Boxoffice Pro - April 2020

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The Official Magazine of the National Association of Theatre Owners
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April 2020
CONTENTS
172
Coming Attractions
Nathalie Emmanuel and Vin
Diesel star in Universal’s F9.
152
Cinema Centennial
Behind the Scenes with AMC
as It Enters Its Second Century
162
Premium Large Formatt
2019 Records the Highest
Number of PFL Installs to Date
166
Workers’ Compensation
GTC Transitions to 100%
Employee Ownership
184
Event Cinema
Industry Experts on the
Future of Event Cinema
April 2020
07

CONTENTS
INDUSTRY
THEATER
ON SCREEN
16
36
43
44
46
52
54
62
66
68
Trade Talk
NATO
Welcome to CinemaCon; NATO
Visits Villages Operating Company;
Volunteers Make CinemaCon a Success
UNIC
ICA
Charity Spotlight
Charity Events Roundup; Variety
Gold Heart Pin Campaign
MPA
Big Data
The Relationship between Movie
Theater Attendance and Streaming
Behavior
Indie Influencers
Spotlight Cinema Networks
Celebrates its 10th Anniversary
Industry Insiders
Anne Fitzgerald Keeps It Interesting
as Cineplex’s Chief Legal Officer
A Century in Exhibition
1950s: Turmoil, TV, and
Technological Innovation
152
162
166
Cinema Centennial
Behind the Scenes with AMC as It
Enters Its Second Century
The Rise Of Premium Large Format
2019 Records the Highest Number of
PLF Installs to Date
Workers’ Compensation
GTC Transitions to 100% Employee
Ownership
The total count of PLF
screens reached 4,379
worldwide in 2019, eclipsing
the 4,000-screen threshold
for the first time and showing
a strong 18.6 percent
increase year on year. P. 162
172
184
188
190
194
198
199
Coming Attractions
What’s Coming to Theaters as the
Summer Season Begins
Event Cinema
2020 and Beyond: Industry Experts
on the Future of Event Cinema
Event Cinema Calendar
Upcoming Special Engagements at
Nationwide Cinemas
Promising Young Woman
Emerald Fennell Directs Carey
Mulligan in a Candy-Colored Thriller
Number Crunch
Looking Back—and Ahead—at
the Cinema Experience of the 21st
Century
Long Range Forecast
Three May Titles with the Biggest
Box Office Potential
Booking Guide
Upcoming Releases in 2020 and
Beyond
CINEMACON
Previewing NATO’s Annual Convention
and Meeting This Year’s Honorees
73
Photo: Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging for CinemaCon
74
79
132
136
138
141
143
145
147
NATO’s Big Show
CinemaCon Celebrates Year 10, Led
by Mitch Neuhauser
New Products
Our Annual Preview of CinemaCon’s
Trade Show
Asia Pacific Advocate
MPA’s Mike Ellis Looks Back on a
Triumphant Career
Global Ambassador
Disney’s Jeffrey Forman Earns 2020
Passepartout Honor
Disney Dynamo
Comscore Box Office Achievement
Award Goes to a Familiar Face
F&B VIP
National Amusements’ Bill LeClair
Earns an NAC Salute
Giants Of K-Pop
Pathé Live Sets a New Standard for a
Global Event-Cinema Release
A World of Cinema
Cineworld’s Renana Teperberg Is
Saluted for Global Acheivement
Leading the Way
NATO Marquee Honoree Adam Aron
Guides AMC’s Transformation
08 April 2020

BOXOFFICE MEDIA
CEO
Julien Marcel
SVP Content Strategy
Daniel Loria
Creative Direction
Chris Vickers & Craig Scott
at She Was Only
EVP Chief Administrative Officer
Susan Rich
VP Advertising
Susan Uhrlass
BOXOFFICE PRO
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Daniel Loria
DEPUTY EDITOR
Rebecca Pahle
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Kevin Lally
MANAGING EDITOR
Laura Silver
CHIEF ANALYST
Shawn Robbins
ADVERTISING
Susan Uhrlass
63 Copps Hill Road
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susan@boxoffice.com
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Boxoffice Pro has served as the
official publication of the National
Association of Theatre Owners
(NATO) since 2007. As part of this
partnership, Boxoffice Pro is proud
to feature exclusive columns from
NATO while retaining full editorial
freedom throughout its pages.
As such, the views expressed in
Boxoffice Pro, neither reflect a stance
nor endorsement from the National
Association of Theatre Owners.
ANALYSTS
Chris Eggertsen
Jesse Rifkin
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Vassiliki Malouchou
DATABASE
Diogo Hausen
CONTRIBUTORS
David Binet
Kathy Conroy
Rob Del Moro
John Fithian
Laura Houlgatte Abbott
Charlotte Jones
Boxoffice Pro (ISSN 0006-8527), Volume 159, Number , April 2020. Boxoffice Pro is published
monthly by Box Office Media LLC, 63 Copps Hill Road, Ridgefield, CT USA 06877. corporate@
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Box Office Pro is a registered trademark of Box Office Media LLC.
10 April 2020

EXECUTIVE LETTER
ONE HUNDRED
YEARS AND
COUNTING
In our milestone centennial year, it
feels right to look back on our history,
just as we look forward to the decade
ahead—and our second century covering
theatrical exhibition.
Perusing the magazine’s archives, I
can’t help noticing how every decade has
been regarded as the most disruptive in
the industry’s history. From the emergence
of new technologies (sound and
color, yes, but let’s not overlook air-conditioning!)
to the increased competition
of home-entertainment platforms (radio,
television, and today’s growing gamut
of streaming channels), exhibition has
always managed to adapt and innovate
whenever necessary.
This era is no different. We expect
the next century of our coverage in
Boxoffice Pro to be similar to our first
hundred years: offering level-headed perspective
and eschewing the tabloid-style
alarmism that can be found in countless
other publications.
That isn’t to imply we are not keenly
aware of the massive shift our industry is
currently facing. Yes, we are living in a
time of great change in our business—but
when has that not been the case? It’s easy to
get caught up in the challenges facing the
industry without considering the opportunities
these changes will inevitably bring.
Speaking of change, we’re unveiling a
brand-new look and creative direction for
our publication with this month’s issue.
We’ve commissioned U.K.-based design
firm She Was Only to reconceive the
magazine’s design elements and enhance
our reporting with a new visually driven
focus. That’s a fancy way of saying that
we’ve organized the magazine into unique
editorial sections to make it easier for our
readers to find relevant articles in each
issue. We’re thrilled about our new look
and would love to hear your feedback on
the new design.
In that spirit, this issue of Boxoffice
Pro features all the usual stories you’ve
come to expect—with a new look. All the
classic sections are still here: full coverage
of CinemaCon and its honorees, including
our annual trade show preview and new
products guide. Industry columns from
cinema’s most important trade associations,
including the National Association
of Theatre Owners (NATO), Europe’s
International Union of Cinemas (UNIC),
the Independent Cinema Alliance (ICA),
and the Motion Picture Association (MPA).
Executive interviews, cinema profiles,
research reports, and the latest industry
headlines. It’s all there.
But we’ve also included several intricately
researched feature stories coordinated
by our editorial director, Daniel
Loria. These stories take a closer look at
exhibition’s relentless drive to innovate
and raise the standard of the moviegoing
experience. Whatever other things change
in the coming years, we can always expect
that a commitment to improving the
business will remain the same.
Julien Marcel
Chief Executive Officer, The Boxoffice Company
Publisher, Boxoffice Pro
April 2020
11

PAGE TITLE
12 April 2020

April 2020
13

NATO 36 | UNIC 43 | Charity Spotlight 46 | MPA 52 | Big Data 54 | A Century In Exhibition 68
INDUSTRY
Image courtesy Spotlight Cinema Networks
“We were blown away. This was full waiter service at your seat, reclining
chairs, sushi, and martinis—at a ticket price that wasn’t ridiculously
high. We knew right there and then, this is our market.”
Indie Influencers, p. 62
April 2020
15

INDUSTRY TRADE TALK
TRADE TALK
SHOWBIZ EXPANDS
CINEMA ENTERTAINMENT
CONCEPT
ShowBiz Cinemas is adding two new
cinema entertainment centers to its
circuit. The theater chain will be opening
one of its signature Bowling, Movies and
More! entertainment centers at a new
development located in Idaho Falls, Idaho,
scheduled to open in December 2020.
ShowBiz will anchor the new 44-acre
development, which will also feature
retail, business, dining, and hospitality
establishments.
ShowBiz Cinemas’ Idaho Falls Bowling,
Movies and More! entertainment center
will feature 14 bowling lanes, a modern
arcade and redemption center, multiple
party rooms, a lane-side café, a full bar
with beer, wine, and cocktails, a modern
concessions area, and eight auditoriums,
all with recliner seating.
ShowBiz will also add boutique bowling,
a modern arcade, and luxury recliner seating
to its existing location in Waxahachie,
Texas. The project will expand the footprint
of ShowBiz Cinemas’ current Waxahachie
building, adding an additional 11,000
square feet along the front of the existing
structure. Along with the new construction,
ShowBiz will be remodeling all the sites’
auditoriums and its current lobby to
incorporate luxury recliner seating in all
auditoriums, a new and improved upscale
bar, and a modern self-service concessions
area. The $10.5 million expansion project
in Waxahachie will be built over multiple
phases to allow the location to remain
open during construction. The project is
scheduled for completion this fall.
ShowBiz opened its first Bowling,
Movies and More! Entertainment Center
in Baytown, Texas, in 2015. By the end of
2020, ShowBiz Cinemas will operate at
least six cinema entertainment centers
across the country. The circuit plans to
open multiple additional locations per
year going forward.
Image courtesy ShowBiz Cinemas
TED MUNDORFF NAMED
PRESIDENT AND COO
OF ARCLIGHT
Former Landmark Theatres
president and CEO Ted Mundorff is
returning to Arclight Cinemas as its new
president and chief operating officer.
Mundorff served as vice president and
film buyer at Pacific Theatres and ArcLight
Cinemas prior to joining Landmark. His
15-year tenure leading Landmark saw the
expansion of the specialty circuit, including
the opening of new flagship locations
in New York and Los Angeles. In that span,
Landmark opened in other key markets in
the United States, such as Denver, Indianapolis,
Washington, D.C., and Miami.
Arclight Cinemas ranks as the
24th-largest circuit in North America on
Boxoffice Pro’s 2020 Domestic Giants of
Exhibition list.
Commenting on the announcement,
Christopher Forman, ArcLight Cinemas’
chairman and CEO, said, “I’m thrilled
to be reuniting with Ted, an exhibition
executive whose deep love of film and
understanding of the customer experience
will be critical to the future of our brand.”
Mundorff added, “I am excited to be
working with Chris again, alongside the
entire ArcLight team. Since its founding,
ArcLight has been a leading innovator in
our industry, and I look forward to continuing
to deliver meaningful moviegoing
experiences to guests across the country.”
“By the end of 2020, ShowBiz
Cinemas will operate at least
six entertainment centers
across the country.”
16 April 2020

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INDUSTRY TRADE TALK
CINEASIA SETS RETURN
TO BANGKOK IN 2020
CineAsia is heading back to Thailand.
Following an unforeseen cancellation
of CineAsia 2019 due to mass protests
in Hong Kong, the Film Expo Group is
relocating the 2020 edition of the event to
Bangkok, Thailand, December 7–10, 2020.
The convention will take place at the Royal
Paragon Halls at the Siam Paragon mall,
with screenings and presentations at the
Paragon Cinema.
“The support from local exhibition [in
Bangkok] is extraordinary, the theaters are
the best designed and most technically
enhanced theaters in the world, and the
cinema is on the same level as the
convention center,” according to Robert
and Andrew Sunshine, the co-managing
directors of CineAsia.
“Major Cineplex Group is thrilled that
its Siam Pavalai Royal Grand Theater at
Paragon Cineplex, which has been named
Thailand’s most exquisite grand theater,
has been selected as the projection venue
for this international film exposition.
The company is honored to welcome
executives in the motion picture industry
and other notable figures from all around
the globe who will be attending the event,”
said Vicha Poolvaraluk, chief executive
officer of Major Cineplex Group Public
Company Limited.
CINEMARK HAS
FIFTH YEAR OF
RECORD REVENUES
Cinemark is experiencing a
half-decade of global growth. The
Texas-based multinational circuit reported
that total revenues for the 2019 fiscal
year increased 1.9 percent year over year,
coming to $3,283.1 million. Admissions
revenues were $1,805.3 million, and concession
revenues increased 4.7 percent to
$1,161.1 million. Fiscal-year attendance
was 279.6 million patrons, average ticket
price was $6.46, and concession revenues
per patron increased 5.6 percent to $4.15.
“We are extremely pleased to report
our fifth consecutive year of record global
revenues, as well as our fifth consecutive
annual dividend increase,” said Mark
2019 saw record
admission revenue from
Cinemark’s premium
large-format XD screens.
18 April 2020

Image courtesy Cinemark
Zoradi, Cinemark’s chief executive officer.
At the end of 2019, Cinemark’s global
screen count stood at 6,132 with commitments
to open 13 new theaters and 150
screens in 2020 and 10 new theaters and 93
screens subsequent to 2020.
ODEON NAMED
INTERNATIONAL
EXHIBITOR OF THE YEAR
AT CINEEUROPE 2020
“Odeon Cinemas
has built a culture
of innovation for
cinema, changing the
moviegoing experience
throughout Europe.”
—Andrew Sunshine
Odeon Cinemas, a subsidiary of AMC
Theatres, has been named as the 2020
recipient of the International Exhibitor of
the Year award at CineEurope. The award
will be presented to Mark Way, president
of AMC Europe and managing director
at Odeon, and Juan Antonio Gomez,
chief partnership and content officer at
Odeon, as part of the CineEurope awards
ceremony hosted by The Coca-Cola Company
on Thursday, June 25, at the Centre
Convencions Internacional Barcelona
(CCIB), in Barcelona, Spain. The award
is given each year to an exhibitor whose
accomplishments, new developments,
growth, and market leadership make it the
standard-bearer for the industry.
Odeon is Europe’s largest cinema
operator, hosting over 110 million guests
each year in more than 360 cinemas in
12 countries. The past 12 months have
seen the rapid growth of Odeon Luxe,
the group’s premium cinema brand. All
Odeon Luxe cinemas feature cutting-edge
technology, luxury recliner seats, and
premium food and drink offerings. The
circuit has focused its efforts recently on
expanding the number of PLF screens in
its circuit, which currently stands at 123.
“It gives us great pleasure to present
the International Exhibitor of the Year
award to the Odeon Cinemas Group,”
said Andrew Sunshine, president of
Film Expo Group. “Odeon Cinemas has
built a culture of innovation for cinema,
changing the moviegoing experience
throughout Europe.”
Way commented, “It is a huge privilege
to receive this award on behalf of all
11,500 Odeon Cinemas Group colleagues.
This award is testament to their hard work
and commitment in improving Odeon’s
guest experience.”
April 2020
19

INDUSTRY TRADE TALK
KINEPOLIS REPORTS
REVENUE INCREASE
Belgium-based theater chain Kinepolis
reported a 15.9 percent increase
in revenue to €551.5 million in 2019, citing
positive results from its business strategy
and favorable market conditions in Europe.
Visitor-related revenue increased by
17.8 percent.
The multinational circuit had 40.3 million
visitors in 2019 (a 13.3% rise), and an
EBITDA increase of 23.8 percent to €145.0
million, excluding new lease-accounting
requirements. Net profit increased by 14.7
percent to €54.4 million.
“The continued execution of our
business strategy, aimed at finding new
revenue sources and reducing our breakeven
point every year by introducing
small improvement steps, has been
providing solid results for 13 years in a
row,” said CEO Eddy Duquenne. “On top
of that, in 2019 this was supported by a
strong content lineup.”
Duquenne continued, “We have again
taken important steps in the further execution
of our expansion in the past year, including
the acquisition of the American cinema
group MJR. As a result, we now already
realize 30 percent of our visitor numbers in
the North American market. In this respect, it
is encouraging to see that the introduction of
our business strategy and concepts in Canada
is going well.” Kinepolis acquired Landmark
Cinemas, Canada’s second-largest theater
circuit, in September 2017.
The strong financial results come
on the heels of more good news for the
cinema chain. A long-standing legal
decision aimed at curtailing Kinepolis’s
expansion in its home country of Belgium
has now been annulled.
Kinepolis’s accomplishments in 2019
included the opening of new cinema
complexes in France (Servon) and Canada
(Regina and Calgary Market Mall);
acquisition and integration of the El Punt
cinemas in Barcelona and Alzira, Spain;
acquisition of the Arcaplex cinema in
Spijkenisse, Netherlands; the opening of
a new Imax theater in Antwerp, Belgium;
the opening of various 4DX motion and
effects theaters and panoramic ScreenX
theaters; and the continued rollout of its
Laser Ultra concept.
Upcoming Kinepolis locations include
a new Landmark Cinemas 8-screen complex
at the “Grove on 17” site in southeast
Edmonton, Canada, and a 6-screen theater
at the Schalkwijk Centre in Haarlem,
the Netherlands. Both are scheduled to
open in the fourth quarter of 2020.
Image courtesy Kinepolis
The 20-screen Kinepolis
Braine location in Brainel’Alleud,
Belgium.
20 April 2020

Image courtesy National Amusements
“During her tenure at
National Amusements,
Laura has proven to be a
dynamic and integral part
of the film department.”
—Mark Walukevich,
Showcase Cinemas
SHOWCASE APPOINTS
LAURA CORREIA
ASSISTANT VP
Showcase Cinemas company veteran
Laura Correia has been appointed
to assistant vice president, film and
event cinema. In her new role, Correia
will oversee the growing event-cinema
program, creating new opportunities with
content providers and studios worldwide
to diversify in-theater programming and
attract new audiences.
Correia started her career at National
Amusements in 1997 as assistant to
vice president of film. In 2002, as the
company’s international film coordinator,
she focused on exploring opportunities
for Imax in Argentina and acted as liaison
between international film distributors,
district offices, and the home office.
In 2007, Correia was promoted to director,
international film and Imax. By 2016,
her role grew to director of film and event
cinema, responsible for managing the
event-cinema program for the U.S. market.
“During her tenure at National Amusements,
Laura has proven to be a dynamic
and integral part of the film department,”
said Mark Walukevich, senior vice
president of film and event cinema for
Showcase Cinemas. “She is recognized in
the industry for her international expertise
and ability to work effectively with a
wide network of contacts at all levels. Her
effort and dedication have strengthened
our position as a leader in exhibition.”
April 2020
21

INDUSTRY TRADE TALK
CONNECTICUT’S
PROSPECTOR TO OPEN
SECOND LOCATION
The Prospector Theater, a 501(c)(3)
nonprofit dedicated to providing
meaningful employment to people with
disabilities through the operation of a
first-run movie theater, will be opening its
second location in Wilton, Connecticut.
The Prospector Wilton will be a
four-screen, nonprofit first-run movie
theater with the mission of employing
adults with disabilities in an integrated
and competitive work environment. The
renovated theater, located in Kimco
Realty’s Wilton River Park shopping center,
will bring the design, adaptive technology,
and accessibility features of the Ridgefield,
Connecticut location to downtown Wilton.
Renovations are scheduled to begin in
September 2020, with an opening near the
end of 2021 at the site of a cinema currently
operated by Bow Tie Cinemas.
A boutique version of the exhibitor’s
flagship Prospector Theater in Ridgefield,
the new theater will offer a wide spectrum
of jobs for employees who self-identify
with a disability, whom the company
refers to as Prospects. The professional
roles are designed to educate, engage,
and entertain audiences of all ages, while
employing a wide spectrum of individuals
who are traditionally underrepresented in
the workforce.
Over its five years of operation, the
Prospector has employed over 250
Prospects, logging more than 600,000
hours of meaningful employment as they
break down outdated stereotypes about
disabilities and build empathy. Wilton’s
Prospector Theater will join current retail,
restaurant, and service tenants in Kimco
Realty’s Wilton River Park shopping center.
The existing Bow Tie Cinemas location
will be open and operating until the end of
August 2020.
“The Prospector has employed
over 250 Prospects, logging
more than 600,000 hours of
meaningful employment.”
The Prospector Theater’s
current Ridgefield,
Connecticut location
Which glass do you want to use for your expensive laser projector?
OPTI CLE AR
G L A S S

Image courtesy Prospector Theater
CINEMARK PARTNERS
WITH MYCON ON DALLAS
HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
Cinemark and MYCON General
Contractors have partnered to
donate a state-of-the-art 250-seat auditorium
to the Dallas Holocaust and Human
Rights Museum.
“The core of what Cinemark does is
provide an unparalleled environment for
stories to be told to captivated audiences,
and the stories that will be shared in
our theater at the Dallas Holocaust and
Human Rights Museum are of upmost
importance,” said Mark Zoradi, Cinemark
CEO. “We are honored to be involved in
such an important project in our corporate
hometown; it was our pleasure to connect
MYCON with the museum, which led to
another impactful exhibition exploring
human and civil rights.”
Cinemark is the presenting sponsor of
the museum’s new exhibition “The Fight
for Civil Rights in the South.” The exhibit
combines two prestigious photography
exhibitions covering the African American
struggle for civil rights and social equality
in the 1960s. “Selma to Montgomery:
Photographs by Spider Martin” and
“Courage under Fire: The 1961 Burning of
the Freedom Riders Bus” were curated and
circulated by the Birmingham Civil Rights
Institute (BCRI), with contributions from
the City of Birmingham and to BCRI’s
Corporate Campaign.
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April 2020
23

INDUSTRY TRADE TALK
AMC BENEFITS FROM Q4
ADMISSIONS BOOST
AMC’s 2019 revenues totaled $5.47
billion, driven by a combination
of higher food and beverage revenues
per patron, increases in international
attendance, and higher online ticket
fees. Q4 2019 marked the second-highest
fourth-quarter attendance ever for AMC,
both in the U.S. and international markets.
“In the fourth quarter, AMC once again
vastly outperformed the rest of the U.S.
theater industry by a stunning 607 basis
Image courtesy AMC
points on admissions revenue per screen,
among other metrics. It was the seventh
consecutive quarter that AMC added market
share in the United States. Likewise, the
circuit generated record fourth-quarter
food and beverage revenues per patron in
both the U.S. and international markets, as
fourth-quarter U.S. and international food
and beverage revenues per patron grew 2.5
percent and 7.8 percent, in constant currency,
respectively,” said AMC CEO Adam Aron.
Among the circuit’s 2019 highlights is
the performance of the A-List subscription
tier of its AMC Stubs loyalty program.
A-List has already attracted more than
900,000 subscribers since its June 2018
launch. During the first quarter of 2019,
AMC implemented a 10 percent membership
price increase in 10 states and a 20
percent price increase in five states. AMC
says it believes its subscription program
is profitable, compared to estimated
results if the program had not existed. The
analysis is based on a 2.4 average monthly
frequency of A-List members in Q4, their
associated full-price bring-along guest
attendance, and concessions spend.
AMC finished 2019 with 636 theaters
in the U.S. and 368 internationally. In the
fourth quarter, the company added recliner
seating to 20 locations, including 10 in
the U.S. and 10 internationally, expanding
its recliner footprint in the United States
to approximately 81 percent of the circuit
and approximately 19 percent of its European
cinemas. AMC grew the presence
of its premium large-format auditoriums
in the quarter, adding nine new Dolby
Cinema screens, four new Imax screens,
and three new Prime at AMC screens.
“[This] was the seventh
consecutive quarter that
AMC added market share
in the United States.”
—Adam Aron, CEO
24 April 2020

ICE THEATERS APPOINTS
DESMAZURES TO SVP
SALES AND STRATEGY
Guillaume Thomine Desmazures has
been named senior vice president,
sales and strategy, for ICE Theaters, France’s
leading premium large-format offering,
owned by French circuit CGR Cinemas.
In the newly created role, Desmazures
will lead ICE Theaters’ international expansion
efforts and worldwide sales division.
With over 10 years’ experience in the media
industry, Desmazures will be in charge of
expanding the brand footprint and theater
development by identifying strategic partnership
deals with exhibitors, distributors,
and manufacturers. Part of Desmazures’s
role will be to lead the strategy and fine-tuning
of the ICE offering according to each
market’s specifics.
ICE’s immersive technology features
up to seven non-reflecting LED panels
flanking each side of the auditorium to
fill the moviegoer’s peripheral vision with
colors complementary to the front screen.
Image courtesy CGR Cinemas
An in-house post-production team in La
Rochelle, France, creates ambient images
for the panels and syncs them to each film
showcased.
Desmazures officially joins ICE Theaters
after working with the company to help
secure two milestone international
expansions in 2019—to Saudi Arabia with
Vox Cinemas, and the opening of the first
location in the U.S. at AEG’s Regal L.A. Live.
Previously, Desmazures held a position
at Arts Alliance Media as its senior sales
manager, where he guided the digital transition
through the virtual print fee model
in Europe and Latin America. Over the past
four years, Desmazures has headed Bel
Air Cinema, which provides day-and-date
movies in DCI format to high-net-worth
individuals on board super yachts, royal
palaces, private islands, and residences.
“We are very excited to welcome
Guillaume to the ICE Theaters team,” said
Jocelyn Bouyssy, CEO of CGR Cinemas
Group. “Our first meeting goes back to 2007,
when he did fantastic work on the digitization
of our exhibition locations with CGR.
We are starting an amazing new adventure:
We have the right product supported by
all the major studios, along with the right
executives to drive ICE Theaters to all
corners of the world.”
Above, left: ICE Theaters
opened its first U.S.
location, at the Regal
L.A. Live in Los Angeles,
in late 2019.
April 2020
25

INDUSTRY TRADE TALK
Image courtesy Kinepolis
2020 will see a record
number of releases
filmed in Imax
IMAX POSTS $1.1B
IN GLOBAL TICKET
SALES FOR 2019
Imax benefited from the 2019
global box office record to set a new
benchmark of its own. The company
brought in revenues of $395.7 million in
2019, including a record $1.1 billion in
global ticket sales. The Imax footprint
grew to 1,529 theaters by the end of the
year, 73 percent of those locations situated
in overseas markets.
“Imax is among the world’s premier
entertainment experiences, and our
record 2019 financial results reflect sharp
focus, strong execution, and disciplined
cost management as we continue to grow
our global footprint, diversify our content
portfolio, and enhance our pioneering
end-to-end technology,” said Imax CEO
Richard L. Gelfond. “Across 2019, our business
demonstrated significant strength
by setting a number of new records for
the company, including annual revenue
as well as global, international, and
local-language box office—underscoring
the increasing geographic diversification
of our business.”
Imax addressed investor concerns
during its Q4 earnings call over the impact
of the COVID-19 virus on its business in
China. “In terms of the health crisis in
China, where movie theaters nationwide
remain closed, we are continuing to monitor
the situation closely, and needless to
say the safety of our team and audiences
is our top priority,” said Gelfond. “We look
forward to circumstances improving and
Imax continuing to satisfy China’s strong
demand for premium-quality content and
entertainment experiences.”
“Across 2019, our business
demonstrated significant
strength by setting a
number of new records for
the company.” —Richard L.
Gelfond, Imax
26 April 2020

CINEPLEX SEES
ATTENDANCE DROP,
CONCESSIONS BUMP
IN 2019
An eventful 2019 for Cineplex ended
with the announcement that it
would be acquired by U.K. multinational
circuit Cineworld. The acquisition is
expected to close during the first half
of 2020 (pending regulatory and court
approval) and would make Cineworld
the largest exhibitor in North America
following its 2018 acquisition of Regal.
Cineplex finished the year with annual
box office revenues of $705.5 million (all
dollar amounts Canadian), a 2.6 percent
slide from 2018 due to a 4.2 drop in
attendance. A weak film slate in Q1 2019
took its toll on the circuit, resulting in a 15.6
decrease in quarterly attendance for the
circuit. The company says the Q1 decline
in attendance was responsible for approximately
$24.9 million in missed revenue.
Sales at the concession stand hit
record revenues in 2019 with a $446.6
Image courtesy Cineplex
million haul, a 1.3 percent increase from
2018. Cineplex expanded the number of
locations offering alcohol service in its
circuit by 52, bringing the total of theaters
with adult-beverage selections to 87
(excluding VIP cinemas). Patrons craving
movie theater popcorn at home can now
have their fix thanks to partnerships
with Uber Eats and Skip the Dishes,
which offer home delivery of
concessions items at more than 100
locations.
Digital ticket sales saw an 8 percent
uptick year-over-year, with 35 percent of
all tickets bought online. The Canadian
circuit expanded its footprint in the Great
White North with two new theaters and a
VIP Cinema in 2019, while announcing new
builds and entertainment center concepts
scheduled through 2022.
Change with the Changing Times
#UpgradeTo
info@galalitescreens.com
www.galalitescreens.com
April 2020
27

INDUSTRY TRADE TALK
SAMSUNG UNVEILS
FIRST ONYX SCREEN
IN AUSTRALIA
Samsung’s Onyx Cinema LED screen
has made it to Australia. Sydney’s
newly renovated Hoyts Entertainment
Quarter in Moore Park, the circuit’s
flagship location, features Samsung’s
latest 14-meter Onyx screen, the first in the
country. Another 10-meter Onyx screen
will be installed at Hoyts Highpoint in
Melbourne, Australia, by March 2020.
“We are always looking for new ways
to stay ahead of the game and provide
our guests with something unexpected,”
said Damian Keogh, CEO and president
of the Hoyts Group. “That is why we
are leading the way and incorporating
Australia’s first Onyx Cinema LED screens
into our cinemas. These screens are a total
game-changer, providing a movie and
entertainment experience unlike anything
our guests have seen before.”
Samsung’s Onyx LED screens have
now been installed in several major cities
Image courtesy Samsung
28 April 2020

across the world, through partnerships
with Pacific Theaters in Los Angeles, Capital
Cinema in Beijing, and Arena Cinemas’
Sihlcity theater in Zürich, Switzerland.
ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE
INTRODUCES
SUBSCRIPTION PROGRAM
IN ALL LOCATIONS
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema’s
subscription program, Season Pass,
is now available to use at all 41 of the
circuit’s locations across the country. The
subscription program allows guests to
visit Alamo Drafthouse locations every
day for a monthly fee. The membership
provides one regularly priced ticket per
day, with reservations available up to
seven days in advance.
“This is a huge win for movie lovers,”
said Tim League, Alamo Drafthouse
founder and CEO. “The entire reason we
opened the Alamo in the first place was
to share the movies we love with as many
people as possible, and Season Pass is
the perfect means for folks to explore
more and more films.” Alamo Drafthouse
locations screened more than 2,100 different
titles last year, the circuit reports.
Season Pass is available for instant
sign-up and immediate use in New York
City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin
(Tex.), Denver, Phoenix, Raleigh (N.C.),
San Antonio, Kansas City (Mo.), Yonkers
(N.Y.), Springfield (Mo.), and New Braunfels
(Tex.). In select regions, memberships
are available via a waiting list, but all
locations are expected to be open for
everyone in the coming months.
Season Pass subscriptions renew
monthly, with no annual commitment.
Pricing varies by location and
corresponds to each Alamo Drafthouse
location’s average ticket pricing, with
pricing ranging from $14.99 to $29.99 per
month in big cities like Los Angeles and
New York. The membership also works
for screenings in 3-D, 70 millimeter, Dolby
Atmos, and The Big Show premium large
format, with a $1.99 surcharge per ticket.
Members with accompanying friends and
family members can purchase additional
regular-priced tickets at the same time,
or they can add up to four extra seats—
similar to “plus ones”—to their monthly
Alamo Season Pass subscription at a
discounted price.
“Season Pass is the perfect
means for folks to explore
more and more films.” —Tim
League, Alamo Drafthouse
April 2020
29

INDUSTRY TRADE TALK
Image courtesy Movie Tavern
Texas-based Movie Tavern,
one of the pioneers of
the dine-in space, was
acquired by Marcus
Theatres in 2019
MARCUS SEES Q4
BUMP WITH MOVIE
TAVERN ADDITION
Revenues for Marcus Theatres
increased 26.1 percent in the fourth
quarter of 2019 and 24.7 percent for the
full year, a bump driven by the continued
contributions of the Movie Tavern by
Marcus locations. Marcus completed the
acquisition of the Movie Tavern dine-in
chain in February 2019, expanding its
footprint to over 1,000 screens nationwide.
Fourth-quarter revenues were lower
than in the prior year’s fourth quarter
due to a weaker film slate in October and
early November that was not fully offset
by gains in December. Operating income
was down for the fourth quarter and full
year due to decreased attendance, partially
offset by higher concession revenues per
person and a higher average ticket price.
The division’s box office outperformed
the industry by 0.4 percentage points
in the fourth quarter and 0.5 percentage
points for fiscal 2019, according to data
received from Rentrak. Marcus Theatres
has now outperformed the industry during
19 of the last 24 quarters.
The outperformance comparisons do not
include the Movie Tavern locations (which
Marcus did not own in the 2018 comparison
year), but according to data available from
Movie Tavern’s previous owner, Marcus
believes its Movie Tavern theaters outperformed
the industry by approximately
seven percentage points during the 11
months it owned them in fiscal 2019.
Marcus Theatres continued to invest in
its circuit during the year, expanding its
signature features and amenities to both
existing and new locations, including
Movie Tavern locations. In addition,
Marcus Theatres opened its first newly
built Movie Tavern by Marcus theater
during fiscal 2019 in Brookfield, Wisconsin.
“The first quarter of 2020 is off to a solid
start, with higher admission revenues
at comparable theaters compared to
the same time last year,” said Rolando
Rodriguez, chairman, president, and chief
executive officer of Marcus Theatres. “This
is due to a strong week between December
27 and New Year’s Day and an improved
January and February film slate, with
strong holdover movies from 2019 and new
movies including 1917, Bad Boys For Life,
and Sonic the Hedgehog contributing to the
early first quarter results.
“Our plans for 2020 include additional
investments in our existing theaters,
including the Movie Tavern locations,
where the improvements have been well
received by guests. We will also extend our
footprint into the state of Washington with
a new nine-screen theater currently under
construction in Tacoma that is expected to
open in the fourth quarter of the year.”
30 April 2020

