cinema projection
and sound technology. He has co-designed
and supervised the commission of
235 rooms in 40 Helios cinemas.
Czubak ensures high projection
standard in Helios theaters by selecting,
purchasing, and implementing cinema
technologies, as well as recruiting and
training technical staff.
He is the co-founder of the Polish
section of SMPTE (Society of Motion
Picture and Television Engineers) and a
member of UNIC.
Born in 1977, Czubak graduated
from the faculty of electronics and telecommunications
of the Wrocław University
of Science and Technology, majoring
in sound engineering.
Marcin Czubak: “The CineEurope
Gold Award is a great honor and distinction
for me. I am all the more pleased as
the award shows international recognition
both for my personal achievements
and for the high quality guaranteed by
Helios cinemas.”
Rolv Gjestland
Adviser in Cinema Design and
Technology, Film & Kino
Instead of making a career in the process
industry, Rolv Gjestland’s interest in
movies took him into exhibition. In 1984
he was employed by Film & Kino as their
expert in cinema technology and design.
Over the years he has been involved in
almost all new builds, refurbishments,
and equipment upgrades in Norwegian
cinemas. Born in 1952, Gjestland has a
master’s degree in physical metallurgy.
82 JUNE 2019

Participation in international organizations
has always been important to him;
he has been active in SMPTE, BKSTS/
IMIS, ICTA, EDCF, UNIC, and more.
Rolv Gjestland: “I am humble and
very surprised to receive this award. I
hope it is not an invitation to make me
retire—’cause I won’t (yet)!”
Jaime Gerbolés
Growth Director, Yelmo Cines
Valeria Kurohtina
Duty Manager, Cinamon
OCG real estate strategy, with specific
responsibility for the rollout of the Luxe
brand throughout all Odeon Cinema
Group territories.
Duncan Reynolds: “I feel very
honored to receive this award and for
the recognition of the industry which it
bestows upon me.”
Jaime Gerbolés graduated with a
master’s in finance and worked in that
area before joining Yelmo Cines 20 years
ago. This coincided with Ricardo Evole,
Yelmo’s owner, beginning a joint venture
with one of the top U.S. exhibitors to
keep developing its circuit in Spain.
Gerbolés worked as Yelmo Cines’
CFO from 2006 until the company was
taken over by Cinépolis in 2015. During
that period he contributed to the growth
of the company, signed the first VPF
deals in Spain, and helped Yelmo Cines
adjust to the deep crisis that the Spanish
market suffered from 2008 onward. He
was also involved in the Spanish Federation
of Cinemas (FECE).
Now, under Cinépolis, he is head of
investment and growth in Spain, involved
in renovating this great industry and
bringing the best cinema experience to
customers in Spain.
Jaime Gerbolés: “I am really honored
to receive this award that recognizes my
20 years in this amazing industry. I want
to thank Mr. Fernando Evole for supporting
me all these years. Special thanks
to Cinépolis senior management for
making me part of their exciting project
in Europe.”
At 25 years of age, Valeria Kurohtina is
the duty manager at Cinamon in Estonia,
specifically the Cinamon T1 cinema. She
has worked with Cinamon since 2015
and, in her words, is “really motivated to
do my best in this company.”
Valeria Kurohtina: “I would like to
thank my team. Without them I would
not be here right now. Special thanks to
[Cinamon CEO] Tatiana [Tolstaya] for
this chance, which motivates me to do
even better moving forward.”
Duncan Reynolds
Group Development Director,
Odeon Cinemas Group
Duncan Reynolds has been involved
in the industry for 27 years, originally
joining UCI as a cinema manager at
Port Solent in 1992. Rising through
the ranks and taking on a number of
different roles, he became managing
director of Odeon Cinemas U.K. &
Ireland in December 2014. In February
2017, he moved into his current role of
group real estate and development director,
overseeing capital projects in 13
European countries and developing the
CAROLA SCHMID
Also being honored are Carola
Schmid, head of booking/exhibition
at Cineplexx, and Kam
Dosanjh, director of operations
at Vue International. The
CineEurope Gold Awards will be
presented on Thursday, June 20,
at 1 p.m. local time.
KAM DOSANJH
JUNE 2019
83

TECHNOLOGY
BY REBECCA PAHLE AND DANIEL LORIA
CHECKING
IN WITH
CINIONIC
WIM BUYENS TALKS LASER PAST,
PRESENT, AND FUTURE
At this year’s CinemaCon, Boxoffice sat down with Cinionic
CEO Wim Buyens to talk about one bit of tech that was on
everyone’s lips: laser, laser, laser (with some LED thrown in for
good measure).
It’s been about a year now since Barco launched
the Cinionic brand. How has this last year been
for you?
We’re launching our new laser platform. Right
now we have more than 25 laser projectors in the
range, the most of anybody. You could say, “Well,
you always did projectors as Barco.” But it’s slightly
different now because of the angle on promoting,
not just the projector, but the total cost of ownership
over the lifetime of the projector. We at
Cinionic look at the more holistic picture, the total
experience.
We also have what we call laser as a service,
which means that technologies can be upgraded to
laser. And that could be with a different business
model—it could be a pay-as-you-go kind of thing.
Cinionic drives a different course than we did
before. That’s important.
There are 185,000 screens in the world. Barco
has 85,000 installed, which is Cinionic’s heritage.
But what’s next? That could be prolonging the
lifetime with laser as a service but still getting efficiency,
still getting much less power consumption,
so that the total cost of ownership is lower. Or you
go to a new generation, right? What is that, then,
going to be for your screen? We have the small ones
up to the big ones, and then to PLF.
Which brings me to the last point I wanted to
mention: our PLF solution. We have two flavors.
One is white label, which means that as a technology
brand we’re supporting the PLFs of the
exhibitors. A lot of box office comes from existing
PLF brands, and we want to contribute to that. If
you look from a projector point of view, probably
two-thirds of the PLFs are Barco projectors anyway,
right? Not branded, but they use Barco. And the
second solution: If people want to have a brand, we
use THX. THX comes in with the same technical
solutions, but they are branded THX Ultimate.
So there are two options: THX Ultimate and the
white label?
Right. The former is if an exhibitor says, “I don’t
have the power to market my own PLF. I want to
have a name, and I can’t afford some of the names
in the industry. I want to have something that is the
best value for money.” That’s how we market this,
as the best value for money. We’re probably not
the best in everything for PLF, but we are the best
value for money, because that’s the space I think we
should be in. Then they step in, and they use our
THX brand with THX Ultimate, and THX will do
the marketing.
THX announced its plans for PLF last year
at CinemaCon. When did you start getting
involved?
When THX changed ownership a few years ago,
when Razer took over the company, they wanted
to bring the brand back to life, including in the
cinema space. That’s when we connected with them
and said, “Hey, what do you have in mind?” They
said, “We are really about application and branding.
Of course, we know a lot about sound and all those
things, but we don’t want to get involved in all the
technical solutions.” And then we said, “Well, this
is maybe a great way for us to potentially team up
together.”
We have a Cinionic giant screen, which is our
PLF solution. And we said, “We don’t see ourselves
as being the branding company. That’s not what we
want to be, necessarily. So let’s partner on this one.”
It doesn’t mean that it’s an exclusive agreement.
When the customer wants their brand, that’s great.
If the customer says, “No, I have my own brand,”
then we will work directly with the customer.
Interest is strong, because people make money
on PLFs. By the same token, as a cinema industry,
our belief is that a massive amount of people want
84 JUNE 2019

to go to cinemas, right? There’s nothing wrong with
the cinema business. Not at all. We just need to enable
people. And enabling people is two things. You
need to make it cheap enough so people can see the
movie when they couldn’t before, in the rural areas
of the world—Latin America, APAC, and so on.
And if we get more into the markets where cinemas
are more developed already, then the “wow” effect
has to be there. You have to be able to show something
different. Being able to really get a proper
image and optimize the sound, with laser and other
technologies, is really critical. Yes, small screens are
OK. That’s one segment of the market. But we also
need big screens. You want to be impressed.
a little bit more geared toward laser projection
and democratizing laser for all cinemas?
Barco came from being a small player to having
more than 50 percent market share with 85,000
projectors installed. You could say, OK, that’s great.
But it doesn’t mean that that success is going to be
the same success moving forward. So I said, “If we
At the same time, home entertainment is
advancing so much. People can get bigger and
bigger screens for personal use.
At home, it’s about convenience. It’s for the
family, which is great. But, for me, cinemagoing is a
social experience. It’s going out. You want to have a
good time. You want to spend some money on food
and beverages and so on. It’s different than at home.
I think both will grow. The consumption of visual
entertainment is increasing. I’m afraid that the kids,
10 years from now, are not going to write anymore,
and everything’s going to be visual. I think you’re
going to see a massive amount of consumption at
home, but also a massive amount of consumption
in cinemas. We just have to make
sure that the cinemas are destination
places, are entertainment hubs,
that you get that “wow” factor.
That, as an industry, we need to
keep on fueling.
WIM BUYENS
Looking at Cinionic, we
see a lot of the pioneering
innovations that you guys
have had—for example,
immersive audio with
Barco Auro and panoramic
screens with Barco Escape.
What lessons did you learn
from those experiences,
of being there early and
trying to grow a market?
And how have those lessons
informed the current strategy
of Cinionic today, which seems
JUNE 2019
85

But, for me, cinemagoing is a social
experience. It’s going out. You want to
have a good time. You want to spend
some money on food and beverages
and so on. It’s different than at home.
don’t change our stripes, we are not going to stay
successful like we are.” That’s the start of Cinionic.
My thing about learning is you need to keep on
trying. Don’t feel bad about trying if something
is not successful. We feel incredibly proud about
Escape, incredibly proud about Auro. New things
come. How can we embrace them and make sure
they can flourish? Dolby did a great job with Dolby
Atmos, which came later and of course enjoyed
a big push in the market.
The industry needs to make space for innovators
and entrepreneurs. And that’s tough. Because
there are the big guys who typically who have the
marketing power and the big pockets. But innovation
often happens with smaller companies. That’s
how things start rolling. I think we need to keep
on doing that. But it doesn’t mean that when you
start something it’s all going to be a direct success.
Sometimes you have to say, “Maybe the timing was
off. Maybe our approach was slightly off.”
I don’t think Cinionic is laser as such only. It’s
just that laser is an important ingredient in how
the cinema market will change moving forward. I
don’t think we have embraced it yet enough as an
industry. But we are in the early days. With laser,
you can run your cinema differently. It is a change
of a lamp to a laser, yes, but it’s much more than
that. It’s moving from analog to digital. You can run
it much more digitally, much more remotely. You
can be much more flexible in the performance of
your equipment. With a lamp, it does its thing, and
you have to just rest on what the lamp does. With
laser, it’s the opposite. With laser you can tune
to whatever you want to get out of it. There’s
a way to run a cheaper complex, and laser is
an integral part of enabling all of that.
When I said the vision of Cinionic over
the next 10 years will be different, that’s
because we’re going to be much stronger
in the “wow” effect. It’s not enough to
hold to the DCI specifications. The DCI
spec is guidance, which is great. But, as an
exhibitor, you have to attract butts in seats.
I’m happy to go to a movie, but I want to be
impressed. I want to have a good time. I want
to get a good seat. I want all those things. As an
industry, it’s not enough just to show a movie.
The industry is changing, and I think that’s
a good thing. I see many more entrepreneurs as
exhibitors today than I would have seen 10 years
ago, because they have many more options. It’s a
new era. And the first piece of technology critical
to driving that change is the projector. Cinionic is
all about enabling diversity of experience.
So the laser component is a building block.
It’s an important building block. It takes a lot
of effort to get that right. When you try something
new, you have to try, try, try, try again. It costs you
10 times more effort than you would have expected.
That’s the nature of it. And that’s why we’re
doubling down on laser.
There are so many different types of PLF
experiences out there. Everyone’s getting in
on it, including now Samsung with their LEDpowered
Onyx screen. What’s your take on
that technology?
I’ve been responsible for LED for quite a few
years at Barco. LED has been evolving quite a bit.
Never say no to any technology. If it’s not today,
it could be tomorrow. It could be five or 10 years
from now. Never discard anything. LED is definitely
a technology on the rise in general.
But when running a cinema, there’s a certain
ROI you need to have. In some segments of PLFs,
which are the very large screens, the price points
are different, clearly. But when I get to the mainstream,
I’m being challenged a lot about how cheap
can we have it. Cheap is not negatively intended.
That means value for money. And the equation
there today with LED—and it’s not about Samsung—is
just not there yet.
86 JUNE 2019

CASE STUDY
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF MOVIE MARKETING, AN INDUSTRY REPORT BY
Facebook recently published an industry report titled, “The Art and Science of Movie Marketing” to help marketers understanding of
moviegoers and what motivates them to see a particular film. The report features new data Facebook commissioned in two different USbased
studies. Sections of that report are included here. For access to the full report by Facebook, please visit:
www.facebook.com/business/m/verticals/entertainment-media/the-art-and-science-of-movie-marketing
The Art and Science
of Movie Marketing
FACEBOOK PROVIDES INSIGHTS ON WHAT
REALLY INFLUENCES PEOPLE’S CHOICES
ABOUT THE RESEARCH
Understanding moviegoers and what motivates them to see a
particular film is essential for marketers and creatives who want
to optimize their film releases for maximum box office success.
Facebook recently commissioned 2 studies that offer insights to
help marketers identify opportunities to reach moviegoers by
concentrating efforts on channels that resonate with current and
prospective moviegoers, all while proactively adjusting marketing
plans in response to insights from social media.
FILM CONSUMER JOURNEY STUDY
To learn more about how moviegoers discover and evaluate
films and buy tickets, Facebook commissioned the Film Consumer
Journey Study by Accenture, an online study of 1,074
active US moviegoers, ages 18 years+. The data gathered from
June to July 2018 defines moviegoers as people who have seen at
least one movie in a theater in the past 6 months.
THE BOX OFFICE STUDY
Facebook also recently partnered with Neustar to determine
key indicators and overall contribution to box office. Neustar
analyzed the advertising channels for 70 US movies of various
genres, sizes and seasons from 2016, representing the majority of
wide-release box office sales. The analysis covered 8 different marketing
channels: TV, online display, online video, paid Facebook
advertising, out- of-home advertising (OOH), radio, print and
paid search. Study focused on the 15 weeks leading up to each
film release and the 6 weeks after the movies hit theaters.
NOTE: All data in this report is from the Film Consumer Journey Study unless otherwise stated.
88 JUNE 2019

STAYING CURRENT IN AN EVOLVING MOVIE
MARKETING LANDSCAPE
Information is powerful when it comes to crafting
winning strategies for driving awareness and intent
around film releases. This report is designed to empower
you with fresh insights and takeaways that will
enable you to optimize your theatrical campaigns. In
it, we will break down the moviegoer customer journey
across 3 key phases: how they discover a film,
how they evaluate which film to see and, ultimately,
how they make the decision to watch a film.
Marketing movies has never been more challenging—or
more creatively exciting. By leveraging
insights from the research shared in this report,
you can tailor theatrical campaigns to engage
moviegoers, who have more choices than ever
before not only in films but also in where and how
to watch them.
Moviegoers have opinions on what makes an
effective trailer, and they want to see fresh creative
after they’ve seen a trailer. Movie marketers can
pick up and run with these insights to try and
avoid losing out at the box office.
For moviegoers in the discovery phase, we recommend
maximizing your trailer drop by targeting
a broad audience. Also, introduce your new film
with long-form content using in-stream video and
help keep it top of mind among moviegoers with
snackable videos in the feed or stories.
Choosing movies is a team effort when it comes
to evaluating films. Social context changes the mix
of movies people see in theater and can affect how
many movies they see as well. Reach fans across
all genres, not just that of your movie, to increase
your chances of box office success. According to
Neustar, paid Facebook Media can contribute to
box office by helping to generate the highest return
on ad spend (ROAS).
If a film performs extraordinarily well at the box
office during opening weekend, consider increasing
your ad campaign spend to try and increase the
return on your investment.
During the moviegoer purchase phase, your
main goal is to drive transactions. One way to do
so is by gaining access to lower funnel success metrics
such as conversions and working closely with
your ticketing partner. Leverage the Facebook pixel
to measure success, help you build higher intent
audiences and optimize for conversions with your
ticketing partner.
TIMING MAY NOT BE EVERYTHING, BUT IT COUNTS.
The days of spontaneously catching a film are over. The vast majority of
moviegoers participating in the study indicated they plan to see movies in the
theater ahead of time, with just 9% of moviegoers saying they didn’t decide on
the last movie they saw until they got to the theater. Embrace the new context
of how moviegoers discover films, evaluate them and make decisions to
purchase tickets.
It pays to understand moviegoers when you’re trying to connect with the
desired audiences for a given piece of creative across a range of channels that
is larger than ever before. Consider that Americans spend almost half of their
media time on digital platforms, 1 and that 79% of frequent moviegoers studied
(those who indicated that they attend a movie at least once a month) own at
least 4 different types of key technology products. 2
Among the moviegoers in the Accenture study, more than 60% of those
who said they use Facebook, Instagram or Messenger weekly also said they use
the platforms for film-related activities. 3 This level of engagement presents an
opportunity for film marketers to promote theatrical releases wherever you are
most likely to connect with your audiences.
We understand that marketing a film is extremely complex and nuanced.
Here are 4 general takeaways to help optimize your next theatrical release:
PLAN FOR CROSS-PLATFORM.
Mobile and social networks are increasingly influential
resources along the path to purchase.
PLAY INTO SOCIAL CONTEXT.
Social context can influence moviegoers to mix up the
genres of the films they watch.
MAKE MOBILE RESEARCH AND PURCHASE EASY.
Create a seamless mobile experience from discovery
to purchase.
DON’T JUST DRIVE INTENT. DRIVE TRANSACTIONS.
Optimize ticket sale opportunities by thinking like a direct
response marketer.
1
MPAA 2017 Theatrical and Home Entertainment Market Environment [THEME] Report. p3 (April 4, 2017).
2
MPAA 2017 Theatrical and Home Entertainment Market Environment [THEME] Report. p5 (April 4, 2017).
3
Film-related activities include chatting with friends about movies, following or liking films/franchises/actors/directors, checking
in to movies, engaging with posts from friends about movies, making plans to see movies with friends, asking/giving movie
recommendations or buying movie-related merchandise.
JUNE 2019
89

CASE STUDY
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF MOVIE MARKETING, AN INDUSTRY REPORT BY
Understanding
the Journey of the
Connected Moviegoer
WHAT THIS MEANS
FOR MARKETERS
Maximize your trailer
drop by targeting a
broad audience. Digital
helps new audiences
discover new releases.
Introduce your new film
with long-form content
using in-stream video ads
and keep it top of mind
among moviegoers with
snackable videos in the
feed or in stories.
4
Desktop or mobile.
5
Facebook Family of Apps and Services
refers to Facebook, Facebook Messenger,
Instagram and WhatsApp.
DISCOVER: HOW DO MOVIEGOERS DISCOVER
NEW FILMS?
More than half of US moviegoers studied said
they discover new films on Facebook platforms.
Online channels play a key role in how people
discover new releases: 58% of US moviegoer
respondents said they discover new movies online, 4
and 39% of them said they do so on their smartphone
or tablet. As tools for discovery, mobile
devices are particularly important for moviegoers
ages 18–34, with 57% of those studied finding out
about new releases on their smartphone or tablet.
The findings showed that more than half
(51%) of US moviegoers discover new films on
Facebook’s Family of Apps and Services, 5 primarily
Facebook. Specifically, 42% of US moviegoer
respondents said they discover a film on Facebook
in comparison to 29% via a search engine
and 11% on Twitter. In addition to communicating
with friends, family and fellow fans about
films, moviegoers are also engaging with films
and stars online.
OVERALL ONLINE PLATFORMS USED TO DISCOVER AND EVALUATE FILMS
55 % 32 % 27 %
FACEBOOK’S FAMILY OF APPS AND SERVICES
SOCIAL
FILM SPECIFIC
OTHER
42 % 15 % 7 % 8 % 5 % 2 % 2 %
55 % 32 % 11 % 10 %
8 %
5 %
29 % 23 % 17 %
21 % 19 % 16 % 18 % 23 % 11 % 9 %
20 %
14 %
Facebook
Family
Facebook Instagram Facebook
Messenger
Whatsapp YouTube Twitter Snapchat Search
engines
Fandango IMDB Review
sites
News sites
None of
the above
n DISCOVER
n EVALUATE
n DISCOVER
n EVALUATE
n DISCOVER
n EVALUATE
n DISCOVER
n EVALUATE
90 JUNE 2019

Evaluate: How
do moviegoers
evaluate films?
CHOOSING MOVIES IS A TEAM EFFORT
That’s true now more than ever. Only
6% of active moviegoers (those who
watched a film in a movie theater in the
past 6 months) said they typically see
movies by themselves. And among the
other 94%, most either said that their level
of influence on the moviegoing choices
varies from film-to-film (46%) or that it’s
usually a shared decision (31%).
These kinds of social dynamics can
help explain why audiences can be such
a challenge to predict. Take genre, for
example. Genre is fundamental to how
most movie marketers think about the
audience for their film and understandably
so: 67% of moviegoers said that
genre is at least moderately influential
in whether or not they “personally”
want to see a film in theater. Yet, when
asked about what films they actually
see in theaters, 60% of moviegoers said
that the genre varies from film-to-film.
Why? We’re thinking that the 70%
who agree that “I’m open to seeing
different movie genres when I’m with
friends/family” may have something to
do with it.
Only 6% of active moviegoers
said they typically see movies by
themselves
46% said that their level of influence
on the moviegoing choices varies
from film-to-film or that it’s usually
a shared decision: 31%
REMIND MOVIEGOERS OF FILMS THEY WANT TO
SEE, AND DO IT BEFORE THEIR FRIENDS HAVE
SEEN IT ALREADY
Social context doesn’t just change the mix of
movies people see in theater—it can affect how
many movies they see as well.
The reality is that more than a
quarter of active moviegoers said social
planning challenges—like finding
someone to see the movie with or
learning that a friend has already seen
the movie—are a barrier to seeing a
movie they want to see in theaters;
the number citing this kind of barrier
increased to more than one-third for
those between the ages of 18 and 34.
These missed opportunities are ripe
for addressing via social media tools
timed to remind moviegoers of films
right before opening week—and in a
setting where what their friends and
family are up to is top of mind. Indeed,
reminders are critical. More than 1 in 3
moviegoers said they miss out because
“I forget about the movie and, when I
remember it, it is gone from theaters.”
By continually promoting your movie
after the initial trailer drop, you can
help break through the clutter and stay
top of mind before or after the movie’s
release.
On the plus side, social context can also be the
greater enabler of the movie theater trip: 72% of
active moviegoers (including 78% of 18-34-yearolds)
said that some form of social context made
them more likely to see a film in theaters. 6 For
example, the perception that “everyone seems to be
talking about the movie” made 31% more likely
to see a film in theaters. But the most important
kind of social context was simply knowing that
The movie is the kind that
is best experienced in a
theater
Someone else I live with
wants to see it
Everyone seems to be
talking about the movie
It’s a movie franchise I
always try to see in theaters
Someone else I don’t live
with wants to see it
I see an advertisement for
the movie at the right time
I feel like “it’s been too long”
since I’ve seen a movie
My children
want to see it
44 %
someone you go to the movies with wants to see
it too—62% said that knowing that someone else
wants to see the movie with them made them more
likely to head out to the theater.
6
Percentage based on net responses.
Options were not mutually exclusive;
respondents were allowed to select
everything on the list that makes
them more likely to see a particular
film.
38 72 %
%
31 %
of active
moviegoers
said that some
29 %
form of social
context makes
28 %
them more
likely to see a
particular film
24 %
in theaters 6
21 %
WHAT MAKES YOU
MORE LIKELY TO SEE A
16 % PARTICULAR FILM?
JUNE 2019
91

CASE STUDY
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF MOVIE MARKETING, AN INDUSTRY REPORT BY
BROADLY TARGETING MOVIE TRAILERS INCREASES YOUR
CHANCES OF SUCCESS.
For those analyzed as part of the Box Office Study, ads for action and
family genres generated more ROAS than average. Audiences are willing to
mix up the genres of the films they watch. Thus, marketers can potentially
see great success in broader targeting marketing efforts for action and family
genres. Creative is a key factor in determining campaign performance.
Make sure your campaign creative contains content that people will want
to engage with and share.
Purchase
WHAT INFLUENCES MOVIEGOERS TO
PURCHASE TICKETS TO A NEW FILM?
FILM CONVERSATIONS
ON FACEBOOK
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR MARKETERS:
Reach fans across all genres, not just
that of your movie Assume action fans
will be the only people lining up to see
your next action film and you’ll likely miss
out on a whole segment who might otherwise
have been persuaded to buy a ticket.
PLANNING HAPPENS IN STAGES.
Trailers spark fans’ interest in a film months in advance. However,
in our study of US moviegoers, some indicated they only
decide days or weeks in advance which film they’ll see (60% the
same week, same day or at the theater) and pick showtime the
day of the viewing (67% the same day or at the theater).
The planning stages are much shorter for younger moviegoers:
37% of 18-34-year-olds said they didn’t decide on the movie
until the day of the screening, compared to 28% of older moviegoers
(35+).
DECIDED TO SEE A MOVIE
n Monday
n Tuesday
n Wednesday
n Thursday
n Friday
n Saturday
n Sunday
TIMING OF LAST
MOVIEGOING
DECISION
PICKED A DATE
16 %
9 %
23 % 29 % 22 %
n Weekday
n Weekend
13 % 3 % 41 % 48 %
PICKED THE EXACT
SHOWTIME
43 %
n At the theater
n Same day
n Same week
n Same month
n More than a month
4 % 1%
28 % 19 %
n Morning
6am to 11am
n Afternoon
12pm to 5pm
n Evening
6pm to 11pm
n Night
12pm to 5am
92 JUNE 2019

MARKETERS SHOULD CONSIDER
LEVERAGING REAL-TIME, PERSONALIZED
PUSH TACTICS FOR THIS MOBILE SAVVY-
SEGMENT. FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM
ARE NATURAL ENVIRONMENTS FOR
SUCH STRATEGIES.
WHAT THIS MEANS
FOR MARKETERS
DRIVE TRANSACTIONS
Gain access to lower funnel
success metrics such as conversions
by working closely
with your ticketing partner.
Leverage the Facebook pixel
to help you measure your
campaign’s success, build
higher intent audiences and
optimize for conversions
with your ticketing partner.
PRIORITIZE MOBILE-FIRST
The largest reason cited by
heavy moviegoers (those
who watched 5 or more
films in a movie theater
in the past 6 months) for
purchasing tickets online is
their ability to skip the lines
at the theater. It, therefore,
makes sense for marketers
to prioritize mobile for
promotional activities and
during the point-of-purchase
experience to keep this loyal
audience satisfied.
Social context—and increasingly,
social media platforms—are inextricably
linked to selling movie tickets. Moviegoers
aren’t making decisions to see movies
in a vacuum; rather, they decide together
which film to see, and they tend to see
films with the same number of people.
76% of 18-34-year-old
moviegoers who use
Facebook weekly said they
engage in film-related
activities on the platform,
such as “liking” film
franchises, “checking in” to
movies and taking part in
movie-related groups
70% of 18-34-year-old
moviegoers who use
Facebook Messenger weekly
said they engage in filmrelated
activities on the
platform, such as sharing
movie recommendations
and making plans to see
movies with friends
and family
70% of 18-34-year-old
moviegoers who use
Instagram weekly said they
engage in film-related activities
on the platform, such as
following actors and actresses,
posting and commenting
about films they’ve seen, and
chatting with friends
about movies
JUNE 2019
93

CASE STUDY
THE ART AND SCIENCE OF MOVIE MARKETING, AN INDUSTRY REPORT BY
Infusing Creative Strategy with Insights
Understanding where existing and potential audiences discover films, when they
decide to see them and how receptive they are to different genres are key to helping
you grow your audience.
HOW MUCH OF THE
PLOT SHOULD THE
TRAILER REVEAL?
TRAILERS DON’T
TELL ENOUGH
2 %
6 %
Your audience’s preferences
might be broader than
you think.
The US moviegoers we
studied indicated that they are
willing to mix up the genres of
films they watch. Almost twothirds
(65%) of heavy moviegoers
(those who watched 5 or
more films in a movie theater
in the past 6 months) reported
that the genre of movies they see
varies from film to film. That
number remained high (60%)
for all moviegoers.
A fluid audience mix is
a golden opportunity for
marketers to test and learn
which of their ad creative wins
at driving awareness.
A delicate balance: Pique
curiosity with enticing
trailers, but don’t give away
too much.
Maximize trailer drops by
harnessing the growing power
of online channels— a powerful
discovery driver, with
nearly as many US moviegoers
reporting they discovered new
films online (58%) as at the
theater (61%).
Marketers want to drive
intent but don’t want moviegoers
to feel they’ve already seen
a film after watching its trailer.
The US moviegoers we studied
indicated that they have different
ideas about what they want
to see in a video ad for a movie.
For example, 43% of younger
audiences (18-34-year-olds) said
they believe trailers give away
too much about a film.
TRAILERS TELL
TOO MUCH
57 %
23 %
12 %
FRESH ADS CAN HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE:
AUDIENCES ARE PAYING ATTENTION.
Marketers can gain a lot of insight from
learning how new creative ads resonate with
moviegoers and inform their decisions about
which movies to see in theaters. Nearly half
of moviegoers said they think that repetitive
creative implies those are the only compelling
scenes in the movie. Moreover, two-thirds of
moviegoers said they are persuaded to see a
movie based on seeing new ad creative.
When I see the
same commercial/
video ad over and over,
I start to think those
are the only good
scenes in the movie
STRONGLY AGREE
AGREE
NEUTRAL
DISAGREE
STRONGLY DISAGREE
When I’m
trying to decide
whether or not
to see a movie in
theaters, it helps to see
a commercial/video ad
that I haven’t seen
before
MULTI-SCREENING IS CRITICAL FOR
DRIVING INTENT.
A 2017 Facebook study revealed that
94% of participants kept a smartphone
on hand while watching TV, making mobile
nearly as common a TV companion
as a remote control. 7
By 2019, it’s predicted that people
in the US will spend as much time on
mobile as they do watching TV each
day, 8 and another recent Facebook study
among Americans showed they often
used the two devices together. This means
that campaigns across both screens are
essential for an effective marketing plan. 9
ADS DESIGNED FOR MOBILE GROW
AWARENESS AND FOSTER INTENT FOR
YOUR FILM.
In another 2017 analysis of more than
100 US film campaigns, we found a 2x
increase in definite intent scores for the
analyzed movie ads that were optimized
for mobile compared to ads using standard
creative. In addition, the mobile-optimized
ads studied tended to be more cost-effective
in driving results (+42%). 10
Consider following these creative
considerations to help capture moviegoers’
attention, grow awareness and generate intent
for your movie with mobile-first ads:
• Include the title throughout or at least
during the first 5 seconds
• Avoid production logos in the
first 3-5 seconds
• Prioritize close-ups over wide shots
• Use text overlay for all dialogue
• Build either for square (1:1) or vertical
(9:16) aspect ratio
• Use fast motion and quick
cuts throughout
Capturing data from multi-channel
campaigns is critical to giving marketers
real-time insight into the overall success
of your campaign.
94 JUNE 2019

Marketer Takeaways
With audiences watching movies on screens large and small,
marketers must be able to nimbly apply insights to craft strategies
that make the most out of every film’s release. Marketers can
also benefit from staying informed on all of the opportunities to
connect with audiences.
And the use of stories across platforms is growing everywhere.
Stories are where people share and discover content
they care about in fast and fun ways. In fact, an Ipsos survey of
stories users commissioned by Facebook IQ found that 68% of
people said they use stories on at least 3 apps regularly, and 63%
planned to use stories more in the future. 11
Tips to optimize your theatrical releases:
PLAN FOR CROSS-PLATFORM.
While traditional formats such as TV still play
an important role, mobile and social networks are
increasingly influential video platforms along the
path to purchase, especially among younger moviegoers. Embrace
a cross-platform strategy to reach consumers where they are
discovering and evaluating movies.
PLAY INTO SOCIAL CONTEXT.
Social context can influence moviegoers to mix
up the genres of the films they watch. This means
marketers have the opportunity to create new fans out of moviegoers
venturing outside of their preferred genres.
MAKE MOBILE RESEARCH AND PURCHASE EASY.
Since moviegoers discover and evaluate
new releases on their mobile devices, create a
seamless mobile experience from discovery to
purchase. Make it easy to research a film and then click through
to buy tickets.
DON’T JUST DRIVE INTENT. DRIVE TRANSACTIONS.
Optimize ticket sale opportunities by thinking
like a direct response marketer. When a particular
tactic sparks positive ROI, consider keeping it going. Focus on
online ticketing to help you reach those people who are already
purchasing online and make it easier for them.
Movies are creative visions brought to life on the screen.
They unite people through emotion and the power of ideas
and human experience. By keeping at the forefront of
moviegoers’ preferences throughout the entire customer
journey, you will make better informed decisions about how
to allocate your ad spend and target your campaigns.
Facebook recently published an industry report titled, “The Art and Science of
Movie Marketing” to help marketers understanding of moviegoers and what
motivates them to see a particular film. The report features new data Facebook
commissioned in two different US-based studies. Sections of that report are
included here. For access to the full report by Facebook, please visit
www.facebook.com/business/m/verticals/entertainment-media/the-art-andscience-of-movie-marketing
7
“Mobile and TV: Between the Screens,” (July 10, 2017). Facebook IQ commissioned an in-home eye- and device-tracking study involving Facebook users in 6 countries (Brazil, France, Germany, Indonesia, the United Kingdom
and the United States). www.facebook.com/iq/articles/mobile-and-tv-between-the-screens
8
“Next year, people will spend more time online than they will watching TV. That’s a first.” (June 8, 2018). www.recode.net/2018/6/8/17441288/internet-time-spent-tv-zenith-data-media
9
“Measuring Multi-screening Around the World,” (September 27, 2018). www.facebook.com/business/news/insights/measuring-multi-screening-around-the-world
10
“Start Building an Audience for Your Movie on Facebook,” (February 14, 2018). www.facebook.com/business/news/start-building-an-audience-for-your-movie-on-facebook
11
“Introducing Facebook Stories Ads,” (September 26, 2018). www.facebook.com/business/news/introducing-facebook-stories-ads www.facebook.com/business/news/introducing-facebook-stories-ads
JUNE 2019
95

COVER STORY
BY JESSE RIFKIN
TOYS ASSEMBLE!
Characters new and old
gather around Buzz and
Jessie.
Go Fourth
WOODY, BUZZ LIGHTYEAR, AND THE GANG RETURN
IN DISNEY/PIXAR’S TOY STORY 4
>> It starts with a bang—literally. After the opening
Disney logo fades, the very first moment of Toy
Story 4 is a lightning crash.
And the rain looks like nothing you’ve seen
in animation before. To create its cutting-edge
graphics and imagery, Pixar uses its own “render
farm,” a massive supercomputer that ranks among
the 25 largest computers on the planet. Pixar used
a 294-core render farm during production of the
first Toy Story. The latest installment employed an
astounding 55,000 cores.
On-screen, this produces a level of detail that
may be Pixar’s highest yet. In Pixar’s earliest films,
“rain” consisted of vertically falling dots or lines.
But for Toy Story 4’s opening sequence, a nighttime
toy rescue during an intense thunderstorm, every
single one of the thousands of water droplets interacts
with its environment—bouncing off surfaces,
for example.
One of those surfaces is an Easter egg: a
car with the license plate RM-R-F*. That’s the
keyboard command that caused a Pixar employee
during production of Toy Story 2 to accidentally
delete the entire film from the company’s internal
system. Fortunately, another employee, home on
maternity leave, had saved a backup copy to work
on at home.
THE THIRD TIME WAS THE CHARM
The dramatic rescue opening is the tonal
opposite of where the series left off after 2010’s
Toy Story 3.
Andy was heading off to college after giving his
childhood toys away to a girl named Bonnie. But
during the tearjerker ending, he takes his old friends
out of the box one last time after years of collecting
dust, and rediscovers the childhood sense of magic
and adventure he’d been so desperate to shed.
The closing shot panned up from youngadult
Andy to clouds in the sky, a self-referential
homage to the original installment’s opening shot
of clouds on little Andy’s wallpaper. The implica-
96 JUNE 2019

DIRECTOR JOSH COOLEY
tion: The narrative had come full circle and the
series would forever remain a trilogy. Or at least it
seemed that way.
After all, the series had gone out on the highest
of high notes. It became the highest-grossing movie
of the year, the last animated film to earn that distinction.
Not only did it win the Academy Award
for Best Animated Feature, it even received a nomination
for Best Picture—also the last animated film
to do so. Even Quentin Tarantino, whose oeuvre is
Pixar’s opposite in nearly every respect, proclaimed
it his favorite film of that year.
Given that pedigree, expectations for this fourth
installment have been through the roof. What was
the biggest challenge? “Executing the ending,”
director Josh Cooley says, well aware of the predecessor’s
near-perfect conclusion. “But I know we did
that, because we just watched it with the music that
Randy [Newman] wrote and I was tearing up!”
GO FOURTH
If the third film ended so flawlessly, why this
fourth installment? Presumably, because in the past
decade Pixar has produced more franchise installments
than standalone films. After spending most
of its early history producing entirely original films,
the studio has turned to making sequels or prequels
(seven of its last 11 films, including Toy Story 4).
Financially, this guarantees a smash. Of Pixar’s
20 releases to date, three have earned $1 billion
globally. All three were sequels: Incredibles 2, Finding
Dory, and Toy Story 3. Many are predicting that
Toy Story 4 will reach that vaunted billion-dollar
threshold too.
Domestically, the numbers tell the same story.
Adjusted for ticket-price inflation, four of Pixar’s
top five films at the North American box office
were sequels. (The one original to crack Pixar’s top
five earners? Finding Nemo.)
That recent focus on franchises, however, has
been a trade-off, partially impacting the company’s
1990s–2000s reputation for producing Hollywood’s
best original content. Sorting Pixar’s films
by audience score on Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb,
almost all of its 2010s sequels or prequels—all
except Toy Story 3—rank in the bottom half.
Of Pixar’s five most recent originals, four won
the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. But
of its five most recent sequels or prequels, none has.
SNAGS ALONG THE WAY
Toy Story 4 never faced an obstacle as existential
as an accidental deletion. Nonetheless,
it experienced many more road bumps than
expected en route to its June 21 theatrical release
in North America.
MEET DUCKY!
Concept art for a new
character being voiced by
Keegan-Michael Key
JUNE 2019
97