INDUSTRY TRADE TALK
VUE HITS RECORD
REVENUES IN 2019
Vue International enjoyed its highest-ever
full-year revenues in 2019 by
bringing in £854, a 5.4 increase from 2018.
Strong performances in Germany, Italy,
and the Netherlands helped drive a 1.1
percent increase in market share. Other
key factors contributing to growth include
a price reset strategy; renovations at 11
sites in the U.K., Netherlands, and Germany;
and automated scheduling software
improvements in the U.K.
“2019 was a record-breaking year for
Vue. With continued hard work and the
implementation of a robust strategy, we
have achieved our highest ever full-year
revenues. In 2019, cinema markets were
strong across all our major territories with
a rebound in Germany and Italy and record
year in Poland and the Netherlands—
the biggest year for admissions since
1964,” said Tim Richards, the circuit’s
founder and CEO. “For Vue, delivering an
immersive, big-screen experience for our
customers underpins a large part of our
initiatives and investments, including the
major refurbishment and recliner investments
in 2019. The launch of our Get Lost
campaign this year highlights the immeasurable
value of being able to really ‘get lost’
in the big-screen experience. We are well
positioned for the box office momentum
to continue into 2020, in particular the
first half, with a phenomenal slate of films,
including family favorites Mulan and Peter
Rabbit 2, Fast & Furious 9, and [James
Bond film] No Time to Die.”
“The launch of our Get
Lost campaign this year
highlights the immeasurable
value of being able to really
‘get lost’ in the big-screen
experience.”
—Tim Richards, Vue
International
Cinemark Downey and
XD in Downey, Calif.
MARCH 31 – APRIL 2, 2020
CEASARS PALACE | LAS VEGAS
VISIT US AT
BOOTH 119J
32 April 2020

Image courtesy Cinemark
CINEMARK PROMOTES
JAY JOSTRAND TO EVP
REAL ESTATE
Jay Jostrand has been promoted
to executive vice president real
estate at Cinemark. Jostrand’s tenure
at Cinemark spans nearly two decades.
During that time, he has been instrumental
in securing locations for the
company’s domestic theater growth and
identifying locations for recliner seating
renovations across the circuit. In his new
role, Jostrand will continue to manage all
real estate efforts throughout Cinemark’s
domestic circuit, which includes overseeing
strategic investments and advances
in expansion, amenities, maintenance,
and productivity.
“Jay has been an integral member of
the Cinemark executive leadership team
as we continue to enhance and expand
our theaters to elevate the entertainment
experience we provide moviegoers,” said
Mark Zoradi, Cinemark CEO. “We are
pleased to announce this well-deserved
promotion in recognition of Jay’s leadership
and the significant impact he has
made on our national footprint through
his role on our real estate team.”
“Jay has been an integral
member of the Cinemark
executive leadership team as
we continue to enhance and
expand our theaters.”
—Mark Zoradi, CEO
RTS
April 2020
33

INDUSTRY NATO
WELCOME TO
CINEMACON!
NATO Celebrates 10 Years of CinemaCon
BY JOHN FITHIAN, President & CEO, NATO
I am thrilled to welcome you to our
10th-annual CinemaCon in exciting
Las Vegas at the glamorous Caesars Palace.
In celebration of this important anniversary,
we’ve augmented the production and
party budget to make sure you have a good
time in addition to all the work you will do.
I join Kathy Conroy (see her column, p. 38)
in thanking all the NATO member volunteers
who help make this convention such
a success. And I want to give a shout-out
to our amazing CinemaCon team of Mitch
Neuhauser, Matt Pollock, Matt Shapiro, and
Cynthia Schuler.
CinemaCon means different things to
different people. Again this year I want to
highlight a few of my favorite aspects of
this amazing event.
100 Years Is a Big Deal
Two significant partners of NATO
and CinemaCon celebrate their 100th
anniversaries this year—AMC Theaters
and Boxoffice Pro. On Monday during
the Disney presentation, Alan Bergman of
Disney will present the important NATO
Marquee Award to Adam Aron, CEO of
AMC, in honor of the company’s 100th
anniversary. AMC is the largest exhibitor
in the world, and also NATO’s largest
member. Congratulations to Adam and the
team at AMC.
Boxoffice Pro serves as NATO’s
official magazine and is an essential news
source to our members and the industry
at large. It is quite an accomplishment for
any publication to last and prosper over
a century. Congratulations to CEO Julien
Marcel, editorial director Daniel Loria, and
the entire Boxoffice Pro team.
A Terrific Schedule of Studio and
Screening Events Locked in Earlier
than Ever
Some industry critics have suggested that
the 2020 theatrical movie slate looks weak.
I’m here to tell you our distribution partners
have great confidence in the product
for this year (and 2021 and beyond), and
we share that confidence. I write these
columns approximately five weeks before
each show. Last year at this time we were
still scrambling to solidfy a good movie
program for the week. At CinemaCon 2020,
the studios have locked in all the available
times in the Colosseum, earlier than ever,
because they can’t wait to show exhibitors
what’s coming to the big screen.
Disney, the box office champion of 2019,
kicks things off on Monday evening. Then
throughout the week we’ll see movie-slate
presentations and full-length screenings
from Focus Features, Warner Bros., Neon,
Universal, DreamWorks Animation,
Paramount, and Lionsgate. I wish I could
tell you about the amazing movie stars
and directors who will hit the stage to talk
about their movies—but they swear us to
secrecy. We know you’ll get excited about
these movies and take that passion to your
patrons, and that is what CinemaCon is
all about.
CinemaCon’s Educational
Programming Is Top Notch
In her column, Kathy will recognize many
of the individuals who will share their
expertise during CinemaCon’s educational
programming. But I simply want to add
that I am delighted with the range of
important topics being brought to you
by the CinemaCon team. International
delegates will learn about eventizing the
theatrical experience, new ideas in theater
design, advances in industry data, and
other important topics. Then during the
main program, all delegates can learn
about corporate social responsibility, the
state of the industry, original content,
multigenerational workforces, micro-theaters,
filmmaker perspectives, and
more. And I am particularly excited to hear
inspirational speaker Jeff Henderson, or
“Chef Jeff,” with his pragmatic street-smart
recipes for success.
The Cinema Experience—and
CinemaCon’s Trade Floor—Have
Never Been Better
CinemaCon offers the biggest trade show
and demonstration suites of any cinema
convention in the world. And in 2020 the
trade show experience is even bigger, as
we have expanded into additional demonstration
suites to accommodate demand. I
hope all of our attendees can spend some
meaningful time checking out what is on
offer. From the latest in sound and image
to luxury seating to expanded food and
beverage offerings, you can find all the
tools you need to give your guests the best
moviegoing experience they have ever
had. NATO is so grateful for the support
of our friends at the National Association
of Concessionaires and the International
Cinema Technology Association for
keeping CinemaCon, and our exhibitor
attendees, on the cutting edge. And we
are particularly proud that for the 10th
consecutive year, The Coca-Cola Company
will support the show as our most important
partner and sponsor.
CinemaCon Is Always a Significant
NATO Gathering
In addition to the public events during this
convention week, CinemaCon remains
an important gathering place for NATO
members in a variety of private meetings.
Some of our convention registrants
may not know all that goes on off the
public schedule. On Sunday, a full day of
36 April 2020

“Our distribution partners
have great confidence in the
product for this year (and 2021
and beyond), and we share
that confidence.”
important meetings takes place. First, the
NATO Strategic Planning Committee will
discuss the key priorities, challenges, and
opportunities for exhibitors over the next
few years and the best ways for NATO
to respond to these issues. The NATO
Government Relations Committee meets
to discuss strategies on a range of political
challenges at the federal, state, and local
level. Our regional association leaders
meet to compare ideas on how to strengthen
their organizations. NATO’s Committee
of Counsel gets together to tackle the key
legal issues and court cases confronting
the industry. The past chairpersons of
NATO meet to give their sage guidance
to NATO’s current leaders. And also on
Sunday, the Global Cinema Federation’s
advisory board meets to discuss global
initiatives in the exhibition industry.
Then on Monday, NATO’s governing
body—the Executive Board of Directors—
meets to approve policies and budgets for
the association’s work. Also on Monday,
NATO’s Independent Theatre Owners
Committee, in conjunction with CinemaCon,
holds an important education
session for smaller exhibitor members
of the trade association. On Tuesday,
NATO’s ratings compliance officers
meet with leaders of the Motion Picture
Association and the Classification and
Ratings Administration to improve the
execution, education, and enforcement of
the industry’s movie rating system. And
finally, on Wednesday, the Diversity and
Inclusion Committee focuses on ways
the industry can grow the participation
and leadership of women, minorities, and
young people.
We are deeply grateful for the dozens
and dozens of NATO member-company
volunteers who take time during this busy
week to work in these key groupings.
And for all of our 3,500 full registrants
and our 7,500 total attendees, thank you
for participating in our show this week. I
look forward to speaking with as many
of you as possible as we celebrate the
moviegoing experience.
Photo by Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging for CinemaCon
April 2020
37

INDUSTRY NATO
NATO MEMBER
PARTICIPATION IS KEY TO
CINEMACON’S SUCCESS
BY KATHY CONROY,
Vice President and COO, NATO
Welcome to CinemaCon 2020, the
largest and most significant gathering
of movie theater owners and operators
in the world! Leaders in exhibition and
distribution and industry partners meet
in Las Vegas each spring to celebrate the
moviegoing experience. CinemaCon is the
official convention of the National Association
of Theatre Owners (NATO), and its
success each year is the direct result of the
active participation and generous support
we receive from NATO members. Member
support is strong again this year as we
celebrate 10 years.
I’d like to applaud some key volunteers
who have made extraordinary
contributions to the planning and
execution of the convention. This 10th
edition of CinemaCon would not be
possible without the leadership of NATO
Conventions Committee chairman
Steve Zuehlke, Cinemark USA Inc.; vice
chairman Bob Bagby, B&B Theatres; and
committee members John Curry, Regal
Cinemas; Jeremy Kress, Celebration
Cinema by Studio C; John McDonald,
AMC Entertainment Inc.; Miguel Rivera,
Cinépolis; and Racheal Wilson, Harkins
Theatres. The Conventions Committee
works closely with NATO’s professional
convention staff —Mitch Neuhauser,
Matt Pollock, Cynthia Schuler, and Matt
Shapiro. A debt of gratitude, too, goes to
Image courtesy NATO
NATO’s officers—chairman Ellis Jacob,
Cineplex Entertainment L.P.; vice chairman
Rolando Rodriguez, Marcus Theatres
Corp.; treasurer Joe Masher, Bow Tie
Cinemas; and secretary Jeff Logan, Logan
Luxury Theatres Corp.—and to the NATO
Executive Board members who have all
been enthusiastic in their support of the
convention. Working together, NATO
volunteer leaders and staff have created a
10th CinemaCon convention that is sure
to wow you.
With strong support from our studio
partners and sponsors, the Conventions
Committee put together a CinemaCon
2020 program that is diverse, informative,
and entertaining. It includes the largest
cinema trade show in the world, featuring
the latest cinema technologies and concessions
offerings. NATO is grateful to Alan
Roe and the International Cinema Technology
Association (ICTA) and to Adam
Gottlieb and the National Association of
Concessionaires (NAC) for their leadership
and support in filling a world-class trade
show floor.
This week’s schedule is packed with
product presentations, sponsored events,
trade show displays, and educational
programming. I’d like to recognize the
NATO and Global Cinema Federation
leaders who are participating as presenters
in the general and educational sessions
this year—Larry Etter, Malco Theatres;
Anne Fitzgerald, Cineplex Entertainment
L.P.; Cameron Mitchell, Vox Cinemas;
Alejandro Ramírez Magaña, Cinépolis;
Rolando Rodriguez, Marcus Theatres;
Kazuhiko Seta, Toho Cinemas Ltd.; and
Mark Zoradi, Cinemark. We are grateful
to these talented people, as well as to the
presenters from our studio and vendor
partners, for sharing their knowledge
and expertise.
CinemaCon is a great place to recognize
outstanding NATO member leaders
as they are surrounded by their industry
colleagues and friends. This year, Renana
Teperberg, Cineworld Group, will receive
the Global Achievement in Exhibition
Award; and Adam Aron, AMC Entertainment,
will receive NATO’s Marquee
Award. I hope you’ll be on hand to see
these exceptional industry leaders receive
their recognition.
Be sure to stay for the Big Screen
Achievement Awards on Thursday
evening, as we’ll honor standout talent
in the movie industry today, and for the
after party, generously sponsored again
this year by The Coca-Cola Company. I
encourage you to participate to the fullest
in the education and fun that CinemaCon
2020 has to offer. Enjoy the show!
“With strong support from our
studio partners and sponsors,
the Conventions Committee
put together a CinemaCon
2020 program that is diverse,
informative, and entertaining.”
38 April 2020

Pioneers of cinema
screen technology
for over 90 years.
harkness-screens.com harkness.co info@harkness-screens.com

INDUSTRY NATO
FRIENDLY
FLORIDA FUN
NATO Staff Hits the Road to
Visit Member Locations
BY KATHY CONROY, Vice President and COO, NATO
and DAVID BINET, Director of Membership, NATO
Villages
Operating Company
The Villages, Fla.
www.thevillages.
com/entertainment/
movie-theaters
Deborah Mills
Director of Operations
Visit Date: Monday,
January 27, 2020
When my participation in the
United Drive-In Theatre Owners
Association’s 2020 convention brought
me to central Florida recently, I stopped
in at NATO member The Villages Movie
Theaters. I visited all three of The Villages
theaters—the Barnstorm Theater, the Old
Mill Playhouse, and the Rialto Theatre.
The Rialto was temporarily closed for
renovations, but at the other two locations
I saw a vibrant community of moviegoers
enjoying a high-quality moviegoing
experience. I had the pleasure of meeting
with Deborah Mills, whose enthusiasm
and love of movies is infectious. She and
her team do a fantastic job providing
entertainment and connections at this
sprawling 55+ adult community.
Following my visit, NATO’s director
of membership, David Binet, reached
out to Deborah, who graciously shared
additional information about herself and
The Villages cinemas. We are very pleased
to profile Deborah in this month’s edition
of Boxoffice Pro.
What attracted you to the cinema
industry, and how did you start?
I have always loved movies! One year, on
my birthday, I had nothing going on, so I
decided to treat myself to the latest Jodie
Foster movie—Contact. I was waiting
for the trailers to start and enjoying my
snacks when I decided to turn around and
look up into the booth to check out what
was going on.
It was a perfectly timed glance! The
projectionist was threading the projector
at the time, and I thought to myself, “That
looks like fun!” By the end of August, I was
helping at the grand opening of a brandnew
movie theater as a projectionist, and
within four years I was the general manager
of the theater where I enjoyed Contact.
Image courtesy NATO
What do you appreciate the most
about your customers?
To say The Villages is an active retirement
community is quite an understatement.
We are located in sunny central Florida
and we are amazing! Conceived over 50
years ago, our hometown has flourished
under the guidance of the family who
created it, our dedicated employees, and
most importantly the folks who call The
Villages home. The Villages continues to
grow and thrive, but it is not just about
retirement. It is about community. Our
purpose always has, and always will be
“to create a retirement community where
people’s dreams can come true.” We
continue to redefine retirement living by
offering the best in homes, lifestyle, and
amenities for our residents every day.
Visitors and newcomers alike often refer
to The Villages as “Florida’s Friendliest
Hometown,” a name we gladly embrace.
What has changed the most about
your cinemas?
Our culture—not just within The Villages
Movie Theaters but also throughout The
Villages—has really taken the forefront in
a positive manner. We embrace the full
measure of both freedom and responsibility
in the execution of our position. We
treat The Villages and all its resources as
“ours” to nourish and protect. We believe
in creating an atmosphere in every arena
that is high quality, friendly, warm, comfortable,
clean, honest, welcoming, and
like home. We feel the importance and the
responsibility of this presentation. It really
makes a difference when you have the
authority to serve your guests, rather than
just fulfill an obligation.
What is your biggest challenge with
the cinemas? Does anything keep you
up at night?
There is never enough time in the day to
do everything I want! I tell everyone to
bring all ideas to the table and dream big!
Then we figure out a way to make their
dreams a reality.
What’s your favorite movie and what
concessions would you have while
watching it?
Just one?
It’s a Wonderful Life—obviously a
holiday staple, drinking eggnog with the
family and basking in the nostalgia.
Chasing Amy—Kevin Smith lends his
unique indie talents to each character.
Every one of their voices is familiar and
resonates.
Elizabeth—When Cate Blanchett is
rehearsing her speech that she will deliver
in front of the rival clergy, the angst is
mesmerizing. However, as she pulls it
off—breathtaking!
With so many concessions to choose,
I think my favorite is Sno-Caps with a Coke.
Film brings us such passion and joy.
I cannot imagine not having the opportunity
to share it—if just for a moment—
with the people around me, getting lost in
a story.
40 April 2020

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22-25
JUNE
2020
CONVENTION TRADE SHOW
CENTRE CONVENCIONS INTERNACIONAL
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OFFICIAL CORPORATE SPONSOR

INDUSTRY UNIC
EUROPEAN
PERSPECTIVE
The Continent Continues to
be a Key Pillar of the Global
Cinema Industry
BY LAURA HOULGATTE ABBOTT
CEO, UNIC – The International
Union of Cinemas
Image courtesy UNIC
It’s with great pleasure that we’ve
touched down in Las Vegas for
CinemaCon 2020, a true highlight in the
industry calendar and one of our favorite
events of the year.
Huge congratulations must go to NATO
colleagues for once again putting together
an exciting program of seminars, presentations,
and screenings. As we look ahead to
a jam-packed week, we can do so safe in
the knowledge that 2019 represented yet
another year of success for cinemas across
UNIC territories.
Europe’s position as a key pillar of the
global, $42 billion industry was cemented
by stellar performances from cinemas
throughout the region, with over 1.25
billion visits to the cinema for the fifth
year running. As a matter of fact, 2019 saw
European Union territories achieving their
best admissions results since 2004.
Special mention must go to a number
of countries in particular. French cinemas,
consistently one of UNIC’s top-performing
member territories, welcomed over 213
million visits in 2019—representing the
second-best results in the last 50 years.
Congratulations are also in order for
Italian colleagues, who recorded double-digit
increases in both ticket sales and
box office revenues, thanks in no small
part to the launch of the highly successful
summer season.
Germany bounced back after a challenging
2018 and boosted both box office
and admissions, while Russia topped the
charts with an astonishing 220 million
cinema visits over the last 12 months.
2019 was also a fantastic year for cinemas
in Spain, who broke the symbolic 100
million admissions mark, and the Czech
Republic had its best results in a quarter of
a century.
And what a year it was in terms of
content! 2019’s slate certainly brought with
it a number of colossal performances, as
we saw titles such as Avengers: Endgame
and Joker dazzle audiences over the past 12
months. While ticket sales were driven by
these international titles, local productions
also put in great performances in a number
of markets. More on this can be found in
our recent update on cinemagoing in 2019.
2019 also saw a number of our initiatives
go from strength to strength, all
helping us get the word out as to the value
of the big-screen experience and ensure
that the economic, social, and cultural
contributions of cinemas are given the
recognition they thoroughly deserve. Last
year was particularly successful from an
advocacy standpoint as, following May’s
European elections and the entry into
office of the new European Commission,
UNIC’s outreach efforts have been
extremely well received—as made evident
during our recent conference at the European
Parliament this February.
On top of this, we’re delighted to report
that the UNIC Women’s Cinema Leadership
Programme continues to inspire and
empower in its third edition. We can’t wait
to see our fantastic mentors and mentees
again at CineEurope this summer and look
forward to what the rest of the year holds.
Speaking of which, this year’s
CineEurope is shaping up to be the biggest
and best yet! Our annual convention,
organized each year in beautiful Barcelona,
provides a prime opportunity for
colleagues from across the region and
beyond to get together and discuss the
latest trends and cutting-edge developments
in cinema exhibition.
We’re currently putting the finishing
touches on a dynamic program in
collaboration with partners from across
the sector. Keep an eye on our website
for more details, and we hope you’ll be
able to join us June 22–25 to celebrate the
big-screen experience!
“2019 saw European Union
territories achieving their
best admissions results
since 2004.”
April 2020
43

INDUSTRY ICA
INDEPENDENT
SCALE
The Cinema Buying Alliance
Finds Strength in Numbers
BY ROB DEL MORO
Managing Director, ICA
– Cinema Buying Alliance
The Independent Cinema Alliance
(ICA), the trade organization representing
independent theater, recently
celebrated its first anniversary with full
membership. In a short period of time, our
organization has gained more than 145
members representing over 2,500 screens
throughout the United States and Canada.
The ICA is a vibrant alliance, formed and
governed by independent cinema owners.
Our organization focuses solely on
issues that are pertinent to independent
cinema owners, tackling important challenges
and adding value for our members
through initiatives such as distributor
relations and education. We also work
closely with the National Association of
Theatre Owners (NATO) and regional
NATO organizations. In fact, many ICA
members are also members of these
organizations.
One significant member benefit is
the Cinema Buying Alliance (CBA), formerly
known as the Cinema Buying Group
(CBG). With membership in the ICA, our
members get free access to the CBA and
the value-added programs it brings to
their theaters. We take the buying power of
our 2,500 screens (and growing) and negotiate
with potential partners in the trade
industry to bring discounts on various
products and services. Some of the programs
that are currently up and running
include: RCM promotional concession
containers, Irwin Seating Company (electric
recliners), and LTI xenon bulb supply.
Don’t just take my word for it, however.
Here is what a few of our members have
said about our programs:
Image courtesy ICA
“The CBA programs can often save independents
enough money to significantly
cut expenses and help us be more profitable.
I recommend the CBA program to all
independents.” —Jeff Logan, President,
Logan Luxury Theatre Corporation.
“The Irwin ZG4 recliner is a fantastic
chair, and we have experienced excellent
customer service from Irwin. Cinergy
believes that it is the most comfortable
recliner in the market. It is a well-built
chair with many options to choose from.
Best of all, our guests love it. By joining
the ICA, and signing up for the CBA’s Irwin
program, it will save Cinergy a tremendous
amount of money. With the rebate I’m
receiving on my next project, it will pay
for our ICA dues for approximately 14
years. Join the ICA or lose out!” —Jeffrey
P. Benson, Founder & CEO, Cinergy Entertainment
Group Inc.
“I am so glad I joined the ICA and CBA.
The LTI Lighting purchasing program is
great. LTI’s pricing and service is incredible.
Ordering is simple and shipping is fast.
Their xenon bulbs are also top-notch. In
the time since I switched to LTI, I haven’t
had any issues with bulbs or lighting, nor
have I had to make use of their extensive
warranty coverage. I only wish I could
have switched to LTI sooner. Being a
member of the CBA makes this happen,
and the savings on bulbs more than covers
the cost of joining the ICA.” —Tom Arnold,
Managing Director, Fabian 8.
The savings are there for all independent
cinema owners to take. With
our growing membership, it will further
increase our ability to reduce your costs
and therefore increase your profits. So,
what are you waiting for? For much of the
country it’s been a long, cold winter, but
it’s time to come out of hibernation and
join the ICA. Go to our website at
www.cinemaalliance.org to learn more
about the ICA and the CBA. I look forward
to seeing your membership soon.
“Our organization focuses
solely on issues that are
pertinent to independent
cinema owners, tackling
important challenges and
adding value for our members
through initiatives such as
distributor relations and
education.”
44 April 2020

INDUSTRY CHARITY SPOTLIGHT
CHARITY
SPOTLIGHT
1. Studio Movie Grill Invites Students
for Screenings of Just Mercy.
On February 12, Studio Movie Grill in
Chatham, Illinois; N.Y. Metro Chapter NBA
Retired Players Association; and Bazan
Education partnered to host 330 students
in grades 7–12 from 10 schools for a Movies
+ Meals screening of Warner Bros.’ Just
Mercy, about lawyer Bryan Stevenson’s
(Michael B. Jordan) struggles to free an
unjustly accused man, Walter McMillian
(Jamie Foxx), from death row. The
screening was followed by a discussion
with retired NBA players, including Tom
Hoover (New York Knicks), LaRue Martin
(Portland Trailblazers), Cliff Levingston
(Atlanta Hawks), Rick Darnell (Virginia
Squires), Dave Cowens (Boston Celtics,
NBA Hall of Fame inductee), Dale Ellis
(Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs),
Major Jones (Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons),
and Jerome (JYD) Williams (Chicago
Bulls, New York Knicks). Split between two
auditoriums, the post-screening conversations
saw the players speak with students
about past and current social justice issues
and their role in helping to support their
communities.
The film played extremely well and
made a strong impact on the students,
who called the film “powerful,” “moving,”
“enlightening,” “sad,” “chilling,” and more.
The students in both theaters burst into
applause and cheers during the pivotal
scene where it was announced that charges
against Walter would be dropped and
he would be freed from prison. A similar
reaction came at the end of the film. The
post-show discussion touched on the
reality of McMillian’s case, as well as the
cases of countless others whose stories are
never told. Students asked questions such
as how were the players discriminated
against in the NBA, in their travels, or
within their communities. The players
talked about achieving goals and working
hard to make them a reality, as well as life
after the NBA.
2. Every November, Santikos
Entertainment collects toys to
distribute to those in need.
In 2019, the chain broke a record by
collecting over 10,000 toys. The toys were
distributed through the month of December
to charities and nonprofits throughout
San Antonio, Texas. Thanks to Santikos’s
beloved guests, the exhibitor spread
10,000 smiles to those that needed it most.
3. Santikos Entertainment, 5-Star
Cleaners, and KENS 5 News partnered
to make the cold days feel warm.
During the month of January, all nine
Santikos locations in and around San
Antonio, Texas, become collection points
for jackets. Each jacket collected was taken
to 5-Star Cleaners, where it received a
makeover and was made to be brand new
again. From there, the more than 10,200
coats were distributed to local shelters,
churches, and schools.
4. B&B Theatres and Variety – the
Children’s Charity have partnered
to offer free rentals of sensory
backpacks at all B&B Theatres
locations nationwide.
The sensory backpack program, which
first launched in Kansas City, Missouri,
has expanded to an additional 35 theaters
to allow guests with special sensory
needs to be better accommodated. The
backpacks include weighted lap
pads, sunglasses, fidget keychains,
sound-dampening headphones, and other
sensory accessories to make the moviegoing
experience inclusive for all audiences.
The backpacks will now be a standard
offering at B&B Theatres locations, and
all new acquisitions and builds will be
outfitted with them going forward.
5. Wil and his dad, Jim Jarvis, enjoy
“Naperwood,” Variety of Illinois’
15th annual Oscar night party and
fundraiser at Elements on Water St. in
Naperville, Ill.
6. In January, Cinemark team members
rolled up their sleeves and donned
their plastic hair covers to show
their passion for people—one of the
company’s core values—by giving back.
The Cinemark marketing and food and
beverage departments spent time serving
food at the nonprofit organization Feed My
Starving Children (FMSC) in Richardson,
Texas, just a short drive from Cinemark’s
Plano headquarters. The two departments
packed food boxes that will supply over
55,000 meals for families in less fortunate
communities in Honduras and Uganda.
FMSC works with food-distribution partners
that stay with communities for the
long haul, empowering them to move from
relief to development. Team Cinemark
takes pride in caring for and serving those
in need.
7. On Wednesday, January 29, Santikos
Entertainment’s Cibolo, Texas cinema
entertainment center location had the
distinct honor of hosting Sgt. Major
Navarro and his family for a special
screening of The Last Full Measure.
Sgt. Major Navarro, who is depicted in the
movie, was a Vietnam War hero. He was
one of 60 men to have his life saved by
William H. Pitsenbarger, a U.S. Air Force
Pararescueman (also known as a P.J.).
The reception was a surprise to Navarro
and his wife. Santikos welcomed over 40
friends and family to the event, along
with 40 ROTC cadets from Steele High
School and local Pararescuemen from
Lackland Airforce Base. Navarro entered
to a full color guard, saber line, and
rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner”
by a cadet. It was a small thank you from
Santikos to all veterans.
Variety of the Desert celebrated
Hollywood’s big awards night at
D’Place Entertainment’s Mary
Pickford Theater.
It was a fabulous night with a red carpet,
catered bites, champagne, and prizes.
46 April 2020

To submit events for future coverage,
email numbers@boxoffice.com
2. Santikos Entertainment Toy Drive
1. Studio Movie Grill
4. B&B Theatres / Variety –
The Children’s Charity
5. Variety of Illinois
Images courtesy Variety – the Children’s Charity
3. Santikos Entertainment Coat Drive
6. Cinemark Theatres
7. Santikos Entertainment Last Full Measure screening
April 2020
47

BID
WIN
HELP
KIDS
VARIETY
CHARITY
AUCTION
TEXT ‘VARIETY20’ TO 76278!
or register to bid at Variety20.givesmart.com
Every dollar raised helps children like 6-year-old
Alexis enjoy life to the fullest. Alexis was born
with Cerebral Palsy, which has left her unable to
walk, but she loves to keep moving on her
adaptive bike!
Please visit USVariety.org for more information.
14th Annual Variety Charity Auction at CinemaCon Presented by:

INDUSTRY CHARITY SPOTLIGHT
UPCOMING EVENTS
Lollipop Theater Network
/ Superhero Walk
April 26 / Los Angeles
Attend! Volunteer! Sponsor! Support! The
Lollipop Theater Network, which brings
movies and entertainment to hospitalized
children, needs you to support its 2020
superheroes. Their annual Superhero Walk
takes place on Sunday, April 26, at the
Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles.
For more information, contact
info@lollipoptheater.org. Tickets can be
purchased at http://bit.ly/3bU9zuq.
Variety of Eastern Tennessee
/ Cars & Coffee Cruisin’ with Heart
April 6 / Knoxville, Tenn.
This special edition of Knoxville’s Original
Cars & Coffee, Cruisin’ with Heart to benefit
Variety of Eastern Tennessee, will be held at
the Regal Cinemas Pinnacle 18 on Saturday,
April 6, from 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Registered
participants of the Poker Run will park in
the designated Poker Run Paddock, grab
a cup of coffee, and meet some amazing
people. Then, the Poker Run will depart
Cars & Coffee Cruisin’ with Heart and follow
a 120- to 150-mile loop of East Tennessee’s
finest driving roads. Participants will be
issued a scorecard at the registration table
and a route map upon exiting the paddock.
Along the route there are five checkpoints.
At each, a card will be drawn and noted on
your scorecard. Best hand wins! An award
ceremony, dinner, and music follow at the
European Auto Garage. Tickets for the 7th
Annual Poker Run are $25 per person and
include one hand of poker and admission
to the after party and award ceremony. To
increase your chances of winning, additional
hands are available at $10 each.
Tickets are available at http://bit.ly/2P5SNPp.
Variety of Detroit / Hearts & Stars Gala
May 2 / Birmingham, Mich.
The Hearts & Stars Gala, held at Birmingham’s
Townsend Hotel, will be a magical
and moving evening geared toward raising
awareness for Variety of Detroit’s core
programs, which provide life-changing
support to children with special needs.
With their Heart Award presentation,
Variety will recognize philanthropist Lois
Shaevsky for her extraordinary dedication
to changing the lives of children.
Tickets are available at http://bit.ly/2SJ56Di.
Variety of the Delaware Valley
/ Black Hat Bash
May 13 / Philadelphia
It’s time to put on your best black hat
and join Variety for their signature event,
where they will be honoring the 2020 Golden
Heart of Variety award recipients. This
spectacular night includes valet parking,
hors d’oeuvres, a top-shelf open bar, dinner,
and live music overlooking the backdrop
of Philadelphia’s famous Boathouse Row,
lit up in Variety red! The event takes place
at Philadelphia’s Historical Water Works on
Wednesday, May 13, 6–10 p.m.
For more information, visit http://bit.ly/38Gn7I5.
April 2020
49

INDUSTRY CHARITY
Images courtesy Variety - the Children’s Charity
HEARTS
OF GOLD
Variety Works with Studios
and Exhibitors to Give Back
BY REBECCA PAHLE
In 1991, Variety International board
member Marsha Rae Ratcliff had
an idea about how to expand the work
Variety, the Children’s Charity had been
doing since its founding in 1927. Simple
and elegant, Ratcliff’s idea was to sell
gold pins in the shape of hearts at movie
theaters, with proceeds going to Variety’s
mission of assisting children in need. In
the nearly 30 years since its inception,
the Variety Gold Heart Pin Campaign has
raised $25 million worldwide, along the
way providing one of the most enduring
symbols of the film industry’s commitment
to charitable giving.
The story of the iconic gold pin is
one of the worldwide film community’s
coming together for a good cause. The
campaign, which started in Great Britain,
made its way stateside when actress
Maureen Arthur-Ruben—then-president
of Variety of Southern California’s board of
directors—attended a Variety conference.
Her chapter adopted the program, and
support from studio executives—Variety,
the Children’s Charity of the United States
executive director Erica Lopez cites Clark
Woods, Mike McCartney, and Jeff Goldstein—helped
get the pin in theaters.
Woods, then in the midst of his decades-long
tenure at Paramount, had the
idea to “put a campaign behind [the pin]
like they would put a campaign behind a
film,” Lopez recalls, in part by giving the
pin prime placement in-theater to boost
sales. Handling of the campaign went to
Disney, whose V.P. of exhibitor relations
Nancy Klueter helped get the pin campaign
out to theaters nationwide. A rollout
to Variety’s global chapters followed. “Over
time, each studio helped open doors to
new theater partners, and Variety executive
directors at the individual chapters
throughout the United States formed
relationships with their local theaters to
gain their support as well,” recalls Lopez.
Variety’s collaboration with Disney
introduced a second key component to
the Gold Heart Pin Campaign. In 2002, at
the suggestion of Arthur-Ruben and the
late Jody Reynolds, who passed away last
year, Disney gave permission for the pin
to depict an image of Mickey Mouse. The
addition of I.P. proved a turning point for
the campaign, as sales that year reached
700,000 pins. In the years since Mickey’s
Variety debut, different characters
have popped up on the pins, including
50 April 2020

Spider-Man (Sony; 2005); Yoda and Darth
Vader (Disney; 2014); E.T. (Dreamworks;
2004), and—by far the most popular pin,
to the tune of $3 million—Universal’s
Minions, who were a hit in 2015.
Universal and DreamWorks are represented
yet again in the 2019–20 Variety
Gold Heart Pin Campaign, featuring the
characters of Poppy and Branch from
Trolls World Tour, in theaters April 10.
Lopez thanks John C. Hall, executive vice
president, distribution, and marketing at
Universal, for the company’s involvement.
“To select the I.P.,” Lopez notes, “we
always look at the slate of upcoming films
and select a family film that is in the right
time frame. We knew Trolls World Tour
would be a hit.” The campaign began in
November and ends on May 31, 2020; pins
can be purchased in participating theaters
and retail outlets in addition to online at
https://usvariety.org/gold-hearts/.
Exhibitors, in addition to studios, are
key partners for the Variety Gold Heart
Pin Campaign. Thirty-one circuits sell
the pins, as do independent theaters. The
exhibitor that’s earned the most money
for Variety—one $3 pin purchase at a
time—is Texas-based Cinemark, which
has supported the campaign since it came
to the U.S. and sells the pin in each of its
344 U.S. theaters.
Guests and employees alike, notes
Cinemark director of corporate responsibility
Lanay Fournier-Stokes, are
enthusiastic about “collecting each year’s
unique Variety Gold Heart Pin. It is the
perfect way for our guests to show their
support for Variety, the Children’s Charity
and to help children who are dealing with
serious illnesses, disabilities, or who are
disadvantaged.
“One of Cinemark’s values is ‘passion
for people,’ and we strive to make an
impact in the communities where our
employees and moviegoers live,” Fournier-Stokes
continues. Across the board,
Variety keeps funds raised by the Gold
Heart Pin Campaign in the same general
geographic area where the pins were
sold. These funds are often used to buy
adaptive bikes, wheelchairs, and other
life-changing equipment for children in
need. (You’ll notice Variety events showcased
every month in Boxoffice Pro’s
Charity Spotlight section.)
The local element to the Variety Gold
Heart Pin Campaign, explains Kelly Nash,
director of marketing at Goodrich Quality
Theaters, is a big part of why her chain
has sold pins and paper hearts in all 30
of its locations, to the tune of, on average,
$55,000 in each of the last five years and
approximately $1 million total. “We’ve
received many local stories over the years
about children receiving equipment,
services, or programs that enrich their
lives,” says Nash. “Our managers enjoy
seeing that our team and customers are
making a difference. Variety partnering
with the film studios makes it fun for our
customers to collect movie-themed pins.”
While most theaters that participate
in the program work with the national
Variety chapter, Cinemark partners with
Variety – the Children’s Charity of Texas,
headed by president and executive director
Stacy Bruce. The campaign, explains Bruce,
provides “an easy way for people to give
back at the level at which they can comfortably
give back. One pin, believe it or not,
does make a difference. Yes, it’s about the
money. Those funds are donated back to us.
But it’s also about the stories.” The promotional
efforts for each year’s Variety Gold
Heart Pin Campaign—including one sheets
and a PSA that can be integrated into preshows—features
“a story of triumph” about
a child whom Variety has helped through
its fundraising efforts. (This year it’s Jeffrey,
who on his 5th birthday received a special
bike from Variety.)
It’s through fundraising efforts like
the Variety Gold Heart Pin Campaign, as
well as the ongoing cooperation of studios
and exhibitors, that Variety continues to
help children in need. Another chain that
participates in the Variety Gold Heart Pin
Campaign is Southern Theatres, which
over 11 years has raised over $1.2 million
for Variety. “With the help of the U.S.
Variety office we have been able to support
many grants to children in the areas in
which we operate,” says president and
COO Ron Krueger, who also serves as the
chairman of Variety’s national chapter. “As
an example, just last year we had a bike
presentation at our Grand 16 in Slidell,
Louisiana, where five adaptive bikes were
given to five deserving children.” The joy
felt by these children and their families
“motivated our staff to sell even more
[pins]. The guests in the lobby at the time
of the presentation were just as excited as
we were. … Our guests’ generosity over the
years demonstrates their excitement and
support of the Gold Heart program.”
Variety always welcomes
new partners worldwide
so they can help as many
kids as possible. For
information on how to
participate in the Variety
Gold Heart Pin Campaign,
please contact:
Within the U.S.:
Erica Lopez,
erica@usvariety.org
Outside the U.S.:
Sharon Castillo,
sharon.castillo@variety.org
April 2020
51

INDUSTRY MPA
Image courtesy Motion Picture Association
GLOBAL
OUTLOOK
Interview with Charles Rivkin,
Chairman & CEO, Motion
Picture Association
BY DANIEL LORIA
The entertainment industry has
witnessed much change in this age
of multinational mega-mergers, and the
Motion Picture Association has been
touched by those changes as well. Charles
Rivkin has overseen some of them as the
head of that industry association, most
notably its rebranding from the Motion
Picture Association of America to the
more global Motion Picture Association.
In 2019, the MPA welcomed Netflix
as the first streaming platform to sit
alongside its studio members, changing its
annual Theatrical Statistics Report to the
Theatrical Home Entertainment Market
Environment (THEME) Report in order to
include data from streaming and theatrical
sources in its reference publication. After
an eventful year, including a record global
box office, Boxoffice Pro asked Rivkin
to describe his takeaways from 2019 and
his vision of how the theatrical market will
continue to evolve.
We are coming off quite a year at
the global box office. What do you
consider the primary reasons for that
success?
There are several factors that played into
the growth of the global box office, including
well-known blockbuster franchises,
such as Avengers: Endgame and Spider-
Man: Far From Home, as well as Joker,
which put a dark, new twist on an iconic
comic villain and had audiences flocking
to theaters. Films with diverse representation,
including Dora and the Lost City of
Gold and Harriet, also helped draw in new
moviegoers. Beyond great storytelling,
theater owners continue to innovate
the cinematic experience—with online
ticketing options, rewards programs, and
state-of-the-art sound, projection, and
seating. The total number of theatrical
screens also went up by 7 percent, and the
average moviegoer bought more tickets
throughout the year.
52 April 2020

“In 2019, the global box
office and the global home
entertainment market both
climbed to record highs.
With that in mind, the future
of the creative-content
industry is bright and will
remain so when stories are
brought to life in theaters,
at home, and on the go.”
Looking ahead to the future, public
policies, including those having to do
with trade, will have an impact on the
box office. The opening of newer markets
and expansion into existing ones will
lead to more screens, enhanced content
protection, growth in regional production,
and of course, more customers in your
seats. With recently passed trade deals like
USMCA, and others on the horizon, that
trend is only going to grow.
What trends or tendencies were most
significant at the 2019 global box
office? What are your expectations
for 2020?
If 2019 taught us one thing it’s that
audiences are hungry for good stories that
are well told. There’s also an appreciation
for seeing their lives and experiences
reflected on-screen. Women consistently
represent slightly more than half of the
theatergoing audience, so I think people
will rush to see women-led films like Black
Widow, Wonder Woman 1984, and Like a
Boss. Diverse audiences also continue to
outperform their share of the population
in terms of moviegoing, so films like In the
Heights, The Photograph, and Bad Boys for
Life are likely to have a positive impact on
the global box office.
Has the piracy threat diminished or
increased? Are there any particular
markets or regions that still present a
big challenge?
The legal marketplace for creative content
has grown exponentially in recent years.
However, piracy remains an ongoing threat
to creators, consumers, and the economy.
Through the Alliance for Creativity and
Entertainment (ACE), we are working 24/7
and around the world to reduce that threat.
Over the last year, ACE has achieved a
number of significant wins through legal
and operational tactics. Most recently,
an ACE action resulted in the operator
of Openload and Streamango—two giant
sources of illegal, unauthorized content—
ceasing all operations. Openload operated
1,000 servers in Romania, France, and
Germany, and generated more traffic than
many leading sources of legal content like
Hulu and HBO Go. ACE also had victories
in Canada, Uruguay, here in the United
States, and around the world.
ACE has solidified itself as the leading
global coalition dedicated to reducing the
theft and illegal distribution of movies
and TV shows. We now have 35 members,
including the addition of Canal+, Channel
5, Charter, Comcast, Discovery, Telefe, and
Viacom in 2019 alone. The expansion of
our membership has made us the onestop
shop for creators’ global content
protection needs.
Streaming platforms became a part
of the MPA last year. What do you
believe their impact will be on the
theatrical market?
The Motion Picture Association represents
the largest content creators in the world.
Last year, we added streaming services
to our membership, making us stronger
and better prepared to advocate on behalf
of the industry at large. However, while
audiences are evolving and are enjoying
home entertainment at increasing rates,
they still want to see films on the big
screen—the way many were intended to
be screened. That’s why, last year, we also
saw a record-high global box office. That
is not an anomaly. Theatrical and home
entertainment have and will continue to
thrive together because of the powerful
stories being brought to light on screens
where audiences want them.
Now that the line has blurred between
television, home entertainment, and
theatrical cinema, how do you believe
the motion picture experience can
thrive in the midst of this media shift?
We are in the golden age of content, and
one thing is crystal clear: film, television,
and streaming can all thrive together. In
2019, the global box office and the global
home entertainment market both climbed
to record highs. With that in mind, the
future of the creative-content industry is
bright and will remain so when stories are
brought to life in theaters, at home, and
on the go.
When I came to the MPA, I looked at
the entire entertainment landscape from
the perspective of a businessman, and
I saw growth potential everywhere. As I
said in my speech before CinemaCon last
year, theaters and streamers can coexist.
Storytelling is not a zero-sum game. And
it’s so exciting to see how audiences are
responding to the array of viewing choices
our industry offers them.
April 2020
53

INDUSTRY BIG DATA
CONNECTED
AUDIENCES
EY Study Commissioned by
NATO Shows Link Between
Cinema Visits and Home
Viewing
Ernst & Young’s Quantitative Economics
and Statistics (QUEST) group was once again
commissioned by the National Association of Theatre
Owners (NATO) to collect data on U.S. moviegoers
and to analyze key determinants of movie theater
attendance. EY QUEST conducted a detailed survey
of U.S. moviegoers and examined the extent to which
consumption of streaming services impacted movie
theater attendance. EY QUEST also studied this relationship
with consideration to various demographics,
such as age, race, and gender.
Survey of U.S. Moviegoers
EY QUEST conducted a survey of 2,015 respondents,
who saw at least one movie in theaters over the last
12 months, and an additional 505 respondents who
did not see any movies in theaters. The primary data
collected in the survey was: (1) movie theater attendance
in the last 12 months, (2) streaming consumption
in the last 12 months, and (3) demographic characteristics
of the respondents.
Movie Theater Attendance and Streaming
Consumption for ‘Dual-Consumers’
Survey results presented here include respondents
who saw at least one movie in theaters and streamed
at least one hour of online content per week in the last
12 months (“dual-consumers”). There were 1,734 such
respondents in total.
Online Streaming Behavior of Those Who Have
Visited a Movie Theater in the Last 12 Months
*Means are reported as 95% trimmed means
Number of visits to a movie theater over the last 12 months
1 to 2 3 to 5 6 to 8 9 or more
Hours per week spent streaming
1 to 3 hours
4 to 7 hours
8 to 14 hours
15 or more hours
35%
30%
19%
15%
27%
31%
23%
19%
17%
33%
27%
23%
12%
27%
26%
35%
Number of respondents
Mean* hours spent streaming
468 579 305 382
7 hr/wk 8 hr/wk 10 hr/wk 12 hr/wk
54 April 2020

Movie Theater Attendance and Streaming
Consumption, ‘Dual-Consumers’ by Age
*Means are reported as 95% trimmed means
Mean* movie visits
over the last 12 months
Age
Mean* hours spent streaming
per week over the last 12 months
6.8
13-17
sample size 358
10.5
5.6
18-37
sample size 741
8.5
6.1
38-52
sample size 385
9.5
6.1
53-72
sample size 236
6.9
“Average streaming hours per week
were higher for respondents who
visited a movie theater nine times or
more than respondents who visited a
movie theater only once or twice.”
Online Streaming Behavior of
Those Who Did Not Visit a Movie
Theater in the Last 12 Months
Did not stream 47%
1 to 3 hours
4 to 7 hours
8 to 14 hours
15 or more hours
Number of respondents
Mean* hours spent streaming
17%
12%
12%
12%
505
4 hr/wk
Those who attended movies in theaters more
frequently also tended to consume streaming
content more frequently.
For every race and age demographic, average streaming
hours per week were higher for respondents
who visited a movie theater nine times or more than
respondents who visited a movie theater only once
or twice. Moreover, respondents who visited a movie
theater only once or twice in the last 12 months
reported an average of seven hours of streaming per
week versus 12 hours of streaming per week for those
who visited a movie theater nine or more times.
Streaming Consumption for ‘Non-Moviegoers’
Survey results presented here include respondents
who did not see any movies in theaters in the last
12 months.
Those who did not attend a movie in a theater in
the last 12 months were more likely to report less
streaming activity than those who did attend at
least one movie in the same period.
Of those who didn’t visit a movie theater in the last 12
months, nearly half (47%) didn’t stream any online
content. Of that same group, only 24 percent streamed
online content for eight or more hours per week.
April 2020
55

INDUSTRY BIG DATA
Relationship Between Theatrical
Viewing and Streaming Habits
by Age and Income
Quadrant
mean
Population
mean
Low-movie/
Low-streaming
Quadrant profile
Age
$56,200
33
$61,800
35
< 3 movie visits in 12 months
< 4 hours/week streaming
Income*
High-movie/
Low-streaming
Quadrant profile
Age
33
$61,800
$67,200
38
> 7 movie visits in 12 months
< 4 hours/week streaming
Income*
Low-movie/
High-streaming
Quadrant profile
Age
$49,000
33
$61,800
< 3 movie visits in 12 months
> 11 hours/week streaming
Income*
High-movie/
High-streaming
Quadrant profile
Age
32
33
$61,800
$71,200
> 7 movie visits in 12 months
> 11 hours/week streaming
Income*
*Reported as 95% trimmed mean; only 18-year-old+ respondents were asked to report income.
Impact of In-Theater Movie Release on
Streaming Behavior
Survey results presented here include 2,191
respondents who indicated that they were, in some
capacity (rarely, sometimes, usually, always), aware
of whether the movie they streamed was released in
a movie theater.
Highlights from this
report have been
reprinted with the
permission of the
National Association of
Theatre Owners.
Respondents who were aware of movies’ in-theater
releases were more likely to stream a movie when they
knew it was released in theaters. Of those who were
always or usually aware of movies’ in-theater releases,
62 percent reported they were more likely to stream a
movie if they knew it was released in a movie theater.
On the other hand, only 3 percent of these respondents
reported they were less likely to stream a movie if
they knew it was released in a movie theater.
56 April 2020

DATA
DEEP DIVE
Q&A with Phil Contrino,
Director of Media &
Research, NATO
This is the third year NATO
commissioned EY to delve into
the relationship between moviegoing
and streaming. What are some of
the prevailing myths of that
relationship? How do these reports
address those myths?
Far too many people who analyze our
industry fall back on the notion that
the rise of streaming means people are
going to the movies less often. That’s an
oversimplified narrative, and it really
doesn’t reflect the truth of the situation.
The relationship is more symbiotic. Simply
put: Exhibition’s most enthusiastic customers
are also people who stream a lot.
When people consume a lot of movies at
home, it makes them realize that they like
certain genres more than they thought, and
then they seek out films from that genre
in theaters. The success of Parasite is one
strong example of that. The easy access that
so many consumers have to international
titles through streaming clearly helped
expand the audience for that film.
What is the role and influence of
“dual-consumers”?
The dual-consumers who go to the movies
a lot and also stream a lot are a huge
driving force for this industry. I think
the amount of time that the most active
consumers spend with entertainment
shows that they will always find time for
the projects they want to see. The market
has the ability to expand if the content is
strong enough.
What are some of the most interesting
revelations from this year’s results?
This year we added a question about the
influence of a theatrical release on how
people decide which movies to stream,
and it’s pretty clear that a theatrical
release has a big impact. The takeaway is
that movie theaters are more important
than ever when it comes to helping
consumers decide what to watch. Having
endless options in the home can be
overwhelming, and it often leaves you
dissatisfied as you waste time scrolling
through options. Also, your watch list
seems to be growing all the time, and that
can make it feel almost like homework you
are putting off. A theatrical release creates
a halo effect around a film that stays with
it through all of the windows. That’s not
something that can be replicated with any
amount of marketing.
The narrative in the press thus far
has been “theatrical vs. streaming.”
What sort of industry collaboration is
needed so it becomes “theatrical and
streaming”?
As more companies launch streaming
platforms while also continuing to respect
the value of what a robust theatrical run
can bring to their films, I think the narrative
will change substantially. Companies
with the ability to maximize their ROI on
films through a healthy theatrical run will
always take that route. Going straight to
streaming takes a lot of money out of a
film’s life cycle.
All the attention was on The Irishman
and Netflix, when the real story was
Parasite and Hulu. $50 million domestic
box office, $200 million worldwide and
growing. It was originally going to be a
simultaneous release in the U.K., but the
plan changed to a full theatrical window
and it broke theatrical records when it
opened. It will be a long-term asset to
Hulu when it reaches streaming with a
value that could only be created by a real
theatrical release.
April 2020
57

INDUSTRY BIG DATA
Cinemagoing in Europe 2005–2019 (in billion admissions)
1.33
1.34
1.30
1.28
1.25
1.20
1.21 1.21
1.19
1.17
1.18
1.13
1.09
1.09
1.04
2005
2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
A EUROPEAN
RECORD
UNIC Report Reveals
Record-Breaking Admissions
for Europe in 2019
Source: UNIC members
and European Audiovisual
Observatory (EAO) data.
Figures for Albania only
available from 2014; for
Serbia, Montenegro and
Bosnia & Herzegovina
from 2007.
The International Union of Cinemas (UNIC),
Europe’s trade body representing the region’s
cinema trade associations and operators, has released
early numbers indicating a record 1.34 billion admissions
to its member cinemas in 2019.
While data for some territories is estimated, UNIC’s
overview represents the first wide-ranging assessment
of the performance of the European cinema sector in
2019. The trade body will release detailed final data on
each territory’s performance this spring.
A Record Year
European cinema admissions increased by 4.5
percent in 2019, setting a record of over 1.34 billion
visits across the region. In the European Union,
cinemas recorded their best results in 15 years, with
admissions reaching the 1 billion mark for the first
time since 2004.
While final figures for several territories are still
pending, estimates indicate that total box office for
Europe will pass the €8.5 billion mark, an increase of
6.25 percent from 2018’s €8.0 billion. For the E.U., estimates
indicate over €7.1 billion in box office revenue
compared to last year’s €6.8, a 4.41 percent increase.
58 April 2020

Strong Showings in Russia, France, and the U.K.
Russian cinemas led all European territories in admissions,
attracting a record 216.3 million visitors in 2019.
This is the third consecutive year that admissions
in Russia have crossed 200 million. France placed
second in Europe with 213.3 million cinema visits in
2019, its second-best performance since 1966. The
U.K., the third-biggest European cinema market in
terms of admissions, grossed over £1.25 billion at the
box office—which translates to a European-high €1.48
billion—following a record-breaking 2018.
Recovery in Germany and Across Western Europe
Following a difficult 2018, admissions in Germany
bounced back with a 12.6 percent improvement. Several
other markets across Western Europe also made
up lost ground against 2018, including Austria (6.7%)
and Switzerland (6.3%). The Netherlands is also worth
highlighting, as the local industry has been growing at
a steady pace over the past decades to reach a record
38 million admissions in 2019.
Growth in Spain, Portugal, and Italy
The Spanish cinema industry enjoyed its best
performance since 2009, surpassing 100 million
admissions. Spanish exhibitors managed to increase
admissions by 37 percent compared to 2013, when an
entertainment tax placed on cinema tickets sent the
industry into a tailspin. Following a challenging 2018,
the Portuguese industry enjoyed a year of growth,
increasing box office by 5.6 percent and admissions
by 5 percent. Portugal surpassed the 15 million admissions
mark for the second time since 2011. In Italy,
final admissions figures are expected to exceed 100
million visits, while box office grew 14.4 percent.
Mixed Fortunes in Scandinavia
Denmark (box office up 4.5%, admissions up 1.8%) and
Finland (box office up 6.3%, admissions up 4%) both
enjoyed good growth, bolstered by successful local
titles that ranked among each country’s top five box
office hits of the year. On the other hand, Sweden (box
office down 0.9%, admissions down 2.9%) and Norway
(box office down 5.3%, admissions down 6.8%) were
among the European territories to suffer decreases in
2019, partly due to a lack of breakthrough local titles at
the box office.
Thriving Local Industries in CEE, Baltic States,
and Southern Europe
Local titles helped Poland and the Czech Republic
reach new heights in admissions and box office in
2019. Poland welcomed a record-breaking 60.9 million
moviegoers last year, fueling a 63 percent growth in
the territory since 2010. Positive results were also
reported in Bulgaria (box office up 6.5%, admissions
up 2.4%), Ukraine (box office and admissions up 7%
each) and Slovakia (box office up 12.8%, admissions up
9.3%), where admissions tripled in the last 15 years.
Country Box Office Admissions Per Capita
Top 3
Russia +8.9% +7.8% 1.5 21.9%
France — +6% 3.2 35%
United Kingdom -1.9% -0.5% 2.7 13%
Germany and Western Europe
Germany +13.9% +12.6% 1.4 21.5%
Austria +9.9% +6.7% 1.5 2.7%
Switzerland +7.9% +6.3% 1.5 6.3%
Netherlands +11.3% +6.5% 2.2 11.7%
Southern Europe
Spain +6.6% +7.9% 2.3 15%
Portugal +5.6% +5% 1.5 4.2%
Italy +14.4% +13.6% 1.6 21.2%
Scandinavia
Denmark +4.5% +1.8% 2.3 23.7%
Finland +6.3% +4% 1.5 15.5%
Sweden -0.9% -2.9% 1.6 13.3%
Norway -5.3% -6.8% 2.1 16.1%
Central and Eastern Europe
Poland +1.6% +2% 1.6 28.8%
Czech Republic +15.3% +12.1% 1.7 24.2%
Bulgaria +6.5% +2.4% 0.7 7.6%
Ukraine +7% +7% 0.8 6.8%
Slovakia +12.8 +9.3 1.2 13%
Baltics and Southeast Europe
Estonia +5.7% +1.5% 2.8 23%
Latvia +12.6% +7.9% 1.4 20.2%
Lithuania +0.2% -2.9% 1.5 19%
Bosnia and
Herzegovina
+12.7% +10.8% 0.4 0.2%
Montenegro +8.6% +7.7% 0.7 0.4%
Serbia +11.8% +8.2% 0.7 17.5%
Croatia +6.2% +3.5% 1.2 4.3%
Albania +67.4% 69.9% 0.2 23%
Turkey +8.7% -15.7% 0.7 54%
National
Films’ Share
April 2020
59

INDUSTRY BIG DATA
The success of the cinema industry across the
Baltics is worth highlighting, as Estonia and Latvia
attracted record admissions, and Lithuania achieved
its second-best performance ever, following a strong
2018. All three territories had a local title leading
the box office. Similarly, the cinema industry in the
Balkans is growing at an increasing pace, with Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and Croatia all
enjoying their highest levels of cinema admissions
ever, while Slovenia recorded its best results since
2012. Albanians supported their nascent cinema
industry in 2019, with a 69.9 percent increase in
admissions, also carried by the incredibly successful
local production 2 Gisht Mjaltë. Meanwhile, cinema
admissions in Turkey decreased significantly in 2019
due to local industry spats. An increased average
ticket price resulted in a box office bump, though
currency conversion rates indicate a decrease of box
office returns in Euro.
Admissions per Capita and National Films’ Share
Admissions per capita for all UNIC territories with
available data remained stable at 1.5 average visits per
year. Ireland and France (at 3.3 and 3.2 respectively)
experienced the highest rates of cinemagoing once
again, followed by Estonia (2.8), the U.K. (2.7), and
Denmark and Spain (both at 2.3).
Total market share for European films in 2019
will be available once final data on each territory is
published. Turkey (54%), France (35%), and Poland
(28.8%) once again experienced the highest national
films’ market share across UNIC territories, as the
Czech Republic, Denmark, Albania, Estonia, Russia,
Germany, Italy and Latvia all managed a national
films’ market share of above 20 percent.
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60 April 2020

TOP 5 FILMS
PER TERRITORY
* Denotes Local Title
Country Top 1 Top 2 Top 3 Top 4 Top 5
Albania Gisht Mjaltë * Falco * Joker Avengers: Endgame The Lion King
Austria The Lion King Frozen II Avengers: Endgame Joker Das perfekte Geheimnis
(DE)
Bosnia and
Herzegovina
Joker The Lion King Avengers: Endgame Frozen II Taksi bluz (Serbia)
Bulgaria The Lion King Avengers: Endgame Frozen II Fast & Furious: Hobbs &
Shaw
Star Wars: The Rise of
Skywalker
Croatia Joker Avengers: Endgame The Lion King Frozen II Once Upon a Time in
Hollywood
Czech
Republic
Ženy v běhu * Avengers: Endgame Frozen II Bohemian Rhapsody How to Train Your Dragon:
The Hidden World
Denmark Avengers: Endgame Joker The Lion King Jagtsæson * Ser du månen Daniel *
Estonia Tõde ja õigus * Klassikokkutulek 3:
Ristiisad *
Joker The Lion King Avengers: Endgame
Finland Joker Avengers: Endgame The Lion King Star Wars: The Rise of
Skywalker
Risto Räppääjä ja
pullistelija *
France The Lion King Avengers: Endgame Qu’est-ce qu’on a
encore fait au Bon
Dieu?*
Frozen II
Joker
Germany Frozen II The Lion King Avengers: Endgame Das perfekte Geheimnis * Joker
Italy The Lion King Avengers: Endgame Joker Frozen II Aladdin
Latvia Dvēseļu putenis * The Lion King Joker How to Train Your Dragon:
The Hidden World
Avengers: Endgame
Lithuania Pats sau milijonierius * Joker The Lion King Ir visi ju vyrai * How to Train Your Dragon:
The Hidden World
Montenegro Joker The Lion King Taksi bluz (Serbia) Balkanska međa (Serbia) Avengers: Endgame
Netherlands The Lion King Avengers: Endgame Joker Frozen II Aladdin
Norway The Lion King Avengers: Endgame Joker Frozen II Star Wars: The Rise of
Skywalker
Poland The Lion King Miszmasz czyli Kogel
Mogel 3 *
Frozen II Avengers: Endgame Joker
Portugal The Lion King Joker Avengers: Endgame Frozen II Toy Story 4
Russia The Lion King Avengers: Endgame T-34 * Maleficent: Mistress of Evil Joker
Serbia Joker The Lion King Taksi bluz * Balkanska međa * Avengers: Endgame
Slovakia Avengers: Endgame Trhlina * How to Train Your
Dragon: The Hidden
World
Frozen II Šťastný nový rok *
Spain The Lion King Joker Avengers: Endgame Aladdin Toy Story 4
Sweden The Lion King Avengers: Endgame Joker Star Wars: The Rise of
Skywalker
Frozen II
Switzerland The Lion King Avengers: Endgame Joker Frozen II Green Book
Turkey 7. Koğuştaki Mucize * Recep Ivedik 6 * Organize Isler: Sazan
Sarmali *
Avengers: Endgame
Kral Şakir: Korsanlar
Diyarı *
Ukraine Avengers: Endgame The Lion King Joker Maleficent: Mistress of Evil Frozen II
United
Kingdom
Avengers: Endgame The Lion King Toy Story 4 Joker Star Wars: The Rise of
Skywalker
April 2020
61

INDUSTRY INDIE INFLUENCERS
All images courtesy Spotlight Cinema Networks
IN THE
SPOTLIGHT
Spotlight Cinema Networks
Celebrates its 10th Anniversary
BY DANIEL LORIA
Brought to you by
The third year of the new millennium,
2002 was a historic year for the
film industry. The domestic box office
enjoyed its 17th consecutive record-breaking
year, crossing the $9 billion mark for
the first time. The biggest box office story
of the year was the crossover success
of IFC Films’ My Big Fat Greek Wedding,
which became an all-out box office hit.
The independent movie opened at a
modest 108 screens in April before word of
mouth carried the title from the art house
to the multiplex. By the time October
rolled around, My Big Fat Greek Wedding
hit a peak of 2,016 screens. The film played
in theaters for nearly a year, grossing a
total of $241 million throughout a 51-week
run. Its success offered a glimpse into the
potential of the art house market, a place
where different films could connect with
affluent audiences who could then fuel a
much larger run nationwide.
The film proved that the art house
market could have a significant impact
on the industry as a whole. Individually,
art house cinemas might not seem to be
make-or-break venues that can launch
Oscar hopefuls and change the fortunes of
budding filmmakers. But as a group, they
constitute arguably the most influential
community of tastemakers in the industry.
Just as My Big Fat Greek Wedding
wrapped up its theatrical run in 2003, a
new entity, called the Arthouse Marketing
Group (AMG), was formed, its sights set on
exploiting that potential through cinema
advertising. It was created as a network of
individual art house cinemas nationwide,
grouped together to create scale for
advertisers looking to reach the influential
and affluent consumers that frequent
their theaters.
For four years, AMG played a niche
role among the bigger players in cinema
advertising. To grow, the company would
need an injection of funding and new
ideas. That came in 2007 with Jerry
Rakfeldt, a marketing professional whose
62
April 2020

own ambitions had once taken him to Asia
to assist with the global marketing efforts
of Toyota. Now back in the United States,
Rakfeldt was looking for his next venture—
little did he know, or expect, that he would
wind up working in exhibition.
“At that time, I was just looking for
a company to acquire,” says Rakfeldt.
“I come from a pure marketing and
advertising background. [Cinema] wasn’t
necessarily where I was focused.” After
meeting AMG’s ownership group, Rakfeldt
completed the acquisition of the cinema
advertising entity on his own, taking the
reins of the company in September 2007.
That same year, Michael Sakin, already
an accomplished executive in cinema
advertising, began looking for a similar
opportunity to maximize the potential of
art house theaters. Sakin reached out to
Landmark Theatres to run its in-house
advertising division; he’d sensed a void
in the marketplace and knew he could
help bring luxury brands to Landmark’s
upscale clientele. He joined the circuit in
2007, setting out to secure as many top
brands as he could for Landmark’s screens.
Inevitably, and without knowing it, the
two executives found themselves on a
parallel course.
“We had two years where we coexisted—we
were going about our business at
Landmark, AMG was going about theirs—
but by 2009 it became apparent that we
were bumping into each other too often,”
says Sakin. “We were two very similar
entities going after the same clients. We
each represented around 200 screens; it
just seemed like the world was too small
for the two of us to compete. It made more
sense to combine our forces rather than
sell against each other, because it was such
a small niche.”
Sakin went about it the old fashioned
way. He looked up Rakfeldt’s information
on AMG’s website and called him to set up
a lunch meeting in Los Angeles. It took
about a year to put the deal together, bringing
the AMG and Landmark leadership
teams together to launch a consolidated
cinema-advertising joint venture. “It made
perfect sense,” says Sakin. “Landmark had
a seasoned ad sales force that I had built,
and Jerry had the marketing background
and operations experience with his staff.
We were a perfect match.”
The joint venture, Spotlight Cinema
Networks, launched in October 2010 with
six employees and around 400 screens.
Projections for the art house market
in 2010, however, presented a striking
contrast from the success the sector had
enjoyed earlier that decade. The 2008
recession had slowed consumer spending,
carrying economic implications for Spotlight’s
exhibitor and advertising clients.
The box office was still growing, albeit
not at the same record-breaking pace of
the previous decade, but the market was
largely driven by superhero titles that
followed the Spider-Man formula. Blockbuster
crossover hits like My Big Fat Greek
Wedding were anomalies, and distributors
like IFC Films had begun pioneering
day-and-date theatrical and streaming
releases for some of their titles. In some
instances, specialty titles wouldn’t receive
a theatrical release at all.
Most notably, 2010 found art house
cinemas in the midst of the biggest
revolution of cinema technology since the
inception of sound. The digital transition
pushed the widespread adoption of digital
cinema around the world, leaving analog
projectors—and potentially scores of
specialty exhibitors—behind. “It was as if
the sky was falling in 2010,” says Rakfeldt.
“Everyone was worried about surviving
through the recession, surviving the digital
transition. Our main focus as a company
was to drive as much additional revenue as
we could for our exhibitor partners.”
That revenue came, in large part, from
luxury advertisers in search of a captive,
affluent audience, as traditional media
ratings continued to erode. Art house cinemas
were inherently positioned to develop
that niche. High-end brands like Louis
Vuitton and American Express had already
bought into cinema advertising through
AMG and Landmark. Spotlight provided
a more extensive reach to offer additional
luxury advertisers from the get-go.
“In 2013 we changed the name of where
we ran our national ads to the ‘Trailer
Pod.’ We had previously identified the
national ad pod as ‘Premium Pod,’ which
did not accurately describe the premium
ad placement we were delivering. ‘Trailer
Pod’ indicated these brands would be
running immediately prior to the trailers,
with the lights down, after the advertised
showtime,” says Sakin. “This positioning
helped us convert luxury brands to the
cinema advertising space.”
The pair cites Porsche and Apple among
the company’s most prominent milestones
in bringing high-end brands to cinemas.
Michael Sakin
“We were two very similar
entities going after the
same clients. We each
represented around 200
screens; it just seemed like
the world was too small for
the two of us to compete.“
Jerry Rakfeldt
April 2020 63