COVER STORY
TOY STORY 4 GALLERY
First announced by Disney for summer 2017,
it was delayed a year, then yet another year to summer
2019. Pixar president Jim Morris originally
announced the film as essentially a romantic comedy
between Woody and Bo Peep, his shepherdess
love interest from the second installment—an idea
later abandoned as the main plot.
The directing credits partially changed, too. Josh
Cooley began as a Pixar intern, later getting hired as
a storyboard artist and directing the animated short
Riley’s First Date featured on the Inside Out DVD.
Without even asking or applying for the position, he
was tapped to co-direct Toy Story 4 as his first feature
film, alongside John Lasseter, who had directed the
first two installments. It seemed like an ideal combo:
the veteran plus the fresh face. But when Lasseter
later dropped out as co-director (ultimately leaving
Disney under a cloud of sexual misconduct charges),
newbie Cooley was left in charge.
Cooley committed to doing right by the franchise.
“My first time seeing Toy Story was in theaters
with my brother,” Cooley says of the first-ever
full-length 3-D animated film. “I had wanted to do
2-D animation, because until then I thought 3-D
animation would blow over!” On that day, though,
he changed his preferred medium forever.
There were also screenplay challenges. Pixar cut
most of 4’s original script, co-written by Rashida
Jones and Will McCormack, replacing them
it just kind of gelled.”
with relative newbie
Stephany Folsom, who
would receive her first
feature-film screenwriting
credit. Folsom had
earned the job largely
due to positive word
of mouth about her
unproduced screenplay
1969: A Space
Odyssey, a satire about
NASA faking the moon
landing.
“She just had this
really great sense
of character, plot,
pacing,” producer
Jonas Rivera says. “She
was able to track this
complex story where
things jump around.
We talked to her, and
FINDING YOUR VOICE
In addition to the returning leads—Tom Hanks
as Woody the cowboy sheriff and Tim Allen as
Buzz Lightyear the space ranger—several new
characters join the ensemble.
Comedy duo Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan
Peele play Ducky and Bunny, respectively: two
prize toys in a carnival game called Star Adventurer.
Peele voices the tall character while Key voices
the short character, a sly reversal of the two comedians’
heights in real life. They recorded all their
lines together rather than having their individual
readings merged during production.
“It’s the most fun we’ve ever had recording,”
producer Mark Nielsen says, “ever.” He gives an
example of an improvisation that made it into the
final cut. Key’s Ducky can’t reach something, to
which Peele’s Bunny asks why in a faux-innocent
voice. “You’re really gonna make me say it?” Ducky
replies incredulously. “I’ve got these tiny little legs!”
Keanu Reeves joins as a 1970s-era action figure
named Duke Caboom, a take-off on stuntman
Evel Knievel, complete with handlebar mustache.
Reeves really got into it, Cooley says—despite the
character playing only a minor comic-relief role.
That performance represents quite a stylistic
departure from Reeves’s other role this summer, in
98 JUNE 2019

the violent, R-rated John Wick: Chapter 3—Parabellum.
“Keanu came in to record his lines [while
filming Parabellum], so I asked him how that was
going,” Cooley recalls, launching into a perfect
Reeves impersonation for the response: “‘Dude …
yesterday I got to kill a guy with a book.’”
Legendary comedian Don Rickles had signed
on to once again voice Mr. Potato Head, but he
died before he could record his lines. Rather than
recast the role, the filmmakers compiled his performance
from hours of unused content Rickles previously
recorded for the Toy Story properties, not just
the movies but also theme parks, video games, and
television specials.
Tony Hale of “Veep” joins as Forky, a Mac-
Gyver-like creation fashioned by Bonnie during a
kindergarten class project. He consists of a spork
with googly eyes, pipe cleaners for arms, and popsicle
sticks for legs. It represents a notable minimalistic
departure from the corporate mass-produced
nature of all the other toys, memorably demonstrated
during a scene from the second installment
when Buzz Lightyear encounters thousands of his
clones in a huge toy store’s Buzz Lightyear aisle.
Since the last installment in 2010, children’s
playthings have become far less material and far
more digital, contributing to last year’s bankruptcy
of Toys R Us and the 2015 closure of toy store
FAO Schwarz. “We went the exact opposite way
of technology with Forky, didn’t we?” says Rivera,
laughing. “Kids just being creative was something
we observed from our own kids. My kids do have
iPads, but they still love toys and play with dolls.”
The filmmakers originally wanted to name
the character Sporky, but the word “spork” was
trademarked. While they could use the word in
dialogue, it couldn’t be a character’s name.
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE …
The story tackles several themes unexplored in
previous installments. Forky struggles with feelings
of worthlessness. “I am not a toy,” he laments.
“I was made for soup, salad, maybe chili … and
then the trash.” Woody deals with the possibility
that what had always given his life purpose and
happiness may have been limiting him the whole
time. “Who needs a kid’s room when you can have
all of this?” Bo Peep asks him when looking at a
carnival. “Open your eyes, Woody. There’s plenty
of kids out there.”
Yet some things never change. During the
opening credits, a time-lapse sequence occurs to
the tune of Randy Newman’s song “You’ve Got
a Friend in Me,” the franchise’s musical theme,
which has appeared in all three previous installments.
Pixar’s trademark humor is still present too,
including double entendres for the adults. At one
point when frustrated, Woody exclaims, “Chutes
and ladders!”—holding the opening sound of
“chutes” for just a millisecond more than necessary.
GRAPHICS
The animators truly outdid themselves on this
project. A nighttime carnival scene contains more
than 44,000 light bulbs. The base of a playground
slide contains almost unnoticeable grains of sand,
since children might go on the slide after leaving
the sandbox. Spiderwebs dot corners of dusty
buildings; one animator even designed a program
of artificial intelligence “spiders” that could create
their own spiderwebs, saving the animators the
time of creating each individual strand themselves.
During an antiques store sequence, animators
created more than 10,000 individual objects to
place around the 3-D set. Though you’d almost
certainly never notice it, the objects are arranged
in distinct sections, just as in a real store: a pinball
corner, a sewing area, a 1950s section. Squint and
you’ll see several objects referencing previous Pixar
films, including a gramophone with a vinyl record
of the song “Remember Me” from Coco, or a parody
of the painting “Dogs Playing Poker” featuring
the canine Dug from Up.
IS THIS THE END?
“Probably the most memorable time we had
[during production] was that last recording session,
which was Tom Hanks,” Nielsen remembers. “It
was pretty special. That really landed on us. You
just had to mark that moment. We all recognized—including
Tom—at the end of that session,
this could be the end of a character he’s been
playing for over 20 years.”
But it’s not the end … not really. The three existing
Toy Story films are among the few films from
the past 20 years that we can say with certainty will
still be watched by children many decades from
now, just as vintage Disney classics Snow White,
Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Bambi still are.
Perhaps Toy Story 4 will join their ranks.
But first, the filmmakers need to make sure
they’ve saved a backup copy.
FORKY CONCEPT
FORKY FINAL
JUNE 2019
99

PIXAR AT THE BOX OFFICE
In 1995, Pixar’s Toy Story made history as the first computer-animated feature. Its
critical and box office success inaugurated a remarkable new era for popular entertainment,
with each new film from Pixar and rival animation studios like DreamWorks and
Blue Sky advancing the technology and conjuring more and more detailed and intricate
characters and worlds. Computer animation, which has also become a crucial component
of many a live-action blockbuster, is now a
dominant box office force. And Pixar’s track
record over 25 years is unrivaled. As we
await the June 21 opening of Toy Story 4,
let’s take a look at Pixar’s domestic
performance. For more box office
data insights, visit pulse.boxoffice.com
INCREDIBLES 2 2018 $608,581,744
FINDING DORY 2016 $486,295,561
TOY STORY 3 2010 $415,004,880
INSIDE OUT 2015 $356,461,711
FINDING NEMO 2003 $339,714,978
UP 2009 $293,004,164
MONSTERS UNIVERSITY 2013 $268,492,764
THE INCREDIBLES 2004 $261,441,092
MONSTERS, INC. 2001 $255,873,250
TOY STORY 2 1999 $245,852,179
CARS 2006 $244,082,982
BRAVE 2012 $237,283,207
WALL-E 2008 $223,808,164
COCO 2017 $209,726,015
RATATOUILLE 2007 $206,445,654
TOY STORY 1995 $191,796,233
CARS 2 2011 $191,452,396
A BUG’S LIFE 1998 $162,798,565
CARS 3 2017 $152,901,115
THE GOOD DINOSAUR 2015 $123,087,120
100 JUNE 2019

incomparably ambitious
their accomplishments have
enriched our lives forever
Here’s to the creators, the dream-makers, the jesters, the chance-takers,
the supporters, the romantics, the story-weavers, the scene-stealers.
To those without boundaries, the rebellious trailblazers. To those seeking truth,
and won’t settle for less. To the self-defined weirdos, shunning the ordinary.
They are icons, they are memes, they are champions, and we celebrate them.
Cinionic congratulates Exhibitor of the Year, Hrvoje Krstulović of Blitz-CineStar!
Powered by:

A Moving Experience
D-BOX CELEBRATES 10 YEARS IN THE CINEMA BUSINESS
BY DANIEL LORIA
>> It started with speakers.
The year was 1998, and the technology made
sense for a small group of engineers in Montreal,
who designed an especially powerful speaker in
an era when brick-and-mortar consumer electronics
retail stores enjoyed great success. It was the
height of physical media—before Amazon, Apple,
Google, Facebook, and Netflix transformed the
home-entertainment landscape. Those engineers
formed a company around their speakers, D-BOX,
and found retailers like Costco and France’s FNAC
to carry their product.
“We were making subwoofers for these big-box
stores; people began coming to our offices asking
for two, three, four of them,” remembers Philippe
Roy, co-founder of D-BOX Technologies. “We
asked them, what are you doing with so many
subwoofers?”
Unbeknownst to Claude Mc Master, president
and CEO of D-BOX, their speaker product had
gained a cult following among consumers. People
were buying multiple subwoofers and placing them
around their seats to create a makeshift motion effect
when watching movies at home. It didn’t take
long for the founders to realize they had stumbled
upon a potentially revolutionary new technology.
“We’re all a bunch of engineers who like to
develop new products and, as you know, the
speaker industry is really competitive. We looked
at the business and decided to go all-in on motion,
a product that nobody had at the time. We knew
that if we could come up with something great, we
102 JUNE 2019

could revolutionize the entertainment market.”
Little did they know the challenge that awaited
them.
The first generation of D-BOX motion seating
systems was inaugurated in 2001. Maintaining
its roots as an audio company, D-BOX directly
synched its motion technology to any given
soundtrack to produce a uniquely kinetic experience.
At the time, the company was targeting the
home-entertainment market—coinciding with the
explosion of DVD players around the world—and
was looking at commercial applications, such as
government and corporate-training simulators and
amusement parks. A private chair, however, can
cost thousands of dollars—making it more of a
luxury good for the high-end home-entertainment
market. With a limited marketing budget to build
consumer awareness, D-BOX began looking at the
theatrical-exhibition market as a catalyst for wordof-mouth
buzz.
“It’s really expensive to create word of mouth
with a new product in any industry, especially
when you want to cover the globe. Cinema is the
best way to create word of mouth,” says Mc Master.
“We saw the theatrical market as the best way
for people to enjoy the D-BOX experience without
having to pay too much.”
With their sights set on the cinema market,
D-BOX encountered a particularly difficult
problem: selling studios and exhibitors on a new
technology—just as the industry was transitioning
to digital projection.
“It was a chicken-or-the-egg situation,” says
Philippe Roy. “Exhibitors weren’t sure if we would
have enough content throughout the year; studios
weren’t sure if we could get a big enough footprint,
or if people would be ready to spend the extra
money for the experience.”
While ticket premiums are commonplace today,
it was rare to find them at the dawn of digital
cinema. D-BOX wasn’t only selling the cinema
industry on motion seating; they were evangelizing
the potential of premium pricing.
“It was the most difficult clause to negotiate
with exhibitors,” says Mc Master, referring to the
$8 surcharge D-BOX was asking per admission.
Part of their pitch actually addresses a challenge
exhibition is still trying to address today—finding
a way to charge more for the best seats in an auditorium.
By offering movie theaters the flexibility
of installing a few rows if they’d rather not fully
equip an auditorium, D-BOX gave cinemas a
tangible premium aligned
with premium seats. “We
used the airline model as
an example: In any given
airplane, you can pay to sit
in economy or pay more
to sit in business or first
class. It’s the same venue,
but there’s a different
experience tied to the more
expensive seat.”
Mc Master remembers
the difficulty in booking
meetings with studios
when first starting out—a
group of engineers without
industry connections,
cold-calling from an
industrial park in Montreal.
“We were outsiders
in every way imaginable,”
he says. When he did manage to book meetings,
he would have to ship a D-BOX chair to a friend’s
house in Los Angeles for the demo. When one of
those meetings was canceled—sometimes with little
to no notice—he would have to arrange to ship
it back while it was still en route to California.
Every veteran D-BOX executive interviewed
for this story agreed that the turning point came
in 2009, when they received the green light from
Nikki Rocco, president of distribution at Universal,
to code Fast & Furious using their motion technology.
“She took the risk and gave us a chance,”
says Mc Master.
The celebration in Montreal wasn’t prolonged.
The D-BOX team now had to code the entire
film using their motion technology—and find
theaters willing to install their seats in time for the
film’s release. The sales team was able to land two
screens: one at the iconic Mann Chinese Theatre in
Hollywood, the other at a cinema in the retirement
community of Surprise, Arizona. “We didn’t know
what to expect,” confesses VP of sales Yannick
Gemme, who joined the company in 2005. “It
was only two screens, and one of them was in a
place with an older demographic—I wasn’t sure if
it was going to work; we always expected our core
audience to be much younger.”
The audience in Surprise, Arizona, embraced
the motion seats, emphasizing the technology’s
potential among a wide range of moviegoers. “We
had sold-out shows for weeks, even with the $8
CLAUDE MC MASTER
JUNE 2019
103

MOTION DESIGNER
D-BOX synchronizes
motion effects to a film’s
soundtrack, precisely
timing movement with
sound to create a unique
moviegoing experience
premium, and lots of people took notice,” remembers
Philippe Roy. “That’s when I realized we had
something in our hands that could get much,
much bigger.”
Over in Hollywood, the D-BOX team reserved
motion seats at the Chinese Theater for studio
executives on opening night of Fast & Furious. Mc
Master sat through the film, nervously anticipating
their reaction to the new technology. At the end of
the film, he recounts, a distribution executive from
a major studio shook his hand and told him, “This
is the next big thing for the industry.”
If Fast & Furious served as the ultimate proof of
concept for both exhibitors and distributors, the
D-BOX sales team now had to go out and expand
its footprint among other studios and theater
chains. Mc Master’s favorite demo, a clip of a train
journey from the Robert Zemeckis film The Polar
Express, was used to emphasize how motion seating
could become part of the moviegoing experience—
not just a gimmick. “We work hard to make sure
people understand that we’re not offering a distraction—we’re
not a theme park ride—we’re part
of the complete experience, in conjunction with
the sound and the image,” he says. “We don’t want
audiences to be distracted by the motion.”
The first major circuit to sign up had a special
connection to the Montreal-based company.
Cineplex, the leading exhibition chain in Canada,
opened its first D-BOX location in July 2009.
“Cineplex is a proudly Canadian company, so it
makes perfect sense for us to support and partner
with other Canadian companies that share our
passion for innovation,” says Cineplex president
and CEO, Ellis Jacob. “D-BOX is known not just
in Canada but around the world for its technology,
and over the past decade its motion seats have been
a much sought-after experience that our guests
have loved.”
That global expansion was kick-started with the
support of Cinemark, which partnered with the
company to install seats throughout its circuit in
Latin America. Today, D-BOX is a global brand
with over 700 screens in 40 countries worldwide.
At the beginning of the decade, however,
expanding that footprint was no small feat. At
the time, the industry was still managing the
challenge of transitioning from celluloid to digital
projection—a global effort that required great
investment from both studios and exhibitors.
Moreover, motion seating was far from being the
hot premium on the market at the beginning of
the decade. That accolade went to digital 3-D,
especially after the record-breaking run of James
Cameron’s Avatar at the box office. Exhibitors
would soon begin allocating capex to other
upgrades, such as recliner seating and expanded
concessions. Slowly but surely, however, motion
seating began making inroads built on positive
consumer reaction and a consistent stream of
titles from studio partners.
This success is a reflection of the company’s
commitment to ensuring each D-BOX title goes
through an intricate, rigorous motion-coding
production ahead of release. Most of the company’s
efforts are done on-site in its Montreal office: from
engineering to integrating the motion technology
into seats to the motion coding synchronized to a
film’s soundtrack. D-BOX coders, who are hired
based on an academic and professional background
in music or audio production, sit in motion-enhanced
work stations as they link specific sounds
and actions to an extensive library of individual
motion effects. The combination is akin to an
orchestral arrangement: a series of unique notes
coming together to create a harmonious whole.
The work is painstakingly detailed, with coders
dedicating hours—if not days or weeks—to individual
scenes.
Mc Master learned the importance of having
fully optimized content as he witnessed the rise—
and dip—of digital 3-D technology. “It was all
about 3-D when we first entered the market,” he
says. “But if the audience doesn’t see the value in
the experience, they don’t come back. That’s why
the quality of the motion track is the most important
part of our business.”
D-BOX’s motion system has been recognized
by major corporations outside the entertainment
104 JUNE 2019

industry, used in commercial simulation settings
by NASA, Caterpillar, John Deere, and professional
Formula One pilots. The company has
a high-end private client business, which sells
seats and codes movies for the home-entertainment
side of the business. D-BOX is also active
in the video game market and amusement-attractions
market, ideally poised to expand to
cinemas as they begin exploring esports programming.
As the company’s cinema business has grown
over the last decade, so has its competition. Motion
seating has become one of the hottest trends
in exhibition today, with competing technologies
vying for business around the world. “For the
first few years, content was always a challenge.
It’s not so much a challenge for the domestic
business anymore, but there’s still work to be
done overseas,” says sales VP Gemme. “We’re
in countries like Japan, we just signed a deal
with PVR in India; these are places where local
content is huge.”
While embracing local content in foreign
markets is the next frontier for D-BOX, it is
also facing a new period in its expansion: brand
awareness. With a growing list of competing
technologies in the space, D-BOX has been careful
in crafting a unique marketing message—in
conjunction with studios and exhibitors—to differentiate
its motion seating system from the rest.
If D-BOX’s first decade in the cinema market was
about establishing a concept, its next decade will
be about establishing its brand.
Mc Master is confident his company is up for
the challenge. The D-BOX chief executive cites
innovators like Amazon and Cirque de Soleil
as the blueprint for success. “When you launch
something that addresses an existing market—
and redefine it by giving people a new way to
experience it, it’s usually successful,” he says.
“D-BOX is trying to redefine the way you experience
entertainment—whether it’s movies, video
games, or virtual reality—through motion.”
“I’m sure motion will be here forever now. I
think we’re at a time in film history with motion
seating comparable to sound in the 1920s. A lot
of people misunderstood when sound came to
the cinema—they said it didn’t add any value
to the experience. It’s an exciting time to be
working at D-BOX; you don’t often have the
opportunity to establish a new standard, to
redefine an industry.”
THE D-BOX TEAM SHARE
THEIR FAVORITE MOVIES
YANNICK GEMME
VP of Sales
All of the Fast & Furious movies. I’m really looking
forward to Hobbs & Shaw.
THEO GJINI
Coordinator, Motion & Sound Experience
A Star Is Born. We had a motion effect for every note of
the music, creating a melody with the seat’s vibrations.
CLAUDE MC MASTER
President & CEO
The first one will always represent something very
special for me: Fast & Furious
VANESSA MOISAN-WILLIS
VP Marketing
Watching Incredibles 2 with my kids.
MICHEL PAQUETTE
VP Corporate Affairs
Star Wars: The Last Jedi, especially the scene where
Princess Leia realizes that she has the Force in her. The
scene is amazing on D-BOX.
EMMANUEL RACINE
Team Leader, Audio & Motion Experience
Speed Racer. It’s a nonstop action movie with D-BOX
effects beginning to end.
PHILIPPE ROY
Co-Founder & Chief Business Development Officer
There are so many that I loved, it would be hard to
list them all: Arrival, Fast & Furious, Gravity, Inception,
Jurassic World, Avengers: Endgame and Star Wars: The
Last Jedi. I can’t stop with just naming a few!
JUNE 2019
105

DANNY BOYLE AND RICHARD CURTIS ON SET WITH
STARS HIMESH PATEL AND LILY JAMES
106 JUNE 2019

Re-Meet
The Beatles
DANNY BOYLE AND RICHARD CURTIS’S
YESTERDAY IMAGINES A WORLD
WITHOUT THE FAB FOUR
BY KEVIN LALLY
>> It’s the highest of high concepts, with a hook guaranteed
to appeal to anyone of a certain generation: Imagine a world
where, thanks to a freak cosmic occurrence, all evidence of
The Beatles and their legacy has been erased from planet
Earth. Only one lucky dude, a struggling performer named
Jack Malik, remembers their songs—indelible tunes that
delight those around him and eventually transform him into
an international sensation with a big secret.
That’s the premise of the charming Yesterday, the first feature collaboration
between two formidable names in modern British cinema:
writer Richard Curtis, whose popular hits include Four Weddings and
a Funeral, Notting Hill, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and Love Actually, and
director Danny Boyle, whose wide-ranging credits include Trainspotting,
Shallow Grave, 28 Days Later, 127 Hours, Steve Jobs, and Best
Picture Oscar winner Slumdog Millionaire. Universal Pictures opens
the Working Title production on June 28 in North America.
Interviewed by phone a few days after the film’s rousing world premiere
at the Tribeca Film Festival, the effusive Boyle reflected on his
collaboration with Curtis. “People say, ‘What are you doing working
together?’ Because we appear to come from very different sensibilities.
But we are filmmakers, both of us, who have stayed in Britain—there
are a few of us, but not many. And we’re people who try to work in a
more popular medium and try to make accessible films. We want the
films to work in America and around the world—but we’ve stayed
at home. So it felt natural to work together, though people regard us
as being very different. I’ve always loved Richard’s work, albeit from
a distance. Not just the movies, but you think about ‘Blackadder.’
I don’t care what you say about modern television, that’s one of the
greatest things that’s ever, ever been written. So I have a real admiration
for him and I regard him, as I constantly say in the hope of
embarrassing him, as England’s poet laureate of comedy and romance.
“Also what happened is, I just finished a thing about the Gettys,
a TV series called ‘Trust,’ which was an extraordinary experience,
but there wasn’t much joy in it. So to be able to move from that to
JUNE 2019
107