INDUSTRY INDIE INFLUENCES INFLUENCERS
“They had never done cinema before. We
introduced them to the space—and they
were exclusive with Spotlight,” says Sakin.
“That’s when we felt we had arrived, that
we were actually making a difference in
the marketplace.”
Spotlight’s biggest evolution among
its exhibitor partners developed during
the company’s early years. “We started to
see these really high-end theaters start
opening up in the United States, where
you could screen commercial films but in a
high-end environment to continue reaching
a luxury audience,” says Sakin. “It was
the ideal model to expand our horizons.”
Sakin remembers taking a road trip to
San Diego to see one of Cinépolis’s first U.S.
locations. Mexico’s leading circuit opened
its first U.S. cinema in 2011, strategically
opting to enter the market with luxury
theaters. “We were blown away,” he says.
“This was full waiter service at your seat,
reclining chairs, sushi, and martinis—at a
ticket price that wasn’t ridiculously high.
We knew right there and then, this is our
market. This aligned naturally with the
brands we were signing to Spotlight Cinema
Networks. We knew that if we could get on
the ground floor with luxury theaters, we
could enhance [them] and grow with them.”
It took some convincing. Although
well versed in cinema advertising through
its global circuit, the Mexican chain
originally opted to forgo ads on its screens
in the United States. Spotlight appealed
to them by linking their art house connections
with the luxury-cinema model;
both overlapped in terms of consumer
demographics. Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas
signed on to Spotlight Cinema Networks,
and the company went on to sign additional
exhibitors, including Silverspot Cinema
and CinéBistro, that featured upscale
auditoriums at a time when the concept
was just beginning to take off in the U.S.
“At that point, I don’t think any of us could
foresee how much that space would grow
in the ensuing years,” says Sakin.
Today, Spotlight Cinema Networks
boasts an exhibitor community of nearly
1,200 screens—an early, and self-admittedly
arbitrary, benchmark of 1,000 screens
was set by Rakfeldt and Sakin when they
launched the company in 2010. The
growth over the past decade is founded on
a strong feeling of trust among Spotlight
and its partners. “It’s fundamental to our
success,” says Rakfeldt. “The art house
community and luxury sector care deeply
about their brands. We have to care about
that just as much as they do in order to
maintain their trust. Our cinema advertising
model has been the same from the
very beginning: every exhibitor sees and
approves every ad.”
“That level of trust has to exist with
both our brand and exhibitor partners.
We need to be extremely selective about
what appears on our screens,” says Sakin.
“Everything we do is with the exhibitor’s
seal of approval. I think that’s what
opened the door into the luxury space; no
one else was willing to do that. We take
a big risk because we could potentially
sell to an advertiser that gets rejected by
all our exhibitors. There are advertisers
that would love to be on our screens
because they want to be in the world of
independent film and luxury cinemas.
They see our smaller commercial loads,
knowing their share of voice would be
larger. But if they’re not upscale enough,
or if the creative isn’t up to the standard,
that doesn’t work for us or our exhibitors.
That’s why we have to be diligent about
anything we bring to the screen.”
Rather than defining itself exclusively
by cinema advertising, Spotlight has
grown to become a vertically integrated
partner of art house and luxury cinemas
in a number of different sectors. In 2017,
the company announced it would start
its own event-cinema division, CineLife
Entertainment, which has already
made significant strides in the market.
That same year, the company acquired
Storming Images, a digital distribution
firm with a focus on trailer, pre-show,
and DCP delivery. Storming operates
independently and works with three other
cinema advertising companies. “Spotlight
is our B2B ad sales entity and Storming is
our foray into digital delivery distribution.
We’re also building a B2C brand through
CineLife through our mobile app and
our event-cinema division, CineLife
Entertainment. Our ambition is to make
CineLife a household name in the next 10
years,” says Sakin.
To achieve that, Rakfeldt offers a
succinct summary of the company’s focus
as it enters its second decade: “The media
landscape changes quickly and we must be
innovative, flexible, and entrepreneurial
to stay ahead of the game to drive results
for our exhibition, advertising, media, and
content partners.
64
April 2020

INDUSTRY INDUSTRY INSIDERS
THE STAR
OF CINEPLEX
Anne Fitzgerald Keeps It
Interesting as Cineplex’s
Chief Legal Officer
BY REBECCA PAHLE
Young lawyers often ask Anne
Fitzgerald how they can land her job
in 20 years. According to Fitzgerald, there
is no easy answer: “They come up to me
and say, ‘What do I do to get there?’ All I
can say is, ‘I don’t know. Go farm sheep,
climb a mountain, swim with sharks —and
maybe you’ll end up here.’ There is no
direct path in a super-interesting career.”
If you were after Anne Fitzgerald’s
job as chief legal officer of Cineplex and
wanted to replicate her path exactly, you’d
have a pretty tricky time doing it. The start
seems reasonable enough: Be a lifelong
movie fan. Go to university (Duke, in
Fitzgerald’s case) and study law. It’s what
comes next that takes you off the path of
your typical movie theater executive. Go
into corporate litigation and then leave a
lucrative private law firm job to work as
an assistant district attorney. (Somewhere
in there, take a break to head a six-month
youth service expedition in Alaska.) Your
legal work takes you to New York, which is
good, because you’re a big fan of theater.
While there, you’ll end up teaching
leadership theory and eventually produce
a stage adaptation of a classic horror film
that passes out raincoats to the first three
rows so the audience’s clothes don’t get
splattered with fake blood. (To stick to
Fitzgerald’s path exactly, mind you, that
show you produced will have to become
a cult classic in Korea.) You’ll meet your
future husband, who’s Canadian, so …
leave the Great White Way for the Great
White North. (Despite the fact that you
didn’t, and still don’t, care about hockey.)
The road to Cineplex will be bumpy:
There are work visa issues. Eventually
you’re brought on as outside counsel in
your solo practice, and you flag a potential
issue—you advise the company to ignore
a smaller deal that that might have gotten
in the way of the board’s plan to acquire
its biggest competitor, Famous Players.
You’re hired on a one-year contract—just
to handle the 2005 Famous Players
acquisition. Six months into that contract,
you’re put on the executive team. Fifteen
years later, you’re still there, having been
made Cineplex’s chief legal officer.
Easy-peasy.
(By the way, the stage adaptation is Evil
Dead: The Musical.)
It’s been a busy 15 years at Cineplex
since it acquired Famous Players. The
chain has acquired other theaters
across Canada, and the success of event
cinema caused them to think further
about eventizing the theatrical space,
looking beyond studio offerings to
provide moviegoers with amenities and
experiences they can’t get at home. It
introduced its VIP Cinemas luxury brand
and several different entertainment center
concepts—detailed in our piece on the
cinema entertainment center trend on
page 160. (Fitzgerald is set to moderate
a CinemaCon panel on “Eventizing the
Theatrical Experience,” taking place the
morning of March 30.)
“We, as an exhibition industry, need to
be nimble and innovative so we can continue
to attract and entertain our customers,”
says Fitzgerald. “Cineplex has been
doing that not only with our VIP theaters,
but also with [entertainment center
concepts] The Rec Room, Playdium, and
now expanding into Junxion—our recently
announced cinema-meets-entertainment
center. We have been working more with
our Player One Amusement Group gaming
business as well as Cineplex Digital Media.
It’s been a ton of fun. For my job, there are
new legal issues with every one of those
businesses, which keeps it engaging and
interesting. It is never boring.”
(Handling the acquisitions, of theaters
and otherwise, that come with these
expansions hasn’t been Fitzgerald’s only
role. If you’ve ever enjoyed a cocktail at a
Canadian theater, you have her, in large
part, to thank. Starting in 2005, Fitzgerald
and her team began lobbying for Canadian
provinces, all of which prohibited liquor
in movie theaters, to change their laws.
“Some provinces, it literally took 15
minutes to get the laws changed. And in
others, it took eight years.”)
Boring isn’t how Fitzgerald likes
it—and she doesn’t believe that’s how
most other people like it, either. When
hiring, Fitzgerald argues that you should
choose “someone to do a job they have not
necessarily done before. I’m a firm believer
that if someone is leaving a job that’s
exactly like the job you’re hiring them for,
they’re likely going to become bored very
quickly.” People should be challenged, she
argues, with new tasks and new opportunities.
“Just because someone hasn’t done
something before doesn’t mean they’re
not going to add great value and be excited
by the new challenge. So when I hire, I
hire for what I see as potential in people,
not for what they’ve already proven they
can do.” Another thing Fitzgerald prizes
66 April 2020

Image courtesy Cineplex Entertainment
in those she works with: self-deprecating
humor. “I want someone who can laugh at
themselves, someone who’s not going to
take themselves so seriously. I don’t want
to work with people who think they’re
the smartest person in the room, because
none of us are.”
As someone who came from outside
the exhibition industry herself, Fitzgerald
recognizes the importance of an outside
perspective. “It’s a blessing and a curse of
our industry that we have so many people
with longevity, as we all love our industry,”
she argues. “That’s great, but there are
also some limiting factors that come out of
that. Having new ideas and fresh blood is a
great thing.”
The idea of “fresh blood” and new
ideas, Fitzgerald notes, is something that’s
prized at Cineplex as a whole, where there
are “always opportunities for people to
move around, to give them a completely
different challenge. The ideal job is when
someone has items on their to-do lists that
are incredibly challenging as well as items
that they can do blindfolded. Finding a
mix is important. Moving people around
within roles, within the departments,
makes everyone better.” To that end,
Fitzgerald recently took on leading Cineplex’s
real estate team, “which has been a
blast for me. I would never hold myself out
as a real estate expert, but I have learned
a ton, and I’ve been able to add value
where I can in helping the real estate team
be better at what they do.” Also added to
Fitzgerald’s plate is Cineplex’s corporate
social-responsibility mandate, as she
figures out ways for Cineplex to “be a
better corporate citizen.”
Though Fitzgerald has never had a
formal mentor, she does credit “very
important mentoring conversations” for
some of the “amazing opportunities” she’s
had throughout her professional life. Some
of those conversations put her career on
a path she never could have foreseen. As
such, Fitzgerald prioritizes being there
for others, particularly women, who can
benefit from her input or advice. “I put
a lot of energy into being present and
available when people want to talk about
their careers and their paths or challenges
that they may be facing. Maybe I can
pass on some nugget of wisdom that
I’ve learned that may be important for
them.” While Fitzgerald credits formal
mentorship programs with “establishing
structure” around deep professional and
personal conversations, she prizes above
all listening to—and treating well—those
she works with on a “moment-to-moment,
day-to-day basis. We all needed help along
the way. It’s important to pay that forward.”
“I think it’s incredibly important to
walk the walk,” she adds. “I would like to
believe that there is no one on my team
or with whom I work, up or down, who
would be surprised by my behavior in any
particular circumstance. I think it’s important
to be consistent with how you treat
people and how you act at any given time.
That should be both with the person to
whom you report, your peers, the guests at
Cineplex—and also with people who you
manage or are junior to you. One shouldn’t
act differently or show up differently to
different audiences.”
In case you haven’t figured it out
already, Fitzgerald doesn’t like sitting still,
and uncertainty doesn’t put her off. “I’ve
found a way to be comfortable with uncertainty,”
she explains. “And I don’t think
that comes naturally to human beings. It’s
a skill you have to develop. Throughout
the whole of our industry, there’s been
a great deal of consolidation and a great
deal of change in the last few years. For all
of us to succeed in the future, learning to
manage change is a very valuable skill.”
After a decade and a half of overseeing
Cineplex’s acquisitions of other companies,
Fitzgerald is now on the other side of the
table: In December of last year, Cineworld
signed an agreement to acquire Cineplex,
an acquisition that—if completed—would
bring Cineplex into the fold of the U.K.-
based chain that already owns Regal
Cinemas. “This particular transition is
very important for both Cineplex and
Cineworld,” Fitzgerald notes. “With this
acquisition, our team can stay competitive
for the long run, which is super-exciting.”
“Just because someone
hasn’t done something
before doesn’t mean they’re
not going to add great value
and be excited by the new
challenge.”
April 2020
67

INDUSTRY A CENTURY IN EXHIBITION
Left: In an effort
to boost flagging
attendance, studios
of the 1950s began
catering to a previously
untapped audience:
teenagers. Enter
Elvis Presley and his
swinging hips.
Above: Moviegoers of
the 1950s loved Marilyn
Monroe. The decade
took her from a small
role in All About Eve
(1950) to playing Sugar
Kane Kowalczyk in Billy
Wilder’s Some Like It
Hot (1959).
A CENTURY
IN EXHIBITION
1950s: Turmoil, TV, and
Technological Innovation
BY VASSILIKI MALOUCHOU
2020 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of
Boxoffice Pro. Though the publication you hold in your
hands has had different owners, headquarters, and even
names—it was founded in Kansas City by 18-year-old Ben
Shlyen as The Reel Journal, then called Boxoffice in 1933
and, more recently, Boxoffice Pro—it has always remained
committed to theatrical exhibition.
From the 1920s to the 2020s, Boxoffice Pro has always
had one goal: to provide knowledge and insight to those
who bring movies to the public. Radio, TV, home video,
and streaming have all been perceived as threats to the
theatrical exhibition industry over the years, but movie
theaters are still here—and so are we.
We at Boxoffice Pro are devotees of the exhibition industry,
so we couldn’t resist the excuse of a centennial to explore
our archives. What we found was not just the story of a
magazine, but the story of an industry—the debates, the
innovations, the concerns, and above all the beloved
movies. We’ll share our findings in our year-long series,
A Century in Exhibition.
68
April 2020

In the 1950s, the theatrical industry
saw studios, vendors, and exhibitors
all reveling in a new wave of technological
innovations. This time, the focus was on
making the theatrical experience bigger
and more spectacular—the better to
compete with a little thing called TV.
The motion picture industry faced its
first existential threat in the 1950s. Following
the introduction of the Paramount
decrees and the weakening of the studio
system, exhibitors faced a shortage of
product and declining admissions, and
the industry met its most daunting competitor
yet: television.
The pages of Boxoffice Pro reflected
this turmoil. Despite a fast-growing U.S.
population and exploding consumer
economy, attendance was not increasing
... or at least it wasn’t increasing fast
enough, especially in the second part of
the decade. In February 1955, editor Ben
Shlyen explained the conundrum: “While
the gross business is up, due to the partial
elimination of the excise tax and higher
admission prices, our attendance has not
been increased.” In May 1956, a survey by
Slindlinger & Co. found that American
theaters lost 16 million patrons in the first
week of the month because of an insufficient
variety of pictures, a lack of effective
advertisement, and TV.
Filling empty seats became a recurring
mission for Boxoffice Pro and its
contributors. Different solutions were
routinely proposed: more blockbusters,
higher ticket prices, discounts, extended
runs, family nights. Shlyen urged more
diversity in films as well as a different
release strategy. In May 1956, he argued
that fewer second-run theaters per
neighborhood had resulted in a situation
where most, if not all, theaters played the
same movie for multiple weeks without
sufficient alternatives for patrons who had
already seen it. “Could it be that this—and
not television, much as it has been credited—is
the main cause of the wholesale
closing of neighborhood theaters?” he
pondered. Others called for a more social
solution, like instilling moviegoing as a
habit for younger generations and encouraging
“the women of America” to bring
their families to the movies.
Many contributors turned to the past to
calm the “industryites.” Abram F. Myers,
chairman of the board and general counsel
of Allied States Association of Motion
Picture Exhibitors, wrote that the motion
picture industry has “survived the vicissitudes
of the centuries because it satisfies
a deep-seated craving of the gregarious
human race for amusement and relation,
not alone but in the company of others.
So long as there are men, there will be
theaters—television or no television.” In
the same issue, a veteran exhibitor sought
to reassure readers by harking back to how
the industry had overcome the threat of
radio: “It was a costly, discouraging and
prolonged process. Some thought it could
never be accomplished, but it was. New
and improved methods of presentation
turned the tide.”
The industry was facing crises on
multiple fronts. Starting in the late 1940s,
the House Un-American Activities Committee
(HUAC) had been hunting down
suspected Communists in Hollywood. In
addition to the bad publicity, there were
financial costs: A report by Allied States
Association of Motion Picture Exhibitors,
one of the two major exhibitor groups,
estimated that film companies had spent
more than $1 million in settling contracts
with ousted Communists. After the second
HUAC hearings, about 212 individuals
were blacklisted, among them prominent
talents like Dalton Trumbo, who was
eventually reinstated in 1960. Boxoffice
Pro reported that director Elia Kazan,
who agreed to talk to HUAC to avoid the
blacklist, repudiated his youthful ties to
the Communist Party, explaining that “the
Communists automatically violated the
daily practices of democracy and attempted
to control thought and to suppress
personal opinion” (April 1952).
Boxoffice Pro deplored the maltreatment
of many industry players and
feared that the hearings “would besmirch
an entire industry for the acts of a few
who have a remote connection to [Communism]”
(March 1951). The magazine
subsequently ran multiple reports on the
lack of influence of “Reds” on Hollywood
films and emphasized the cooperation of
industry leaders. The Red Scare started
to subside in 1959 when the Academy
announced it would repeal the rule on the
ineligibility of Communists.
But the biggest crisis of the decade was
undoubtedly the rise of TV. Talks about
the medium dated back to the 1920s, but
it wasn’t until the 1950s that TV became a
practical form of entertainment. Indeed,
the decade began with reports on the
unprecedented manufacture of TV sets. In
January, a record 7,463,800 sets rolled off
the assembly line. For theaters, this meant
competition for audiences—especially after
color TV was introduced—and for product.
In January 1950, the first pay-per-view
system, dubbed “Phonovision,” was
tested in 300 Chicago households by the
Zenith Radio Corporation. Viewers could
send a phone signal to decode a movie
for one dollar. Fearing that first-run films
would go straight to TV, the exhibition
industry strongly protested this new
system. Exhibitors, sometimes backed by
free TV networks, fought to ban pay-TV
by pressuring the Department of Justice
and the FCC. The stakes were immense. In
a March 1955 editorial, Shlyen called for
others to join the exhibitors’ “crucial fight
for existence.”
In October 1954, Disney—partnering
with ABC—became the first major Hollywood
studio to create TV programming.
Walt Disney believed it to be an exciting
development for both industries. In 1955,
studios opened their libraries for TV
rentals and sales of films prior to 1948.
RKO was the first, followed by Columbia
(which sold features through its TV
subsidiary Screen Gems), Paramount, and
Fox. Starting with RKO in April 1956, some
majors developed their own TV divisions,
expanding their lots to handle the new
activity. Studios also began buying stakes
in TV. One of those was Paramount, which
in 1951 acquired interests in pay-TV player
International Telemeter Corp. Washington,
D.C., took notice. In 1958, the government
filed a civil antitrust suit against Universal
“We can beat television—or
any other competition—if we
get on the ball!” —Ben Shlyen,
Founder, Boxoffice Pro
April 2020
69

INDUSTRY A CENTURY IN EXHIBITION
Pictures, Columbia, and Screen Gems for
fixing prices and eliminating competition.
Boxoffice Pro fervently warned
about the myriad dangers of TV and urged
studios to think of exhibitors. Shlyen also
cautioned readers of the risks of complacency.
In January 1957, he proposed
measures like cheaper parking, babysitting
services, and family nights. “We can beat
television—or any other competition—if
we get on the ball!”
But TV had a bright side. It offered
new marketing opportunities, for one. In
addition, some exhibitors were quick to
embrace the potential of “telecasting”
sports via cable TV. In 1950, Allied
Association gave its full backing to the
National Exhibitors Theatre Television
Committee to continue the practice. That
same year, Fox announced it would test
the technology on a 20-theater network,
leading to an uptick in interest for other
major circuits. The first cable TV theater
opened in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, in 1956
to great success. Yet content providers did
not always approve this expansion, and
the cost of installation (estimated at more
than $274.5 million in 1957) proved too
expensive to make it a viable option.
Facing these crises, the industry
found ways to adapt to the increasingly
modernizing world. For Boxoffice Pro,
one last moviegoing bastion was the drivein.
The “airers,” as these theaters were
called, were not always welcomed by the
rest of the industry. In fact, many indoor
exhibitors lobbied to prevent future owners
from obtaining zoning and construction
permits and even managed to get a total
construction ban in some areas. The truth
was that drive-ins, entering their heyday in
1950, were already getting one-eighth of the
industry’s total patronage. Boxoffice Pro
rejoiced over this boom and the ingenuity
of some drive-in exhibitors. For example,
one drive-in in Minneapolis incentivized
attendance by bringing in non-auto owners
on a big bus. The magazine ran many ads
for drive-in-specific equipment, including
screens, speakers, and seats. Columns in
our Modern Theater section gave advice for
better drive-in showmanship.
But the real “savior” of the industry
was the introduction of 3-D, wide screens,
and stereophonic sound technologies.
Cinerama Corp. showed distribution
executives its innovative curved-screen
technology for the first time on May 6,
1950, after 13 years of development. It
featured a projection apparatus that could
show movies eight times the size of a
normal screen, four times the width, and
twice the height. Ben Shlyen praised its
“breathtaking” effect.
There were rapid technical advancements
on the 3-D front, as well. In 1951, the
Society of Motion Picture and Television
Engineers hailed the technology as the
“most promising theater entertainment
of the future.” A year later, United Artists’
Bwana Devil became the first 3-D feature
film, with great box office response.
The high-tech turning point took place
in 1953. As major companies equipped
more and more theaters with innovative
new technologies, Boxoffice Pro spoke
of a “third-dimension race.” Paramount
was using its own 3-D solution. MGM,
Columbia, and Warner Bros. turned to a
system called Natural Vision, while 20th
Century Fox used a French system with
stereophonic sound called Anamorphosis.
These enhancements to the traditional
theatrical experience popped up at an
unprecedented pace, with everyone trying
to bring something ever-more innovative
to the table. For example, the Ohio-based
Left: Modern-day
premium large-format
screens find their
predecessors in the
1950s, when exhibitors
were looking for
bigger, better ways to
combat TV.
70 April 2020

company Tri-Dem claimed it had created
a 3-D mechanism requiring neither a
special screen nor glasses. On the exhibitor
side, Chicago-based B&K announced the
introduction of its own “Magnascreen” in
January 1951. A Boxoffice Pro survey
published in December 1953 revealed that
more than 50 percent of indoor exhibitors
had installed or planned to install 3-D
and wide-screen equipment within the
year. On the more gimmicky side were
Smellorama, introduced in 1953, and
Smell-O-Vision, introduced in 1959.
1953 was a landmark year due to the
introduction of widescreen shooting
format CinemaScope, first used with 20th
Century Fox’s The Robe. Shlyen called the
first public presentation of The Robe in
September 1953 an “epochal event.” The
premiere at Grauman’s Chinese Theater
was “one of the more spectacular in recent
film colony annals.” Noting its immense
success with the public, he observed, “It
seems certain that the era of widescreen
has not only begun; it is here to stay.”
In the months to come, CinemaScope
was presented as a true “industry
revolution.” Many filmmakers also saw
its creative potential. Combining wide
screens with advancements in Technicolor
processes, filmmakers flooded the market
with historical epics like Quo Vadis, Ben-
Hur, Salome, and David and Bathsheba. In
February 1953, Cecil B. DeMille explained
that he had deferred filming The Ten
Commandments to study 3-D, noting, “I
am lucky that third-dimension appeared
when it did and that it didn’t find me in
the throes of production.” Other filmmakers
were more skeptical. In August 1953,
we reported that director John Huston
was worried “about properly framing his
stories on the horizontal screen and didn’t
think the sacrifice was worth the effort.”
While Boxoffice Pro welcomed these
innovations as beneficial to the industry,
our writers also expressed caution,
showing concern for smaller theaters just
as they had following the advent of sound.
Siding with Allied States Association of
Motion Picture Exhibitors, Boxoffice
Pro favored standardization as well as
an industry-wide research program for
improvements. Indeed, many smaller
exhibitors failed to join the technological
revolution of the 1950s because of the
high costs of installation. In an attempt
to counter those costs, Spyros Skouras,
president of 20th Century Fox, announced
in 1953 that his company would extend
credit to any theater that was unable to
buy the equipment.
These innovations did boost attendance,
but the recovery of the exhibition
industry was not as spectacular as expected.
As a result, industry leaders began to
look for overlooked audiences. One segment
was particularly lucrative: teenagers.
A study published in December 1956 found
that the teenage market consisted of 16
million boys and girls—potentially making
them the biggest moviegoer demographic—with
a combined $9 billion to spend
per year. Young people were also deemed
less likely than their older counterparts
to stay home and watch TV. A desire to
attract teenage patrons (despite exhibitors’
fears of their rowdiness) brought new faces
to films. Movies like Rebel without a Cause
and Teenage Rebel as well as films starring
Elvis Presley became hits. MPAA president
Eric Johnston expressed his optimism in
1957 about the power of young people to
save the industry: “There will always be
motion picture theaters because ‘young
people’ don’t want to sit at home and hold
hands in front of their parents.”
Above: Drive-ins were
entering their heyday in
the 1950s, and owners
leveraged their growing
popularity to get earlier
availability or even firstrun
films. Boxoffice Pro
celebrated the trend by
running drive-in specific
ads and features.
April 2020
71

April 2020
72

New Products 79 | Awards 132
CINEMACON
Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging for CinemaCon
“The great thing about CinemaCon is it allows us the
opportunity to give the studios the chance to take the stage and
tell the industry how excited they are to be a part of their world,
bringing great product to movie theaters globally.”
NATO’s Big Show, p. 74
April 2020
73

CINEMACON 2020 PREVIEW
NATO’S BIG
SHOW
CinemaCon Celebrates Year 10,
Led by Mitch Neuhauser
BY KEVIN LALLY
CinemaCon, the National Association
of Theatre Owners’ successor to
the long-running ShoWest convention, is
celebrating its 10th anniversary with the
2020 edition, running March 30 through
April 2 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
Managing director Mitch Neuhauser has
been at the helm since the beginning.
“It makes one realize how quickly time
flies,” Neuhauser says of this milestone.
“Thanks to the support that we get from
the industry, from distribution and
exhibition, equipment and concession
companies, we’ve achieved continued
and greater success with each passing
year. So it makes the time go quicker. Yeah,
sometimes we sit back and it’s like, has it
really been 10 years?”
Attracting some 6,000 professionals
from all corners of the cinema business,
NATO’s official convention continues to
be one of the year’s essential networking
events. “Our registrations are tracking
exactly even as they’ve been in the past,”
Photo: Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging for CinemaCon
Neuhauser reports (in mid-February).
“Our trade show is once again pretty much
a sellout, and there are more suites sold
than ever before.”
Opening night on March 30 will feature
a special presentation from last year’s
dominant box office champion, Walt
Disney Studios. Says Neuhauser, “I think
with the year they had in 2019, it’s most
appropriate for Disney to open CinemaCon
and get our 10th year off to a fantastic
start.” The event will include the presentation
of the 2020 NATO Marquee Award to
Adam Aron, CEO and president of AMC
Entertainment.
The Monday-night activities are once
again preceded by International Day, a
full morning of keynotes and seminars
focused on the business outside North
America, so vital to the studios’ bottom
lines. Topics will include eventizing the
theatrical experience, theater design,
and collaborating on data. International
Day honorees include Cineworld Group’s
Renana Teperberg, Disney’s Jeffrey Forman,
and the Motion Picture Association’s
retired Asia Pacific head, Mike Ellis.
Following the Tuesday breakfast, CinemaCon
presents a panel on “Corporate
Social Responsibility” moderated by Stacy
Bruce, president and executive director of
the Texas chapter of Variety – The Children’s
Charity. “We are leading companies
globally,” Neuhauser says, “and we have
a responsibility to our communities and
to the world. Business is wonderful, and
giving back and being mindful of what’s
going on around you is important.”
A Tuesday-morning highlight is always
the “State of the Industry” session featuring
industry addresses from NATO president
and CEO John Fithian and MPA chairman
and CEO Charles Rivkin, and a montage of
the worldwide top-grossing films of 2019.
That’s immediately followed by a product
presentation from Focus Features.
“Focus Features has been an incredibly
supportive company, not just to CinemaCon
but to the global theater industry,”
Neuhauser says. “They put on a couple of
great lunches in 2017 and ’18, and they are
so excited about their upcoming release
slate that they approached us about making
a presentation in the Colosseum. And
we thought that was fantastic, because the
industry is about all of the studios, the
majors, the mini-majors, the independents.
Exhibitors are hungry for all kinds
of product. So for Focus to say we want to
74 April 2020

make a Colosseum presentation, that’s
really exciting. We can’t wait to see what
they have planned. Their chairman, Peter
Kujawski, and Lisa Bunnell, their head of
distribution, and [in-theater marketing
V.P.] Eric Carr have just been incredible
partners in our efforts over the years.”
The CinemaCon trade show opens at
11 a.m. on Tuesday, and the afternoon
is capped off by Warner Bros.’ annual
“The Big Picture” reveal of its upcoming
slate, with many stars and filmmakers
touting their latest efforts. At press time,
Neuhauser was awaiting confirmation of
a major summer title from a top studio for
his Tuesday-night slot.
For the Wednesday-morning breakfast
session, Neuhauser is planning a program
“bringing in a head of distribution, a
filmmaker, possibly one of the leading
executive directors of a major film festival,
and an exhibitor to talk about original
content, how it’s out there and we need to
give it the time of day, and how successful
it can be.”
Also tentatively set for Wednesday
morning is a screening of Palm Springs, the
Andy Samberg Sundance hit that Neon and
Hulu acquired together for $17.5 million (a
record for the festival). “Last year, Neon
took a leap of faith with us in opening up
the show, and we took a leap of faith with
them in wanting them to be a part of the
show,” Neuhauser says. “They were terrific
partners, great collaborators. And this was
all before the real excitement started to
happen in 2019 for Neon. It culminated
with the incredible historic showing of
Parasite, not just at the Academy Awards,
but globally from a box office standpoint. It
sends a message that there’s an audience
for original product, and there’s a lot more
original product out in this world than the
media gives the industry credit for. … It
went beyond the normal demographics
of who it appeals to, because the younger
audience gravitated to it. The whole
world gravitated to it. The only one who
didn’t gravitate to it was our president,
Mr. Trump, which is his loss for being so
ignorant about the importance of movies
and the quality of movies that come from
great countries like South Korea.”
Neuhauser notes that “Neon also has a
very, very good post–CinemaCon release
schedule, so they’ll probably do a little bit
of a mini-presentation.”
Last year, CinemaCon introduced a new
Wednesday tradition: a casual buffet-style
“It gives it a little bit
of a concert environment.
This will be the first time that
this has been done for such
a large group in a movie
theater.”
Trolls World Tour
lunch in the Palace Ballroom, in lieu of a
more formal affair. Says Neuhauser, “One
of the major pieces of constructive criticism
that our office gets [from attendees]
is that our schedule interferes with their
schedule at the show, because people
have so much to accomplish. So when we
did this informal open-seating lunch on
Wednesday last year, people loved it. It
gave them more time to go to the trade
show, more time to hold meetings, and
allowed a little bit of extra breathing room,
if you will. The feedback was very good.”
The Wednesday-evening highlight is
the first all-industry screening of Trolls
World Tour, introduced by the animated
musical’s voice performers, Justin Timberlake
and Anna Kendrick. “Universal will
be using a new technology where everyone
who comes into the theater gets wristbands
coordinated to light up in sync with the
film,” Neuhauser says. “So it gives it a little
bit of a concert environment. This will be
the first time that this has been done for
such a large group in a movie theater.”
Neuhauser is also looking forward
to the Thursday-morning Paramount
presentation and the appearance of former
Fox executive Chris Aronson, now Paramount’s
president of distribution. “There’s
this little bit of expectation that when
Chris is associated with a presentation
at CinemaCon, it takes on an elevated
level of excitement. I’m sure everyone is
excited to see what Chris has up his sleeve
in 2020. Paramount’s going to be coming
into CinemaCon off the great success of A
Quiet Place Part II and Sonic the Hedgehog,
and their post-CinemaCon slate is very
Image courtesy Dreamworks Animation
April 2020
75

Join Us!
Where Hollywood
Meets the Heartland
Be a part of the Midwest’s largest convention
for exhibitors, vendors & studios.
September 15-17, 2020 | Grand Geneva Resort & Spa | Lake Geneva, WI
Save the
Date!
Sept. 15-17
Screenings | Seminars | Awards | Trade Show | Variety Charity Golf Outing
Presented by
2020 Geneva Convention
September 15-17, 2020 | Grand Geneva Resort & Spa | Lake Geneva, Wisconsin
Register at GenevaConvention.com or call 262-532-0017
Official Media Sponsor

CINEMACON 2020 PREVIEW
powerful, with films like Top Gun: Maverick,
SpongeBob, Infinite, Without Remorse,
and the Chris Pratt Christmas release The
Tomorrow War.”
Thursday’s busy schedule also includes
a studio- or filmmaker-driven lunch
session, Lionsgate’s product preview, the
annual CinemaCon Big Screen Achievement
Awards ceremony, and an after party
featuring long-running Vegas act “Legends
in Concert.”
“Behind the scenes,” Neuhauser adds,
“there are a lot of new companies that
may not have a [programming] profile
at CinemaCon, but they’re going to have
suites and meet with exhibitors. Mark Gill
has a new company called Solstice Studios.
He’s assembled a great team of industry
executives—Shari Hardison is heading up
distribution, and Mark Mulcahy is heading
up exhibitor relations. Solstice is going to
be doing a very special interactive experience
as part of the trade show. Their first
release is in August, a Russell Crowe movie
called Unhinged. And [former Amazon
Studios executive] Bob Berney is back with
Picturehouse. It’s all about product, and
there’s going to be product galore.”
After 10 years at the helm of CinemaCon,
Neuhauser is as bullish as ever
about the future of the cinema business.
“The media loves to come down on the
industry when there’s a down weekend
compared to the same weekend the year
before. People went into the end of 2019
saying, oh my God, we’re down 4 percent,
what’s going on? And we’re now into the
second month of the year and the box
office is running ahead. You know, some
films meet expectations, some films
don’t meet expectations, and there are
always films that defy expectations. It’s
a great balancing act, and it just goes to
show it’s about the product. When the
product is there, people will go—they’re
not gonna stay home. The home is a place
for streaming services. Nothing against
streaming services, but by the end of this
year there will be more streaming services
that someone is capable of accessing in
the home, and it’s going to be overwhelming.
The product will get lost, the product
will not stand out in the home the way it
does in movie theaters. When a movie
opens in the theaters, people talk about it;
it becomes part of the social fabric. When
a movie opens in your home, no one
really talks about it and you move on.
That’s why we’re the greatest, cheapest,
most successful form of entertainment
outside the home. OK, we were down
4 percent. OK, so we’ll be up this year.
Everything is cyclical.
“And our industry is strong behind
the scenes. When I go meet with studios,
they’re talking about the release slate not
for the next two months, but next year
and the year after and the year after that.
The general public doesn’t really know
what goes on behind closed doors, but
the studios are excited about the future
of the industry, and they’re committed to
it. And the great thing about CinemaCon
is it allows us the opportunity to give
the studios the chance to take the stage
and tell the industry how excited they
are to be a part of their world, bringing
great product to movie theaters globally.
There’s nothing like it, and there never
will be anything like it again. In the year
3020, we’ll be having the same conversations,
because theaters will still be here
doing what they do best—entertaining
the world.”
Congratulations
All 2020
CinemaCon Award
Recipients
From your friends at Marcus Theatres Corporation
April 2020
77

Meet us at
CinemaCon
Booth 2207A
BOOST Ticketing, Apps & Marketing from the
team that already manages your showtimes.
Website & Mobile Apps
Referral Ticketing (Google, Bing, Facebook)
SaaS Online Ticketing
CRM and Emailing Tools
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Pay Per Click (PPC)
Custom Content (Video, Social, Editorial)
company.boxoffice.com
info@boxoffice.com

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
NEW
PRODUCTS
Exploring CinemaCon’s trade show is a
great way for exhibitors to discover the tech,
amenities, and concessions (with samples) that
can take your theater to the next level. Here,
in our annual preview, we present some of the
vendors to look forward to.
A
Adaptive Technologies Group
Booth: 2217A
adaptivetechnologiesgroup.com
P-Box-Caddy
Adaptive Technologies Group is introducing its
P-Box-Caddy as a new accessory for its internally
ventilated, silent-running and modular projector
enclosure, the P-Box-15. The P-Box-Caddy allows
for easy access to perform quick and efficient
maintenance to the projector. Especially when the
P-Box enclosure is fixed installed to the overhead
structure without any type of wall or scissor lift, the
Caddy add-on can simplify the process. Onboard LED
indicators, located on the outside of the enclosure, are
programmed to let up in case of a fan failure. Micro
filters installed on each intake prevent auditorium
dust from going inside in the P-Box-15 enclosure.
Adaptive Technologies Group’s family of cinema
projector-lifts complements the needs of emerging
boothless cinema auditoriums. These designs offer
quieter running and guarantee a smoother, safer, and
more efficient operation.
AICP
Booth: 825J
keepinitcozy.com
Movie Night Blanket
American International Concessions Products (AICP)
has been marketing, promoting, and selling some of
the most popular concession brands for over 25 years.
Their latest product is Movie Night Blankets, designed
to elevate the theatrical experience by increasing
moviegoers’ comfort level at the multiplex.
April 2020
79

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
American Licorice Company
Booth: 219J
americanlicorice.com
Red Vines Made Simple 4oz. Tray
Red Vines Made Simple is a non-GMO version of the
classic Red Vines candy made with only five simple
ingredients, including real cane sugar. These soft,
chewy twists are available in a 4-ounce tray.
Red Vines Made Simple 4.8oz. Mini Bites HB
Red Vines twists also come in bite-sized pieces made
with five non-GMO ingredients. They are available in
a 4.8-ounce hanging bag.
Cherry Lime Cola 5oz. HB
Sour Punch Bites are now available in a combination
of three flavors: cherry, lime, and cola. This is a great
addition to your salty treat and complements bubbly
beverages.
Spicy Bites 5oz. HB
Sour Punch Bites are a new combination of four
flavors with a hint of spice: mango, pineapple, cantaloupe,
and watermelon.
Arts Alliance Media
Booth: 2703A
artsalliancemedia.com
Lifeguard
Lifeguard by Arts Alliance Media introduces the
next generation of network operations center (NOC)
software. Integrating with all leading digital cinema
equipment, this turnkey NOC solution monitors the
performance of all hardware assets from across your
cinema circuit from one central location. Designed
to improve efficiency and reduce operational
costs, Lifeguard’s new, pioneering features include
automatic fault-highlighting notifications, advanced
analytical tools to predict and diagnose faults, and
a centralized ticketing module for simple problem
prioritization. Founded upon the knowledge of
exhibitors, experienced NOC operators, and a pool of
ex-projectionists, Lifeguard gives you the visibility to
fix issues before they become problems, ensuring your
customers enjoy a seamless movie experience.
Arttech Cinema
Booth: 2420A
arttechcinema.com
T/WS-300 Projector Lift
Arttech Cinema announces that its flagship product-projector
lift model T/WS-300 is now U.L. listed.
The T/WS-300 projector support device can suit all
projectors up to 300 kg (662 lbs.). Arttech also offers
additional boothless solutions, such as fixed projector
housings and designs meeting unusual requirements,
along with other cinema equipment.
80 April 2020

THE GLOBAL LEADER IN DIGITAL CINEMA SOFTWARE AND SERVICES
SCREENWRITER
TMS
PRODUCER
CMS
LIFEGUARD
NOC TOOLS
ADFUSER
SAC TOOLS
Streamline your day-to-day operations
and minimise manual errors
Give head ooice visibility and
control over all your screens
Monitor equipment for
all your screens
Unlock new
advertising revenue
Visit Us @
Booth 2703A
Augustus Ballroom
SALES@ARTSALLIANCEMEDIA.COM
WWW.ARTSALLIANCEMEDIA.COM

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
Atom Seating
Booth: 231J
spacesandbetween.com/
atom-seating
Krypton Recliner
Atom Seating has always been an advocate of
delivering the best kind of comfort to the moviegoer;
the same reflects in their winning line of recliner
and glider models. Now, with Krypton Recliner, they
promise an enhanced seating space for cinema owners
without sacrificing the comfort of the moviegoer.
For a cinema owner, a greater number of seats means
better business. Enhancing the total capacity of the
screen by up to 20 percent, Krypton Recliners are the
new-age answer to modern cinema business.
Atom Tickets
atomtickets.com
Atom Tickets, a social moviegoing app and website,
is designed to make the overall moviegoing experience
easier and better. Atom lets movie fans find
showtimes, pick their seats, buy their tickets, invite
their friends to go with them, and even preorder
movie concessions. Atom’s newest product features
for moviegoers include a new way to scan their
digital ticket with their Apple Watch or via their
smartphone’s digital wallets (on Apple and Android).
Atom also works with Alexa’s newest conversation
skill. The company recently launched Atom Movie
Access as a service for exhibitors to create their own
customized movie subscription service. Today, Atom
Movie Access powers Megaplex Theatres. Atom Movie
Access provides North American exhibitors of all sizes
with an easy and reliable way to offer their own movie
subscription plan at a rate and price that works for
their business model.
AutoFry / MTI Products
Booth: 100J
mtiproducts.com
Proudly made in the USA, the AutoFry has been a
leader in fully enclosed and automated ventless
deep-frying technology for over 30 years. AutoFry
offers a complete collection of automated, ventless
frying systems—from single to double basket and
countertop to floor models—meeting a wide range of
deep-frying demands. Their most popular model, the
MTI-10X, has an oil capacity of 2.75 gallons, capable
of frying approximately 30 to 60 lbs. of french
fries per hour with just the push of a button. Their
Simplifry technology is a revolutionary heat/time
compensation intelligence that automatically adjusts
cooking time based on the quantity of product being
prepared. Designed into every model, Simplifry
technology cooks food to perfection every time.
When using a self-contained fryer, you’ll never have
to worry about your employees getting burned with
hot oil. Plus, each AutoFry model is equipped with
a built-in ANSUL fire suppression system, making
it one of the safest commercial deep fryers on the
market. From small, independent taverns to large
stadiums, and even worldwide multi-unit chains, the
AutoFry can handle it all.
82 April 2020

WE MAKE A
DYNAMIC DUO
NCM produces Noovie, an innovative
multi-platform moviegoing experience
including exclusive on-screen and digital
content, trivia, gaming, and more.
With bigger advertisers, better
customer service, and unlimited
opportunity, there’s no better
partner than NCM.
Jennifer Lupo | 303.792.8784 | jennifer.lupo@ncm.com
ncm.com/network

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
Avision
Booth: 2012A
avisioncorp.com
New Product Display
Avision is a full-service custom fixture company,
providing a variety of integrated services to meet
growing retail needs. With over 30 years of expertise,
they design and fabricate innovative custom solutions
that deliver value across every type of retail environment
for clients from North America and around the
world. Avision has provided creative and effective
solutions to many national brands within the entertainment
industry, such as Disney, Universal Studios,
and Paramount, to name a few. They develop retail
fixtures as well as design and build out complete retail
environments. Avision now introduces its new movie
merchandise/concessions products display. This new
design allows placement of high-margin products
right at the point of sale without sacrificing existing
counter space. Avision will quote you on this fixture or
develop a solution to suit your needs.
B
Berg Company
Booth: 2625A
bergliquorcontrols.com
Merlin Berg’s Merlin wireless all-bottle control system
is the only “wireless” product on the market that
can provide a venue full control with 100 percent
free-pour action. A bartender can pick up and pour
multiple bottles for cocktailing, and Merlin will
automatically send the sales information to most POS
and electronic cash registers. From Berg’s 704 model
to their All Bottle ID units, liquor guns, and tap beer
controls, the commitment is to produce customer savings.
Berg’s gun systems are offered in 6, 12, 16, 24, or
32 brands systems. They are designed with innovative
touch screen dispensing and programmable cocktail
capability. Their Tap2 valves offer eight portions out
of every beer faucet with speed and the options to
interface the systems to ring sales to the register.
BGW & Datasat ATI
Booth: 2803A
bgw.com
datasatdigital.com
DDR 16/32 AES67 DAC
Datasat Digital Entertainment has leveraged its
history of reference-level audio processing experience
to create the DDR 16/32 AES67 DAC. The DDR 16/32
units convert the AES67 signal utilizing top-quality
components for a better audio experience. The DDR
16/32 also provides other features that allow more
control, including a choice of 16- or 24-channel
outputs, bass management, two- or three-way
crossovers, and multiple EQ choices. The DDR 16/32
can be used with Datasat processors along with other
brands as well. Multiple units can be utilized for large
immersive systems.
84 April 2020

Optimized Auditoriums
Perform
Better
Stimulate your audience with a more immersive experience.
With an optimized screen and frame combination,
they’ll enjoy brighter colors, higher contrast, and
enhanced image clarity. Communicate these
changes with a range of marketing tools
included in this unique program. You’ll
enjoy the satisfaction of a happy
audience returning again and again.
geT.IrisOPTIMIZED.com
SUPERIOR
Brightness. Color. Contrast. Immersion. Light uniformity. Viewing angles.

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
The Boxoffice Company
Booth: 2207A
company.boxoffice.com
Boxoffice Studios
Helping movie theaters reach movie fans through online
content. The Boxoffice Company believes that the
moviegoing experience begins online (ask your kids!).
Boxoffice Studios targets moviegoers everywhere with
white-labeled production across branded content
(blog and video), smart platforms (dynamic ticket
features), and social media optimization (strategy and
management).
C
C. Cretors and Co.
Booth: 313J
cretors.com
Cretors Grab N’ Go
Grab a snack and go! The Cretors Grab N’ Go cornditioner
cabinet is its tallest cornditoner in a compact
footprint. Two clear, full-length, soft-closing doors
highlight snacks such as popcorn, nacho chips, and
other crispy treats. Five adjustable wire racks accommodate
many packaging sizes. Replace the back panel
with two doors to create a convenient pass-through
system. Internal air ducts located on both sides
provide optimal air warming and circulation inside
the cabinet. The recirculating air system provides
fast temperature recovery time after doors are closed.
The internal LED lighting system creates exceptional
merchandising. The temperature control switch can
be located on the front or back of the cabinet, and the
power cord can be located at the top or bottom. Rollers
on the cabinet bottom allow for easy mobility. Sign
options include LED style, backlit, or customer-provided
custom signage. Ideal for behind-the-counter or
self-serve applications.
Camatic Seating
Booth: 713J
camatic.com
Valencia Motion 10 Recliner
Introducing the Valencia Motion 10 recliner from
Camatic Seating. This wall-away/zero-wall seating
system is designed with a combination of short envelope
reclining positions, intended for short plat-depth
cinemas. The design allows for extra rows of seats to
be installed. Major dine-in cinemas and exhibitors
have installed the Motion 10 seating system in tight
row spaces. With a suite of accessories and customizable
options and safety features, the Motion 10 can
be configured to any venue requirements. The seat’s
innovative and durable mechanism creates a consistent
angle between the seat and back throughout the
recline for a comfortable transition. The design even
eliminates shirt pulling.
86 April 2020

NYC COA
#5759
• IF YOU CAN POP IT THERE •
YOU CAN POP IT MOST ANYWHERE
Cretors’ Mach 5 Popper with ANSUL ® and Giles ® Ventless
Recirculating Hood System is UL Listed and certified
UL 710B for unit construction, grease emissions and
fire suppression. It is the first free-standing popcorn
machine to receive New York City’s Certificate of Approval,
meeting the city’s strict commercial fire code.
New York City has some of the most strict fire codes in the country, and requires
manufacturer compliance for grease-emitting equipment. On August 1, 2017,
C. Cretors and Company received the New York City Certificate of Approval
(NYC COA #5759) for our 3 ft and 4 ft Mach 5 poppers with 32-60 oz kettles
which include the Giles Ventless Hood and ANSUL Fire Suppression systems.
Fire codes are becoming stricter nationwide, and compliance is necessary.
Cretors first pioneered this safety feature in the early
1990’s with a UL approved ANSUL Fire Suppression
System providing front-line protection by detecting
and suppressing fires. We partnered with Giles Food
Service Equipment to create a ventless popcorn
machine that does not require the use of a Type 1
exhaust hood. With a three stage filter system, the
ventless hood limits the emission of grease-laden
air. By combining these two technologies, we have
created a self-contained ANSUL fire suppression and
air filtration system earning UL 710B certification.
C. Cretors and Company’s Mach 5 poppers with
NYC COA #5759 provide the highest level of safety
and compliance. You will have peace-of-mind knowing
that you have one of the safest machines on the
market. Inspectors will know that the machine stands
up to the strictest fire codes. Our Mach 5 poppers are
made in America and have passed the test.
For more information contact: Shelly Olesen
at 847-616-6901 or SOlesen@cretors.com

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
CETH Engineering
Booth: 2619A
ceth.com.br
Founded in 2009, CETH has developed advanced
nanotechnology to clean silver 3-D screens. A sustainable
company committed to environmental and water
responsibility, CETH does not use chemicals, and uses
only 300 ml of water per square meter and a quick-drying
system of up to 15 minutes that leaves no odors.
In addition to cleaning screens, CETH also revitalizes
carpets, armchairs, and curtains. Its high-performance
machinery associated with high-temperature technology
is extremely effective in removing gum, stains, and
debris from carpets and curtains.
Christie
Booth: Milano 1, 2, 5 & 6
christiedigital.com
CP4450-RGB
The Christie CP4450-RGB is one of the latest additions
to the Christie RealLaser family of digital cinema
products. This cinema projector provides exhibitors
with the necessary cost-effective technologies to
create self-branded PLF auditoriums—and will
impress audiences with its rich, true-to-life 4K images
that “pop” off the screen. Equipped with CineLife
electronics and RealLaser illumination, this compact
all-in-one, DCI-compliant projector offers up to
50,000 hours of performance in a typical cinema
theater under optimal conditions, providing customers
with uncompromised performance and virtually
maintenance-free operation. The PLF solution consists
of all-new hardware, including a new projector pedestal,
chiller, and accessories, and features an all-new
electronics platform named CineLife+ (Series-4),
which features native content playback capabilities of
4K at 120fps. A whole suite of input options includes
firmware upgradeable HDMI 2.0, quad 12G SDI input,
SFP+, and DisplayPort 1.2 inputs.
Cielo
Booth: 2517A
cieloconnects.com
Cielo 6.0
Cielo’s newest offering of its enterprise platform
brings digital transformation, GPS-based technician
dispatch, and digital signage to CinemaCon 2020.
Cielo 6.0 aspires to revolutionize front-of-house and
back-of-house operations by utilizing QR-based technology.
Cielo QR allows exhibitors to digitize quality
control workflows and allows technicians to view a
full “health and history profile” and do field service on
a projector or server by scanning a QR code. Customers
can also provide valuable feedback by scanning
the multi-use QR codes, allowing exhibitors greater
control over customer satisfaction. Cielo Dispatch
allows exhibitors to track and dispatch technicians
using GPS geolocation with real-time travel estimates
and tracking of arrival times to improve technician
performance and efficiency. Cielo is also announcing
a new product in digital signage, allowing exhibitors
to manage digital signs, push content, and provide
proof of playback for any piece of content.
88 April 2020

Visit during CinemaCon in in Las Vegas 3.31 -- 4.2
to take advantage of NEC promotions!
(Suite Milano 4) 4)
60 month 0% Lease Promotion
on NEC Digital Cinema Laser Projectors
Take advantage of of discounts on on select cinema projector lenses
(with purchase of of NEC Cinema Projector), up up to to $1000!
For For more information, please visit www.necdisplay.com/digital-cinema
*Lease *Lease promotion managed by by NEC NEC Financial Services

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
Ciné Digital
Booth: 2212A
cinedigitalmanager.com/en/
Ciné Office
Ciné Digital Service specializes in the development
of software solutions designed for cinema operators:
CinéDigital Manager and CDM Mobile App to control
content and projection booth (TMS), CinéDigital
Display, Digital Signage, and Ciné Office. Manage
day-to-day operations like box office, concessions,
inventory management, loyalty programs, business
management, accountings, human resources,
and statistics with a user-friendly and efficient
management tool. Ciné Office innovative software is a
cloud-based and secure solution with no capex investment:
no server or software license to buy. Hardware
installation is made simple with the possibility to use
existing equipment. Ciné Office is a solution ready
and compatible with online sales.
Cinema Solutions
Booth: 114J
cinemasolutions.com
Celebrating 20 years in business. Cinema Solutions
is the industry leader in purchasing and AP automation
for theater management companies. What
began as a small venture focused solely on consolidated
order management quickly grew into one of
the most comprehensive procure-to-pay solutions
available today, offering everything from order
management and invoice automation to inventory
and capex management.
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90 April 2020

Cinemeccanica
Booth: 2515A
cinemeccanica.eu
Lucilla RGB Lamp
Lucilla is a brand-new RGB laser lamp specifically
designed to replace the traditional xenon bulbs on
digital cinema projectors, allowing customers to
save money. With power that ranges from 8,000 up
to 30,000 lumens—scalable for all screen sizes—and
30,000 lifetime hours, Lucilla improves projection
quality and reduces operating costs. Lucilla gives
energy savings of 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) or in the pedestal with a few fast
installation steps. A two-year standard warranty is
included. An extension up to seven years is available
as an option on both Lucilla and projector.
Cinionic
Booth: Roman 1-4
cinionic.com
Barco Series 4 Laser Projectors
Cinionic debuts the newest lineup of Barco Series 4
laser projectors at CinemaCon 2020. The new models
feature an expanded light output of up to 40,000
lumens, delivering a brighter laser-powered image
for bigger screens. CinemaCon attendees can see the
new Series 4 in action and experience the impressive
images, compatibility, and green efficiencies that this
future-ready platform provides. Series 4 continues
to extend Cinionic’s award-winning laser projection
portfolio, leading the renewal wave for exhibitors
worldwide. Introduced at last year’s show, Barco
Series 4 delivers brilliant image quality for moviegoers
today, ready for tomorrow—leveraging 4K and
RGB-laser, as well as being ready for 4K 120fps high
frame rate, high dynamic range (HDR), and onboard
Barco Colorgenic and Barco AIM delivering wide
color-gamut capabilities. And, Barco EcoPure design
makes it the greenest cinema projector ever created.
CJ 4DPlex
3F Emperors Level; Venice,
Taranto, and Sicily Rooms
cj4dx.com
4DX AR
CJ 4DPlex, the cinema technology company behind
the multisensory 4DX and the 270-degree panoramic
ScreenX, introduces its latest venture in the world of
mobile gaming with 4DX AR. Incorporating advanced
computer vision technology with mobile technology,
4DX AR blends the virtual gaming world with the real
world, converting any physical space into a digital
environment. Available in single or multiplayer
mode. Players are able to navigate through real space
and interact with the environment: for example,
hiding behind walls or walking among pedestrians
as part of the game. Currently the game is available
as a quest series, where players overcome a series of
adventures in a designated space. The technology is
in the works to be integrated with preexisting content
or games that are in development and will be made
available as lobby entertainment to multiplexes and
retail spaces worldwide, including 4DX, ScreenX, and
4DX Screen auditoriums.
April 2020
91

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
Corn Loco
Booth: 137J
cornloco.mx
Nothing is as exciting as discovering new experiences.
Corn Loco has broadened horizons to create an
adventurous new line of popcorn seasonings. Inspired
by the flavors around the world, this world-flavored
popcorn has the perfect combination of popcorn and
crunch, creating a whole new way to eat popcorn.
Corn Loco captured all these world flavors and
imbued them with a crunchy and tasty pop, creating a
new popcorn experience.
Creative Works
Booth: 732J
thewoweffect.com
Hologate Blitz
Cinemas have always been focused on providing
unique experiences that customers can’t get at home.
Virtual reality has the same focus and has become an
option for cinemas that want to expand their entertainment
options. Hologate Blitz is a motion simulator
virtual reality experience that was built from the
ground up as a multiplayer flying and racing platform.
This attraction can move almost a full meter in
height and can tilt 30 degrees in every direction. The
attraction also features wind fans for extra immersion
and has a futuristic steering wheel that can be easily
switched from one-axis to two-axis control.
Projectors Audio Servers
Seating
Screens Drapery
Lighting Closed Captioned NOC
ON YOUR TEAM
Audiences’ expectations have never been
higher. American Cinema Equipment is your
support team to create the experiences you
demand. Meeting expectations may be the
industry standard; exceeding them is ours.
LMS
Technician Help
Messaging Mail Web Music
[ 503] 285-7015
1927 N. Argyle Street, Portland, OR 97217
[ 503] 285-6765 orders@cinequip.com
cinequip.com
92 April 2020

D
Deel Media
Booth: 718J
deelmedia.com
Carbon
Deel Media, a provider of large-scale digital signage
systems, has recently released an updated version of
its proprietary media player and software—Carbon.
This latest version is simple to install and set up and
is compatible with all modern screens and monitors.
It features HD video, has a low power requirement,
can run on Wi-Fi, and is small and compact yet
powerful enough to drive concession boards, box
office systems, video walls, and digital movie posters.
Cloud-based monitoring and playlist management
allow changing menu items, promotions, or pricing
on a large network of screens remotely with just a few
clicks. Additionally, you can power interactive touch
screen catalogs with a fully customizable interface.
Delta Strike
Booth: 730J
deltastrike.com/genesis
Genesis
Delta Strike’s award-winning laser tag system, Genesis,
takes the player experience to a whole new level.
Equipped with the industry’s first selfie cam, it allows
players to replace code names and avatars with a picture
of themselves, which personalizes and socializes
every game. Genesis also sets new standards in game
play with a dual-stage trigger, advanced LED lighting
displays, and high-fidelity sound output. The intuitive
vests allow players to quickly and easily put them on
while you enjoy the convenience of wireless charging.
All of these features come together to help exhibitors
attract new guests and gain repeat visits.
Dolby Laboratories
Booth: 2503A
dolby.com
Dolby System 136
The Dolby System 136 is Dolby’s newest speaker
innovation. The speaker utilizes a proprietary
asymmetrical co-entrant horn to deliver consistent
audio coverage and uniform volume shading for every
seat in the venue, including Dolby Atmos rooms up
to approximately 165 feet (50.3 m) in depth. Utilizing
custom compression-driver technology, superior
enclosure design, and higher-quality woofers, the
Dolby System 136 yields greater intelligibility and
enhanced low-frequency extension. With intuitive
ergonomic design and features, the Dolby System 136
allows for quick, easy installation and service. Built
on the foundation of Dolby’s industry-leading system
design and support philosophy, the Dolby System 136
provides elevated PLF performance and streamlines
speaker integration.
April 2020
93

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
Durkan
Booth: 318J
durkan.com
From the theater to the concession stand, lobbies,
bathrooms, public spaces, and back-of-house
operations, Durkan is an industry leader in innovative
design solutions and high-performance flooring
solutions for motion picture theater facilities. Durkan’s
hospitality broadloom, carpet tile, and resilient
hard-surface products are tailored for the specific
needs of cinema spaces, offering a wide range of
exclusive innovative pattern and texture technologies.
Durkan’s CinemaCon 2020 showcase will feature
custom precision dye injection (PDI) broadloom,
selections from the Learn & Live carpet collection,
and Matuto PlusStone LVT.
E
Eisenberg
- Home Market Foods
Booth: 307J
homemarketfoods.com
Roller Bites
Moviegoers can now enjoy a new variety of flavors of
the protein-packed goodness found in RollerBites.
The Maple Breakfast Scrambler RollerBites offers a
perfect-sized snack that keeps you satisfied during
the next big blockbuster. You can also accompany the
all-white chicken RollerBite with the flavorful Bahama
Mama Specialty Sausage. The Maple Breakfast
Scrambler RollerBite and Chorizo Con Queso Sausage
form a tasty partnership in all things breakfast. The
breakfast varieties combine hearty eggs, sausage, and
cheese. The sausage is made of USDA quality cuts
of beef and pork and seasoned with bold spices for a
delicious experience.
Encore Performance
Seating
Booth: 829J
encore.palliser.com
I2 Luxury Recliner
Encore Performance Seating developed a product
aimed to provide customers with a comfortable
and innovative way to utilize smaller platforms,
without giving up the reclining option. Specifically
designed to make the most out of your space, this
newly designed concept includes a synchronous
continuous drive recline, giving it a zero-gravity feel.
The I2 incorporates a plush seat back to maintain its
comfort level and aesthetic. Encore offers various
options, sources the finest materials, and provides a
comprehensive warranty with exceptional customer
service and ongoing support.
94 April 2020

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
Entertainment Supply
& Technologies
Booth: 936J
ensutec.com
In 2020, Entertainment Supply & Technologies is
poised to partner with a record number of exhibitors—from
single locations to national circuits—to
transform their cinema spaces into premium presentations,
complete with laser projection, recliner
seating, and immersive sound. As a certified installer
for Imax and all major brands of cinema technology,
ES&T offers clients turnkey services for the creation of
a cutting-edge and luxurious moviegoing experience.
Integrated FF&E services also include concession
casework, food service equipment, menu boards,
lighting, wall draperies, and flooring. Through an
extended supply chain, the firm offers complete
operational support with industrial and janitorial
supplies, food service and concession replacement
parts, digital lamps, and projector filters. ES&T is
proud to be a client-focused design and supply firm
dedicated to personalized service and solutions for
domestic and international exhibitors.
Euroquip
Booth: 137J
euroquip.com.mx
Pop Art Concessions Equipment
Euroquip’s line of concessions equipment is designed
to revolutionize how you perceive the concession
stand of today. Simple and modern, with touch screen
technology and embedded connectivity, your counter
will look appealing and increase sales. Aesthetics were
paramount for Euroquip’s design, which incorporates
a medium for advertisements and promotions such as
new flavors, brands, combos, and upcoming movies.
Designed with functionality in mind, the Pop Art is
meant to take concessions equipment to the next level.
F
Ferco Seating
Booth: 2817A
fercoseating.com
Slim
Slim by name, slim by nature. This cleverly designed,
leading-edge cinema seat has curves in all the right
places, making it both comfortable and attractive. Designed
specifically for cinema and executive seating,
its narrow profile belies its robust construction. The
minimalist Slim seat structure features a contoured
cushioned backrest and seat that is manufactured
to Ferco’s exacting quality standards. To increase
the customer’s experience, this seat has a uniquely
shaped armrest, which allows the customer to safely
store both drinks and popcorn while relaxing to watch
the movie. The design also prevents dirt and spillages
collecting in hard-to-reach areas, reducing cleaning
time between screenings. Intelligent USB charging
can be provided with wiring concealed within the leg.
96 April 2020

I n t r o d u c i n g
SLIM
The thinnest and yet most comfortable seat we ever designed.
A minimalist seat that features a contoured cushioned backrest and seat that is manufactured to Ferco’s exacting quality standards.
Popcorn & cupholder
Row letter & number
USB charging port
Please contact Ferco’s team of seating experts to discuss the future of your cinema space.

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
Figueras
Booth: 2212A
figueras.com
Hollywood 5400 VVIP
The Hollywood 5400 is an exclusive seat specially
designed by Figueras International Seating for VIP
movie theaters. Equipped with up to three motors,
the seat allows the user to control the position of
the headrest, backrest, and footrest independently,
achieving an optimal comfort just by using a waterproof
touch screen. The automatic return system
keeps the space always neat and free for movement
between rows, returning the reclining parts to their
original position when the user stands up. Thanks to
their Made to Measure division, there are no limits
in personalization options and finishes for these
bespoke seats, which make it possible to add many
kinds of accessories, from generously sized lecterns to
a small fridge with bottle chiller. The Hollywood 5400
VVIP stands out in the market for its unique design of
elegant lines and its extraordinary versatility.
Flexound Augmented Audio
Booth: 2825A
flexound.com
Flexound Augmented Audio combines high-quality
audio with physical vibration, creating an immersive
experience. Patented Flexound technology offers
equal sound quality in every seat independent of seat
location. It improves the clarity of dialogue, enhances
the emotions created by the story, and provides
the audiences with a natural and immersive sound
without need for a remix or recode, allowing cinema
operators to screen any content in a Flexound Augmented
Audio–boosted cinema. Flexound Augmented
Audio is a Finnish audio innovation that is rapidly
gaining recognition in different industries globally. Its
multinational team started their work in 2015 to help
autistic children by adding the sensation of touch to
music. Now the versatile patented technology can be
embedded into cinema, airplane, or car seats, gaming
chairs, cushions, furniture, and more.
G
Galalite
galalitescreens.com
A leader in cinema screen technologies, Galalite
strives for innovation at every turn, from launching
its Lensray technology to introducing screens like
RGB laser-projector screen Mirage XDL 1.2 and unique
high-gain screen Prism 3.4. “At Galalite, forward
thinking and innovativeness have been our motto for
generations,” says Yusuf S. Galabhaiwala, director of
operations. “In today’s times, even mobile applications
on smartphones need a regular update, so why should
cinema screens be any different? Upgrades enhance
experiences. And that’s what we stand for: to offer an
enhanced experience to cinemagoers and, therefore,
benefits to the cinema owners.”
98 April 2020

www.admit-one.us

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
GLK Foods
Booth: 1028J
glkfoods.com
Oh Snap!
Oh Snap!—not your ordinary theater snack! They’re
crunchy, delicious, and healthy—everything you
love about pickles and pickled veggies. But Oh Snap!
refrigerated, individually wrapped, single-serve dill
pickles and veggies have no added brine, so there’s
less mess. This brand of fresh-packed pickles and
pickled veggies is courtesy of fourth-generation,
family-owned GLK Foods, the world’s largest kraut
producer and leader in fermentation. GLK Foods
recognized the potential of pickles to fill a prominent
gap in the market: better-for-you, grab-and-go snacks
that don’t sacrifice nutrition for convenience.
Gold Medal Products
Booth: 707J
gmpopcorn.com
Popcorn Topping Dispenser Line
Designed with movie theaters in mind, Gold Medal’s
Popcorn Topping Dispenser Line offers a combination
of contemporary style and convenience. The
dispenser is customizable by selecting the models
and features that meet your needs. Single- and
double-head dispensers are available. Optional photo
eye allows for automatic dispensing when product is
detected. You can choose from a Double BIB rack or
double-rolling Go Anywhere rack, which can hold two
35-pound BIB-style boxes of topping. The ADA remote
switch (sold separately) allows you to adhere to ADA
guidelines. Plus, heated line kits will ensure the right
temperature of your topping (sold separately). The
unit can be counter mounted or used with a stainless
steel base (sold separately).
Great Western Products
Booth: 424J
gwproducts.com
Frostee Slush Mix
Great Western Products introduces its new Frostee
Slush Mix in three flavors: cola, blue raspberry, and
cherry. Put these flavors into your slushie machine
to create a treat for your taste buds. Easy-to-follow
directions make Frostee Slush Mix a quick, convenient
slushie concentrate. Frostee Slush Mix is
available in three-gallon bag-in-a-box containers and
also by the gallon.
The Guitammer Company
Booth: 2316A
guitammer.com
ButtKicker Cinema System
The Guitammer Company’s ButtKicker Cinema
System – Active Seating (BKCS) has been deployed
worldwide. Over 43,000 cinema seats are now active in
over 14 countries, at circuits such as AMC, Regal, MCL,
Lumiere, and Dreamscape VR, with new installations
in Dubai, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. LBE (location-based
entertainment) companies worldwide use BKCS as
part of 4-D, 5-D, and 7-D+ theaters, virtual reality, and
more. BKCS works for any type of seat—traditional,
tip-up, and recliner—and any type of movie in any
language, automatically giving exhibitors increased
immersion. BKCS installations are maintenance-free,
cutting down on total cost of ownership.
100 April 2020

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
H
The Hershey Company
Booth: 512J
hersheys.com
Jolly Rancher Gummies
The same bold fruit flavors you love from Jolly
Rancher are now in Gummies. Don’t let their soft
texture fool you—Jolly Rancher Gummies candy
packs a punch of untamed fruit flavor. Now available
in original and sours varieties.
High Performance Stereo
Booth: 2801A
hps4000.com
High Performance Stereo has always believed that
“Sound Is the Experience.” That’s why HPS brought
the very first feature presentations with digital sound
to commercial movie theaters in 1985—four years before
the rest of the industry. Envelopment is nothing
new to High Performance Stereo. Its HPS-4000 sound
systems are known around the world for their clarity
and immersive impact. Exclusive All Seats Hear
Stereo technology and proprietary surround placement
formulas provide full stereophonic coverage for
the entire audience. When HPS-4000 sound systems
are coupled with today’s immersive soundtracks,
audiences will experience the full potential of modern
motion picture sound.
I
Inorca Seating
Booth: 913J
inorca.com
Inorca Seating has new features and accessories
that further enhance the customer’s experience
and optimize the theater’s total cost of ownership
and operational efficiency. Inorca’s range of upscale
seating boasts dynamic privacy panels, kid-friendly
seating, special embroidery patterns, and more.
Irwin Seating
Booth: 201J
irwinseating.com
Spectrum Recliner
Looking for ways to keep moviegoers coming back
for more? Ready for a chair that makes it easier to
clean and turn theaters over? The Irwin Spectrum
Recliner can be custom configured to your exact
needs. Amenities include center flip-up arms to create
a loveseat, heating options, seat position remotes, and
a double-swivel table for drinks, snacks, or an entire
meal. Known for comfort, durability, and innovations
like a popcorn deflector to streamline the cleanup
process, Irwin never stops innovating. They’re also
exploring new pod seating options to give moviegoers
privacy and a personal getaway, even within a filled
theater. Stop by Irwin’s booth to test-drive their latest
recliners, the hardest-working chair in show business.
102 April 2020

The hardest working
seat in show business.
Our seating isn’t just evolving. It’s transforming the movie experience.
Discover solutions that stand the test of time, serve your guests in total
comfort, and make it easy to keep theaters clean.
Contact Irwin today for custom solutions and endless support:
1-866-GO IRWIN (464-7946)
cinema@irwinseating.com
See us at CinemaCon 2020, Booth #201