AND I LOVE HER
Himesh Patel (in his film
debut) and Lily James
(“Downton Abbey”) star as
Jack and Ellie
something like this, and then to have in addition
this extraordinary idea of erasing The Beatles, why
would you not do that in a million years? I’m so
glad I did.”
At the Tribeca premiere, Curtis teased Boyle by
noting, “We did send you Notting Hill, didn’t we,
Danny? And he said, ‘No thanks.’”
“It was bit more complicated than that,”
Boyle responded sheepishly. Curtis and Boyle
had worked together briefly on a Mr. Bean spoof
for the opening ceremony of the 2012 London
Olympics, which Boyle directed. When Curtis
finished the Yesterday script (based on an idea by
Jack Barth), he immediately sent it to Boyle. The
director, true to form, asked for revisions, about 25
percent of the finished script, including a trip to
Liverpool for inspiration, and a nightmare fantasy
when Jack Malik appears on James Corden’s latenight
show.
Crucial to the success of the film is the casting
of the lead actor/singer. That assignment went
to Himesh Patel, making his feature-film debut
after a long run on the popular BBC drama series
“EastEnders.” Boyle recalls the audition process:
“I remember thinking, though probably not as
clearly as I realize now, how it was going to be very
difficult for a single individual to play all these
songs and not have people go, ‘Well, yeah, I’ve had
enough of that. I prefer to listen to the originals.’ I
realize now in retrospect how dangerous that was.
The truth is, we auditioned a lot of guys, some of
whom were better players, probably better singers
than Himesh, but all the time it did sound to me
like karaoke or sing-along or, in some cases, why
would you sing it so differently from The Beatles?
Some of the actors came in and did a really
radical version of a song and you’d go: Yeah, that’s
great, but why would I think that’s more interesting
than the way the song was in the first place?
Then Himesh came in and suddenly [solved] this
impossible equation: It’s gotta be the same, because
why would you change it? The only way you’re ever
going to remember it, even if it’s just recall, is if it’s
the original version. But at the same time it gives
you this feeling of freshness, like you were being
introduced to the song for the first time. That’s the
trick that’s being played on us and the audience in
the fictional story. [The other characters] recognize
the songs in some kind of way—you can see from
their reaction to ‘Yesterday’ [in the film]. It’s like:
Oh my God, what is that? When you hear a great
piece of music, it’s like it’s already there and you’re
just waiting to be awoken to it.”
Boyle adds, “There are a lot of people who did a
lot of work on this film, but I have to tell you that
all I was interested in was making Himesh sound
108 JUNE 2019

like he did when he came in and auditioned for me. I thought
if we changed that by introducing an expert who told him, ‘Oh,
would you play that note?’ it would ruin it. The guy’s not the
greatest guitar player in the world—it doesn’t matter. His connection
with the songs is true, absolutely true. It feels like he’s not replacing
them, he’s just rescuing them, so you will never be without
them again. That was an amazing thing. I don’t fully understand it,
but I’m grateful for it.”
There is one fairly radical version of a Beatles song in the film,
when Jack gives a concert atop a beachfront hotel (recalling The
Beatles’ famed final London rooftop performance) in his hometown
of Suffolk. The song is John Lennon’s “Help!” and Jack,
tormented by the pressure of fame and the secret he’s keeping,
screams it like a punk anthem. “Apart from ‘Yesterday,’ I think it’s
the most important song [in the movie],” Boyle declares, “because
of the synergy of the emotional arc of his story and the connection
with the true origin of the song, which was John’s cry for help,
though that was lost in the love of melody and the pop sensibility
that was suffocating them. They were the victims of their own
success. To be able to pull all that together in one version was
fantastic. I was a punk originally, that’s my musical background,
and so to be able to do a punk version of that ... When we played
it for those people on that beach, they just jumped, they adored
it. It felt like, wow, we have slightly changed The Beatles. But it’s
not a rework, it’s part of the spirit of the song. There’s anger in it as
well as beauty.”
A great coup for the production is its use of more than a dozen
classic Beatles tunes. “Obviously, there were extensive negotiations
[Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr,
Yoko Ono, and Olivia Harrison]
carefully vet material associated
with their work to make sure
that they’re happy with it. But
they’re not on board as producers
or anything like that. I wrote
to them all individually and got
a couple of lovely replies and a
couple of go-aheads. So we were
very lucky and happy.
JUNE 2019
109

TICKET TO RIDE
“Saturday Night Live” star
Kate McKinnon costars as
Jack’s laser-focused agent,
Debra
to secure the rights to the songs,” Boyle says. “And
they [Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono, and
Olivia Harrison] carefully vet material associated
with their work to make sure that they’re happy
with it. But they’re not on board as producers or
anything like that. I wrote to them all individually
and got a couple of lovely replies and a couple of
go-aheads. So we were very lucky and happy. As a
result of all that, we got permission to use and play
the original master recording of ‘Hey Jude’ at the
end of the film, which I was very keen on, because
I thought, I don’t care how good Himesh is, to be
able to hear the original at the end is absolutely
right and proper. It’s a fantasy, thank God, and
[the songs] are still with us and always will be.
‘Yesterday’ is 50 years old, and I don’t see how you
can improve that song. You just can’t. It sounds
perfect—and modern.”
Boyle has a philosophical take on why these
songs endure. “I believe they’re buried in us; they’re
part of our DNA,” he says. “I really believe there
are works of art that are [part] of our consciousness
and our soul as a people. They’re representative,
obviously, of the individuals who actualized them,
but they belong to us and they’re part of us and
they’re not a passing fad, they’re not a passing
industry thing. I believe in culture, and for me
music’s a huge part of this as a belief system. There
are certain belief systems which make humanity
work for good and for bad—one is money, one is
war, one is religion—but the most important one
for me is culture. It makes the world go round. It’s
the most vulnerable as well, because it’s the only
one of those things that won’t actually go to war on
its own behalf. But I believe it’s a fundamental part
of us—we are nothing without it. I think the songs
are in some way buried in us and are awoken by
people on our behalf. I really do believe that. That’s
been my life experience.”
Daring to stand in the shadow of The Beatles
in Yesterday is a real-life music superstar, redheaded
one-man band Ed Sheeran, who plays himself and
good-naturedly sends up his celebrity persona,
(An early champion of rising talent Jack Malik,
he advises a title change from “Hey Jude” to “Hey
Dude.”) “He’s got a very good sense of humor,
thank God,” Boyle says. “We asked Chris Martin
first, but he turned it down because he wanted to
spend a year with his family in L.A. Ed was touring
at the same time, which made scheduling a bit
trickier. But then it gave us a huge advantage of
the crowds at his gigs. He allowed us to come in
and film those for free, and our budget level could
never have afforded us to stage those scenes. He
mercilessly teased us about the fact that he was
second choice. He wouldn’t let us forget it.”
Boyle adds, “I think it helped that he had a
genuine admiration for Himesh, because as a pro
110 JUNE 2019

he could hear that Himesh has got
something. It isn’t technique—he
meets lots of session musicians
who’ve got way better technique.
But he could see that Himesh had
something that allowed him to
tell the story of the song to you, as
though you were hearing it anew.”
Yesterday also features Lily James
(Cinderella, “Downton Abbey”),
downplaying her beauty as Jack’s
childhood friend and part-time
manager, who has a longtime secret
crush on the singer. (It wouldn’t be a
Richard Curtis script without some
romantic pining.) And, as she often
does, “Saturday Night Live” Emmy
winner Kate McKinnon steals the
film as Debra, Jack’s hilariously
blunt new agent, laser focused on
how much money her protégé can
generate. “She’s fantastic,” Boyle
says. “I’m a big believer in comedians
becoming actors—I think they make very fine
actors. I like them to take it quite seriously, and she
was up for that. She loved playing that scene where
Debra asks Jack if he’s thirsty for fame. What she
brought was interesting. The comic technique is to
give you a number of options, to play it a number
of different ways. But she brought that to the serious
stuff as well. She’d do a scene and say, ‘Can you
keep it running? I’ll give you a couple of different
versions of this last bit.’ That was fun. And some
of the actors were like: Whoa. It’s very funny, but
she’s very serious. She goes away in a corner and
she prepares, so she’s ready to dazzle you with what
appears to be improvisation, but it’s actually very
deeply thought through as well.”
From his very first feature, the 1994 comedy-thriller
Shallow Grave, Danny Boyle has refined
a highly cinematic visual style, infused with energy.
Naming Apocalypse Now as his all-time favorite
film, he notes, “I can watch a Tarkovsky film, my
jaw drops in awe, but I love the stimulation that
you can bring to an audience, the almost physical
vibration you can bring them with storytelling if
you get it right—and performance and music and
all those combinations of things. A lot of it comes
out of my love of music; for a long time I knew
more about music than I did about films. I have
to be honest and acknowledge that it’s the music
that helps me, We were lucky enough to coincide
as filmmakers with the growing acceptance of
YouTube and pop videos and those short bursts
of extraordinary invention and entertainment and
vision. It took a little while for the mainstream film
industry to realize that this is actually where we’re
going, guys. I think we were lucky to coincide with
that general movement.”
Boyle is also passionate about the theatrical
movie format and the special experience it provides.
“Time is a really incredible thing in movies.
When you work for three or four months editing a
movie, you realize its essence, whatever the movie
is: You’re compressing time or extending it, or
stopping it and then restarting it. There’s no other
art form that does that. Television doesn’t do it, because
television, especially in its modern iteration,
is endless time. It actually just lets time run forever.
These new formats are 10 parts, 12-part series—it’s
just endless. Whereas film and theater is about this
contract: We as filmmakers have done this thing
with time in a story, and we want you to come
and give us your time for two hours. That’s all. But
when you come for that two hours, you’ll see time
compressed, expanded. We will do with that time
something that you’ll never get anywhere else. It’s
absolutely critical; we’ve got to protect it. We will
lose so much if we let it die. There isn’t any other
art form that can do it. Picasso couldn’t do it, but
movies can do it.”
HEY DUDE
Singer-songwriter Ed
Sheeran plays himself in
Yesterday. “He’s got a very
good sense of humor,
thank God.”
JUNE 2019
111

Champing
at the Bit
ALEXANDRE AJA’S CRAWL FLOODS
INTO THEATERS THIS SUMMER
BY DANIEL LORIA
>> Among all the films previewed at Paramount’s CinemaCon
presentation, none elicited a more gleeful reaction from press
row than Alexandre Aja’s Crawl. The high-concept creature
feature pits Haley (Kaya Scodelario, pictured below), a young
woman who ignores an evacuation order to look for her missing
father during a Category 5 hurricane, against a gang of
gigantic alligators who rush in with the rising water levels. The
footage shown at CinemaCon was reminiscent of the grind
house horror flicks of the 1980s. Boxoffice caught up with
the French director ahead of the film’s release to talk about
his approach to the film and why he fell in love with a project
that hearkens back to his childhood fears.
How did you get involved with the project?
When you make movies and, very specifically, when you try
to make movies that are really scary and suspenseful, you always
read scripts with the expectation that fear starts on the page. For
this one, everything started in the log line. I remember when
Craig Flores, the producer, sent me the script over the weekend;
I remember falling in love with the log line, with that simple idea
of a young woman going into a Category 5 hurricane to save her
dad in a flooded area full of alligators. I thought it was just the
most simple and efficient starting point to build a roller-coaster
ride of a movie.
Were there any other movies you had in mind in your
approach to this one?
There are a lot of crocodile and alligator movies, specifically
from the early ’80s. There are some very fun ones, but there’s
not really a reference movie the way Jaws is a reference for shark
movies. I really wanted to do a creature feature because alligators
can be some of the scariest and most terrifying creatures when
you learn a little bit more about them. They are perfect predators.
That’s why for the last 16 million years they have barely
changed. They’re the perfect killing machine, the last dinosaurs
alive. We wanted to do something that was somewhat realistic,
yes, but that also pushed the edges of that reality. Jaws is always
the blueprint; Alien is another great reference.
How did you mold the script into the film you wanted
to make?
The script was way more claustrophobic, taking place inside
the house, and I wanted to open up that world. I wanted the
storm itself to be the one location, a place that simply doesn’t let
you escape.
How much did you have to balance it tonally? You want
it to be fun but have to be careful not to steer too closely
to camp.
In some of my other movies like The Hills Have Eyes, High
Tension, or Maniac, I was really aiming for fear. When I did
Piranha, it was much more like an all-gore comedy. For this
one, I really wanted to go back to the fear; I didn’t want it to be
funny or camp. I wanted a real survival thriller. Our character is
trapped in this house, trapped in a neighborhood that’s flooding
with water, with a ticking clock of water rising and all these
creatures trying to hunt her.
You mentioned Jaws, a movie that struggled a lot behind the
scenes to have its shark effects work properly. What were
some of the technical challenges you had to contend with in
the making of Crawl?
It was one of the most challenging movies I have ever done.
When you do a movie that takes place over one day, inside a
Category 5 hurricane with flooding water, you cannot shoot on
112 JUNE 2019

ALEXANDRE AJA AT THE MOVIES
I grew up in the ’80s and remember watching Pet
location. You cannot go
into a storm and shoot
the movie. Alligators aside,
you have to build and rebuild
eight different things
all inside a blue screen with
all the CGI in the world to
re-create the setting, re-create
that storm. The crew and
actors, we were always in the
water, all day long for 40 days
with rain, wind, and sound
effects. We also had the challenge
of these alligators, that are fully CGI
creatures, and we wanted them to be so real that we didn’t have
to hide them in the movie. You know that Hollywood saying,
“Less is more”? I think that sometimes you should do the opposite.
That’s what we aimed for with this movie; we want you to
see the creatures our characters are fighting.
Why is a movie like Crawl ideally suited for cinemas?
There is a reason why really good scary movies are the only
ones that are challenging these amazing superhero movies at
the box office. They offer an experience that you share with the
people around you. There is nothing better than watching a very
good suspenseful thriller or very good horror movie with people
you don’t know. You all jump together and can feel the temperature
in the auditorium rising. It’s like everyone is frozen, unable
to move because they’re too scared about what’s going to happen
next. It’s the most communal experience that you can get in a
Sematary in a movie theater and being traumatized.
I wasn’t even able to finish it; I wanted to leave the
auditorium. I remember watching Nightmare on Elm
Street and having the feeling that this fear would
stay with me no matter what, no matter if I
closed my eyes or blocked my ears.
theater. I’m still happy
that Crawl is getting
such a wide theatrical
release because anywhere
you are, anywhere in the
world, even if you don’t
come from Florida or you
haven’t seen an alligator
in your backyard, I think
everyone will relate to this
experience.
Having lived in South Florida, I know it’s not
odd to encounter an alligator in a suburban setting. They
seem to love golf courses and swimming pools. How much
experience did you have with alligators personally before
you took on this project?
I was a child actor growing up, and I had the chance to go to
Florida a few times, because, as you can imagine, in Paris there
are not that many alligators around. But when I was in Florida,
in the Everglades, each time I was fascinated and obsessed with
them. I remember making a movie in the early ’90s where I had
to spend almost a year in Miami. I remember seeing them everywhere.
There is something fascinating about the way they look;
they’re like the original monster. I think it’s something that is
rooted in the minds of a lot of people, almost like a subconscious
memory of an ancient time when we were dealing with them
on a daily basis. I asked Sam Raimi, who was a producer on the
movie, what was his favorite alligator or crocodile movie. He told
me, Jurassic Park.
JUNE 2019
113

The Swedish
Connection
B-REEL FILMS LOOKS TO CROSS OVER
WITH MIDSOMMAR AND KUNG FURY 2
BY KEVIN LALLY
Hollywood’s affiliation with Sweden goes back to the silent era,
with directors like Victor Sjöström and Mauritz Stiller and actresses
Anna Q. Nilsson and the inimitable Greta Garbo. The connection
continues today with such crossover successes as Stellan,
Alexander, and Bill Skarsgård, Max von Sydow, Rebecca Ferguson,
and Oscar winner Alicia Vikander.
FLORENCE PUGH AND JACK REYNOR
HEAD FOR THE CELEBRATION IN MIDSOMMAR
>> Working hard to keep that momentum
going is B-Reel Films, a 24-year-old
independent production company with
offices in Stockholm and Los Angeles.
B-Reel has its highest-profile project to
date with Midsommar, the eagerly anticipated
second feature from director Ari
Aster, who won acclaim with last year’s
terrifying supernatural thriller Hereditary.
Midsommar, which A24 releases on July
3 in North America, follows an American
couple (Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor)
who participate in a midsummer festival in
a remote Swedish village and find the rituals
there increasingly strange and sinister.
“It’s pretty wild and a lot of fun,”
says B-Reel head of production Philip
Westgren. “Hereditary just surprised
people, and they didn’t quite know what
to expect. I think this film takes that to
another level. A24 is doing a really great
job in the way they put their films out. I
think it’s smart that as of yet it’s all still
pretty mysterious, and hopefully we can
keep it like that for a while.”
Westgren explains the genesis of the
project: “I have a colleague, a fellow
producer at B-Reel named Patrik
Andersson, who had this concept of
doing a horror film that takes place in
this specific world which is very Swedish.
When he pitched that to me, I was
aware of Ari as a writer, and I’d been introduced
to him and I thought it could
be really interesting for him. Ari at the
time had come from AFI and had made
some short films, and we thought he
was really interesting and talented. And
when we sat down with him, he completely
jumped on it. He’s not the kind
of guy who goes out there looking for
assignments—that’s not really the way
he operates. Right from the outset, he
had a vision for it, and we saw it as our
duty to try to empower him as much as
possible and embrace his vision, which
we fell in love with right away. We were
able to immerse Ari into the world of
this Swedish midsummer and its pagan
history and cultural celebration. We
enabled him to do a lot of research and
then he completely made it his own. It’s
114 JUNE 2019

highly cinematic, and I think it’s quite
unlike anything else.”
Ironically, this specifically Swedish tale
was shot in Hungary. Westgren explains:
“We unfortunately were unable to shoot
in Sweden because they just don’t have
good tax incentives. But our production
designer was Swedish, our costume
designer was Swedish, so we were able
to bring Sweden to Hungary, if you will.
We and Ari especially would have wanted
nothing more than to shoot in Sweden.
… in the same way that unfortunately not
a lot of movies are shot in L.A. anymore.”
Next up for B-Reel is Kung Fury 2, the
feature version of a short film by Swedish
director David Sandberg, which begins
principal photography on July 29. The cast
includes Arnold Schwarzenegger and Michael
Fassbender, and at press time B-Reel
was hoping to sign “one of the leading
comedy actresses,” plus some popular music
artists to work on the soundtrack.
“It’s an homage to ’80s action movies,
but extremely funny and at the same
time visually exciting and original,” says
Westgren. “The original short film was
crowd funded from 18,000 backers, who
raised $630,000. From there it went on
to the Cannes Film Festival and became
a big viral hit—on YouTube it’s been seen
30 or 40 million times. It’s also been on
Netflix and a number of other platforms.
An exciting voice is our filmmaker David
Sandberg, who stars in the movie because
he starred in the original short film. Surrounding
him with Arnold and Michael
is pretty crazy for a first-time feature director.
It’s a really fun, visual effects–driven
project and we absolutely believe in
the commercial breakout potential of it.”
(Take note: Kung Fury director David
Sandberg is not the director of DC Comics
smash Shazam!, David F. Sandberg.
The two Swedes are actually good friends,
Westgren notes.)
Other upcoming B-Reel projects
include TV series with actor Tom Hardy’s
company and with director Leonardo
Fasoli, creator of the Italian TV series
“Gomorrah,” and a feature project with
“Patrick Melrose” director Ed Berger.
“I WORK ALONE”
Writer/director/star
David Sandberg’s viral hit,
Kung Fury, will soon get a
big-budget sequel.
“What tends to be the through line for
all these projects,” Westgren says, “is that
we have our roots in Europe and work
with the U.S. We really try to bridge the
best of those two. Midsommar’s a great
example where we had an idea that was
European-set and we were able to attract
a really exciting filmmaker, an auteur,
[who would] explore it in his own way.
“Kung Fury is another good example.
Obviously, the director is a Swede and
it’s based on a short film that was made
in Sweden. But we are now driving
the bigger international version. While
we’ve brought on bigger financiers, we’ve
also raised a lot of money in Europe
through the soft money and co-pro funds
available, which enabled us to make the
bigger, better version of this film. The
co-pro world is one that our companies
are deeply immersed in—we know how
to navigate that, but hopefully we will
try to combine that with projects that
are creatively exciting … Writers and
directors in the U.S., with the way things
are driven by the marketplace here, don’t
as often [have the opportunity to work
on] projects that are original ideas, independently
financed but bigger films. Both
of these projects are first and foremost
filmmaker-driven, but also we’ve been
lucky in attracting good casts. The way
the marketplace works today, there’s not
much of a mid-range anymore. You’re
doing very small movies or very big ones.
With both of these films, we’re trying to
get a little bit more in the middle. I think
our European/Scandinavian/U.S. mix
enables us to do that.”
B-Reel has also produced the documentaries
Bergman: A Year in the Life
(2018), winner of the European Documentary
prize at the European Film
Awards, and Stieg Larsson: The Man Who
Played with Fire, which recently premiered
at Sundance. “This is a very exciting time
for documentary,” Westgren notes. “There
are a number of projects at the moment
we’re developing here in the U.S., two in
particular in the early production stage
that we’re really excited about.”
B-Reel consists of a film/TV production
company, a commercial production
company, and a creative agency, Westgren
explains. “The commercial production
company and creative agency were
already firmly established here in L.A.
and New York and other parts of Europe.
But in Sweden particularly, we have a
very active film and TV slate. We had five
theatrical releases in Sweden last year and
a number of TV series. As a producer and
in a former management capacity, I was
working with a number of filmmakers
and I noticed that the good ones tend to
work with B-Reel. And so that’s how I
got to know them, and that’s what led to
me coming aboard to help build out the
U.S. slate.”
Born and raised in the Netherlands,
with a Swedish father, Westgren attended
Wesleyan University in Connecticut and
JUNE 2019
115

CHECKMATE
Bengt Ekerot, as Death,
with Ingmar Bergman on
the set of The Seventh Seal
eventually landed a job working for veteran
film producer Lawrence Gordon (Die
Hard, Field of Dreams, Hellboy), whom
Westgren calls “an amazing mentor and
good friend still today.”
“From the outset,” Westgren recalls, “I
had very much an interest in the international
side to our industry. As our industry
became even more global in the last
15, 20 years, it became a big priority. So
while I was working for Larry, I was able
to focus on working with international
filmmakers and international I.P., and I
increasingly felt that I was finding a specific
space in the industry that obviously
was influenced by my own international
background, but was something that just
spoke to me in a very specific way.”
Westgren says he believes, “Today,
someone like Kevin Feige is the best
example of a big-studio producer who has
done such a great job and managed to define
his films on his creative terms. I think
for most producers working in the studio
system today, if you don’t control I.P., that
is such a difficult thing to do. And for me,
that definition of what a producer does is
not what draws me to producing. More
often than not, today you’re executing
what the studio wants you to do. I think
it’s more exciting to find filmmakers that
have a very strong point of view and
try to empower them the best possible
way. If you can manage to do that in the
independent space, that’s a bit more easily
done. A good example being David Sandberg:
when you have a filmmaker who has
a concept that is so original that you feel it
can not only be a great movie but also be
built into an IP, and then help them build
the production in a way where it doesn’t
become a studio film but something that
he controls independently.”
He continues, “At the end of the day,
for all of us at B-Reel, it’s about identifying
interesting filmmaker voices and then
making it our job to make sure that they
get to tell a story their way. It’s not always
easy, but if you know why you’re doing it,
because you believe in a filmmaker, you
believe in a project, then it’s worth it.”
Westgren believes this is a breakthrough
era for international filmmakers. “All of a
sudden, Hollywood is becoming so much
more global—no longer is globally successful
content being defined as English-language
in the way that the traditional
perception was. The growth is everywhere
around the world, and great stories are
being told everywhere. To the degree that
we as a company have more of an international
footprint than most production
companies, obviously we are going to try
to play our small part in that. It is a benefit
that we have that network of filmmakers
internationally, but in an ideal scenario it
is also about trying to combine that with
the best Hollywood has to offer in terms of
packaging creatively with actors, and also
financing and distribution. The big players
in Hollywood are all paying attention to
what is happening internationally, so if
you manage to navigate both sides as a
production company, that’s a good thing.
I’m not suggesting we can do that around
the world, but specifically in Scandinavia
and more generally in Europe, we have a
strong footprint.”
Though B-Reel is developing projects
for both theaters and TV, Westgren
continues to value the theatrical experience.
“Getting movies made is extremely
hard, and there is no more satisfying way
of seeing film than in a movie theater.
How else do you bring the scope of the
ambition of not just the director and the
producer, but that an entire crew puts,
just everything that goes into making a
movie? There’s no better way of experiencing
that than with an audience in that
big theater. Personally speaking, and I’m
sure most producers would agree with
me, all of us are a little bit crazy to pursue
careers in this industry, but I think it all
started with going to a movie theater and
falling in love with that experience.”
116 JUNE 2019

TIMECODE
BY KENNETH JAMES BACON
THE EXHIBITOR HAS [THEIR] SAY
“SHOWMEN,” AS EXHIBITORS ONCE CALLED THEMSELVES, WERE AN OPINIONATED
LOT, SO WE GAVE THEM A FORUM … THEY DIDN’T DISAPPOINT
PART 6 OF OUR 12-PART DEEP DIVE INTO THE BOXOFFICE ARCHIVES
LET’S PUT OUR HEADS TOGETHER,
FELLOWS!
I have the second house, seating capacity
650, in a town of 2,500. We’re still using
standard screen with no gimmicks other
than what’s on it and how we sell it. They
say that there’s nothing new under the
sun—only the manner in which it’s done,
and that, as I see it, means new ideas.
I look forward to Monday when I get
the trade papers in the mail and I sit down
and read them and have the employees do
likewise so that we can put our little heads
together and have a look-see if we can come
up with something.
How about the rest of you? Do you have
any special ideas you use or come up with
from day to day? If you have, drop me a line
and let’s swap ideas—huh?
Business with us is generally pretty fair,
can’t complain, but getting business is like
eating popcorn (amen!)—the more you have
the more you want. How do you get that
next customer in and make him happy? If
you want a pen pal for swapping ideas—I’m
your boy!
—Lew Bray, Jr.
Queen Theatre, McAllen, Texas
Dec. 11, 1954
>> Decades ago, well before the advent of the
wide release, cinema operators in Small Town,
America, had to sit on their hands and wait for
films to finish their initial runs in the big cities
before prints would trickle down to towns like
Sebring, Ohio (pop. 900), and Grace, Idaho (pop.
725). A close-knit community, exhibitors were
eager to share their results when booking everything
from Gladiators Seven (“very poor dubbing”)
to Breakfast at Tiffany’s. (“How can anyone find
anything wrong with it? We can’t.”) Exhibitors
in these rural settings were often too revealing in
these short reports, dozens of which were published each week. Pictures like
Vincente Minnelli’s Cabin in the Sky with Ethel Waters or any film with the
Marx or Ritz Brothers were often described as “not for our clientele.”
VIVA ZAPATA! Marlon Brando,
Jean Peters, Anthony Quinn. Too
bad this wasn’t seen by more. I didn’t
make expenses on this fine feature. I still
don’t know why for I have a town with predominantly
Mexican population.
This is a funny business! Played
Sun., Mon. Weather: Fair.
—George Kelloff
Ute Theatre, Aguilar, Colo.
Small town and rural patronage
Oct. 3, 1953
THE SONG SAYS, “WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT, ALFIE?” My customers
asked me the same. “Has he got mush in his mouth?” one kid asked.
Whatever it was all about, it was not about the profits at the box office in this
farm town. Should have played an Audie Murphy instead. The second show,
The Busy Body, was lukewarm. I think the English are getting even for
the Revolutionary War with some of these pictures. Played Sun., Mon.
Weather: Warm.
—Jerry Drew
Sierra Theatre, Chowchilla, Calif.
Boxoffice Classic Ad
Sept. 5, 1966
Pop. 4,453
118 MAY 2019

SHIP OF FOOLS I suppose
the fools are the ones who
came to see this, or maybe the
exhibitor who played it. Talk,
talk, and more talk.
—W.S. Funk
East Main Drive-In, Lake City, S.C.
Pop 3,000
OLD YELLER This Academy
Awards nomination comes after
Old Yeller broke house records here. Best
picture—Old Yeller; best male star—Old Yeller,
the dog; best female star—Dorothy McGuire.
I think we should present Old Yeller, the dog,
an Oscar in the shape of a fire hydrant. No
kidding, we are doing more business with Old
Yeller in five days than we did with The Ten
Commandments in seven. Saturday we broke
the house record. We had lines four abreast
one block long and had to quit selling tickets
at 2:15. I have been in this business 46 years,
and I never thought in this age of TV that we
could do more business with this picture than
any we have ever run—and we
have run them all. Three cheers for
Old Yeller.
—Ed Mott
Schine’s Wooster Theater
Wooster, Ohio
March 3, 1958
IT’S REALLY A SWELL SHOW WITH HEADACHES ADDED This
picture is good news at the box office, but oh what a headache! There
were so many shrieks and squeals that I had a splitting headache before the
show was over, and then I had a different kind of headache. The excited patrons
had actually torn up the seats! There was plenty of damage to them as well as to
me. One man came out fighting mad because some excited kid behind him yelled
so hard that bubblegum popped right out of his mouth and into the seat with this
man. Being pretty interested himself, he didn’t notice the gum until he had twisted
around in his seat a few times and smeared the gum all over the seat of his
pants. So, fellow exhibitors, if you haven’t yet played this screwball masterpiece,
be forewarned—have an extra staff on duty to help take care of emergencies
that will arise. Don’t miss it, though. They love it—from Junior to
Grandma. Played Sun., Mon. Weather: Cold.
—Mrs. Pat. W. Murphy
Queen Theatre, Holliday, Tex.
Oil field worker patronage
HOT-DIGGETY-DOG, this was swell
entertainment! Nothing heavy, but all
comedy and pretty gals and all in Technicolor.
What few came out wanted to see it again (the
others stayed home to hear the real fight between
Lewis and Walcott). Anyway, this one is all right
for any size town—just take my word
for it. Played Wed., Thurs. Weather:
Fine.
Boxoffice
Classic Ad
May 18, 1946
—I. Roche
Vernon Theatre, Vernon, Fla
Small town with rural patronage
MAY 2019 119

50 Years of Film at
Lincoln Center
THE FILM SOCIETY OF
LINCOLN CENTER REBRANDS AS IT
LOOKS TO THE FUTURE
PHOTO COURTESY OF METTIE OSTROWSKI
New York City’s Lincoln Center for the Performing
Arts has served as a campus for the city’s thriving
arts scene since its inauguration in 1962. As dedicated
buildings housing theater, music, and opera
venues began opening across its 16 acres on the
city’s Upper West Side, it was unclear what role (if
any) film would play among these more established
art forms. The roots for what eventually became
Film at Lincoln Center were planted in 1963, with
the inaugural edition of the New York Film Festival.
Formal conversations about expanding film’s presence
from an annual festival to year-round programming
began in 1967. By May 9, 1969, the Film Society
of Lincoln Center was born. The organization played
host to the New York Film Festival and launched
specialized film series like New Directors/New Films
(with the Museum of Modern Art, in 1972) to contribute
to the city’s eclectic cinema scene.
The Film Society of Lincoln Center expanded into
publishing with the acquisition of Film Comment
in 1973, becoming a leading voice in film criticism
as New Hollywood auteurs began making inroads
into the American studio system. Its first dedicated
screening space, the Walter Reade Theater,
opened its doors in 1991 and allowed the
organization greater flexibility in programming.
A second space, a stateof-the-art
twin cinema in what was
previously a parking garage, opened in
2011 to offer a wider array of first-run
films and events to complement the
repertory programming.
On the occasion of its 50th anniversary,
held at the Alice Tully Hall on April 29,
the Film Society announced a major rebranding
in a star-studded gala. Now
known as Film at Lincoln Center, the
organization hosted a diverse group
of influential filmmakers who have
made an impact on—and have been
impacted by—its 50-year legacy.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DAN RODRIGUEZ
“New York needed the Walter Reade Theater to be complete as a city. A
metropolis without a Cinematheque is like a city without memories, one
that offers no shelter to lonely souls. The existence of Film at Lincoln
Center, with its multiple screens, assures us that cinephilia is alive and
kicking, and that its curiosity and appetite will be fully quenched.”
–Pedro Almodóvar
“I know when I enter this place,
cinema will still be safe and protected
because that has been their mission
from the start.” –Martin Scorsese
“By bringing Fellini stateside, schlepping
Charlie Chaplin to parks in all
five boroughs, or repping the
newest crop of film geniuses
at the New York Film Festival,
Film at Lincoln Center has
played an outsized role in
the proliferation of the best
of our medium. And thank
god for that. Cinema has
had an almost supernatural
ability to teach us
empathy by giving us a
view into the lives of
other people. Great
films make us better
people, capable of
recognizing our fellow
humans across the
borders other men
have drawn.”
–Jake Gyllenhaal
120

PHOTO COURTESY OF METTIE OSTROWSKI
“Nobody has to bother scheduling
a memorial for me after I die
because I already got to hear all
the nice things people might say
about my career when I was still
alive and had a retrospective
in the nearby Walter Reade
Theater. Film Comment gave me
the meanest review I’ve gotten in
my life and I still didn’t cancel my
subscription.” –John Waters
“It was a particular honor for me this
past fall when Wildlife—my first film as
a director, co-written with Zoe [Kazan]
(above, right)—was selected to be part of
the New York Film Festival. Even though we
had already played Sundance and Cannes,
it was the first screening where I felt at
home.” –Paul Dano
PHOTO COURTESY OF SEAN DISERIO
“I’ll never forget when New Directors/New
Films programmed my
first film, Pariah, in 2011. A small,
independent lesbian coming-ofage
film about a Brooklyn teenager
that could easily be overlooked
by an Upper West Side crowd. And
so it was a bold, far-sighted
move for the
New Directors/
New Films programmers
to
dare to screen
that film in the
Elinor Bunin
Munroe Film
Center.”
–Dee Rees
“To call this home from
home would be stretching
things a little: in our house,
films are screened against
a kitchen wall with considerably
less capacity than
this room and here there is,
all in all, far less dog hair.
But I can call it a place of
real safety, of comfort and
joy, stocked with comradeship
and shared powers.”
–Tilda Swinton
PHOTO COURTESY OF
DAN RODRIGUEZ
PHOTO COURTESY OF
DAN RODRIGUEZ
121

INVESTOR RELATIONS
BY ROB RINDERMAN
Q2 REVIEW
A LOOK AT SECOND
QUARTER EARNINGS
ACROSS THE CINEMA
INDUSTRY
>> DOLBY LABORATORIES (DLB) posted
a 12.9 percent total revenue increase in its
fiscal second quarter, generating $338.3
million during the three-month period.
Net income and per share earnings also
jumped during the period.
“It was another solid quarter, as we
continued to expand the amount of
content and devices in Dolby Vision and
Dolby Atmos and grow our footprint of
Dolby Cinema,” said Kevin Yeaman, the
company’s president and CEO.
Dolby’s GAAP (Generally Accepted
Accounting Principles) net income rose to
$73.4 million, or $0.70 per diluted share,
solidly ahead of its year-ago operating
performance of $65.2 million in net
income, or $0.61 per diluted share. On
a non-GAAP basis, fiscal Q2 net income
amounted to $109 million, or $1.04 per
diluted share, compared to non-GAAP
net income of $78.1 million, or $0.73 per
diluted share.
Dougherty & Company analyst Steven
Frankel concluded in his post-quarter
update that “with growing momentum
in Vision, Cinema, and Atmos,
Dolby beat on both the top and bottom
lines.” For the 14th consecutive quarter,
DLB bested bottom-line expectations.
Frankel also pointed out that “with the
exhibition business tilting more toward
premium experiences, Dolby Cinema
remains well positioned.”
DLB unveiled an additional 15 new
Dolby Cinema screens during the recent
three-month period, increasing its worldwide
installed base footprint to 215.
The company presently pays shareholders
an annual dividend of $0.76 (in $0.19
quarterly installments), equating to a 1.2
percent annualized yield.
NATIONAL CINEMEDIA (NCMI) posted
a 4.1 percent decline in fiscal first quarter
total revenue, generating $76.9 million for
the three-month period ended March 28,
2019. Operating income decreased 0.9
percent to $10.9 million, reflecting lower
than expected network attendance.
The company’s adjusted OIBDA
(Operating Income before Depreciation
& Amortization) decreased 5.2 percent to
$22.1 million. NCM’s net loss was $1.1
million, or $0.01 per diluted share. This
compared to a net loss of $1.9 million, or
$0.03 per diluted share, in fiscal Q1 2018.
NCM president and interim CEO
Cliff Marks commented, “Demand from
national advertisers remains strong, and
the excitement around the movie slate
for the rest of the year is amazing. As
digital becomes increasingly cluttered
and concerns over privacy spread and
TV audiences increasingly age up while
ratings continue to decline, cinema
continues to be a haven for advertisers
looking to supplement their reach and
target valuable young cord-cutters with
a passion for entertainment, brands, and
the full movie experience.”
The company reaffirmed its full year
2019 outlook of total revenue growth
in a range between 1.9 percent and 5.3
percent and adjusted OIBDA to be up
0.8 percent to 5.6 percent. NCM expects
2019 total revenue in the range of $450
to $465.0 million and adjusted OIBDA
between $207 and $217 million.
CINEMARK (CNK) reported total revenues
for the three months ended March
31, 2019, of $714.7 million, versus $780
million for the comparable 2018 Q1
period. Admissions revenues were $395.5
million, concession revenues were $251.3
million and aggregate circuit-wide attendance
was 62.3 million. CNK’s patrons
paid an average admission price of $6.35,
with concession revenues per patron rising
5.5 percent to $4.03.
First quarter net income was $32.7
million, down from $62 million in the
year-ago quarter. Diluted Q1 earnings per
share was $0.28, compared to $0.53 for
Q1 ’18. Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA
for CNK was $152.3 million, lower than
the $193.4 million it reported for the
three months ended March 31, 2018.
“While, as anticipated, industry box
office declined in the first quarter based
on film release timing,” said Cinemark
CEO Mark Zoradi, “We are extremely
optimistic about the potential for another
record year, considering the strength of
content to come. And with the sustained
execution of our guest-centric initiatives,
Cinemark remains well positioned to capitalize
on that content for the remainder of
2019 and beyond,” added Zoradi.
KINEPOLIS reported lower group quarterly
total revenue during its first quarter
due to a decline in overall visitor numbers.
However, revenue per visitor rose across
all countries of operations (97 cinemas
and 884 total screens), both in terms of
beverages and snack sales, as well as box
office admission revenues.
The group’s growing share of premium
movie experiences such as Laser UL-
TRA, 4DX, and “cozy” seats significantly
contributed to the company’s increased
total box office revenue per visitor in all
countries, partially offsetting the aggregate
visitor decline.
Adjusted EBITDA (REBITDA),
excluding the impact of the introduction
of IFRS 16 (International Financial Reporting
Standards), decreased due to the
decline in visitor numbers, compounded
by the effect of country mix. The decline
in visitor numbers was strongest in Belgium,
where the average return per visitor
is highest.
Net financial debt showed a slight
increase compared to December 31, 2018,
levels due to Kinepolis’s acquisition of El
Punt (Spain-based cinemas in Barcelona
and Valencia), ongoing investments in the
rollout of laser projection, 4DX and
RealD 3-D, recliner seat installs, the
opening of a self-service shop in Canada,
and investments in new construction
projects.
122 JUNE 2019