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
J
Jaymar
Booth: 2113A
jaymar.ca
Automation Ready
Jaymar’s custom comfort is a unique look for your
movie theaters, bringing the latest technologies
available today in order to enhance the customer’s
experience. This year, Jaymar is adding an AR (automation
ready) mechanism to its commercial recliners
to allow control of the comfort and link the recliner to
your POS or call-for-service systems. With the touch
of a button on a tablet or phone, crews can have access
to raise all recliners or only the ones where customers
sat for cleaning after a movie. In a VIP dining theater,
clients can take control of their seats during a movie
via their mobile phones and order their food and
drinks for servers to bring. Using this system, the
theater can gather important data to maximize profit
and offer a higher level of great service.
K
Kenwood Two Way Radios /
Szabo Sales
Booth: 2121A
szabosales.com
NXP5OO Hybrid Radio
Kenwood’s new NXP500 is an innovative “hybrid”
radio, meaning it can work in analog and digital at
the same time. Since digital is the direction two-way
radios are heading, this lightweight, waterproof, lowcost
solution will now allow you to migrate to digital,
getting larger coverage, longer battery life, and no static
communication, without replacing your whole fleet.
Kernel Season’s
Booth: 317J
kernelseasons.com
Sriracha Popcorn Seasoning
There’s always something popping at Kernel Season’s;
this movie season it’s Sriracha Popcorn Seasoning.
This limited-time offering is the perfect popcorn
partner for those looking to spice up their favorite
snack. Kernel Season’s Sriracha-flavored popcorn
seasoning allows your guests to customize their
perfect level of heat while keeping their popcorn nice
and crisp. Turn up the heat and watch your popcorn
and soda sales skyrocket.
Keurig Dr Pepper
Booth: 104J
keurigdrpepper.com
Forto
Forto is a coffee energy shot made from cold-brewed
organic coffee. Forto is smoother, sweeter, and has a
low-acidic taste. It’s a great on-the-go drink. Keurig
Dr Pepper is a leading coffee and beverage company
in North America with a portfolio of more than 125
brands.
104 April 2020

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
L
Lino Sonego
Booth: 2025A
linosonego.it
Lino Sonego International Seating is an Italian family-run
company from the Venice region that designs,
manufactures, and installs ergonomic seats for
cinemas, stadiums, conference rooms, and theaters.
Italian design, quality of finishes and structures,
ergonomics, flexibility in personalization, and constant
search for new materials are the highlights of a
company under continuous growth and development.
The synergy with architects, design studios, and
customers has allowed them to establish fruitful and
lasting cooperative relationships. Many of the leading
world cinema circuits use Lino Sonego’s armchairs
in their most exclusive cinemas. They export their
armchairs to over 80 countries. Lino Sonego is the
expression of made-in-Italy quality all over the world.
Lino Sonego is proud to supply its Trial Concept Soft
and Concept Deluxe models to Regal Cinemas.
Lumma
Booth: 2103A
4Demotion.com
4D E-Motion
4D E-Motion is a theater system equipped with
motion seats and outstanding special effects: wind,
vibration, water, scent, bass shakers, air shots, and
lights, all effectively synchronized with the on-screen
action. It fuses art and engineering to create a new
way of experiencing movies. Lumma offers comprehensive
and skilled services for 4D E-Motion theater
implementation, including a study of feasibility,
overhaul of auditoriums, development, production,
installation, support, and maintenance worldwide.
4D E-Motion is a robust technology, simple to install
and easy to maintain. Lumma provides a monitoring
system pack to optimize and test the operation of the
theater anywhere in the world. On the production
side, Lumma’s talented artistic team works closely
together with Hollywood studios, programming the
most impressive titles for an immersive cinematic
experience.
LytePost
Booth: 2824A
lytepost.com
LytePost is the first and only LED-branded stanchion
on the market. With LytePost stanchions, exhibitors
can increase safety, guide through color, enhance
ambience, and even advertise. LytePost stanchions
are powered by a removable rechargeable battery
that gets 30-plus hours per charge and are controlled
through IR remote. Each stanchion has nine solid
colors to choose from, including pure white, as well as
four animated settings with an acoustic control that
changes the color to the beat of music. Traditional
stanchions are often eyesores, but LytePost turns
crowd control into a decorative bonus.
106 April 2020

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
M
MediaMation MX4D
Booth: 2703A
mediamation.com
Kids EFX Theater
MediaMation’s MX4D immersive motion theater
product line has expanded its offerings with a new Kids
EFX Theater. MX4D immersive seating, featuring atmospheric
and patented seat effects, now exceeds 400
global installations; the Kids EFX offers a simpler and
less expensive small-child-friendly version. The Kids
EFX Theater is an immersive and delightful option for
playscapes and dedicated kid-friendly auditoriums.
Offering an atmospheric EFX-only with fog, rain, snow,
lighting, and bubbles, MediaMation programs these
effects at narratively appropriate times to create a
memorable in-theater-only experience. Their carefully
designed foams, fluids, sterile delivery lines, and
engineering know-how make this an incredible new
offering from sales@mediamation.com.
Mennel Popcorn
Booth: 218J
mennelpopcorn.com
Mennel Popcorn is a supplier of high-quality popcorn
varieties. Mennel has been a trusted partner in the
food industry for over 130 years. Driven by a growing
demand for the popular snack food, Mennel acquired
a state-of-the-art popcorn processing facility in 2015.
Through a partnership with popcorn growers in Ohio
and throughout the Midwest, Mennel Popcorn has the
capability of producing 125 million pounds of popcorn
annually. From seed procurement through packaging
and delivery, Mennel has invested in quality control,
food safety, and improved new hybrids. They have
adopted a collaborative approach to supplying popcorn
to domestic and international food manufacturers,
concessionaires, theaters, and others with custom
popcorn needs. Mennel Popcorn offers four distinctive
popcorn varieties: Savory, It’s “Reel” Hi-Expansion,
Sweet-n-Salty Natural Blend, and Big Ball Mushroom.
Moving Image Technologies
Booth: 2417A
movingimagetech.com
Enhanced Low Voltage Lighting Line
Moving Image Technologies (MIT) announces the
expansion of its green-energy portfolio with the addition
of a new, improved version of the leading-edge
low-voltage lighting product line previously offered
by Caddy Products Inc. (acquired by MIT in 2019).
This product line has now been re-engineered to use
efficient modern LEDs, doubling the light output
with the same energy usage as the previous product
offering. The components of the system include: step
nosing: coextruded PVC with grip strips and contrast
stripe (LEDs optional); aisle wireway: coextruded PVC
with clear cover (carpet-to-floor and carpet-to-wall
cover options); wall light housing: now extruded from
rugged polycarbonate plastic; and LED lighting loom:
available in red, amber, yellow, blue, and warm white.
The LED loom accepts 12V A.C. or D.C. power from
common low-voltage power supplies.
108 April 2020

QUALITY YOU CAN FEEL. VISIT US TODAY.
35+ Models
The largest VIP selection
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full customization.
Built to Last Premium Comfort Low Maintenance Unlimited Options
Experience quality like no
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Our comfort is only
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Test drive a VIP seat today.
Purposely built for ultra
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Power headrests, power
lumbar, heat & massage
& so much more.
Contact us today:
sales@octaneseating.com | 888.627.6743 | www.octaneseating.com/vip-seating
April 2020
109

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
N
NEC Display Solutions
Booth: Milano 4 & 8
necdisplay.com
NC1802ML
The NEC NC1802ML delivers 2K imagery on small
to medium screens while making installation and
maintenance simple. The release of the NC1802ML
marks NEC’s first-ever complete series of digital
cinema projectors with replaceable laser modules.
The NC1802ML joins the NC2402ML and NC2002ML
projectors in providing cinema operators with a flexible,
maintenance-free, and integrated solution. All
three are capable of showing 100 percent of the digital
cinema color space (DCI), native 2K (2048x1080), and
deliver up to a 50,000-hour lifetime. This new digital
cinema projector series provides operators with a new,
cutting-edge experience and dispels the traditional
myth that these projectors are hard to maintain.
All maintenance can be done on-site, and the three
swappable light modules (24,000, 20,000, and 18,000
lumens) allow flexibility for any showing on screens
up to 72 feet.
110 April 2020

O
Octane Seating
Booth: 2711A
octaneseating.com
Octane Seating offers the largest selection of VIP models
in the industry, all with fully customizable options.
Comprehensive hands-on assistance with the design,
planning, manufacturing, installation, and after-sales
maintenance is provided. The seats are designed to
enhance your profitability, bring in repeat customers,
and set you up for success. They offer best-in-class
German motors that are quiet and smooth. Many of
the models offer a power headrest and power lumbar.
Their seat core consists of individual pocketed coils
that ensure your seats will not lose their shape. A layer
of gel memory foam is placed on top for a premium
comfort story. Combine all this with metal and solid
wood frames, easy maintenance and installation, and
a completely modular construction.
Olea Kiosks
Booth: 129J
olea.com
El Dorado
Olea Kiosks, a leading provider of self-service solutions
to the cinema industry, is introducing its newest
solution at CinemaCon 2020. The El Dorado has been
meticulously designed to accommodate the varying
needs of each individual theater. The upper half is a
self-contained kiosk of its own, with the ability to sell
tickets and concessions via credit and gift cards as a
combined solution with Vista Kiosk and other leading
software solutions. This upper unit can be mounted
on any counter or wall, or to Olea’s customizable freestanding
pedestal, as shown here. The freestanding
pedestal, or lower half, can be ordered with or without
the ability to accept cash payments. By adding the
ability to pay in cash, 100 percent of customers can
complete their transaction at the kiosks.
Omniterm
Booth: 416J
omniterm.com
CINEMA POS SOFTWARE
Web Services
Omniterm has streamlined and expanded its
interface partnerships by introducing new web
service products. These interfaces provide various
gift card functionalities as well as alternative
online-ticketing options. The gift card functionalities
include activations, redemptions, balance inquiry,
and PIN validation, as well as e-card management.
The online-ticketing web service provides theaters
with an alternative sales method to the OmniWEB
product and completely retains the patron on the
theater’s website for the entire transaction process.
The new web services allow Omniterm to expand its
third-party interfaces, which can introduce numerous
enhancements to the online experience including
loyalty redemption.
April 2020
111

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
P
Packaging Concepts Inc.
Booth: 824J
packagingconcepts.com
Paper Drink Straws
Packaging Concepts Inc. is doing their part to help
save the planet. New for 2020, as they expand their
ever-growing line of concessions packaging, they are
now manufacturing paper drink straws that are made
in the USA. The straws are available in an assortment
of sizes, both wrapped and unwrapped. They have
plain, generic designs and custom-printed options.
All Packaging Concepts paper straws are built using
specialty sourced natural materials, entirely from
the United States, that perform for the customer and
the environment. As exhibitors continue to increase
their concessions offerings, PCI is there to assist with
design, graphics, and delivery of quality concessions
packaging at an economical cost.
PepsiCo
Booth: 101J
pepsico.com
PepsiCo offers everything needed to enhance the
moviegoing experience through its diverse beverage
and snacks portfolio and premium equipment. Pepsi
Spire lets moviegoers mix up a unique creation with
just the touch of a button, including fan-favorite
recipes using Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Sierra Mist, Mug
Root Beer, and more. People seeking better-for-you
options without taste compromise can opt for Pepsi
Zero Sugar and Mountain Dew Zero Sugar. For fun
hydration, PepsiCo offers Bubly flavored sparkling
water, premium bottled water Lifewtr, and Bolt24
from the makers of Gatorade. With an ice-cold
beverage, fans can try great-tasting Tostitos tortilla
chips and Tostitos cheese dip made with real skim
milk and no artificial flavors or colors from artificial
sources, or add a boost of cheesy, mischievous flavor
with Cheetos Popcorn.
Pizza Hut
Booth: 232J
pizzahut.com
Pizza Hut is now in 125 theaters and growing across
the country. The company is a proven volume driver
that has significantly raised incremental per cap
growth. Pizza Hut is an iconic and trusted brand with
products that bring a call to action for moviegoers.
The 9-inch fast-baked pizza is sized perfectly and
uniquely for the exhibition business. (The size is
generally unavailable at its street-side locations.)
Made with quality products and ingredients, the
product is portable and easy to eat in low light. The
recent spread of bars in movie theater lobbies have
worked well with a hot pizza entrée offering. Easy to
operate with small equipment footprint. Leverage
the power and scale of the world’s largest restaurant
company (YUM Brands).
112 April 2020

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
POSitive Cinema
Booth: 2007A
positivecinema.com
Smart Cinema
Leverage big data from your cinemas to boost revenue
using Smart Cinema, the newest module of the
POSitive Cinema Solution Suite. Smart Cinema helps
to make data-driven decisions about scheduling and
ticket pricing. Based on artificial intelligence and
machine learning, Smart Cinema uses advanced
algorithms to create optimized scheduling suggestions
and ticket-price diversification. This new
module learns from historical and current trends
by accessing large amounts of data related to your
cinemagoing customers, regardless of the type of data,
such as movie details, screenings, demographics, and
weather. Use Smart Cinema to create schedules based
on when to give discounts to increase admissions
for low-occupancy screenings, and when to increase
prices to maximize revenue for extremely high-occupancy
screenings.
Prime Ticket
Booth: 125J
primeticketinc.com
Food Pick-Up Lockers
Food pick-up lockers by Prime Ticket come in multiple
configuration options from three to 12 compartments,
and can be pass-thru if desired. Available in
countertop, wall, or floor-mount models, each locker
is manually programmed by the operator, who selects
which locker to use and enters the username or order
code, and an up to six-digit numeric passcode that is
used to unlock the customer-facing door. There is a
45-minute count-up timer for each locker, and each
locker can be programmed from an ambient temperature
up to 200°F. All lockers are lit by LEDs, and the
specific locker that’s being opened has flashing lights
once the code has been entered to identify where the
food is located.
Proctor Companies
Booth: 113J
proctorco.com
ADA Table
Finally an ADA table that looks great in your theater!
Proctor Companies has created a beautiful, functional
ADA table for your guests that meets the government
requirements. The top is available in almost
any color to match your current auditorium decor.
It comes with wheels for easy transport to the guest.
It’s adjustable in height to 42 inches to accommodate
almost any wheelchair.
114 April 2020

Comfortable is the
new profitable.
When customers sit, relax, and stay, they eat, drink, and spend.
Interested in padding your bottom line? Give us a call!
www.proctorco.com | | sales@proctorco.com
800-221-3699

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
Promotion In Motion
Booth: 725J
promotioninmotion.com
Promotion In Motion (PIM) is bringing the magic
of chocolate and deliciousness of peanut butter to
CinemaCon this year, introducing the new Sun-Maid
Pure Milk Chocolate ‘n Peanut Butter Raisins to
moviegoers everywhere. This new variety joins iconic
Sun-Maid Pure Milk Chocolate Raisins in the PIM
concessions lineup of top-selling favorites in a 3.5-
ounce concession box, larger and smaller bags, and
more. Sun-Maid, and all PIM products, is supported
with dynamic free marketing support, POS for combo
deals with popcorn and beverages, generous rebate
opportunities, and more.
ProStar Industries
Booth: 120J
prostarind.com
Evolution Vinyl Seat Cleaner
Taking care of vinyl seats in your theater is now easy
with Evolution Vinyl Seat Cleaner. The concentrated,
high-sudsing detergent is effective in removing greasy
soils like popcorn butter from vinyl surfaces. It is
gentle and mild to the skin. Using it is simple, too,
with the convenient Just-Add-Water system. Simply
fill your bottle with water, insert patented cartridge,
and attach trigger sprayer, automatically releasing the
premeasured concentrate.
Pulz Electronics Limited
Booth: 2319A
pulz.co.in
Pulz Audio.Sense RMS16
The Pulz audio.sense RMS16 is an easy-to-use and
reliable facility that enables the efficient monitoring
of a Pulz audio system. The system allows operators
to observe the status of all monitored equipment at
a glance, using a customizable map-based display.
The system offers the option of a central monitoring
system and may also be used for message alerts via
email/SMS. The Pulz audio.sense RMS16 software may
be installed on the same network as a digital projection
system. This close integration allows both applications
to share the same communication modems and
internet connections, reducing infrastructure costs.
Pureco Products
Booth: 106J
purecoproducts.com
Purepak Product Line
Pureco Products is introducing a new product line of
paper cups and food-service packaging made with
EarthCoating, which uses 40 percent less plastic
than conventional plastic-coated paperboards and
is designed to be easy for paper recyclers to pulp
back into high-grade recycled paper products using
conventional paper-recycling equipment. The new
PurePak product line includes hot cups, cold cups,
paper lids, paper straws, popcorn tubs, food trays,
take-away boxes, folding cartons, and more—all made
using EarthCoating in support of plastic reduction,
landfill/ocean waste diversion, and increased
recycling rates. Paper cups made with EarthCoating
qualify for AAA recyclability rating per Der Grune
Punkt (Green Dot) and are currently being collected,
sorted, baled, and pulped back into recycled paper
products around the world.
116 April 2020

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
Q
QSC
Booth: 2303A
qsc.com
DPA-Q Amplifiers
QSC announces the global availability of the new
DPA-Q Series network power amplifiers in four- and
eight-channel models. The new DPA-Q Series amplifiers
unite the QSC legacy of robust power amplifiers,
advancements in high-efficiency output devices,
and native network transport, plus the control and
monitoring capabilities of the Q-SYS ecosystem. The
new amplifiers include new features and performance
improvements compared to the original DPA-Q Series
introduced six years ago. They use a highly efficient,
Class-D hybrid powertrain, and feature two QSC
amplifier innovations—FlexAmp and FAST (flexible
amplifier summing technology)—that combine to
offer far more flexibility in output deployment.
Qube Wire
Booth: 2202A
qubewire.com
Qube Wire DCP Delivery and KDM Management
Service
Qube Cinema presents its Qube Wire DCP delivery
and KDM management service. In addition to the
usual benefits associated with replacing hard drives,
Qube Wire’s broadband delivery is often three times
faster than satellite delivery. Qube Wire also lets
theaters take control of their deliveries with the tools
in Qube Wire’s Cinema Portal. This platform gives
theaters pertinent information about each upcoming
movie—run time, credit offset, and when and how the
movie will arrive. KDMs can be downloaded, re-sent,
or forwarded with just a few clicks. When theaters
select to use Qube Wire’s free FLMx feed, KDM
providers are alerted of server changes as soon as the
information is updated in the portal.
QubicaAMF
Booth: 918J
qubicaamf.com/
hyperbowling
HyperBowling
HyperBowling is a set of revolutionary new bowling
games that brings together a high-tech blend of software,
futuristic user interfaces, lights, and sensors to
deliver a never-before-seen experience that plays like
a physical video game on a bowling lane. Created by
QubicaAMF, the world’s largest bowling-equipment
manufacturer, HyperBowling was designed around an
innovative new LED bumper system, which is actually
meant to be used as part of the game. Every ball is
different, and there are new challenges every turn. Hit
the colorful moving targets to increase your score. The
lights change, the levels change, and with one single
ball—the winner can change!
118 April 2020

customers make
happy
grow
your business
Photo courtesy of Zane Roessell
When the “Best Theatre in America”* wanted to
combine the best movie experience with enhanced
AV functionality for lobby, business meetings, parties,
and alternate content, they turned to QSC. In fact,
QSC became their brand standard for enterprisewide
audio, video and control - and Q-SYS TM brings
it all together. Make your customers happy and
increase your bottom line – with QSC.
*According to Entertainment Weekly
Visit Us at CinemaCon at Booth 2303A
©2020 QSC, LLC all rights reserved. QSC, Q-SYS and the QSC logo are registered trademarks in the U.S. Patent and
Trademark Office and other countries. All other trademarks remain the property of their respective owners. 0040-2020

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
R
RadioBoss 2-Way Radios
Booth: 133J
radioboss.com
RadioBoss 2-Way Radios provide radio sales, rentals,
and service of staff communication radios. They
offer a wide variety of earpieces and carry specialty
items such as call boxes, base stations, repeaters,
P.A. systems, and more. Free on-site trials means
every customer gets exactly what they need, and
the 24- to 48-hour repair turnaround means your
locations never have to be without their radios. When
you are looking to purchase new radios—whether
you need just one or many—RadioBoss can match
the programming used at your location for free, and
they accept trade-ins so you can get money toward
your new product. RadioBoss offers free custom
programming and promises quick repairs and reliable
customer support.
Retriever Solutions
Booth: 830J
retrieversolutionsinc.com
Loyalty Program with Mobile App Enhancements
Retriever Solutions, a provider of ticketing and theater
point-of-sale systems, introduces its new patron
loyalty program designed to increase revenue and
promote customer engagement. Theater operators
configure the program to reward loyalty members
with free items and dollar discounts on concessions
and/or tickets. Loyalty points accrue on the member’s
account through in-theater purchases or via the theater-branded
mobile app. Members’ points are viewable
in real time on the app, and available rewards can be
claimed at the theater at any time. Premium add-on
functionality includes a robust administration
console, allowing theater management to send push
notifications to app users, reach patrons with scheduled
advertising, and retrieve valuable member data
to use for targeted marketing campaigns.
Royal Corporation
Booth: 213J
royalcorporation.com
Royal Carpet Spotting Kit
The Royal Carpet Spotting Kit is one of several
task-specific kits developed by Royal to help maintain
clean facilities and improve guest experience. Each
kit can easily be transported and has all necessary
products to complete a specific cleaning task safely
and efficiently. Royal has developed 16 kits covering a
variety of theater needs.
120 April 2020

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
S
Savantis Solutions
Booth: 1018J
savantis.com
Intelligent Cinema
Intelligent Cinema is the first cloud-based
enterprise-grade cinema management software
built on the world’s best business software platform,
SAP. It comprises 22 integrated modules to optimize
your cinema’s operations and help you deliver to
your customers exactly what they’re looking for, in
every channel.
Severtson Screens
Booth: 2321A
severtsonscreens.com
SAT-4K Acoustically-Transparent Cinema
Projection Screen
Severtson Screens’ SAT-4K projection screens feature
an even finer weave and whiter material than its
previous generation, which makes the viewing image
even better than before. Made in the USA, the SAT-
4K’s acoustic abilities aren’t hampered by the finer
weave, and Severtson can now also seam SAT-4K for
larger cinema screens to virtually limitless sizes. Like
perforated screens, the sound stage can be placed
directly behind the screen at the same horizontal axis,
allowing the vocals and special effects to be completely
in sync with the brilliant images on display. Severtson’s
folded shipping method allows for no loss in the
screen’s structural or visible integrity, and now makes
international distribution highly affordable, reducing
international shipping costs by up to 70 percent. The
SēVision 3D GX-WA coating provides the benefits of the
standard SēVision 3D GX coating, but offers increased
uniformity and brightness typically seen more often on
2-D white screens.
Simply Right
Booth: 436J
simplyrightinc.com
Simply Right is a cleaning service contractor providing
value-centered solutions for the people they serve.
Solutions that are safe, healthy, and great for the
community. Simply Right delivers results that make a
difference through their commitment to innovation,
respect, trust, teamwork, accountability, and honesty.
Soft Play
Booth: 933J
softplay.com
Soft Play is a global leader of contained playground
equipment. The company has everything you need
to create your dream play space, from surfacing to
innovative playground equipment to accessories
and a team of designers who can help you customize
your area. Their play equipment passes the test of the
toughest critics: kids. They work closely with experts
to create innovative equipment children will love
exploring. There’s no point in building a play space
unless kids adore playing on it, which is why their
team goes out of its way to think outside the box and
to bring you play solutions that engage imaginations.
122 April 2020

The Perfect
Cocktail
Every Time
THE MOST ADVANCED AUTOMATED
COCKTAIL DISPENSING SYSTEM
The revolutionary Smartender® delivers speed, consistent pour and ease-of-use to
establishments looking to maximize output, increase efficiency and improve customer service.
Available in both modular and portable units, find out why Smartender® is the complete bar system of
choice for leading hotels, casinos, restaurants, bars and entertainment centers nationwide.
16 & 32 LIQUOR MODELS | POURS COCKTAILS & WINE
SIMULTANEOUS POURING DELIVERS COCKTAILS IN UNDER 5 SECONDS
NO OVER-POURS | REDUCES LABOR COSTS | POS SYSTEM COMPATIBLE
CONNECTS TO PUMP ROOMS, MIXER BAYS & BAG-IN-BOX SYSTEMS
www.smartbarusa.com
Call: 1-866-399-7160
US & FOREIGN PATENTS

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
Sony Digital Cinema
Booth: Pompeian 1-2
pro.sony
SRX-R815P
Sony’s SRX-R815P is an HDR-ready, 4K laser
projection solution for digital cinema applications.
This high-performance projection system ensures
an impressively immersive visual entertainment
experience in 2-D or 3-D for movie audiences. It boasts
a contrast ratio of 10,000:1 and offers operational
efficiency, along with increased immersion for vibrant
imagery that matches the filmmaker’s original intent.
Top theater chains across the globe have standardized
on these 4K laser models.
SRX-815DS
The SRX-815DS HDR-ready, 4K laser projection
system has the same industry-leading contrast
ratio for stunning presentation of standard cinema
content on large screens as well as high dynamic
range (HDR) on suitably sized screens. It provides
outstanding crispness from a combination of
Sony’s Silicon X-tal Reflective Display (SXRD) panel
technology and 4K optics. Its long-life light source
introduces operational efficiency by eliminating the
need for lamp replacement.
StepGuard by Light Tape
Booth: 2720A
lighttape.com
StepGuard
Light Tape StepGuard systems are built for safety but
designed for elegance. StepGuard’s bespoke step and
aisle illumination systems are supplied as a plug-andplay
package that can be installed with ease. Step-
Guard systems provide even light with no on-screen
glare or bulbs to break. The StepGuard system was
developed for Light Tape after years of field testing.
The manufacturer makes not only the profile but
also the light source, resulting in a complete lighting
solution. Light Tape is completely dimmable via 0-10
dimming or DMX-compatible Smart Driver power
supplies. It provides even illumination from end to
end. Light Tape provides step and aisle illumination
with multiple anti-slip profiles and light angles available
to suit specific location needs.
Storming Images
Booth: 1019J
stormingimages.com
Storming Images is a leading digital content delivery
provider serving the needs of cinema owners. Its
Media Director platform is proprietary technology,
presenting a one-stop digital delivery system for
preshow, movie trailer, film, and event distribution.
Cinema owners no longer need to scramble last
minute to get a preshow, trailer, or event to their
theaters. Simplify the management of content with
one easy-to-use system that provides delivery verification
and proof-of-play.
124 April 2020

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
Strong Cinema
Booth: 2403A
strongmdi.com
Northview Horizon
Strong/MDI has released a white-gain coating
technology designed to enhance 2-D displays using
high-output projectors. Exhibitors who choose to
upgrade to a higher-gain Northview Horizon surface
obtain a superior picture with reduced projector
output. The formulation, developed by Strong/MDI’s
R&D chemists, provides a uniquely smooth white
surface—hence its property of diffusing light more
uniformly. Northview Horizon’s optical qualities
include increased image depth as well as sharpness.
When combined with Strong/MDI’s new HP micro
perforation, the surface reduces the probability of
moiré interference in laser projection systems. Northview
Horizon’s improved coating technology is highly
durable and resistant, ensuring hassle-free installation
and years of high-quality image reproduction.
T
Telescopic Seating Systems
Booth: 2407A
telescopicseatingsystems.com
Telescopic S1 Table System
Telescopic Seating Systems’ (TSS) new S1 table system
easily integrates with existing recliners or rockers
or is a perfect fit with a new seat installation. The
product works in existing recliner footprint and has a
dedicated full table for every patron. It also features
a custom table eating position and moves for easy
egress, unmatched strength, design and performance,
dedicated lighting for meal service, and a bag hook.
A service-call indicator and call-button system integration
allow easy communication between servers
and patrons. It features complete wire management
without needing additional outlets when integrated
with TSS products.
Tidel
Booth: 2618A
tidel.com
Tidel TR304 Cash Recycler
The Tidel TR304 cash recycler offers integrated
note and coin recycling for high cash volume retail
establishments that can scale as a retailer’s cash
operations grow. It provides the highest-capacity coin
recycling in the industry today. Each coin hopper is
able to hold in excess of a full Fed bag of coin, which
can have a substantial impact on store efficiencies
and costs. Capable of processing up to 10 notes per
second and 3,000 coins per minute, the TR304 also
provides the highest level of speed and scale for
today’s cash-heavy environments. It additionally
comes with an integrated recycler vault to facilitate
manual currency drops.
126 April 2020

PREMIUM
PROJECTION
SCREENS
FOR 2D & 3D APPLICATIONS
Reflecting every detail with
clarity and precision
PREMIUM HGA SILVER SCREENS
NORTHVIEW HORIZON WHITE GAIN SCREENS
FOLDABLE 3D SCREENS
CINEMACON BOOTH 2403A
www.strongmdi.com | 1 877 755-3795 | info@strongmdi.com

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
TK Architects International
Booth: 325J
tkarch.com
For nearly 40 years, TK Architects International
has been meeting each client’s specific needs in a
creative, unique, and cost-effective manner. They
focus on entertainment design, emphasizing the
continual evolution of the business, which has
recently included design and construction of several
facilities incorporating expanded entertainment
options. One example is FatCats Entertainment’s new
facility in Mesa, Arizona, designed to optimize their
“All Out Fun” brand. FatCats Mesa features movies,
bowling, an arcade, and more. The facility has eight
luxury theaters, all with recliner seating (one with a
fully immersive Dolby Atmos sound system), 20 lanes
of recreational cosmic bowling, a Space Age–themed
mini glow-in-the-dark golf course, three virtual
reality experience booths, a large modern arcade with
a redemption prize room, two party and business
rooms, a large full-service bar, and scratch kitchen
serving the entire facility.
U
United Food Group Inc.
Booth: 1032J
unitedfoodgroup.net
No-Cost Blendtec Stealth 885 Blender
Komoniwana Frozen Beverages wants to simplify
how products are prepared in movie theaters. The
No-Cost Blendtec Stealth 885 blender is the top-rated
U.S. commercial blender. Very quiet, it can make three
16-ounce drinks at a time.
Komoniwana Program
The Komoniwana Program allows you to compete in
the growing upscale coffee shop and blended-beverage
market. You can choose from a menu of shakes,
smoothies, frappes, and granitas.
Perfect Servings Condiment Dispenser
Perfect Servings Condiment Dispenser is at no cost
to you. The dispenser has a simple one-push-button
operation and allows you to choose five selections
of creamers, sugars, and sweeteners, which are
independently programmed for portion control. With
portion-controlled settings, the dispenser eliminates
pilferage and reduces waste on a daily basis. It also
speeds up beverage preparation and reduces time
to keep the coffee bar area neat and tidy. No maintenance
is required; free equipment replacement.
128 April 2020

ORDER
NOW

CINEMACON NEW PRODUCTS
Uniters Cinema
Booth: 629J
unitersna.com
Uniters Cinema is your cinema seating protection
services partner, providing specialized furniture
seating services and care products. With 30-plus years
of experience in furniture services, repair, care, and
maintenance products, Uniters Cinema does business
in 120-plus countries. By partnering with a Uniters
Cinema service agreement and care product, their
customers can count on consistent seating function
and service; on-site stain treatment, malfunction
service, repair, and replacement with a qualified
national furniture-service technician; and access to
an award-winning line of furniture-care products.
Seating-care products include stain removal, cleaner,
deodorizer, disinfectant, barrier protection, and smell
and ink-removal products for all commercial and
hospitality seating covers.
Usit Seating
Booth: 2424A
usitseating.com
Usit Seating offers recliners and cinema VIP seating,
with new functions researched and developed
exclusively for upgrading theaters and cinemas. New
functions have been developed for different kinds of
floors including sloped and narrow steps, or dine-in
theaters with integrated call-service systems. Wireless
control of seats allows for easy cleaning.
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The annual Rocky Mountain Theatre Convention
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WHITEFISH, MONTANA
PRESENTING PARTNERS
130 April 2020

V
Venue Valet CallConnect
Booth: 1011J
venue-valet.com
CallConnect VIP Mobile Application
Venue Valet CallConnect, an industry leader providing
call buttons, management reporting, digital
signage, and software solutions to cinemas, introduces
the CallConnect VIP Mobile Application for
iOS and Android. Venue Valet will work directly with
theaters to customize the mobile application that’s
right for them. A cornerstone of a theater’s loyalty
program, the mobile application will personalize the
mobile experience of each guest to tailor it to their
uniqueness. It provides an optimized mobile ticket
purchase experience and optionally, the ability to
preorder food and beverages before arriving at the
cinema. The CallConnect VIP Mobile Application is
part of a suite of products that Venue Valet uses to
help cinema operators increase guest satisfaction,
improve operational efficiency, and maximize revenue
opportunities.
VIP Cinema Seating
Booth: 901J
vipcinemaseating.com
High-Density Seating Solution
The new high-density seating solution from VIP
Cinema Seating is designed to radically enhance the
theater experience. VIP Cinema Seating says the chair
has already been nicknamed “Wow” based on the
early reactions from theater owners and customers
during the research phase. The company will unveil
the final product name when it is officially launched
at CinemaCon. Designed to provide an enhanced
experience while allowing you to maintain a similar
density per screen, this new chair features an innovative,
proprietary VIP ConformaGel comfort seat. It
also offers patent-pending smooth VIP IntelliGlide
movement, a sleek pedestal for easy cleaning, modular
privacy options for an undisturbed experience,
and a luxury quilted back design as seen in today’s
premium cars. The chair is completely modular for
easy parts replacement, will fit on most current risers
so no additional construction costs are incurred, and
can be installed in at least 50 percent less time than a
typical recliner.
Z
ZIMM
Booth: 1005J
zimmtheater.com
Stealth VIP and 399 VIP
Headquartered in Thailand, Zimm Theater is a
manufacturer of premium-quality VIP theater seats.
It provides customized function and design for each
theater’s particular needs and is now introducing two
new models to its Professional VIP series: the Stealth
VIP and 399 VIP.
April 2020
131