AMC ENTERTAINMENT (AMC) reported
Q1 revenue of $1.2 billion (a 13.2%
year-over-year decline on a GAAP basis),
which resulted in a $130.2 million net
loss (versus a $17.7 million net profit
in the year-earlier period), and adjusted
EBITDA of $108.2 million (61.1 percent
lower than its Q1 ’18 level).
Domestic food and beverage revenue
on a per patron basis set a new record for
the first quarter, at $5.23 per guest.
Analyzing the company’s quarterly
operating performance, CEO Adam Aron
stated, “As we thought was likely for our
U.S. theaters, in our largest market by far,
the U.S. industry box office declined a
healthy 16.2 percent this quarter. Even so,
we are comforted that AMC continued to
outperform the U.S. industry box office,
notably with domestic attendance per
screen declining only 10.1 percent in the
first quarter of 2019. This beat the industry
by approximately 570 basis points.”
Despite the sluggish start to the year,
Aron remains bullish on the nine months
ahead. “We continue to be excited about
the remainder of 2019, which we believe
might be the highest grossing nine-month
period in cinema history. We are optimistic
that the full year 2019 box office will be
at least as strong as 2018, and potentially
could be the first year ever that the domestic
box office breaks $12 billion,” he added.
CINEWORLD (CNNWF) recently
announced the signing and completion of
a sale and leaseback transaction relating
to 17 of the chain’s U.S.-based multiscreen
cinemas totaling 251 screens. The
transaction is consistent with Cineworld’s
existing business model of operating a
predominantly leasehold estate and its
long-term strategy of crystalizing value for
shareholders.
The company agreed to sell the
cinemas to subsidiaries of Realty Income
Corporation for cash consideration of
$286.3 million and lease them back over
15 years on customary terms. The cinemas
had aggregate book value of $240 million
at the end of 2018, including an uplift on
revaluation as part of the acquisition of
Regal, and generated EBITDA of $42.5
million in 2018.
Cineworld intends to use proceeds
from the transaction to further reduce
its net debt in an effort to deleverage.
Management also disclosed that it was
in discussions with a separate party
regarding a potential sale and leaseback
transaction involving a further 18 U.S.-
based multiscreen cinemas totaling 255
screens for a similar consideration and on
similar terms.
Rob Rinderman is an avid follower and fan of the
cinema and exhibition businesses. He has assisted
many public and privately held companies with communications
and business development consulting
services for over two decades and written as a freelance
journalist covering these industries since 2015.
JUNE 2019
123

SOCIAL MEDIA
BY ALEX EDGHILL
SOCIAL MEDIA METRICS:
NEEDLES IN HAYSTACKS
>> Trying to read the tea leaves of box
office futures through the ever-changing
lens of social media is a maddeningly
difficult yet strangely satisfying endeavor.
Thanks to the increase in the amount of
data available, things are always improving.
This is a new science that offers no
road map to success, but its flashes of
brilliance and ease of use inspire
us to fine-tune the data and
create better forecasts.
The main challenge is that
the social media landscape is
constantly evolving. Demographics
change, the usages of
platforms vary and new ones
arise while others decline. I
have been through three resets
of tracking methodology over
the last 10 years due to these
challenges, in an effort to
improve prediction accuracy
and keep up with the changing
landscape. The latest of these
changes came two months ago,
as we modified our tracking
system at Boxoffice Pro to
account for Instagram as well as
Facebook and Twitter, bringing
our total tracked variables per
film to 74. While that is a gold mine, it
represents a massive onslaught of data
being collected every day for over 100
upcoming titles.
So how do we start to tackle the data
set? Deciding which of the 74 variables
are useful for analyzing a movie’s potential
is no small feat. First off, we need to
collect data for a couple of months to get
some historical data points; then we look
at opening-day and weekend box office
and run a correlation of both data sets.
The data period of interest for our most
recent collection was Friday to Thursday
before release. After this was done, I
determined the following 10 data points
as the most useful for predicting opening-day
box office.
There are some caveats, however,
associated with the above list. First, we do
not have a statistically significant sample
size, which means that over time these
variables could very well change in significance.
Imediately, it became clear that
TOP 10 SOCIAL MEDIA VARIABLES IN
PREDICTING OPENING-DAY BOX OFFICE
• Facebook Fans Added
• Instagram Post Comments
• Facebook Post Shares
• Facebook Post Interactions
• Facebook Power Rank
• Facebook Post Likes
• Instagram Post Video Views
• Facebook Post View Views
• Facebook Wow Post Reaction
• Twitter Page Likes
we needed to exclude Avengers: Endgame
from the data set, because its numbers as
the top performer (by far) on both social
media and at the box office dramatically
skewed virtually all data points. Also,
we are no longer able to track individual
tweet strings on Twitter for films, as
we have in the past—that was a great
resource and would no doubt be on this
list if it were still available.
Getting back to the table, what this
means is that for the last couple of
months the number of fans added on
the official Facebook page of a film from
the Friday to Thursday before release
explained more of the changes in opening
day box office than any other single variable
of the 74.
Now that we have found some of the
needles in the haystack, we can begin to
use these numbers to provide another
useful data point for our predictions and
forecasts. There are numerous areas I need
to expand on. More historical films for
all variables would be a huge help.
Creating sub-groups for different
genres also could be very beneficial,
as different genres could have different
variables explaining more of the
opening-day box office variance.
For instance, young-adult-targeted
comedies might have Instagram
post video views as the number one
correlated variable for determining
box office earnings, while animated
films might find the Facebook
Power Rank (likes + shares +
comments) on top. Another asset
this new information affords is a
wonderful yardstick for sequels,
as we continue to track them in
the coming years. Being able to
pinpoint exactly what John Wick
3’s numbers showed would be one
of the most important indicators
for John Wick 4, for instance—discovering
variations in online demand and
thus the sequel’s potential performance
before its actual opening.
There is no such thing as a silver bullet
when it comes to social media tracking
for box office potential. In the past, some
have cherry-picked data or run really
small sample sizes and claimed huge
predictive success that didn’t stand up
over time. The fact is, anything that can
offer an informed guesstimate is a win,
especially when the data is freely available.
I look forward to adding to our 74
variables where it makes sense and fine
tuning the methodology to look at data
from more than just a week out.
124 JUNE 2019

SOCIAL PULSE > POWERED BY NUKESUITE: APRIL 1 TO MAY 22
FACEBOOK
Top 10 New Likes Top 10 Post Interactions Top 10 Page Likes
Regal 23,323 Regal 556,641 Cinépolis USA 18.1M
Santikos 16,438 AMC Theatres 380,921 AMC Theatres 6.3M
Caribbean Cinemas (Puerto Rico) 7,098 Cinemark 126,443 Regal 3.7M
Cinemark 4,142 Harkins Theatres 86,629 Cinemark 1.3M
Harkins Theatres 3,891 Cineplex 51,211 Cineplex 700.8K
Cineplex 2,335 Showcase Cinemas US 50,447 Showcase US 666.9K
Alamo Drafthouse 1,703 Caribbean Cinemas (Puerto Rico) 42,642 Harkins 523.1K
Georgia Theatre Company 1,498 Alamo Drafthouse 25,090 Santikos 325.5K
Malco 1,352 Allen Theaters 22,075 Marcus Theatres 285.3K
NCG Cinemas 865 Studio Movie Grill 20,828 Studio Movie Grill 281.5K
INSTAGRAM
Top 10 New Likes Top 10 Post Interactions Top 10 Followers
AMC Theatres 30,068 AMC Theatres 790,767 AMC 394.1K
Cinemark Theatres 4,881 Regal 273,491 Regal 281.3K
Cineplex 4,096 Cinemark Theatres 89,608 Cinémas Guzzo 211.3K
Regal 3,355 Alamo Drafthouse 67,341 Alamo Drafthouse 98.2K
Harkins Theatres 1,773 Showcase Cinemas US 53,667 Cinemark Theatres 82.6K
ArcLight Cinemas 1,618 Cineplex 38,872 Cineplex 50.9K
IPIC 1,364 Harkins Theatres 37,330 IPIC 39.7K
B&B Theatres 1,186 ArcLight Cinemas 32,445 Harkins 31K
Cinépolis Cinemas USA 929 Santikos Entertainment 14,486 ArcLight Cinemas 22.4K
Celebration Cinema 886 Caribbean Cinemas (PR) 12,451 Caribbean Cinemas (PR) 21.9K
TWITTER
Top 10 New Likes Top 10 Post Likes Top 10 Followers
AMC Theatres 6,242 Cinemark 195,310 Regal 560.9K
Cineplex 1,898 Evo Cinemas 190,811 AMC Theatres 445.1K
Santikos 1,374 Landmark Theatres 117,001 Cineplex 173.6K
Cinemark 1,093 AMC Theatres 79,220 Alamo Drafthouse 152.7K
Regal 1,016 Regal 63,509 Cinemark 60.1K
Harkins 740 Classic Cinemas 40,870 Harkins 34K
Alamo Drafthouse 397 Kerasotes 16,377 Santikos 25.7K
Marcus Theatres 308 Cineplex 5,140 ArcLight Cinemas 22K
Megaplex 205 Harkins 5,140 Marcus Theatres 16.1K
Laemmle 187 ArcLight Cinemas 3,056 Celebration Cinema 14.7K
YOUTUBE
Top 10 New Subscribers Top 10 Video Views Top 10 Followers
AMC Theatres 14,846 AMC Theatres 499,329 AMC Theatres 378.8K
Cinemark 6,565 Regal 259,232 Regal 132.5K
Regal 1,873 Cineplex 121,748 Cinemark 73.5K
B&B Theatres 676 Celebration Cinema 49,960 Alamo Drafthouse 29.3K
Cineplex 546 Cinemark 30,799 Cineplex 16.9K
Alamo Drafthouse 402 Marcus Theatres 8,643 B&B Theatres 9.4K
Marcus Theatres 235 B&B Theatres 8,146 Landmark Theatres 3K
Harkins 92 Allen Theatres 5,992 ArcLight Cinemas 2.4K
Celebration Cinema 84 Studio Movie Grill 5,177 Harkins 2.3K
Landmark Theatres 66 Landmark Theatres 2,090 IPIC 1.8K
JUNE 2019
125

EVENT CINEMA CALENDAR
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN 1998
Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, and Edward Burns
CINELIFE
ENTERTAINMENT
cinelifeentertainment.com
310-309-5774
HUNTER x HUNTER:
THE LAST MISSION
Now Available
Anime
NUREYEV
Now Available
Documentary
A BOY NAMED CHARLIE BROWN
Sun. 8/18, Weds. 8/21, Sat. 8/24
Kids & Family
SNOOPY, COME HOME
Sun. 9/29, Thurs. 10/3, Sat. 10/5
Kids & Family
FATHOM EVENTS
fathomevents.com
855-473-4612
SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
Sun. 6/2, Weds. 6/5
Classics
THE AUDIENCE : NT LIVE 10TH
ANNIVERSARY
Mon. 6/3
Theater
PAVAROTTI PREMIERE
SCREENING EVENT
Tues. 6/4
Premiere
RIFFTRAX LIVE - STAR RAIDERS
Thurs. 6/6, Tues. 6/11
Comedy
FREE TRIP TO EGYPT -
PLEDGE TO LISTEN
Weds. 6/12
Inspirational
HEAVY WATER
Thurs. 6/13
Documentary
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS:
FIELD OF DREAMS 30TH
ANNIVERSARY
Sun. 6/16, Tues. 6/18
Classics
EMANUEL
Mon. 6/17, Weds. 6/19
Inspirational
THE MET: LIVE IN HD: ROMÉO ET
JULIETTE SUMMER ENCORE
Weds. 6/19
Opera
DCI TOUR PREMIERE
Thurs. 6/20
Sports
FORREST GUMP
25TH ANNIVERSARY
Sun. 6/23, Tues. 6/25
Classics
KINKY BOOTS THE MUSICAL
Tues. 6/25, Sat. 6/29
Theater
THE MET: LIVE IN HD:
LA BOHÈME SUMMER ENCORE
Weds. 6/26
Opera
STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2019:
WHISPER OF THE HEART
Mon. 7/1 (dub), Tues. 7/2 (sub)
Anime
HAMLET: NT LIVE
10TH ANNIVERSARY
Mon. 7/8
Theater
THE MET: LIVE IN HD: IL BARBIERE
DI SIVIGLIA SUMMER ENCORE
Weds. 7/10
Opera
SOUND! EUPHONIUM: THE MOVIE
- OUR PROMISE: A BRAND NEW
DAY
Thurs. 7/11, Mon. 7/15
Anime
EASY RIDER 50TH ANIVERSARY
Sun. 7/14, Weds. 7/17
Classics
THE MET: LIVE IN HD:
AIDA SUMMER ENCORE
Weds. 7/17
Opera
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS:
GLORY 30TH ANNIVERSARY
Sun. 7/21, Weds. 7/24
Classics
126 JUNE 2019

THE MUPPET MOVIE
Thurs. 7/25, Tues. 7/30
Classics
STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2019:
KIKI’S DELIVERY SERVICE 30TH
ANNIVERSARY
Sun. 7/28 (dub), Mon. 7/29 (sub),
Weds. 7/31 (dub)
Anime
KATHY GRIFFIN:
A HELL OF A STORY
Weds. 7/31
Comedy
I LOVE LUCY:
A COLORIZED CELEBRATION
Tues. 8/6
Television
DCI BIG, LOUD & LIVE
Thurs. 8/8
Sports
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS:
HELLO DOLLY!
50TH ANNIVERSARY
Sun. 8/11, Weds. 8/14
Classics
RIFFTRAX LIVE -
THE GIANT SPIDER INVASION
Thurs. 8/15, Tues. 8/20
Comedy
STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2019:
MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO
Sun. 8/25 (dub), Mon. 8/26 (sub),
Weds. 8/28 (dub)
Anime
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS:
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
Sun. 9/1, Weds. 9/4
Classics
MARGARET ATWOOD:
LIVE IN CINEMAS
Tues., 9/10
Inspirational
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS:
THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
25TH ANNIVERSARY
Sun. 9/22, Tues. 9/24, Weds. 9/25
Classics
STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2019:
THE SECRET WORLD OF ARRIETTY
Sun. 9/29 (dub), Mon. 9/30 (sub)
Anime
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS:
ALIEN 40TH ANNIVERSARY
Sun. 10/13, Tues. 10/15, Weds.
10/16
Classics
STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2019:
SPIRITED AWAY
Sun. 10/27 (dub), Mon. 10/28
(sub), Weds. 10/30 (dub)
Anime
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS:
THE GODFATHER PART II
Sun. 11/10, Tues. 11/12, Weds.
11/13
Classics
STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2019:
PRINCESS MONONOKE
Sun. 11/17 (dub), Mon. 11/18
(sub), Weds. 11/20 (dub)
Anime
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS:
WHEN HARRY MET SALLY
Sun. 12/1, Tues. 12/3
Classics
STUDIO GHIBLI FEST 2019: THE
TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA
Mon. 12/16 (dub), Weds. 12/18
(sub)
Anime
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE
roh.org.uk/cinemas
cinema@roh.org.uk
ROMEO AND JULIET
Tues. 6/11
Ballet
DON GIOVANNI
Tues. 10/8
Opera
DON PASQUALE
Thurs. 10/24
Opera
CONCERTO / ENIGMA
VARIATIONS / RAYMONDA ACT III
Tues. 11/5
Ballet
COPPÉLIA
Tues. 12/10
Ballet
THE NUTCRACKER
Tues. 12/17
Ballet
THE SLEEPING BEAUTY
Thurs. 1/16
Ballet
LA BOHÈME
Weds. 1/29
Opera
NEW MARSTON / NEW SCARLETT
Tues. 2/25
Ballet
FIDELIO
Tues/ 3/17
Opera
SWAN LAKE
Weds. 4/1
Ballet
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA /
PAGLIACCI
Tues. 4/21
Opera
THE DANTE PROJECT
Thurs. 5/28
Ballet
ELEKTRA
Thurs. 6/18
Opera
JUNE 2019
127

ON SCREEN
BY KEVIN LALLY
WIDE RELEASES
CHILD’S PLAY
JUNE 21 / UNITED ARTISTS RELEASING
Now that the Annabelle series has revived the horror
staple of the demonic doll (see page 130), the time is
ripe for the return of evil plaything Chucky, not seen
on theater screens since 2004’s Seed of Chucky. Aubrey
Plaza plays the mother who at first resists her young
son’s warnings that there’s something very wrong with
his new plastic companion. Luke Skywalker himself,
Mark Hamill, provides the voice of the sadistic doll for
director Lars Klevberg.
CAST AUBREY PLAZA, GABRIEL BATEMAN, MARK HAMILL,
BRIAN TYREE HENRY, TIM MATHESON RATING R
RUNNING TIME 120 MIN.
128 JUNE 2019

TOY STORY 4
JUNE 21 / DISNEY
Disney and Pixar dare to follow the
Oscar-winning Toy Story 3 with a new
adventure for Woody, Buzz Lightyear,
and the gang—a road trip to recover
“Forky,” the makeshift toy fashioned
by young Bonnie as a school project.
Inside Out story supervisor Josh Cooley
makes his feature directing debut.
VOICE CAST TOM HANKS, TIM ALLEN,
JOAN CUSACK, TONY HALE, KEANU
REEVES, WALLACE SHAWN, JORDAN
PEELE, KEEGAN-MICHAEL KEY, BONNIE
HUNT, ANNIE POTTS, CHRISTINA HEN-
DRICKS, TIMOTHY DALTON RATING G
RUNNING TIME TBA
ANNA
JUNE 21 / LIONSGATE-SUMMIT
Veteran French filmmaker Luc Besson
(Lucy, The Fifth Element, La Femme
Nikita) brings us another formidable
female with this tale of a beautiful
woman who’s also a ruthless government
assassin. But that empowerment message
is muddied by the fact that writer-director
Besson is currently facing multiple
accusations of sexual misconduct.
CAST SASHA LUSS (pictured), CILLIAN
MURPHY, LUKE EVANS, HELEN MIRREN
RATING R RUNNING TIME TBA
JUNE 2019
129

ON SCREEN
ANNABELLE COMES HOME
JUNE 26 / WARNER BROS.
Demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren think they’ve averted
chaos when they lock possessed doll Annabelle in their artifacts
room behind “sacred” glass. But Annabelle rallies the other evil
spirits in the room, and her target is the Warrens’ 10-year-old
daughter. Gary Dauberman directed this latest chiller from the
Conjuring movie universe.
CAST MCKENNA GRACE, PATRICK WILSON, VERA FARMIGA, MADISON
ISEMAN, EMILY BROBST RATING TBA RUNNING TIME TBA
ANNABELLE COMES HOME
YESTERDAY
JUNE 28 / UNIVERSAL
Thanks to a freak cosmic occurrence, all evidence that The Beatles
ever existed disappears from planet Earth. But one struggling
performer remembers their songs, and he becomes a worldwide
sensation. This comedy-fantasy marks the first-time pairing of
director Danny Boyle (Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire) and
writer Richard Curtis (Notting Hill, Love Actually).
CAST HIMESH PATEL, LILY JAMES, KATE MCKINNON, ED SHEERAN,
JOEL FRY, JAMES CORDEN RATING PG-13 RUNNING TIME 112 MIN.
HIMESH PATEL IN
UNIVERSAL’S YESTERDAY
130 JUNE 2019

SPIDER-MAN:
FAR FROM HOME
JULY 2
SONY-COLUMBIA
Now that Avengers: Endgame
has become the second-most
successful film of
all time, anticipation is even
higher for the latest Spider-Man
adventure, which
picks up where Endgame
left off. Teen Peter Parker
is on a class trip to Europe
when S.H.I.E.L.D. honcho
Nick Fury recruits him for a
perilous assignment. A newcomer
to the Marvel movie
universe is Jake Gyllenhaal
as superpowered master
of illusion Quentin Beck/
Mysterio. Jon Watts returns
as director.
CAST TOM HOLLAND,
SAMUEL L. JACKSON, JAKE
GYLLENHAAL, ZENDAYA, JON
FAVREAU, MARISA TOMEI,
JACOB BATALON, COBIE
SMULDERS, TONY REVOLO-
RI RATING TBA RUNNING
TIME TBA
MIDSOMMAR
JULY 3 / A24
Director Ari Aster unnerved audiences with last year’s
supernatural chiller Hereditary, and he’s back to scare
and shock us with this tale of a young American couple
who join a mysterious midsummer celebration in a
secluded Swedish village and come to regret their exotic
vacation choice.
CAST FLORENCE PUGH, JACK REYNOR, WILL POULTER,
WILLIAM JACKSON HARPER, LIV MJÖNES RATING TBA
RUNNING TIME TBA
JAKE GYLLENHAAL
AS MYSTERIO IN
SPIDER-MAN:
FAR FROM HOME
JUNE 2019
131

ON SCREEN
STUBER
JULY 12 / DISNEY-20TH CENTURY FOX
An Uber driver (Kumail Nanjiani) takes a nerve-racking
detour when he picks up a cop who’s after a vicious killer.
Nanjiani (right) scored an Oscar nomination as co-writer
of his breakthrough movie vehicle The Big Sick, while oddcouple
co-star Dave Bautista (left) is a beloved member
of the Guardians of the Galaxy. Michael Dowse (Goon)
directed the comedy mayhem.
CAST KUMAIL NANJIANI, DAVE BAUTISTA, IKO UWAIS, NATALIE
MORALES, BETTY GILPIN, MIRA SORVINO, JIMMY TATRO, KAREN
GILLAN RATING TBA RUNNING TIME 105 MIN.
CRAWL
JULY 12 / PARAMOUNT
During a Category 5 hurricane in Florida, a young woman discovers her father seriously injured in
the crawl space of their family home. As the flood waters continue to rise, they’re joined by some very
unwelcome visitors: ferocious alligators. French horror auteur Alexandre Aja (High Tension, The Hills
Have Eyes) helmed this nail-biter.
CAST KAYLA SCODELARIO (pictured), BARRY PEPPER, ROSS ANDERSON, ANSON BOON
RATING TBA RUNNING TIME TBA
132 JUNE 2019

ON SCREEN
LIMITED RELEASES
JESSIE BUCKLEY IN
MAGNOLIA’S WILD ROSE
BURN YOUR MAPS
JUNE 21 / VERTICAL
ENTERTAINMENT
Jacob Tremblay (Room) plays a young boy
who is convinced he is actually a Mongolian
goat herder. And so his incredibly
patient mother embarks with her son on
a trip across the world to the plains of
Mongolia. Jordan Roberts, writer-director
of the memorably titled 3, 2, 1 ... Frankie
Go Boom, helmed this adaptation of a
short story by Robyn Joy Leff.
CAST JACOB TREMBLAY, VERA FARMIGA,
VIRGINIA MADSEN, SURAJ SHARMA, JASON
SCOTT LEE, MARTON CSOKAS RATING PG-
13 RUNNING TIME 98 MIN.
THE QUIET ONE
JUNE 21 / IFC FILMS
Bill Wyman, bassist for The Rolling
Stones, may be known as “the quiet one”
of the group, but for decades he’s been
quietly documenting his career with the
rock icons via personal movie footage
and thousands of photographs. Oliver
Murray’s time-capsule documentary also
includes interviews with Wyman’s family,
bandmates and friends.
FEATURING BILL WYMAN, MICK JAGGER,
KEITH RICHARDS, ERIC CLAPTON RATING
NOT RATED RUNNING TIME 107 MIN.
TONI MORRISON:
THE PIECES I AM
JUNE 21 / MAGNOLIA
Timothy Greenfield-Sanders’s documentary
chronicles the life and career of the Nobel
and Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Beloved
and Song of Solomon, from her childhood
in the steel town of Lorain, Ohio, to
her political activism to her mentorship of
young writers at Princeton University.
FEATURING TONI MORRISON, OPRAH
WINFREY, ANGELA DAVIS, HILTON ALS,
RUSSELL BANKS RATING NOT RATED
RUNNING TIME 119 MIN.
WILD ROSE
JUNE 21 / NEON
A young woman from Glasgow, Scotland,
tries to make it as a country singer
in Nashville. Hey, if Keith Urban from
Whangarei, New Zealand, can become
a country superstar, anything is possible.
Director Tom Harper’s film includes music
from Bonnie Raitt, Wynonna Judd,
and Kacey Musgraves, with original songs
by screenwriter Nicole Taylor and actress
Mary Steenburgen.
CAST JESSIE BUCKLEY, JULIE WALTERS,
SOPHIE OKONEDO, JAMIE SIVES, JAMES
HARKNESS RATING NOT RATED RUNNING
TIME 100 MIN.
MAIDEN
JUNE 28 / SONY PICTURES
CLASSICS
Alex Holmes’s documentary looks back
on the groundbreaking achievement of
Tracy Edwards, who led the first all-female
international crew in the 1989
Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race.
FEATURING TRACY EDWARDS RATING PG
RUNNING TIME 97 MIN.
OPHELIA
JUNE 28 / IFC FILMS
In director Claire McCarthy’s film version
of Lisa Klein’s novel, Shakespeare’s
Hamlet is retold from the point of view
of Hamlet’s doomed, vulnerable lover
Ophelia, here given considerably more
spirit and backbone. Daisy Ridley takes
a break from the Star Wars series to essay
the title role.
CAST DAISY RIDLEY, NAOMI WATTS, CLIVE
OWEN, GEORGE MACKAY, TOM FELTON,
DEVON TERRELL RATING PG-13 RUNNING
TIME 114 MIN.
THE OTHER SIDE OF
HEAVEN 2: FIRE OF FAITH
JUNE 28 / ARTAFFECTS
ENTERTAINMENT
This sequel to a 2001 feature contin-
134 JUNE 2019

ues the story of Mormon missionary
John H. Groberg, who journeyed to
the Pacific island country of Tonga as a
teenager in the 1950s. In writer-director
Mitch Davis’s follow-up, Groberg
(played by the same actor, Christopher
Gorham) returns to Tonga in the 1960s
with a wife and five young daughters.
CAST CHRISTOPHER GORHAM, NATALIE
MEDLOCK, BEN BAKER, ALEX TARRANT
RATING PG-13 RUNNING TIME 110 MIN.
MARIANNE & LEONARD:
WORDS OF LOVE
JULY 5 / ROADSIDE
ATTRACTIONS
Nick Broomfield’s documentary recalls
the expat community of artists on
the Greek Island of Hydra during the
1960s, which included future music
superstar Leonard Cohen and writer
and single mother Marianne Ihlen.
Their friendship lasted until their
deaths in 2016.
FEATURING LEONARD COHEN,
MARIANNE IHLEN, JUDY COLLINS RATING
NOT RATED RUNNING TIME 97 MIN.
THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE
JULY 12 / BLEECKER STREET
When Casey (Jesse Eisenberg) is
attacked at random on the street, he enrolls
in a local dojo and gets swept up in
its disturbing subculture of loyalty and
hypermasculinity. Writer Riley Stearns is
making his feature directing debut with
this dark comedy.
CAST JESSE EISENBERG, ALESSANDRO
NIVOLA, IMOGEN POOTS RATING R
RUNNING TIME 104 MIN.
THE FAREWELL
JULY 12 / A24
When a Chinese-American family discovers
that their matriarch has terminal
cancer, they conspire to keep it a secret
from her and stage a fake wedding
celebration and family reunion back in
China. Director Lulu Wang based her
screenplay on her own family’s goodhearted
deception. Star Awkwafina stole
the show in last year’s Crazy Rich Asians.
CAST AWKWAFINA, TZI MA, DIANA LIN,
ZHAO SHUZHEN, LU HONG, JIANG YONGBO
RATING PG RUNNING TIME 98 MIN.
SWORD OF TRUST
JULY 12 / IFC FILMS
A woman inherits an antique sword
from her dead grandfather, which some
conspiracy theorists believe is proof
that the South won the Civil War. With
the help of her partner and a cynical
pawnshop owner, she tries to sell the
fabled weapon on the black market. Improvised
by the cast, this comedy is the
eighth feature from indie director Lynn
Shelton (Humpday, Your Sister’s Sister).
CAST JILLIAN BELL, MICHAELA WATKINS,
MARC MARON, JON BASS, TOBY HUSS,
DAN BAKKEDAHL RATING NOT RATED
RUNNING TIME 88 MIN.
JUNE 2019
135

BOOKING GUIDE
BLEECKER STREET
THE ART OF SELF-DEFENSE
Fri, 7/12/19 LTD
C Jesse Eisenberg,
Alessandro Nivola
D Riley Stearns
NR · Com
BRIAN BANKS
Fri, 8/9/19 LTD
C Aldis Hodge, Greg Kinnear
D Tom Shadyac
NR · Dra
AMAZON STUDIOS
THE AERONAUTS
OCT. 25, 2019
EDDIE REDMAYNE AND FELICITY JONES
A24
646-568-6015
THE LAST BLACK MAN
IN SAN FRANCISCO
Fri, 6/14/19 LTD
C Jimmie Fails, Jonathan Majors
D Joe Talbot
R · Dra
MIDSOMMAR
Fri, 7/3/19 LTD
C Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor
D Ari Aster
R · Hor
THE FAREWELL
Fri, 7/12/19 LTD
C Awkwafina, Diana Lin
D Lulu Wang
PG · Com/Dra/Fam
ABRAMORAMA
914-741-1818
GHOST FLEET
Fri, 6/7/19 LTD
D Shannon Service,
Jeffrey Waldron
NR · Doc
AMAZON STUDIOS
310-573-0652
brian.flanagan@amazonstudios.com
LATE NIGHT
Fri, 6/7/19 LTD
C Emma Thompson,
Mindy Kaling
D Nisha Ganatra
R · Com
ONE CHILD NATION
Fri, 8/9/19 LTD
C Nanfu Wang, Jialing Zhang
R · Doc
BRITTANY RUNS A
MARATHON
Fri, 8/23/19 LTD
C Jillian Bell, Michaela Watkins
D Paul Downs Colaizzo
R · Com/Dra
THE AERONAUTS
Fri, 10/25/19 LTD
C Eddie Redmayne,
Felicity Jones
D Tom Harper
R · Act/Adv · IMAX
HONEY BOY
Fri, 11/8/19 LTD
C Shia LaBeouf, Noah Jupe
D Alma Har’el
NR
AVIRON PICTURES
THE INFORMER
Fri, 8/16/19 LTD
C Joel Kinnaman,
Rosamund Pike
D Andrea Di Stefano
NR · Cri/Dra
BLUE FOX
ENTERTAINMENT
William Gruenberg
william@bluefoxentertainment.com
PAPI CHULO
Fri, 6/7/19 LTD
C Matt Bomer,
Alejandro Patiño
D John Butler
R · Com
SWINGING SAFARI
Fri, 6/21/19 LTD
C Guy Pearce, Kylie Minogue
D Stephan Elliott
R · Com
SAVING ZOË
Fri, 7/12/19 LTD
C Laura Marano,
Vanessa Marano
D Jeffrey G. Hunt
R · Dra
PURGE OF KINGDOMS
Fri, 7/19/19 LTD
DISNEY
818-560-1000
Ask for Distribution
TOY STORY 4
Fri, 6/21/19 WIDE
C Tom Hanks, Tim Allen
D Josh Cooley
G · Ani · 3D/IMAX
THE LION KING
Fri, 7/19/19 WIDE
C Donald Glover, Beyoncé
D Jon Favreau
NR · Fan · 3D/IMAX
MALEFICENT:
MISTRESS OF EVIL
Fri, 10/18/19 WIDE
C Angelina Jolie, Elle Fanning
D Joachim Rønning
NR · Fan
FROZEN 2
Wed, 11/22/19 WIDE
C Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell
D Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck
NR · Ani · 3D
STAR WARS:
THE RISE OF SKYWALKER
Fri, 12/20/19 WIDE
C Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver
D J.J. Abrams
NR · Act/Adv/SF
3D/IMAX/Dolby Dig
ONWARD
Fri, 3/6/20 WIDE
C Chris Pratt, Tom Holland
D Dan Scanlon
NR · Ani · 3D
MULAN
Fri, 3/27/20 WIDE
NR
Fan/Act/Adv · 3D/IMAX
136 JUNE 2019

UNTITLED MARVEL FILM
Fri, 5/1/20 WIDE
NR · 3D
ARTEMIS FOWL
Fri, 5/29/20 WIDE
C Ferdia Shaw, Josh Gad
D Kenneth Branagh
NR · Fan · 3D
UNTITLED PIXAR
ANIMATION FILM
Fri, 6/19/20 WIDE
NR · Ani · 3D
JUNGLE CRUISE
Fri, 7/24/20 WIDE
C Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt
D Jaume Collet-Serra
NR · Act/Adv
THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN
Fri, 8/14/20 WIDE
NR
FOCUS FEATURES
DOWNTON ABBEY
SEPT. 20, 2019
MICHELLE DOCKERY AND MATTHEW GOODE
ENTERTAINMENT
STUDIOS MOTION
PICTURES
310-277-3500
Ask for Distribution
BETHANY HAMILTON:
UNSTOPPABLE
Fri, 7/12/19 LTD
D Aaron Lieber
PG · Doc
47 METERS DOWN:
UNCAGED
Fri, 8/16/19 WIDE
C John Corbett, Nia Long
D Johannes Roberts
NR · Hor/Thr
ALL RISE
Fri, 9/27/19 WIDE
C Jennifer Hudson, Kelvin
Harrison Jr.
D Anthony Mandler
NR · Dra
ARCTIC DOGS
Fri, 11/1/19 WIDE
C Jeremy Renner, James Franco
D Aaron Woodley
PG · Ani
FOCUS FEATURES
424-214-636
THE DEAD DON’T DIE
Fri, 6/14/19 WIDE
C Bill Murray, Adam Driver
D Jim Jarmusch
R · Hor
DOWNTON ABBEY
Fri, 9/20/19 WIDE
C Hugh Bonneville,
Laura Carmichael
D Michael Engler
PG · Dra
FOX
310-369-1000 · 212-556-2400
DARK PHOENIX
Fri, 6/7/19 WIDE
C Sophie Turner,
Jennifer Lawrence
D Simon Kinberg
PG-13 · Act/Adv/SF · 3D/IMAX
STUBER
Fri, 7/12/19 WIDE
C Dave Bautista,
Kumail Nanjiani
D Michael Dowse
NR · Act/Com
THE ART OF RACING
IN THE RAIN
Fri, 8/9/19 WIDE
C Milo Ventimiglia,
Amanda Seyfried
D Simon Curtis
NR · Act/Dra
AD ASTRA
Fri, 9/20/19 WIDE
C Brad Pitt
D James Gray
NR · SF/Thr
THE WOMAN IN
THE WINDOW
Fri, 10/4/19 WIDE
C Amy Adams
D Joe Wright
NR · Cri/Dra/Mys
FORD v. FERRARI
Fri, 11/15/19 WIDE
C Matt Damon, Christian Bale
D James Mangold
NR · Dra
SPIES IN DISGUISE
Wed, 12/25/19 WIDE
C Will Smith, Tom Holland
D Nick Bruno, Troy Quane
NR · Ani
UNDERWATER
Fri, 1/10/20 WIDE
NR · Act
UNTITLED KINGSMAN
MOVIE
Fri, 2/14/20 WIDE
D Matthew Vaughn
NR · Act/Adv
CALL OF THE WILD
Fri, 2/21/20 WIDE
NR · Dra
THE NEW MUTANTS
Fri, 4/3/20 WIDE
C Anya Taylor-Joy,
Maisie Williams
D Josh Boone
NR · Act/Hor/SF
FREE GUY
Fri, 7/3/20 WIDE
C Ryan Reynolds
D Shawn Levy
NR · Com/Act
FOX SEARCHLIGHT
212-556-2400
READY OR NOT
Fri, 8/23/19 WIDE
C Samara Weaving,
Adam Brody
D Tyler Gillett,
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin
NR · Hor
JUNE 2019
137

BOOKING GUIDE
FOX SEARCHLIGHT
JOJO RABBIT
OCT. 18, 2019
ROMAN GRIFFIN DAVIS, TAIKA WAITITI, AND SCARLETT JOHANSSON
JOJO RABBIT
Fri, 10/18/19 WIDE
C Roman Griffin Davis,
Thomasin McKenzie
D Taika Waititi
NR · Com
GOOD DEED
ENTERTAINMENT
NIGHTMARE CINEMA
Fri, 6/21/19 LTD
C Mickey Rourke, Annabeth Gish
D Various
R · Hor
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING
Fri, 6/28/19 LTD
NR
GREENWICH
ENTERTAINMENT
THREE PEAKS
Fri, 6/28/19 LTD
C Alexander Fehling,
Bérénice Bejo
D Jan Zabeil
NR · Dra
IFC FILMS
bookings@ifcfilms.com
FRAMING JOHN DELOREAN
Fri, 6/7/19 LTD
C Alec Baldwin,
Morena Baccarin
D Don Argott,
Sheena M. Joyce
NR · Doc
HAMPSTEAD
Fri, 6/14/19 LTD
C Diane Keaton,
Brendan Gleeson
D Joel Hopkins
PG-13 ·Dra
THE QUIET ONE
Fri, 6/21/19 LTD
C Bill Wyman
D Oliver Murray
NR · Doc
OPHELIA
Fri, 6/28/19 LTD
C Daisy Ridley, Naomi Watts
D Claire McCarthy
PG-13 · Dra/Rom
SWORD OF TRUST
Fri, 7/12/19 LTD
C Marc Maron, Jillian Bell
D Lynn Shelton
R · Com
THE NIGHTINGALE
Fri, 8/2/19 LTD
C Aisling Franciosi, Sam Claflin
D Jennifer Kent
R · Dra
OFFICIAL SECRETS
Fri, 8/23/19 LTD
C Keira Knightley,
Ralph Fiennes
D Gavin Hood
NR · Dra
VITA & VIRGINIA
Fri, 8/30/19 LTD
C Gemma Arterton,
Elizabeth Debicki
D Chanya Button
NR · Dra
KINO LORBER
THE CHAMBERMAID
WED, 6/26/19 LTD
C Gabriela Cartol,
Teresa Sánchez
D Lila Avilés
NR · Dra
THE QUEEN
Fri, 6/28/19 LTD
D Frank Simon
NR · Doc
THE MOUNTAIN
Fri, 7/26/19 LTD
C Jeff Goldblum, Tye Sheridan
D Rick Alverson
NR · Dra
LIONSGATE
310-309-8400
ANNA
Fri, 6/21/19 LTD
C Sasha Luss, Helen Mirren
D Luc Besson
R · Act
SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN
THE DARK
Fri, 8/9/19 WIDE
C Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza
D André Øvredal
NR · Hor/Sus
ANGEL HAS FALLEN
Fri, 8/23/19 WIDE
C Morgan Freeman,
Gerard Butler
D Ric Roman Waugh
NR · Act/Thr
LAS PÍLDORAS DE MI NOVIO
(MY BOYFRIEND’S MEDS)
Fri, 8/30/19 WIDE
C Jaime Camil,
Sandra Echeverría
D Diego Kaplan
NR · Com
RAMBO: LAST BLOOD
Fri, 9/20/19 WIDE
C Sylvester Stallone, Paz Vega
D Adrian Grunberg
NR · Act
MIDWAY
Fri, 11/8/19 WIDE
C Woody Harrelson,
Patrick Wilson
D Roland Emmerich
NR · Act/Dra/War
KNIVES OUT
Fri, 11/27/19 WIDE
C Daniel Craig, Chris Evans
D Rian Johnson
NR · Dra/Sus
UNTITLED CHARLES
RANDOLPH FILM
Fri, 12/20/19 WIDE
C Charlize Theron,
Margot Robbie
D Jay Roach
NR · Dra/Bio
RUN
Fri, 1/24/20 WIDE
C Sarah Paulson, Kiera Allen
D Aneesh Chaganty
NR ·Sus
I STILL BELIEVE
Fri, 3/20/20 WIDE
D Jon Erwin, Andrew Erwin
NR · Dra
138 JUNE 2019