CINEMACON TRIUMPH AWARD
ASIA PACIFIC
ADVOCATE
MPA’s Mike Ellis Looks Back
on a Triumphant Career
BY KEVIN LALLY
CinemaCon’s annual Triumph Award
is given to a distinguished industry
executive who has recently announced his
or her retirement, and few have had the
impact of Mike Ellis. On February 7, Ellis
left his longtime post as president and
managing director of the Motion Picture
Association (MPA), based in the Asia Pacific
region. Overseeing operations, policy,
and personnel in 14 territories, he established
strategic partnerships and alliances
to promote and protect the interests of the
Asia Pacific creative screen community,
strengthen intellectual property rights in
the region, and help the MPA’s represented
studios gain market access.
A lawyer qualified in Hong Kong,
England, and Wales, Ellis joined the MPA
in 1999 from the litigation department
of Herbert Smith Freehills. Earlier, he
served in the British Police and the Royal
Hong Kong Police, including six years
with the Commercial Crime Bureau
focusing on transnational fraud and
Image courtesy Motion Picture Association
extradition requests. He rose to the rank
of superintendent and became aide-decamp
to the last governor of Hong Kong,
Christopher Patten.
Ellis will receive his award during
CinemaCon’s International Day breakfast
on Monday, March 30.
What are some of your proudest
accomplishments at the MPA?
Top of the list, in 2001 China joined
the WTO, opening up opportunities for
engagement with the Chinese film market.
The subsequent MOU [memorandum of
understanding] in 2012, which allowed for
at least 34 revenue-share films and a 25
percent share of total box office revenue
for our member studios, was a good day in
the office.
In 2010, the Motion Picture Association
formed a partnership with the Asia
Pacific Screen Awards (APSA) to provide
script-development funding for projects
across the Asia Pacific. Over the last
decade, the MPA APSA Academy Film
Fund has resulted in a diverse range of
award-winning films, such as A Separation,
Burning, Ayka, No Burqas Behind Bars,
Memories on Stone, The Wild Pear Tree,
Memories of My Body, Wajib, The River,
A Dark, Dark Man, and the recently
completed No Land’s Man. Two new Korean
films are currently being developed
through the Film Fund, and Korean films
have always been well represented at the
Awards—we were delighted when Parasite
won best film at the 2019 APSA.
In 2012, the MPA formed the first global
partnership with Tropfest—the world’s
largest short-film festival, recognizing and
supporting young talent at the outset of
their careers. The Festival has provided
a terrific launchpad for filmmakers in
Australia, New Zealand, New York, Las
Vegas, United Arab Emirates, Bangkok,
and Penang.
As the MPA deepened engagement
with screen communities across the
Asia Pacific, we developed the MPA film
workshop program that provides knowledge
exchange and upskilling for emerging
filmmakers, hosting film-industry
experts to give master classes on a wide
range of topics, and holding feature-film
pitch competitions. Over the years we
have witnessed a remarkable evolution
in the abilities of young filmmakers to
communicate their stories for the screen
to an audience.
132 April 2020

The MPA was successful in working
closely with local partners to form creative
coalitions linked by a common aim to grow
film industries, reduce piracy, and address
market barriers.
Finally, it was important to support new
platforms like Creative Content Australia,
an organization dedicated to growing
awareness about copyright and educating
young people about respect for the creative
process. These initiatives are committed
to a long-term vision to improve and
support the entire copyright community
and improve the overall environment for
creative endeavor.
Which territories were the biggest
challenges, and why?
China has been and is likely to continue
to be the biggest challenge, firstly because
there is a lot to be gained and a lot to lose.
Secondly, the film and television industry
is administered under the propaganda
department, which presents a number
of challenges. Thirdly, progress is only
achievable through close and effective
relationships, which in turn require a great
deal of time, effort, and goodwill. It is
those important relationships that underpin
the continued success of the American
industry in China.
Which territories have come the
farthest in terms of fighting movie
theft?
Ten years ago, Australia faced rampant
piracy and an environment where big
tech profited significantly from the
unauthorized sharing and accessing of
creative content. A combination of strong
copyright legislation—including the establishment
of site-blocking laws—high-profile
educational programs and campaigns,
and industry leadership in addressing the
piracy problem has greatly improved the
circumstances for content creators to be
rightly compensated for their work.
Tell me about the evolution of your
relationship with China.
I first visited China as an MPA executive in
1999, when hard-goods piracy was a major
problem. Illegal DVDs were blatantly on
show on every street corner. In 2004, we
began to engage with the Chinese government
on advocacy matters.
In 2006, the MPA hosted with the film
bureau SAFRT—the government administrator
of the film industry at the time—the
“The U.S.–China film industry
relationship, I believe, is able
to withstand many rough seas.
The depth of goodwill is strong
enough to survive setbacks.”
first China film workshop, with a focus
on knowledge exchange between the U.S.
and China. Xue Xiaolu, now one of China’s
most prominent directors (Finding Mr.
Right, Ocean Heaven, The Whistleblower)
attended the workshop as a student.
In 2012, an MOU allowing for an additional
14 films above the existing 20 revenue-share
titles was negotiated between
then Vice Presidents Biden and Xi.
Over the years, I’ve been a regular
visitor to China, enjoying great relationships
with both government and industry
representatives. I’ve been fortunate to
witness the turbo-charged evolution and
growth of the industry, highlighted by the
startling figure of more than 25 cinema
screens opening every day, year after year,
and exponential box office growth.
My memories will be of the strong
and lasting partnerships, coalitions, and
lifelong friendships I’ve made in my time
in China. The U.S.–China film industry
relationship, I believe, is able to withstand
many rough seas. The depth of goodwill is
strong enough to survive setbacks.
What are the most pressing issues
facing today’s MPA?
The MPA is constantly working to
ensure countries adopt strong copyright
regimens. There’s an urgent need to resist
big tech’s ambition to loosen copyright
for their own ends. In the Asia Pacific, it
would be a landmark in copyright protection
to see global best-practice site-blocking
legislation enacted in Japan. For the
long-term growth and sustainability of
Asia Pacific film markets, it’s important
that they are able to compete effectively
for a massive global production spend by
maintaining or introducing attractive incentives.
In this period of inward-looking
nationalism and protectionism, the MPA
should continue to argue for the benefits
of open markets and reduced barriers to
entry for the screen sector. Finally, we
should ensure that platforms are accountable
and play their part to reduce piracy
and implement policy solutions to protect
creative content.
How important is local production to
the MPA?
A healthy, sustainable local industry is important
for the overall health of any screen
sector. Many of our members are actively
involved in producing local content for
local audiences with great success.
April 2020
133

CINEMACON TRIUMPH AWARD
How optimistic are you about the
future of cinemas and moviegoing?
The numbers tell a good story. In 2018,
the MPA’s THEME Report indicated
that the global box office was not only
resilient but powering upwards in many
parts of the world, totaling $41.1 billion,
with seven markets outside the U.S. and
Canada seeing more than $1 billion
in domestic box office sales. The Asia
Pacific region was the number one box
office region in the world, rising in 2018
to $16.8 billion, representing 40.6 percent
of the global box office. Nine out of the
top 20 international markets are to be
found in the Asia Pacific. The big picture
is that millions of young people in Asia
are going to the movies for the first time,
embracing the experience and getting
hooked. The evidence gives me confidence
that the moviegoing experience is
alive and flourishing.
What are some of your most
memorable moviegoing experiences?
It’s always hard to pin down the ultimate
moviegoing experience, but for me I
always recall my childhood, watching
a movie for the first time in 1966 with
my older brother. The film was Lt. Robin
Crusoe starring Dick Van Dyke and
Nancy Kwan, one of the most well-known
Asian actresses in her generation. Later in
life I went to a premiere of a documentary
about Nancy Kwan, To Whom It May
Concern, where I was lucky enough to
meet her and reflect together on a lifetime
of watching movies.
What are your impressions of your
successor, Belinda Lui?
Belinda and I have been working colleagues
and friends for many years. We
worked together to improve I.P. policy
and address rampant piracy that was
destroying the industry in Hong Kong.
At the time, Belinda was representing
Microsoft and BSA, and her strategic
vision and collegiality helped secure
success for us all. In later years, as a key
member of the MPA, her support and
guidance was incredibly helpful to allow
the team to achieve all that we have over
many years. Belinda will be an incredible
leader in support of the industry in the
challenges ahead.
What will you miss the most about
your job?
I always tend to look forward, lock in the
lessons learned, the good memories from
a job well done, and feed off the many and
deep friendships for the next chapter.
What’s next for you?
There is always a “next”! Professionally, I
will return to law and join a Hong Kong law
firm as a partner and continue to advise
the MPA and other key industry clients
on managing the complex issues of doing
business across the Asia Pacific region.
Personally, I will refocus on the goals
of racing Ironman triathlons and cycle
road races with a view to compete in the
world championships later this year. And,
interestingly, I’m now considering some
opportunities to act in local films—now
that would be some “next”!
134 April 2020

CINEMACON PASSEPARTOUT AWARD
At the start of your career, you were
well on your way to practicing law for
a living. How did you come to work in
distribution?
I’ve always enjoyed the law and found it to
be an amazing education. However, I grew
up around the entertainment industry and
always found exhibition and distribution
interesting and exciting. When I learned
that Disney was setting up the first international
distribution company in many years,
the opportunity sounded too good to pass
up, and I am so glad I followed my instinct
and took a chance on something new.
GLOBAL
AMBASSADOR
Disney’s Jeffrey Forman Earns
2020 Passepartout Honor
BY DANIEL LORIA
Jeffrey Forman’s career could have
turned out a lot differently. The
veteran distribution executive was on the
fast track to a legal career, having already
secured an MBA from the University of
Southern California before earning his
Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law
School. Forman spent the first two years
of his professional life practicing business
and real estate law as an attorney in Los
Angeles. When an opportunity to join
Disney’s growing international distribution
team opened up, Forman left his legal
career behind to join the entertainment
industry—and never looked back. Now
celebrating his 29th year in the industry—all
with Disney—the SVP of international
theatrical distribution is this year’s
recipient of CinemaCon’s Passepartout
Award, presented annually to an industry
executive who demonstrates dedication
and commitment to the international
marketplace.
Image courtesy Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
What are some of the lessons you
learned that still hold true today?
There are a few things I learned early on
that have helped guide me throughout my
career. First, don’t pretend to be more than
what you are. Be real and genuine and
tell the truth; people are smart and can
sense dishonesty. You may get away with
it a few times, but it eventually catches
up with you. This ties in with the second
thing I still hold true, which is treating
people with the same respect that you
hope they would afford to you. No matter
the situation or the person, treat everyone
with dignity and take the high road. It is
always the path best traveled.
I’ve also found it incredibly helpful to
always be sensitive to culture. We live in
a big world, and what makes the world
so fascinating is seeing how people and
cultures are different, appreciating those
unique and amazing qualities, and then
trying to find the best business approach
and outcome to connect with people.
Are there any industry executives you
consider mentors?
I have had the good fortune of working
with some amazing people and leaders. A
few that really stand out for me are Kevin
Hyson, who was my first real boss in the
industry, and Mark Zoradi, one of the best
leaders I had the opportunity to work with
and learn from. And I currently work with
Cathleen Taff, who is an amazing leader.
She has opened my eyes and mind to a
whole new way of managing and working
within a complex organization.
You’ve been at Disney for nearly three
decades now. What have been some
of the highlights or milestones during
your tenure? What have been the
biggest changes in the industry since
you began?
One of the highlights for me was building
Disney’s Asia distribution organization, a
real milestone for us. During my time here,
I’ve also had the incredible opportunity to
support the integrations of Pixar, Marvel,
Lucasfilm, and 20th Century Studios and
the amazing content these studios create.
There have been a number of big
changes in the industry since I started,
136 April 2020

“In this day and age, you need
to make a really compelling,
fresh, and interesting film
where people can care about
the characters and relate
and connect with the story.
Anything else just doesn’t cut
it anymore.”
but the first that comes to mind is the
switch from 35-millimeter film to digital.
It not only improved the viewing quality
and experience for the consumer but also
made it much easier to get the film out to
the theaters.
Another area is marketing—the power
of digital and social media has enabled
us to market more efficiently, but it has
also changed the nature of word of mouth.
We really have a lot more marketing tools
and levers now, and that means we can
constantly be adjusting and improving
our strategy.
And then there’s the evolution of
formats and theaters. The sheer variety
of options the customer has to see a
film—from Gold Class to dine-in theaters,
from Imax and Dolby Cinema, from 4-D
to ScreenX—has raised the bar for the
moviegoing experience.
Which releases stand out as
highlights in your career?
There have been so many amazing films I
have had the honor and privilege to work
on, it is hard to pick just one. Releasing
The Lion King in China, our first release in
this market, was very rewarding. Releasing
Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The last
Star Wars film had released 10 years
earlier, and there was so much pent-up
demand and excitement around the film.
It was a real amazing moment. The other
film that had a similar amount of fan
enthusiasm and intensity was Avengers:
Endgame. It was the conclusion of a
cumulative story over 21 prior films, and
the intensity and excitement around the
film was something I will never forget.
Both Star Wars: The Force Awakens and
Avengers: Endgame really connected with
a global audience, becoming the No. 4 film
and No. 1 film of all time respectively.
Disney is coming off a major year
in its history. You made it look easy,
but nothing is ever that simple in
distribution. What have been some
of the keys to the studio’s global
success?
There are a number of key elements that
have helped shape this past year and
enabled us to achieve the kind of box
office results we had. First of all, quality
always wins out. In this day and age, you
need to make a really compelling, fresh,
and interesting film where people can
care about the characters and relate and
connect with the story. Anything else just
doesn’t cut it anymore. And we also focus
on making films that you need to see and
experience on the big screen. We have this
great content coming from our collection
of recognized and appreciated brands,
which are among the most respected in
the world, and we have been consistent
and deliberate in our approach to building
brand loyalty and trust with the consumers,
which makes a difference when we go
to launch a film. We keep our consumers
top of mind, not only in terms of the
quality of the film but also marketing it in
an attention-grabbing and relatable way
and making sure they can experience it at
the best cinemas.
And then we obviously couldn’t do
this without great teams and great people.
Films come and go, but it is really our
people—their passion, dedication, and
effort—that make the difference. It’s the
ultimate team sport, and we only can
succeed when we are all working together.
The last piece of the puzzle is our partners,
who join us on this journey and work
closely with us to maximize each film to
its fullest potential.
We all know about China’s impact
on the global market. Do you see
other emerging markets that could
be important players in the coming
years?
Indonesia is a fast-developing market
with the fourth-largest population in the
world, a growing economy, and some
great theaters with hopefully more on the
way. Both Vietnam and Central Eastern
Europe show potential for continued
growth, along with the Middle East—including
Saudi Arabia—which holds
promise for sustainable growth as well.
India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh all have
huge populations with opportunity for
sustained growth, and they already have
strong film-going cultures.
Do you have a favorite moviegoing
moment you’d like to share?
For me, it has to be watching Pearl Harbor
right in Pearl Harbor for the U.S. premiere,
and then attending the Japanese
premiere for 25,000 people at the Tokyo
Dome. It was truly a moment in time I will
always remember.
April 2020
137

CINEMACON CIBOA AWARD
COMSCORE
INTERNATIONAL
BOX OFFICE
ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
THE WALT DISNEY
STUDIOS
BY CHRIS EGGERTSEN
The Walt Disney Studios grossed
a combined $13.15 billion globally
across its Disney and 20th Century Studios
releases in 2019, a number that includes
$4.33 billion in North America and $8.82
billion overseas.
Among Disney titles alone, the studio
topped the $11 billion mark ($11.12B)
worldwide for the first time in industry
history, far surpassing the previous record
of $7.6 billion set by the studio in 2016.
(This is the third time Disney has crossed
$7 billion globally.) In fact, Disney’s
non–20th Century Studios releases in
2019—which include the Marvel Cinematic
Universe, the Star Wars franchise,
and Pixar—nearly matched the studio’s
previous global record in international
grosses alone, bringing in a total of $7.35
billion for the year. The previous international
record, set by Disney in 2016, was
$4.6 billion.
A record six Disney movies released in
2019 crossed $1 billion globally during the
calendar year: Captain Marvel ($1.13B),
Avengers: Endgame ($2.79B), Aladdin
($1.05B), Toy Story 4 ($1.07B), The Lion King
($1.66B), and Frozen II ($1.26B, with the
film still in theaters as of the end of the
year). Meanwhile, Star Wars: The Rise of
Skywalker earned $815.7 million in the last
15 days of the year; in the months since, it’s
become the seventh Disney title released
in 2019 to cross the billion-dollar mark.
All on its own, Marvel Studios enjoyed
three of the five highest-grossing titles
worldwide in 2019 with Avengers: Endgame,
Spider-Man: Far From Home ($1.13B,
Daisy Ridley in Star Wars:
The Rise of Skywalker
DISNEY’S BIGGEST
HITS OF 2019*
Avengers: Endgame The Lion King Frozen II
*All numbers and rankings
represent box office figures
as of the end of 2019
$858.4M
$2.79B
global
$1.94B
$543.6M
$1.66B
global
$1.11B
$435.2M
$1.26B
global
$825.3M
Domestic
International
Highest-grossing film of
all time globally
Second highest-grossing
film of the year globally
and domestically
Second highest-grossing
animated film of all time
globally
138 April 2020

Image courtesy Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
released by Sony), and Captain Marvel.
Disney also released seven of the nine
top-grossing films of the year globally.
Disney’s global yearly grosses in 2019
also included Maleficent: Mistress of Evil
($490.7M global) and Dumbo ($353.2M
global), and 2018 releases Ralph Breaks
the Internet ($175.5M in 2019) and Mary
Poppins Returns ($164.8M in 2019). The
studio also nabbed $136.5 million from the
international release of Glass (released by
Universal domestically).
Other industry records posted by
Disney in 2019 include the highest-ever
yearly box office in Europe, the Middle
East, and Africa (EMEA) with $2.75 billion;
the highest-ever yearly box office in Latin
America with over $1.09 billion; and the
highest-grossing title ever in the Asia
Pacific region with Avengers: Endgame.
Disney saw worldwide grosses of $2.03
billion combined between 20th Century
Studios and Searchlight Pictures releases
in 2019 ($563.5M domestically, $1.47B
internationally). Globally, the top 20th
Century Studios releases of the year were
Alita: Battle Angel ($404.9M), Dark Phoenix
($253.1M), Ford v Ferrari ($202.6M), and
Ad Astra ($127.6M). The studio also took
in $148.5 million from the international
release of Terminator: Dark Fate (released
by Paramount domestically), $59.2 million
from the animated comedy Spies in Disguise
(released Dec. 25), and $197.2 million from
Bohemian Rhapsody, which earned north of
$900 million globally beginning in 2018.
The studio notes that while it maintained
separate tallies for Disney and
20th Century/Fox grosses in 2019 (given
that Disney’s acquisition of Fox occurred
partway through the year), grosses for the
two studios will be combined in 2020.
Captain Marvel Toy Story 4 Aladdin Star Wars: The Rise of
Skywalker
$426.8M
$1.13B
global
$702.9M
$434M
$1.07B
global
$640.1M
$355.6M
$1.05B
global
$695.4M
.8M
$407
$815.7M
global
$407.9M
Fifth highest-grossing film
of the year globally
Sixth highest-grossing
film of the year globally
Eighth highest-grossing
film of the year globally
Ninth highest-grossing
film of the year globally
April 2020
139

Congratulations
Bill LeClair
Recipient of the 2020
NAC Bert Nathan Award
140 April 2020

CINEMACON NAC BERT NATHAN AWARD
F&B VIP
National Amusements’ Bill
LeClair Earns an NAC Salute
BY KEVIN LALLY
Image courtesy National Amusements
Bill LeClair, senior vice president of
global food and beverage at National
Amusements Inc., was honored this past
October with ShowEast’s highest accolade,
the Dan Fellman Show “E” Award, along
with his N.A. colleagues Mark Walukevich
and Duncan Short. And the honors keep
rolling in: At CinemaCon, LeClair will
accept the National Association of Concessionaires’
2020 Bert Nathan Memorial
Award, which recognizes leadership
and significant accomplishments in the
theater concessions industry.
A 40-year veteran of National
Amusements’ Showcase Cinemas, LeClair
started there as an usher in 1977, working
his way up to assistant manager. He left
the circuit for three years to work as a
union projectionist, then returned in
1983 as a manager based in the Boston
area. In 1989, LeClair was promoted to
director of the operations department,
overseeing more than 100 locations. In
1997, he joined the food and beverage
team and helped introduce in-seat dining
and alcohol service at Showcase Cinemas.
He also helped Brazil’s UCI Cinemas
expand its food menu when that circuit
was acquired in 2005. Today, he oversees
food and beverage operations for more
than 915 screens in four countries. He is
also on the executive board of NAC and is
a longtime member of Theatre Owners of
New England.
LeClair views expanded F&B as the
biggest change he’s seen in the last few
years. As he told Boxoffice Pro last
fall, “When I first started in the cinemas,
we sold popcorn, soda, and candy.
Nowadays we have full kitchens in some
locations, where we sell burgers and fries,
steak tips, and lobster. We have full lobby
bars in most locations. Some theaters
have restaurants in them, others have
coffee shops.”
The veteran executive is proud of the
National Amusements team, “who make
my job so much fun every day.”
What are the biggest challenges of
today’s F&B service in cinemas?
I think the biggest challenge is just to keep
it simple. Operators that add full kitchens
and new facilities have a tendency to add
all kinds of menu items simply because
they can. I have found that keeping the
menu smaller while focusing on items that
are trending popular is the way to go. At
the end of the day, whatever you offer on
the menu needs to sell. The key is to use
quality ingredients and create dishes that
look and taste delicious.
What food offerings have really taken
off in recent years?
Offering adult beverages in cinemas over
the past few years has really taken off and
will continue to grow.
What do exhibitors who are thinking
of adding alcohol service need to
know?
The path to success here is knowing the
rules and regulations of each municipality
you are considering for liquor service
before you pursue the license. Each state,
each county, and often each city or town
has a unique set of rules that you’ll need to
follow. Being prepared is key.
What’s the biggest issue you deal
with in your role on NAC’s executive
committee?
NAC deals with a variety of issues. In
recent years, government relations has
really emerged as one of the biggest
areas of focus. Knowing about all of the
proposed changes taking place in each of
the states, cities, and towns is challenging.
From regulations around plastic straws to
rules around trash recycling and composting
to menu labeling and calorie posting,
we are continuously looking at the impact
to our business and finding solutions to
overcome the challenges. Each year, NAC
also puts together a very informative
Concessions and Hospitality Expo, where
buyers and sellers come together to craft
their vision for the future of the industry.
What does this NAC honor mean to
you?
Receiving the Bert Nathan Award is truly
an honor to me. To be recognized by my
peers from within the concession industry
means so much to me. I look at the list of
previous recipients and what they have
done for the industry and it astonishes me
to even think of my name on the same list.
I am truly grateful.
Finally, what are your favorite snacks
when you watch a movie?
For me, a large popcorn and Diet Coke are
a must.
April 2020
141

Congratulations
To The CinemaCon
2020 Award
Winners!
NATO Marquee Award: Adam Aron, AMC Theatres
Global Achievement in Exhibition: Renana Teperberg, Cineworld
Passepartout Award: Jeffrey Forman, Disney
NAC Bert Nathan Award: Bill LeClair, National Amusements
Comscore International Box Office Achievement Award: The Walt Disney Studios
Triumph Award: Mike Ellis, Motion Picture Association
Excellence in Event Cinema Award: BTS World Tour Love Yourself in Seoul - Pathé Live.
BOOST ticketing, Apps & Marketing from the
team that already manages your showtimes.
company.boxoffice.com
info@boxoffice.com

CINEMACON EXCELLENCE IN EVENT CINEMA
GIANTS OF
K-POP
Pathé Live Sets a New Standard
for a Global Event-Cinema
Release with BTS World Tour
Love Yourself in Seoul
BY DANIEL LORIA
INTERVIEW WITH THIERRY FONTAINE,
Chief Executive Officer, Pathé Live
Pathé Live’s record-setting global release
of the Korean boy band concert
film BTS World Tour Love Yourself in Seoul
in January 2019 turned into the largest
worldwide single-day event-cinema
release at the time, reaching 4,162 cinemas
in 105 countries. The scale of its release
was big enough to bring in $11.7 million
from 1.2 million admissions worldwide. It
fared particularly well in the United States,
where it earned over $2.8 million from
1,002 locations and claimed an impressive
per-screen average of $2,869 in its original
one-day run. BTS encore events for BTS
World Tour Love Yourself in Seoul helped
the film finish its theatrical run with a
global box office haul of $14.8 million. The
event is being honored at CinemaCon
2020 with the Excellence in Event Cinema
Award. Boxoffice Pro spoke with Pathé
Live CEO Thierry Fontaine about the film’s
record-setting release.
How did you first hear about BTS? Did
anyone at Pathé Live need convincing
that this would be a global hit?
My niece introduced me to BTS in 2016;
I had no clue who they were back then. I
started listening to them and watching
them perform. I was blown away. In May
2018 we started talking to Big Hit Entertainment
and went to see them perform
at the Staples Center in L.A. The team at
Big Hit saw right away the opportunity
in extending the concert experience to
cinemas: reaching out to fans who wanted
to relive their experience of the tour, those
who weren’t able to get a ticket, and those
who couldn’t make it because the band
didn’t play anywhere near them.
How did you go about promoting and
marketing this event globally? What
were some of the challenges? Is this
the biggest-scale event the company
has been involved in when it comes to
event cinema?
This is indeed the biggest-scale event we
have been involved with. Fortunately, BTS
has such a great connection with their fans
worldwide and benefit from a tremendous
following on social media, and thus
these platforms were at the center of our
marketing strategy. We wanted this to be
a weekend-only event. We wanted fans
to enjoy their favorite band all together
in packed auditoriums. We could not
have achieved this success without the
involvement and full support of our local
distribution partners and all the exhibitors
around the world.
This event also held encore
screenings in the panoramic screen
technology ScreenX in 15 territories,
the first of its kind. Do you believe
there is big potential in incorporating
new technologies in event cinema?
Indeed, these formats offer great potential
for event cinema by enhancing the theatrical
experience in terms of quality and
immersion. It also definitely helps differentiate
it from the experience of watching
content alone at home and creates an
additional incentive to make people come
out to their local theater.
What are Pathé Live’s plans and
ambitions in the event-cinema sector
for 2020 and beyond?
Our plans for now include the current and
upcoming season of our Bolshoi Ballet and
French National Theatre series, while we
are talking to some international artists
for potential future one-off events. For
the first time, we are also producing and
distributing the filmed exhibition A Night
at the Louvre: Leonardo da Vinci, to be released
worldwide this coming September.
This is the first time the Louvre has accepted
someone to film an exhibition. It’s been
visited by more than 1 million people. It
won’t just be another art documentary, but
rather a real private guided tour at the first
museum in the world around the biggest
artist of all time.
Courtesy Pathé Live
April 2020
143

To all of the
2020 CinemaCon
Award Recipients
Especially:
CinemaCon NATO Marquee Award:
Adam M. Aaron, AMC
Entertainment
CinemaCon NAC Bert Nathan Award:
Bill LeClair, Showcase
FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT
We Make The Brands You Love TM

CINEMACON GLOBAL ACHIEVEMENT IN EXHIBITION AWARD
GLOBAL ACHIEVEMENT
IN EXHIBITION AWARD
RENANA TEPERBERG
2019 was a big year for Cineworld, as
the U.K.-based chain—which acquired
the Regal Entertainment Group in
2018—announced its intention to acquire
Cineplex, Canada’s leading theater circuit.
Vital to Cineworld’s activity on the mergers
and acquisitions front is chief commercial
officer Renana Teperberg, who is this year
receiving CinemaCon’s Global Achievement
in Exhibition Award.
Appointed to Cineworld’s board of
directors in 2018, Teperberg has been a
part of the larger exhibition family since
1997, when she started as a cashier at
Cinema City International, which operated
theaters in Central and Eastern Europe in
addition to Israel. Teperberg subsequently
climbed the ranks, becoming a general
manager before moving to the head office,
where she was eventually named head
of programming and marketing. In 2014,
Cinema City International was purchased
by Cineworld; it only took a few years
for Teperberg to be named senior vice
president of commercial and, then, chief
commercial officer, a position she was
promoted to in 2016.
Since that time, Teperberg has proved
to be a key player, not just in Cineworld’s
acquisitions of Regal and its pending
acquisition of Cineplex but in Regal’s
adoption of CJ 4DPlex’s 4DX and ScreenX
immersive entertainment formats.
Renana Teperberg (Right) at
CinemaCon 2018. Photo by Daniel Loria
C:100 M:60 Y:0 K:0
April 2020
145

CINEMACON NATO MARQUEE AWARD
Image courtesy AMC Theatres
LEADING
THE WAY
Adam Aron Guides
AMC Theatres through a
Transformative Period as the
Company Enters Its Second
Century in Operation
BY DANIEL LORIA
INTERVIEW WITH ADAM ARON,
Chief Executive Officer and President,
AMC Theatres
Adam Aron came to the helm of
AMC Theatres, the largest exhibition
circuit in North America, in 2016, after
a career that included executive-level
tenures at some of the world’s most
prominent entertainment companies.
Aron’s leadership history includes stints
at top hospitality brands (Starwood Hotels
and Resorts, Norwegian Cruise Line, Vail
Resorts) and the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers.
Aron’s tenure as AMC’s chief executive
has coincided with the circuit’s ambitious
expansion, domestically and internationally,
overseeing a multinational network of
more than 1,000 cinemas. Boxoffice Pro
spoke with Aron ahead of CinemaCon 2020
in a conversation that covered the circuit’s
continued growth and latest innovations.
How would you sum up 2019 for AMC?
The box office in 2019, both domestically
and globally, was yet another strong sign
that movie theaters and the theatrical industry
continue to thrive. Globally, it was
another record-setting year. Domestically,
even as it’s being reported as a soft year,
it was still one of the largest box offices
in the history of moviegoing, and we
saw the unprecedented shattering of the
opening-weekend box office performance
with Avengers: Endgame. Last year, just in
North America, more than 1 billion movie
theater tickets were sold across all exhibitors
to watch movies in theaters. A billion.
What 2019 demonstrated is that there is
still a very healthy interest and preference
among consumers to watch their movies
in a movie theater.
A lot of AMC’s innovations these last
four years have been on the digital
front. From a new website and app to
Stubs and mobile food and beverage
ordering—what’s the role of digital in
AMC’s future?
What we’re seeing in the theatrical
industry is not too different from what
you’re seeing in all areas of retail. More
and more, people are doing their shopping
and buying online, and AMC has benefited
greatly from identifying that trend early
on and working diligently to capitalize
on it. Consider that in 2009, fewer than
5 percent of AMC’s ticket sales occurred
online. By the end of 2019, more than 50
percent of all ticket sales are occurring
online. That’s a remarkable rise over the
course of a decade, and a lot of that rise
is due to AMC making the online process
more accessible and convenient for our
guests. You can find showtimes online,
buy your ticket online, reserve your seat
online, and in a lot of areas buy your
snacks online so they’re waiting for you
when you arrive. The amount of growth
and innovation just in the last four or five
years, and the success we’ve seen as a
result of that, is a good indicator that we’ll
continue to have our focus on digital as we
move forward.
While on the topic of innovations,
which trends do you believe will be
most influential in the coming years?
Certainly first and foremost, the widespread
growth and acceptance of AMC
Stubs A-List is having a huge impact on
moviegoing in the United States, and we
anticipate that will continue. Less than
two years after launching the program,
we continue to have between 900,000
and 1 million paid members, and A-List
members currently represent between 15
and 20 percent of our total U.S. admissions.
So it hasn’t just met my expectations; it’s
continued to exceed expectations. A-List
is now one of our most vital and impactful
marketing programs. It contributed more
than $20 million of incremental operating
income to AMC in 2019, way ahead of our
earlier announced expectations and a full
year ahead of our expectations described
during the launch of the A-List program
April 2020
147

C:100 M:60 Y:0 K:0
148 April 2020

CINEMACON NATO MARQUEE AWARD
“The team at NATO and
CinemaCon, as well as our
volunteer exhibitor board
members, are thrilled that
2020’s Marquee Award will
be presented to Adam Aron,
on behalf of AMC. AMC is the
largest exhibitor in the world
as it celebrates its 100th
anniversary. We are grateful
for the dedication and
leadership Adam gives not
just to his top-notch team at
AMC, but also to the industry
at large.”
—John Fithian, National
Association of Theatre
Owners
back in 2018. We expect even more from
A-List in 2020. It’s increased loyalty to
AMC and it’s benefited our theaters, our
studios, and our premium-format partners.
Another big innovation we’ve seen
from AMC is in pricing. Yes, you offer
premium tickets at premium prices,
but you also have discount Tuesdays
for price-conscious consumers and
subscription for your regulars. What
have these price points done for the
circuit?
Pricing is an area we’ve given a great deal
of thought to in the last few years, and
we’ve put in several different strategic
pricing initiatives throughout our circuit.
For example, our discount Tuesday program
has turned Tuesday into one of the
busiest days of the week at AMC. And early
returns on our blockbuster pricing test,
which launched last summer in a handful
of major cities across the country and has
expanded from there, are doing very well,
and our experimenting with blockbuster
pricing will continue. I learned a long time
ago that talking about future pricing plans
is not only a bad idea, it’s illegal, but I can
say that given our success in the area of
strategic pricing, there’s certainly more we
can learn and try going forward.
In terms of expansion, would you
say AMC is currently more interested
in expanding its screen count—
domestically or internationally—or
expanding some of its concepts like
PLF, dine-in, and recliner seating to
more locations?
During the last decade, AMC has invested
billions both expanding our screen
count and invigorating the moviegoing
experience through highly popular and
successful theater renovations, all with
the goal of becoming the biggest and best
theatrical exhibitor in the world. We now
have a great deal of knowledge through
experience about what’s proving to be
successful for our guests, our studio partners,
and our investors, and we’ll continue
to focus on those areas of success. For
example, the types of returns we would see
after renovating in theaters in the United
States five or six years ago, we’re now
seeing in Europe. Our European theaters
are responding to renovation and to the
installation of recliner seating with growth
rates 3.5 times that of the industry growth
rate generally in Europe. Approximately
40 of our theaters in Europe have recliner
seating installed now, and approximately
60 of our theaters in Europe should have
recliner seating installed by year-end 2020.
AMC has grown considerably over the
past decade—and so has the rest of
the industry. We’ve recently seen big
expansions from Kinepolis, Cineworld,
Cinemex, and Marcus in the domestic
market. How will this wave of
consolidation influence your strategy
in the coming years?
AMC is by far the largest movie theater
circuit in the United States. While we are
mindful of what our competitors are up to,
continuing on our own path of innovation
is far more important to AMC, as the
clear market leader, than worrying about
smaller circuits. Our goal is to blaze new
trails and let others worry about us.
What do you believe are the biggest
challenges and opportunities facing
exhibition in the next decade?
I could not be more confident about AMC’s
future, and the future of the theatrical
industry. When you look at the history
of cinema, there’s always been the next
challenge to the industry. Whether it was
television, cable TV, VCRs, Blu-ray, video
on demand, or streaming, there have
always been those who will question the
viability of the industry. But even with
all of that discussion, the last five years
at the U.S. box office have produced the
five biggest box office totals in history.
And even when we’ve seen a soft year, as
we did in 2014 and 2017, we also saw the
following year come back to set a new box
office record. There will always be ebbs
and flows in the industry, but we believe
the future of the theatrical industry is as
strong as it’s ever been.
April 2020
149

FROM THE ARCHIVES | AMC
CELEBRATING ITS CENTENNIAL IN 2020, AMC ENTERS ITS SECOND CENTURY AS THE LARGEST
EXHIBITION CIRCUIT IN THE UNITED STATES. IN 2019, THE CIRCUIT CROSSED
THE 900,000-SUBSCRIBER MARK FOR ITS STUBS A-LIST LOYALTY PROGRAM,
WHICH INCLUDES A POPULAR SUBSCRIPTION PLAN FOR FREQUENT USERS.
BELOW, A COVER (AUGUST 1990) AND PAGES FROM BOXOFFICE PRO (1988-90),
INCLUDING AMC’S INCLUSION IN BOXOFFICE PRO’S
FIRST GIANTS OF EXHIBITION LISTING (1988).