MAGNOLIA PICTURES
212-379-9704
Neal Block
nblock@magpictures.com
TONI MORRISON: THE
PIECES I AM
Fri, 6/21/19 LTD
D Timothy Greenfield-Sanders
PG-13 · Doc
MIKE WALLACE IS HERE
Fri, 7/26/19 LTD
D Avi Belkin
PG-13 · Doc
COLD CASE HAMMARSKJOLD
Fri, 8/16/19 LTD
D Mads Brügger
NR · Doc
MYCINEMA
480-430-7017
WISH MAN
Fri, 6/7/19 LTD
C Andrew Steel,
Kirby Bliss Blanton
D Theo Davies
NR · Dra/Bio
APOCALYPSE NOW:
FINAL CUT
Fri, 8/19/19 LTD
C Marlon Brando,
Martin Sheen
D Francis Ford Coppola
R · Dra/War
NEON
hal@neonrated.com
THIS ONE’S FOR THE LADIES
Fri, 6/7/19 LTD
C The Nasty Boyz
D Gene Graham
NR · Doc/Mus
WILD ROSE
Fri, 6/21/19 LTD
C Julie Walters, Jessie Buckley
D Tom Harper
R · Dra/Com/Mus
LUCE
Fri, 8/2/19 LTD
C Naomi Watts,
Octavia Spencer
D Julius Onah
NR · Dra/Thr
PARAMOUNT
TERMINATOR: DARK FATE
NOV. 11, 2019
NATALIA REYES, MACKENZIE DAVIS, AND LINDA HAMILTON
MONOS
Fri, 9/13/19 LTD
C Julianne Nicholson,
Moisés Arias
D Alejandro Landes
NR · Thr/Dra
CLEMENCY
Fri, 12/27/19 LTD
C Alfre Woodard, Aldis Hodge
D Chinoye Chukwu
NR · Dra
1091
Richard Matson
323-540-5476
rmatson@theorchard.com
THEM THAT FOLLOW
Fri, 8/2/19 LTD
C Olivia Colman, Kaitlyn Dever
D Britt Poulton,
Dan Madison Savage
R · Thr
OSCILLOSCOPE
LABORATORIES
212-219-4029
JAY MYSELF
Fri, 7/31/19 LTD
D Stephen Wilkes
NR · Doc
MIDNIGHT TRAVELER
Fri, 9/18/19 LTD
NR · Doc
PARAMOUNT
323-956-5000
CRAWL
Fri, 7/12/19 WIDE
C Kaya Scodelario,
Barry Pepper
D Alexandre Aja
R · Hor
DORA AND THE LOST CITY
OF GOLD
Fri, 8/9/19 WIDE
C Isabela Moner,
Eugenio Derbez
D James Bobin
NR · Adv
GEMINI MAN
Fri, 10/11/19 WIDE
C Will Smith,
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
D Ang Lee
NR · Act/Thr
TERMINATOR: DARK FATE
Fri, 11/1/19 WIDE
C Arnold Schwarzenegger,
Linda Hamilton
D Tim Miller
NR · Act/SF
PLAYING WITH FIRE
Fri, 11/8/19 WIDE
NR · Com
RHYTHM SECTION
Fri, 11/22/19 WIDE
C Blake Lively
D Reed Morano
NR · Thr
LIMITED PARTNERS
Fri, 1/10/20 WIDE
C Tiffany Haddish, Rose Byrne
NR · Com
SONIC THE HEDGEHOG
Fri, 2/14/20 WIDE
C James Marsden,
Ben Schwartz
D Jeff Fowler
NR · Ani/Adv/Com
UNTITLED A QUIET PLACE
SEQUEL
Fri, 3/20/20 WIDE
NR · Hor/Thr
GI JOE
Fri, 3/27/20 WIDE
NR · Act/Adv
THE LOVEBIRDS
Fri, 4/3/20 WIDE
NR · Rom/Com
THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE
Fri, 5/22/20 WIDE
NR · Ani
TOP GUN
Fri, 6/26/20 WIDE
NR · Act/Adv
JUNE 2019
139

BOOKING GUIDE
A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD
Fri, 11/22/19 WIDE
C Tom Hanks
D Marielle Heller
NR · Dra
JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE
JUNGLE SEQUEL
Fri, 12/13/19 WIDE
C Dwayne Johnson
NR · Com/Act/Adv
LITTLE WOMEN
Fri, 12/25/19 WIDE
D Greta Gerwig
NR · Dra
ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS
JUDY
SEPT. 27, 2019
RENÉE ZELLWEGER
RUMBLE
Fri, 7/31/20 WIDE
NR · Ani
INFINITE
Fri, 8/7/20 WIDE
NR · SF
ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS
323-882-8490
AMERICAN WOMAN
Fri, 6/14/19 WIDE
C Sienna Miller,
Christina Hendricks
D Jake Scott
R · Dra
MARIANNE & LEONARD:
WORDS OF LOVE
Fri, 7/5/19 WIDE
D Nick Broomfield
NR · Doc
THE PEANUT BUTTER
FALCON
Fri, 8/9/19 WIDE
C Shia LaBeouf,
Dakota Johnson
D Michael Schwartz,
Tyler Nilson
NR · Com
FIDDLER: A MIRACLE OF
MIRACLES
Fri, 8/23/19 WIDE
D Max Lewkowicz
PG-13
JUDY
Fri, 9/27/19 WIDE
C Renée Zellweger
D Rupert Goold
PG-13 · Bio
THE LAST FULL MEASURE
Fri, 10/25/19 WIDE
SAMUEL GOLDWYN FILMS
HEAD COUNT
Fri, 6/14/19 LTD
C Ashleigh Morghan, Isaac Jay
D Elle Callahan
NR · Hor/Thr/Mys
SUMMER NIGHT
Fri, 7/12/19 WIDE
SONY
212-833-8500
MEN IN BLACK:
INTERNATIONAL
Fri, 6/14/19 WIDE
C Chris Hemsworth,
Tessa Thompson
D F. Gary Gray
NR · SF/Act/Com · IMAX
SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM
HOME
Fri, 7/2/19 WIDE
C Tom Holland, Michael Keaton
D Jon Watts
NR · Act/Adv/SF/Com
3D/IMAX
ONCE UPON A TIME IN
HOLLYWOOD
Fri, 7/26/19 WIDE
C Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt
D Quentin Tarantino
NR · Dra
THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 2
Fri, 8/14/19 WIDE
C Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad
D Thurop Van Orman,
John Rice
NR · Ani ·
OVERCOMER
Fri, 8/23/19 WIDE
C Alex Kendrick, Priscilla Shirer
D Alex Kendrick
PG · Dra/Rel
ZOMBIELAND 2: DOUBLE TAP
Fri, 10/18/19 WIDE
C Emma Stone,
Woody Harrelson
D Ruben Fleischer
NR · Act/Hor/Com
BLACK AND BLUE
Fri, 10/25/19 WIDE
C Naomie Harris
D Deon Taylor
NR · Act
CHARLIE’S ANGELS
Fri, 11/15/19 WIDE
C Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott
D Elizabeth Banks
NR · Act/Com
GRUDGE
Fri, 1/3/20 WIDE
D Nicolas Pesce
NR · Hor
MILLER/LORD PRODUCED
SPA MOVIE
Fri, 1/10/20 WIDE
NR · Ani
BAD BOYS FOR LIFE
Fri, 1/17/20 WIDE
NR · Act
PETER RABBIT 2
Fri, 2/7/20 WIDE
NR · Ani
BLOODSHOT
Fri, 2/21/20 WIDE
NR · Act
UNTITLED SPA ANIMATED
FRANCHISE
Fri, 4/3/20 WIDE
NR · Ani
UNTITLED AFFIRM FILMS
COACH PROJECT
Fri, 4/10/20 WIDE
NR
ESCAPE ROOM 2
Fri, 4/17/20 WIDE
NR
Hor/Thr
GREYHOUND
Fri, 5/8/20 WIDE
C Tom Hanks
D Aaron Schneider
NR · Dra/War
UNTITLED GHOSTBUSTERS
Fri, 7/10/20 WIDE
NR · Hor/Com
140 JUNE 2019

SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
Tom Prassis
212-833-4981
MAIDEN
Fri, 6/28/19 LTD
D Alex Holmes
NR · Doc
DAVID CROSBY:
REMEMBER MY NAME
Fri, 7/19/19 LTD
D A.J. Eaton
NR · Doc
AFTER THE WEDDING
Fri, 8/9/19 LTD
PG-13 · Dra
AQUARELA
Fri, 8/16/19 LTD
D Victor Kossakovsky
PG · Doc
WHERE’S MY ROY COHN?
Fri, 9/20/19 LTD
D Matt Tyrnauer
NR · Doc
PAIN AND GLORY
Fri, 10/4/19 LTD
C Antonio Banderas,
Penélope Cruz
D Pedro Almodóvar
NR
STX ENTERTAINMENT
310-742-2300
BRAHMS: THE BOY II
Fri, 7/26/19 WIDE
C Katie Holmes
NR · Hor/Thr
MY SPY
Fri, 8/23/19 WIDE
C Dave Bautista, Kristen Schaal
D Peter Segal
NR · Act/Com
PLAYMOBIL: THE MOVIE
Fri, 8/30/19 WIDE
C Anya Taylor-Joy, Daniel
Radcliffe
D Lino DiSalvo
NR · Ani/Fam
HUSTLERS
Fri, 9/13/19 WIDE
C Constance Wu,
Jennifer Lopez
D Lorene Scafaria
NR · Dra
UNIVERSAL
FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS: HOBBS & SHAW
AUG 2, 2019
DWAYNE JOHNSON AND JASON STATHAM
21 BRIDGES
Fri, 9/27/19 WIDE
C Chadwick Boseman
D Brian Kirk
NR · Cri/Thr/Act
COUNTDOWN
Fri, 10/25/19 WIDE
C Elizabeth Lail, Anne Winters
D Justin Dec
NR · Hor
UNCORK’D
ENTERTAINMENT
HALLOWED GROUND
Fri, 6/7/19 LTD
C Miles Doleac, Sherri Eakin
D Miles Doleac
NR · Hor
UNITED ARTISTS
RELEASING
CHILD’S PLAY
Fri, 6/21/19 WIDE
C Aubrey Plaza,
Brian Tyree Henry
D Lars Klevberg
R · Hor
WHERE’D YOU GO,
BERNADETTE?
Fri, 8/9/19 WIDE
C Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup
D Richard Linklater
PG-13 · Com/Dra
THE ADDAMS FAMILY
Fri, 10/11/19 WIDE
C Oscar Isaac, Charlize Theron
D Conrad Vernon
NR · Ani
BAD TRIP
Fri, 10/25/19 WIDE
C Eric André, Lil Rel Howery
D Kitao Sakurai
NR · Com
BOND 25
Fri, 4/8/20 WIDE
C Daniel Craig
D Cary Joji Fukunaga
NR · Act/Thr
LEGALLY BLONDE 3
Fri, 5/8/20 WIDE
C Reese Witherspoon
NR ·Com
BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC
Fri, 8/21/20 WIDE
C Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter
NR · Com/Adv
UNIVERSAL
818-777-1000
THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS 2
Fri, 6/7/19 WIDE
C Lake Bell, Hannibal Buress
D Chris Renaud
PG · Ani · 3D
YESTERDAY
Fri, 6/28/19 WIDE
C Lily James, Himesh Patel
D Danny Boyle
PG-13 · Com/Mus
FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS:
HOBBS & SHAW
Fri, 8/2/19 WIDE
C Dwayne Johnson,
Jason Statham
D David Leitch
NR · Act/Adv
GOOD BOYS
Fri, 8/16/19 WIDE
C Jacob Tremblay,
Keith L. Williams
D Gene Stupnitsky
R · Com
ABOMINABLE
Fri, 9/27/19 WIDE
C Chloe Bennet
D Jill Culton
NR · Ani · 3D
UNTITLED BLUMHOUSE
PRODUCTION
Fri, 9/27/19 WIDE
NR · Hor
THE HUNT
Fri, 10/18/19 WIDE
D Craig Zobel
NR · Act/Thr
JUNE 2019
141

BOOKING GUIDE
WARNER BROS.
THE GOOD LIAR
NOV. 11, 2019
IAN MCKELLEN AND HELEN MIRREN
LAST CHRISTMAS
Fri, 11/8/19 WIDE
C Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding
D Paul Feig
NR · Rom/Com
QUEEN & SLIM
Fri, 11/27/19 WIDE
NR · Dra/Rom
UNTITLED BLUMHOUSE
PRODUCTIONS
Fri, 12/13/19 WIDE
NR · Hor
CATS
Fri, 12/20/19 WIDE
D Tom Hooper
NR · Mus
1917
Fri, 12/25/19 WIDE
C George McKay,
Dean-Charles Chapman
D Sam Mendes
NR · Dra/War
UNTITLED BLUMHOUSE
PRODUCTIONS
Fri, 1/3/20 WIDE
NR · Hor
THE VOYAGE OF DOCTOR
DOLITTLE
Fri, 1/17/20 WIDE
C Robert Downey Jr.,
Ralph Fiennes
D Stephen Gaghan
NR · Com
THE TURNING
Fri, 1/24/20 WIDE
C Mackenzie Davis,
Finn Wolfhard
D Floria Sigismondi
NR · Thr
THE PHOTOGRAPH
Fri, 2/14/20 WIDE
C Issa Rae, Lakeith Stanfield
D Stella Meghie
NR · Rom
THE INVISIBLE MAN
Fri, 3/13/20 WIDE
C Elisabeth Moss, Storm Reid
NR · Hor
FAST & FURIOUS 9
Fri, 5/22/20 WIDE
NR · Act/Adv
TROLLS WORLD TOUR
Fri, 4/17/20 WIDE
C Anna Kendrick,
Justin Timberlake
D Walt Dohrn
NR · Ani
CANDYMAN
Fri, 6/12/20 WIDE
D Nia DaCosta
NR · Hor
UNTITLED JUDD APATOW/
PETE DAVIDSON COMEDY
Fri, 6/19/20 WIDE
D Judd Apatow
NR · Com
MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU
Fri, 7/3/20 WIDE
NR
UNTITLED NEXT PURGE
CHAPTER
Fri, 7/10/20 WIDE
NR · Hor
VERTICAL
ENTERTAINMENT
KATIE SAYS GOODBYE
Fri, 6/7/19 LTD
C Olivia Cooke, Mireille Enos
D Wayne Roberts
NR · Dra
AVENGERS OF JUSTICE:
FARCE WARS
Fri, 6/14/19 LTD
C Steve Rannazzisi, Amy Smart
D Jarret Tarnol
NR · Com
DAUGHTER OF THE WOLF
Fri, 6/14/19 LTD
C Gina Carano,
Richard Dreyfuss
D David Hackl
R · Act
BURN YOUR MAPS
Fri, 6/21/19 LTD
C Jacob Tremblay,
Vera Farmiga
D Jordan Roberts
PG-13 · Adv
LADIES IN BLACK
Fri, 6/21/19 LTD
C Julia Ormond, Angourie Rice
D Bruce Beresford
PG · Dra/Com
THE LAST WHISTLE
Fri, 6/28/19 LTD
C Brad Leland, Deanne Lauvin
D Rob Smat
PG · Spo/Dra
LYING AND STEALING
Fri, 7/12/19 LTD
C Theo James,
Emily Ratajkowski
D Matt Aselton
NR · Thr
WARNER BROS.
818-977-1850
SHAFT
Fri, 6/14/19 WIDE
C Samuel L. Jackson,
Jessie T. Usher
D Tim Story
R · Act
ANNABELLE COMES HOME
Wed, 6/26/19 WIDE
C McKenna Grace,
Madison Iseman
D Gary Dauberman
NR · Hor · IMAX
142 JUNE 2019

OUR SPONSORS
THE KITCHEN
Fri, 8/9/19 WIDE
C Melissa McCarthy,
Tiffany Haddish
D Andrea Berloff
NR · Cri/Thr
BLINDED BY THE LIGHT
Fri, 8/14/19 WIDE
PG-13 · Bio/Com/Mus
IT CHAPTER TWO
Fri, 9/6/19 WIDE
C James McAvoy,
Jessica Chastain
D Andy Muschietti
NR · Hor · IMAX
CONJURING 3
Fri, 9/11/19 WIDE
NR · Hor
THE GOLDFINCH
Fri, 9/13/19 WIDE
C Ansel Elgort, Nicole Kidman
D John Crowley
R · Dra
JOKER
Fri, 10/4/19 WIDE
C Joaquin Phoenix
D Todd Phillips
NR · Act
UNTITLED BEN AFFLECK
MOVIE
Fri, 10/18/19 WIDE
NR
MOTHERLESS BROOKLYN
Fri, 11/1/19 WIDE
NR · Dra
DOCTOR SLEEP
Fri, 11/8/19 WIDE
C Ewan McGregor,
Rebecca Ferguson
D Mike Flanagan
NR · Hor
THE GOOD LIAR
Fri, 11/15/19 WIDE
C Ian McKellen, Helen Mirren
D Bill Condon
NR · Dra
SUPERINTELLIGENCE
Fri, 12/20/19 WIDE
C Melissa McCarthy,
Bobby Cannavale
D Ben Falcone
PG · Act/Com
JUST MERCY
Fri, 1/17/20 WIDE
C Brie Larson,
Michael B. Jordan
D Destin Daniel Cretton
PG-13 · Dra
BIRDS OF PREY
Fri, 2/7/20 WIDE
C Margot Robbie,
Mary Elizabeth Winstead
D Cathy Yan
NR · Act/Adv
GODZILLA VS KONG
Fri, 3/13/20 WIDE
NR · SF/Act
UNTITLED DC FILM
Fri, 4/3/20 WIDE
NR · Act/Adv/SF
SCOOBY-DOO ANIMATED
FEATURE
Fri, 5/15/20 WIDE
NR · Com
WONDER WOMAN 1984
Fri, 6/5/20 WIDE
C Gal Gadot, Kristen Wiig
D Patty Jenkins
NR · Act/Adv/Fan · IMAX/3D
IN THE HEIGHTS
Fri, 6/26/20 WIDE
NR · Mus/Rom/Dra
TENET
Fri, 7/17/20 WIDE
D Christopher Nolan
NR
WELL GO USA
ENTERTAINMENT
CHASING THE DRAGON 2:
WILD WILD BUNCH
Fri, 6/7/19 LTD
C Tony Leung Ka Fai, Louis Koo
D Wong Jing, Jason Kwan
NR · Act/Cri/Thr
THE GANGSTER, THE COP,
THE DEVIL
Fri, 6/7/19 LTD
C Don Lee, Kim Moo Yul
D Lee Won Tae
NR · Act/Cri/Thr
Arts Alliance Media 3
Barco / Cinionic
101, Back Cover
Cardinal Sound 144
Christie
Inside Front
C. Cretors & Company 73
D-BOX 12–13
DigiCine 19
Dolphin Seating 117
Encore Performance Seating 22–23, 67
Enpar 135
GDC Technology 29
Geneva Convention 59
Golden Link 53
Harkness Screens 9, 11
Irwin Seating 25
LightSpeedDepth Q 144
LTI Lighting Technologies International 61
MediaMation 67
Mennel Milling 77
Mobiliario 81
MOC Insurance 5
QSC 1
Ready Theatre Systems 123
Retriever Software 79
Sensible Cinema 144
Sonic Equipment 17
Spotlight Cinema Networks 33
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 133
Telescopic Seating Systems
Inside Back Cover
Tivoli 21
VIP Cinema Seating
6–7, 71, 75, Cover Flap
Webedia Movies Pro 55, 63
Xperi 27
JUNE 2019
143

The Swedish
Connection
B-REEL FILMS LOOKS TO CROSS OVER
WITH MIDSOMMAR AND KUNG FURY 2
BY KEVIN LALLY
Hollywood’s affiliation with Sweden goes back to the silent era,
with directors like Victor Sjöström and Mauritz Stiller and actresses
Anna Q. Nilsson and the inimitable Greta Garbo. The connection
continues today with such crossover successes as Stellan,
Alexander, and Bill Skarsgård, Max von Sydow, Rebecca Ferguson,
and Oscar winner Alicia Vikander.
FLORENCE PUGH AND JACK REYNOR
HEAD FOR THE CELEBRATION IN MIDSOMMAR
>> Working hard to keep that momentum
going is B-Reel Films, a 24-year-old
independent production company with
offices in Stockholm and Los Angeles.
B-Reel has its highest-profile project to
date with Midsommar, the eagerly anticipated
second feature from director Ari
Aster, who won acclaim with last year’s
terrifying supernatural thriller Hereditary.
Midsommar, which A24 releases on July
3 in North America, follows an American
couple (Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor)
who participate in a midsummer festival in
a remote Swedish village and find the rituals
there increasingly strange and sinister.
“It’s pretty wild and a lot of fun,”
says B-Reel head of production Philip
Westgren. “Hereditary just surprised
people, and they didn’t quite know what
to expect. I think this film takes that to
another level. A24 is doing a really great
job in the way they put their films out. I
think it’s smart that as of yet it’s all still
pretty mysterious, and hopefully we can
keep it like that for a while.”
Westgren explains the genesis of the
project: “I have a colleague, a fellow
producer at B-Reel named Patrik
Andersson, who had this concept of
doing a horror film that takes place in
this specific world which is very Swedish.
When he pitched that to me, I was
aware of Ari as a writer, and I’d been introduced
to him and I thought it could
be really interesting for him. Ari at the
time had come from AFI and had made
some short films, and we thought he
was really interesting and talented. And
when we sat down with him, he completely
jumped on it. He’s not the kind
of guy who goes out there looking for
assignments—that’s not really the way
he operates. Right from the outset, he
had a vision for it, and we saw it as our
duty to try to empower him as much as
possible and embrace his vision, which
we fell in love with right away. We were
able to immerse Ari into the world of
this Swedish midsummer and its pagan
history and cultural celebration. We
enabled him to do a lot of research and
then he completely made it his own. It’s
114 JUNE 2019

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