Anniversary 152 | Tech 162 | Cinema Showcase 166
THEATER
Image courtesy CGR Cinemas
While the rise of online streaming is not necessarily a
direct threat to cinemas, it provides yet another rationale
for cinemas to stay on top of their game.
Premium-Large Format, p. 162
April 2020
151

THEATER ANNIVERSARY
CINEMA
CENTENNIAL
Boxoffice Pro Goes Behind
the Scenes with AMC as It
Enters Its Second Century
BY REBECCA PAHLE
152 April 2020

Image courtesy AMC Theatres
In the hundred years since what is
now known as AMC Theatres began
operation in Kansas City, Missouri, the
movie theater industry has changed quite
a bit. Over the decades, we’ve gotten
sound and color, concessions and comfy
seats, wide screens and curved screens
and screens that are just plain huge. But
one thing, according to AMC executive
Elizabeth Frank, has stayed consistent
throughout AMC’s entire triple-digit
history: A focus “on bringing movie lovers
in neighborhoods across the country
entertainment experiences that they love.
It begins and ends with the consumer.”
AMC enters its second century in the
position of being the market-share leader
in the U.S., in terms of both box office and
screen count. Its 2016 acquisition of
Odeon & UCI Cinemas put the chain in
Europe; the following year, it acquired
the Nordic Cinema Group, increasing its
European presence to a dozen-plus countries.
In 2018, AMC became the first chain
to open a movie theater in Saudi Arabia
following a decades-long ban on theaters
in the country.
With technology that was hardly
imaginable when the doors of Kansas
City’s Regent Theatre opened for the
first time in 2020, and a desire to please
the moviegoing public that has hardly
changed at all, AMC brings a diverse
approach to giving consumers what they
want. But the consumer isn’t a monolith,
as Frank well knows. As AMC’s executive
vice president, worldwide programming,
and chief content officer since 2010, she
has overseen a diversification of AMC’s
programming in terms of both the films
that are screened and how they are
presented to the customer.
On the latter point: Frank expresses
pride in AMC’s investment in premium
formats over the last decade. It was the
first major exhibitor to put big money
behind Imax, opening approximately 125
Imax theaters in 2007. Thirteen years
later, Frank says, AMC is “now the leading
Imax exhibitor, both across the country
and around the world.” In 2009, AMC
partnered with Sony and RealD to bring
3-D technology to its theaters; in 2015, it
partnered with Dolby for the premium
large-format offering Dolby Cinema.
“We’ve committed to technology that’s
enhanced the experience,” says Frank.
“We’ve also committed to using back-office
technology to mine our loyalty program
April 2020
153

THEATER ANNIVERSARY
GLOBAL
PRESENCE
15
Countries across North
America, Europe, and the
Middle East
1,000+
Theaters
Image courtesy
AMC Theatres
11,000+
Screens
and all of our sales data to best understand
demand and serve up to consumers the
movies that interest them most at the
showtimes that are most convenient
for them.” A core component of AMC’s
programming strategy is “lean[ing] into
the opening weekend of a blockbuster,”
says Frank, by “focus[ing] on a variety of
premium formats and very convenient
showtimes.” Showtimes, in this case, must
be frequent, convenient, and “scheduled
theater by theater to make things most
relevant and compelling for that neighborhood
of consumers.”
But a movie lives on after its opening
weekend—and it’s not only blockbusters
that audiences want to see. In the decade
that Frank has been with AMC, the chain
has grown its international programming
by a “tremendous amount,” screening
“Bollywood and Mandarin [films], Spanish-language
films, Korean and Filipino
films” to relevant markets. The demand for
these films is there, says Frank, particularly
in university towns, where demographic
shifts bring in populations from outside
the United States. Even outside those
towns, she says, “We see demographic
shifts in our communities, because of the
melting pot in America.”
With modern technology at its disposal,
AMC is able to give the melting pot the
movies it wants. “Digital gave us the opportunity
to bring in content more cheaply”
and eased the burden on international
distributors of physical print distribution.
Similarly, as showtimes gravitated online,
it became easier for consumers with niche
interests to find when and where their
films were playing.
More recently, in analyzing data pulled
from ticket sales and AMC Stubs loyalty
card membership, AMC has been able to
more effectively market specialty films
directly to the audiences who want to see
them. On any given weekend, Frank explains,
95 percent of the push notifications,
email blasts, and digital advertising AMC
sends out might be devoted to a handful
of blockbuster films. “But 5 percent [will
be] targeted very directly at people who
are interested in a Korean film or who are
interested in a documentary. That’s the
movie they most want to see.”
Vital to AMC’s ability to offer a broader
array of films has been its practice of
dynamic scheduling, by which theaters
optimize how many showtimes there are
for a given screen and how they’re
spread out throughout the day. In a 2019
investment call, AMC CEO Adam Aron
touted dynamic scheduling’s role in
cutting down on showtimes by 4.1 percent
in the U.S., even as attendance broke Q3
records. “This dynamic scheduling cuts
both ways, though,” Aron noted. “Getting
smarter about knowing when to cut showtimes
in the off-peak means we also are
STANLEY H. DURWOOD
(August 5, 1920–July 14, 1999)
A second-generation
exhibitor, son of Durwood
Theatres founder Edward
Durwood, Stanley Durwood
came back from serving
as an Air Force lieutenant
in World War II to lead the
family business during its most
transformative period. In 1960,
the Harvard graduate and war
veteran was named president
of the company, changing
its name to American Multi-
Cinema (AMC) early in his
tenure. Durwood introduced
a host of innovations to the
exhibition business in the
ensuing years, establishing
AMC Theatres as one of the
most innovative circuits in the
industry’s history.
154 April 2020

getting smarter about adding showtimes
in the peak.”
When dynamic scheduling isn’t used,
says Frank, a 10-screen theater might play
six or seven titles at a time. “When we
think more dynamically, more flexibly,
about programming, we may have 20 titles
that are on the menu” that same weekend—say
a six-week-old family title in a
screen’s matinee slot when there’s demand
for it, followed that night by “a little
avant-garde horror film” that few people
are probably lining up to see at 11 a.m.
In the near future, “I think we’re going
to see more inclusive programming,”
says Frank. “We’re going to see both the
creative community and the exhibition
community bring a wider diversity of
content to audiences both across the U.S.
and around the world.” Part of AMC’s
current strategy of diversifying its slate
involves its AMC Artisan Films program,
which counted among its 2019 releases
the Oscar-winning Joker. Frank cites the
film as a prime example of cooperation
between AMC and its studio partners.
Working together with Warner Bros.’
marketing department, she explains, the
chain was able to get granular, using data
to promote Joker differently to different
audience segments depending on their
past moviegoing behavior—the moviegoers
who show up to every superhero movie,
for example, or the more “demanding film
audience” that might be attracted to the
film’s tackling of “social issues.”
Data was a factor in one of the biggest
AMC stories of last decade: the launch (in
June 2018) and subsequent massive growth
of subscription program A-List. The program
was in active development for a year
before it was finally rolled out to the public,
though AMC’s executive vice president and
chief marketing officer Stephen Colanero
notes that “we’d been wanting to do it for a
while, even before then.”
Those early conversations involved
deciding whether A-List would be a part of
“We’re going to see both the creative community and the
exhibition community bring a wider diversity of content
to audiences both across the U.S. and around the world.”
—Elizabeth Frank, Executive V.P., Worldwide Programming
and Chief Content Officer
Excerpt from “ShoWester of
the Year,” Boxoffice, May 1996
Since joining his family’s
Durwood Theatre circuit after
World War II, AMC chairman
and CEO Stanley H. Durwood
has dedicated his career
to improving and enlarging
upon exhibition standards.
Hailed by his contemporaries
as a visionary, he has helped
set the pace for exhibition
industry advancement for over
three decades. In doing so,
he has nurtured the growth of
the AMC chain to its current
position as one of the top
theatre circuits in America.
His efforts have won him the
ShoWester of the Year award,
which honors an individual who
has demonstrated a dedication
to the exhibition industry
throughout his or her career.
Durwood got his start at his
family’s Durwood Theatres
circuit which his father, Edward
Durwood, founded in 1920.
After serving in World War II
as a lieutenant in the U.S. Air
Force, Durwood joined the
eight-theatre circuit. He rose
to president in 1960, taking the
opportunity to challenge many
industry standards. In 1960,
Durwood Theatres opened one
of the nation’s first multiplexes—a
two-screen theatre in
Kansas City.
After changing the
circuit’s name to American
Multi-Cinema (AMC), the
company continues to make
history, opening the world’s first
shopping center multiplex in
1963, the first four-plex in 1966
and the first six-plex in 1969.
Other advancements included
the use of automated projection
systems, computerized
boxoffices, cupholder armrests,
a frequent-moviegoer program,
computer-aided theatre
designs, and a theatre-management
training academy.
Image courtesy National
CineMedia (NCM)
April 2020
155

THEATER ANNIVERSARY
the AMC Stubs loyalty program or whether
it would, for simplicity’s sake, stand as its
own service. Eventually the decision was
made that A-List would be the highest
tier of Stubs membership; the logic being,
Colanero says, that A-List subscribers, as
AMC’s best customers, should get the best
treatment, including all the benefits of
Stubs’ paid Premiere tier.
“From the data perspective,” explains
Colanero, the existence of AMC Stubs
gave the AMC team a “rich database” of
customer information that “enabled us
… to identify which of our guests would
benefit from the A-List program and to be
able to share communications with them
at a level that maybe we didn’t with the
broader audience. … And [it] enable[d]
us to communicate more directly and
more quickly with an open, interested
audience that was looking for more from
AMC. We were able to make that connection
pretty quickly.”
That targeted, data-led approach meant
that, ultimately, the digital and in-theater
marketing plan for A-List could be “pulled
back” soon after the launch; so many
signed up so quickly that “we didn’t need
to lean too extensively on any marketing
to drive that membership.” In the nearly
two years since its launch, A-List now has
more than 900,000 members.
From a technical perspective, the years
AMC has spent building up “our skill set,
our tools, our capabilities” with AMC Stubs
gave the company “the platform to be able
to accomplish what we were able to do with
A-List, because we had the infrastructure
ready to back it up and to deliver what we
knew guests wanted and valued, without
burdening the program with things that
they didn’t value,” says Colanero.
Valuable resources, too, were AMC’s
compatriots on the other side of the pond:
Image courtesy
AMC Theatres
100 YEARS
OF AMC
Courtesy of AMC
Theatres
1920
Maurice, Edward,
and Barney Dubinsky
purchase the Regent
Theatre in Kansas
City, Mo.
1961
Stanley Durwood
becomes CEO of
the company and
renames it American
Multi-Cinema.
1962
AMC opens the
world’s first multiplex,
the Parkway Twin in
Kansas City.
1981
AMC becomes the first
theater chain to add
cup-holder armrests.
1991
AMC introduces Clip, a
filmstrip character, to
serve as an ambassdor
of the brand and its
Silence is Golden
program.
156 April 2020

The U.K.’s Odeon had already launched
its own subscription service by the time
it was acquired by AMC in 2016. “We went
to school on that to understand what
had happened when they launched it,”
Colanero reflects. “We really had kind of
a laboratory over in the U.K. that gave us
key learnings of what we should be trying
to do. Once we had an idea of what it was
we wanted to be able to deliver to the
guests, we took our time to ensure quality
of service, that when it launched the
mobile app, the infrastructure, the theater
experience, all of those things would
work. Because we really wanted to create
a good, positive first impression. So many
different teams worked on it across AMC,
and they were able to pull it off and really
deliver that for the guests. It was a really
solid, successful launch.”
For Frank, AMC’s move into international
markets helped the chain achieve
more innovations in programming—both
in the U.S. and internationally. “I think
that our presence in the U.S. and our deep
relationships in Hollywood do create more
content access” for the smaller European
companies in which AMC operates, she
explains. At the same time, some of these
international markets “are innovating in
ways that we can learn from.” She cites an
international territory that had success
with a girls’-night-out program, a concept
that was taken back to the U.S. and introduced
at around 200 theaters. Going in the
other direction, AMC has taken the idea for
its sensory-friendly screenings, launched
in 2009 in collaboration with the Autism
Society, to its overseas counterparts. Frank
is clear that the U.S. team did not issue a
fiat that “‘Everyone should do this.’ It’s:
‘Here’s an idea.’ And our different territory
heads, led by our programming team in
London, are saying, ‘Where’s the demand
1995
AMC opens the world’s
first megaplex. This
innovative destination
also inspires AMC to
install stadium seating
and love-seat seating.
2000
AMC co-founds online
ticket services to add
convenience to even the
busiest AMC theaters
like Empire 25 in New
York City, which is recognized
as the busiest
theater in the world.
2002
AMC becomes the
first theater chain
to introduce the
circuit-wide gift card.
2005
AMC Theatres
co-founds cinema
advertising company
National CineMedia
(NCM).
2006
AMC expands its
presence throughout
the country with the
acquisition of Loews
Theatres.
2007
AMC partners with
Imax to bring approximately
125 Imax
large-screen digital
projection systems to
AMC locations around
the country.
April 2020
157

THEATER ANNIVERSARY
“It’s important for us
to continue to build up
what [the AMC] brand
is and what it means to
consumers.” —Stephen
Colanero, Executive V.P.
and CMO
Image courtesy
AMC Theatres
for that idea? Do we have a like-minded
group of people that we’re serving who
would really embrace that?’’
AMC’s approach—absorbing ideas from
different countries, different companies,
even from different markets—also applies
to the world of food and beverage, which
at AMC is led by Jennifer Douglass. A
longtime AMC executive, Douglass first
started working for the company when
she was 16; currently she serves as its
senior vice president, food and beverage.
Her enthusiasm for AMC and its mission
does not appear to have diminished in the
intervening years.
For Douglass, one of the key elements
that have driven AMC’s food and beverage
options till now—and one that will
continue to do so in the coming years—is
technology. In this case we’re not talking
projectors, dynamic scheduling, or data-analysis
tools but the vast improvement
in food-preparation technology that has
allowed AMC to go from snacks and soda
to actual, fast-casual meals.
“It’s so interesting, because 10 years
ago you really started to see a change,”
Douglass notes. Before, “if you wanted to
bake something … you had to invest in a
big industrial oven.” Frying meant costly,
complicated equipment that wasn’t all that
safe. AMC’s adoption, around a decade
ago, of the TurboChef rapid-cook oven and
the ventless AutoFryer “unlocked so many
capabilities for us,” setting the foundation
for their Feature Film menu. “Instead
of just refrying or reheating food that’s
already been cooked, now we’re able to do
more assemble-to-order food. To me, that’s
been the greatest gift in the last 10 years.
It’s really been the equipment technology
and how much things have gotten smaller
and more self-contained and easier for us
to execute at a theater level in a way that’s
so much safer for our employees.”
A boost in food and beverage technology
brought about, not so coincidentally,
a boost in expanded menu options for
AMC; in 2008, it launched its first dine-in
theater, a concept that has since been followed
by the MacGuffins Bar. “In the early
days of dine-in, we thought, well, is this
more of a college-town concept, and are
these college kids that want to come in? Or
is this a very upscale, premium experience
that’s for a more sophisticated consumer?”
says Douglass. What they found instead
was that dine-in was successful across
demographics. “Everybody likes food, and
everybody has that same challenge” of
wanting to save time by combining dinner
and a movie.
Dine-in concepts and expanded menu
offerings are now firmly locked in, both
at AMC and across the North American
theater landscape. In 2019’s Q3 earnings
call, Adam Aron credited “sharper focus
on innovation in the menu choices we
offer towards theater guests and strategic
pricing actions” with consistent growth in
food and beverage revenue. Still, the CEO
argued that AMC was still in the “middle
innings of capturing increased food and
2008
AMC launches dine-in
theaters. The concept,
which continues to
expand throughout
the United States,
allows guests to order
restaurant-style
food with the push
of a button, from the
comfort of their own
luxurious movie seat.
2009
AMC partners with
Sony and RealD to
implement digital and
3-D technology.
2009
AMC partners with
the Autism Society to
launch AMC Sensory
Friendly Films nationwide.
The program
allows children and
families to enjoy a
movie in a safe, accepting
environment
that allows talking,
yelling, singing, and
walking around.
2009
AMC opens its first
all-recliner seating
theater, AMC
Lakewood 12, dubbed
“The Miracle of
Lakewood.”
2010
AMC acquires Kerasotes
Theatres and
expands its presence
in the Midwest.
2011
AMC launches its AMC
Stubs rewards program,
which provides
members with new
benefits like concessions
upgrades and
dollars back for every
dollar they spend.
158 April 2020

A DECADE
OF GROWTH
Strides Made by AMC
Theatres in Recent Years
Total Attendance
+73%
2018: 359 Million
2008: 208 Million
Total Revenue
+139%
2018: $5.5 Billion
2008: $2.3 Billion
Food & Beverage Per Patron
+49%
2018: $4.66
2008: $3.12
AMC Stubs Members
>7x
2019: 19 Million
2016: 2.5 Million
Image courtesy
AMC Theatres
beverage opportunities,” and that in the
coming years he expects to see increased
food and beverage consumption in AMC
theaters in both the U.S. and Europe.
To Douglass, powering through the
“middle innings” and crossing home plate
means two things. One is technological
innovation: smaller equipment, with low
enough price points to make it worthwhile
for the circuit to install it in lower-volume
locations. Two is the merging of the traditional
concessions and dine-in operations,
both in terms of common menu items
and innovations like mobile ordering and
the ability to have food delivered to seats,
which increase the convenience factor for
customers. “We don’t want to get too far
ahead of where the guest wants us to be,
but I think when those two worlds get more
integrated, that’s probably what unlocks
more value for us and also for the guests.”
Programming, subscription, technology,
food and beverage—all are part of
the AMC experience as well as the AMC
brand, which has positioned itself to be
recognized by moviegoers for many, many
years to come. “It’s important for us to
continue to build up what that brand is
and what it means to consumers,” says
Colanero. When AMC acquires a chain in
the U.S., for example, “we’ve taken the
time and expense to change the names of
all the buildings to be under the AMC logo.
Whereas that’s not typically what
our competitors would do. But we now
have a unified footprint where every
building in America is under the AMC
brand.” AMC, he notes, does not do this
internationally, where “we’ve acquired
stronger brands that resonate there. But
domestically, we’ve unified with the goal
of AMC [becoming] the national brand
leader that it is.”
2012
AMC is acquired by the
Beijing–based Wanda
Group, which enables
funding to ensure a
massive escalation
of AMC’s world-class
amenities, including
recliner seating, better
sight and sound
presentation, and
MacGuffins bars.
2013
AMC goes public on
the New York Stock
Exchange. NYSE: AMC
2015
AMC and Dolby partner
to create Dolby Cinema
at AMC, a premium
large-format experience
that includes Dolby
Vision laser projection,
Dolby Atmos sound,
and AMC’s comfortable
power recliners.
AMC acquires
Starplex Cinemas.
2016
AMC announces it
will acquire Carmike
Cinemas.
AMC acquires Odeon
& UCI Cinemas, the
largest theater chain in
the U.K. and Ireland.
2016
AMC adds a free
tier to its AMC Stubs
program—AMC
Insider—to go along
with its popular paid
tier, AMC Premiere.
2018
AMC launches its
subscription program
A-List, as the highest
tier of AMC Stubs.
April 2020
159

THE WORLDʼS MOST
EXPERIENCE ICE THEATERS ® IN VR
AT CINEMACON BOOTH #2615A
W W W . ICETHEA TERS. C O M

IMMERSIVE PREMIUM EXPERIENCE
ICE IMMERSIVE TECHNOLOGY I 4K RGB LASER PROJECTION I IMMERSIVE AUDIO I VIP SEAT

THEATER TECH
THE RISE
OF PREMIUM
LARGE FORMAT
2019 Records the Highest
Number of PLF Installs to Date
BY CHARLOTTE JONES,
Principal Analyst/Associate Director, Cinema
Omdia, from Informa Tech
162
April 2020

Premium large-format (PLF)
screens are now a mainstay of the
theatrical experience, with multiple formats
and brands increasingly coexisting
side by side in cinemas worldwide. A PLF
screen is a clearly differentiated premium
screen based on top-of-the-range technology;
it is, not least, a bigger and brighter
screen. Laser projection, enhanced sound,
HDR, and (4K) HFR 3-D are also among its
key attributes.
The total count of PLF screens reached
4,379 worldwide in 2019, eclipsing the
4,000-screen threshold for the first time
and showing a strong 18.6 percent increase
year on year. The net increase of 734 PLF
screens marks the largest annual hike
(up from 480 new PLF screens in 2018), as
global exhibitors boost investment in PLF
as a core part of their exhibition strategy.
The total equates to a relatively small
(2.2%) but increasingly significant proportion
of the world’s digital screens, up from
1.9 percent a year prior, again highlighting
how PLF screens are being deployed more
quickly than regular screens.
China Continues to Lead on PLF
Asia Pacific was again the leading region,
accounting for a 46.4 percent share of the
total PLF screen base with over 2,000 PLF
screens, of which China accounts for the
vast majority, or over 75 percent of PLF in
the region.
China remains the largest PLF territory
globally, with 1,605 screens at the end
of 2019, ahead of North America’s 1,366
screens. The majority, or 85 percent, of
all PLF screens in China fall under global
brands such as Imax, followed by CGS
(360) and ScreenX (98). Despite the dominance
of global brands, local exhibitor
brands are also gaining traction, including
StarX from BeStar (40 screens) using
EclairColor as an enabling technology, and
S-Plus from Hengdian Cinema.
The top five PLF territories were China,
the U.S., Canada, Brazil, and the U.K.,
with the U.K. (129) overtaking South Korea
as the fifth-largest in 2019. In the U.K.,
global PLF brands move into the lead with
a 51.2 percent share of the total PLF base,
with growth coming from CJ 4DPlex’s
ScreenX brand, which doubled to 16
screens, and the launch of Dolby Cinema
in the territory.
Emerging Markets: The Next Frontier
for PLF Growth
There were 95 international territories
with at least one type of PLF screen in 2019
(including 53 territories that had more
than five PLF screens), as PLF continues
to gain a foothold in emerging cinema
markets, including the newly opened
Saudi Arabia. The wider adoption of PLF
screens throughout the Middle East in
2019 (e.g., Oman and Bahrain) followed
the launch of Cinépolis in the region and
the extension of other global brands like
CGR’s ICE. Saudi Arabia had a total of
seven PLF screens out of a total screen
base of 129 at the end of 2019, equivalent
to a strong 5.4 percent share. UAE remains
the largest PLF market in the Middle East,
with over 25 screens, of which more than
one-quarter were Imax screens.
Exhibitor PLF Brands Expand
Total exhibitor PLF screens hit 1,712 in
2019, showing a healthy growth rate of 17.1
percent, only slightly below the larger 19.8
percent for global PLF. Among the new
PLF brands were BigPix from Inox, Xperience
from Muvi Cinemas in the Middle
East, and Cine Royal Plus, also from the
same region, among others. These and
other emerging brands underline the
Number of PLF Screens Worldwide 2014–2019
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
Total Number of PLF Screens 1,665 2,114 2,632 3,248 3,692 4,379
Global Brand Share % 45.3 53.0 56.6 59.2 60.0 60.6
Imax Kinepolis
Image courtesy Kinepolis
Source: OMDIA. Note: some 2019 data remains provisonal
April 2020
163

THEATER TECH
role emerging markets have to play in
the future direction of PLF brands and
associated technology investment.
Competition in the Global Brand
Market Intensifies
The market share of global brands reached
a new high, accounting for 60.6 percent
of total PLF screen base, a steady increase
from 60.0 percent in 2018 and 59.2 percent
in 2017. The enduring nature of best-inclass
premium experiences coming from
trusted and respected global brands such
as Imax and Dolby Cinema is behind the
rise, plus rising audience awareness of
novel formats such as ScreenX.
In the competitive global-branded
space, Imax remains the clear market
leader with a majority 57.7 percent share,
but it is a proportion that has been declining
over the past three years due to the
increased competition from other formats,
as well as the rising popularity of PLF in
general. CGS was the second-largest global
format (13.6%), followed by ScreenX (11.4%)
and Dolby Cinema (9.1%).
Imax had 1,529 theaters spanning 81
territories at the close of 2019, marking
a rise of 8.5 percent from 2018; emerging
markets such as Africa and the Middle East
as well as China (702 screens) are its fastest
growth regions. Dolby Cinema had 243
installations worldwide in 2019, including
expansion into China, UAE, and Japan in
2018 and Russia and the U.K. in 2019.
ScreenX was one of the fastest-growing
formats, rising by over 50 percent to 305
screens in 33 international territories
Image courtesy Cinity
in 2019, up from 199 in 2018. ScreenX
Amphitheater was also launched as a
new variant with B&B Theatres in the U.S.
RealD gained further traction in China
through the setup of the RealD Cinema
brand, alongside RealD Luxe screens in
the territory.
There has been a significant push by
other key stakeholders to gain share in
the burgeoning sector, with a slew of new
competitors including Cinity, CGR’s ICE,
Sony Digital Cinema, and THX Ultimate
Cinema launching as new stand-alone
brands. As a result, there were 12 global
PLF brands active in 2019, up from eight
the previous year.
The Cinity Cinema System was
developed by Christie for Huaxia Film in
conjunction with GDC Technology; it is
based on the highest HFR specification to
date. In China, 27 screens were installed
for the release of Gemini Man, forming
part of a longer-term plan to add as many
as 500 Cinity over the next few years.
Sony Digital Cinema was launched in
2019 in a bid to crack the coveted premium-screen
market. It was the flagship screen
at the new Galaxy Theatres in Las Vegas,
and a second screen will open in 2020.
THX Ultimate Cinema is underpinned
by CGS, the Cinionic Giant Screen
solution, and features dual-laser 4K
Barco projectors and a THX-certified
7.1 immersive sound system. The brand
debuted in 2019 but currently has just one
installation.
CGR’s ICE brand is another to gain
momentum. It was launched as a global
brand and now has installs in three inter-
Number of Screens by PLF Brand/Format 2019
Exhibitor PLF
IMAX
Dolby Cinema
Cinity
RealD Cinema (+ LUXE)
ScreenX (+ 4DX Screen)
CGS
Sphere X
Sony Digital Cinema
Sphera
THX Ultimate Cinema
ICE
PLF
Screens
1727
1529
242
27
116
305
361
35
1
2
1
37
Market
Share (%)
39.4
34.9
5.5
0.6
2.6
7.0
8.2
0.8
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.8
Source: OMDIA. Note: some 2019 data remains provisonal
164 April 2020

Image courtesy CGR Cinemas
ICE Theaters
“The market potential for
PLF remains high over the
next five years for a total
addressable market of
between 5 percent and as
much as 10 percent of total
screens.”
national territories including Saudi Arabia
(with Vox Cinemas) and the U.S. Its first
international installation was at the Regal
L.A. Live theater in Los Angeles.
Strong Outlook for PLF
The outlook for PLF remains strong, with
further potential for growth with the
expansion of brands (both existing and
new), with standards such as HFR 3-D,
and as technology continues to evolve
and as content sets the demand. HFR 3-D
could yet be a game changer to reenergize
3-D as a creative format, in which case
PLF screens will be the most technically
advanced for optimal 3-D presentation.
The market potential for PLF remains
high over the next five years for a total
addressable market of between 5 percent
and as much as 10 percent of total screens,
depending on infrastructure and the
willingness of exhibitors to invest in
next-generation technology. In emerging
markets such as MENA, PLF already has
an above-average screen penetration that
will further feed into growth (as these
markets are more agile), not least through
higher rates of new screen construction.
As theatrical venues continue to move
upmarket and wherever specially curated
and branded experiences are increasingly
sought out and demanded by audiences,
PLF will continue to play a critical role
in the future development of the cinema
industry. While the rise of online streaming
is not necessarily a direct threat to cinemas,
it provides yet another rationale for
cinemas to stay on top of their game. PLF
screens offer exhibitors, particularly those
in multiplex circuits, the ability to customize
experiences based on the highest
technology specification, target a specific
demographic for prime blockbuster movies,
and continue to provide a value-added
experience at a higher price point. While
PLF screens are the feature screens of
new cinema venues, the expansion of
the number of potential complementary
screens and formats in one cinema venue
continues to drive further investment in
the sector and provide enhanced choice
and intrigue for audiences.
April 2020
165

THEATER CINEMA SHOWCASE
WORKERS’
COMPENSATION
Georgia Theatre Company
Transitions to 100%
Employee Ownership
BY KEVIN LALLY
Above: Bill Stembler
with his wife, Anne
All images courtesy
Georgia Theatre
Company
It’s the ultimate bonus: Georgia
Theatre Company (GTC), the
18th-largest theater circuit in North
America, has rewarded the diligence and
dedication of its roughly 700 employees by
making them the owners of the company.
This apparently unprecedented action
by a movie-exhibition chain is made
possible by the creation of an employee
stock ownership plan (ESOP), a process
under which eligible workers become
stockholders, at no cost to them, while the
management structure remains intact.
GTC president Bo Chambliss reveals
that company founder and chairman
William J. Stembler is “getting to the point
where he has been trying to retire and
really wants to take a step back. So he had
a number of options. You could sell the
company, bring in private equity, or try to
take it public, and the fourth option was
converting to an ESOP.”
“This is something that construction
companies and entities that really don’t
have a whole lot of assets do—they’re
about as good as their next five years of
contracts,” says Stembler. “We’re a little
different breed, but it sure does look like it
was a good solution for my family, and also
a nice, rewarding thing to do to give the
employees a chance to participate in all
this fun that I’ve had.”
“The benefit of an ESOP,” Chambliss says,
“is that you get to keep your current management
team in place, and you get to keep
all of your employees in place. From an employee
standpoint, it’s seamless—they don’t
even know that it’s happening immediately.
And the benefit to Bill and his family is they
get paid the value of the company. Bill is a
very, very loyal person—he has always taken
care of his employees. Selling out to one of
the big three or four or bringing in a private
equity [firm] he knew was not the best thing
for his employees. So when the idea of an
ESOP was brought up, he thought it was a
fantastic idea, and assuming the money was
around the same, he was all in.”
“I have run a bit more conservative
group of theaters than the rest of the
world of motion picture exhibition,” notes
Stembler, a third-generation exhibitor
whose family has been in the business
since the 1920s. “Our debt was low, and our
leases were not nearly as high a percentage
of our sales as most public circuits. And so
I had equity that could be used to borrow
money to, in effect, buy the shareholders
out for part of what they had. The way
the structure works, you borrow money
from a bank or a third party, and then the
shareholders take a note behind that party
for the balance of the money that’s due
them. Then the company earns its way out
over a number of years.”
“A lot of people, when they get to be
Bill’s age, have their wealth tied up in this
illiquid asset, the stock of the company. It
could be worth a lot of money, but they
don’t have any cash to show for it,” says
Aegis Fiduciary Services founder and CEO
Robert Lesser, the trustee who represented
the interests of the future shareholders of
GTC and continues to monitor the company’s
activities on their behalf. “The ESOP is
a way for the sellers to get liquidity because
they’re cashing out, and it’s a windfall for
the employees because they’re getting
stock without having to pay for it. And that
doesn’t even take into consideration all
the amazing tax benefits to all parties as a
result of the ESOP.”
As the trustee, Lesser was hired to
negotiate the terms of the stock transac-
166 April 2020

tion “in the best interest of the [employee]
participants. The ESOP trustee is prohibited
by law to pay more than fair market
value for the shares.”
Stembler may have taken a slight
financial hit because of those restrictions,
but Lesser believes he was genuinely
motivated by an impulse to reward his
employees. “If you think about it, it’s an
extra form of compensation. It rewards the
people for all the work they’ve done in the
past to make the company what it is today
and incentivizes them to work harder so
that the company will grow and become
worth more. So when a participant actually
retires, their stock will be meaningful
enough that it may very well be all the
retirement savings that they ever need.”
Lesser continues, “Unlike a 401(k) plan
where you buy stocks of other companies
and really don’t have any influence
over their financial performance, when
you work at a company where you own
stock, you actually have a great amount
of influence over the value of the stock.
Everybody might all decide to be more
productive, because the more productive
they are, the higher the company’s
earnings are going to be, which means
everyone’s account balance would be
worth more.”
Stembler is already seeing an impact
from the company’s new structuring. “The
four key executives that are really running
things had a budget meeting a couple of
weeks ago, and I noticed that now that it’s
in their hands versus my family’s assets,
they are looking for places to cut. We’re
probably not going to buy any more pro
football tickets or things like that, because
the employees are working for themselves
and they realize this. It was gratifying to
me to see all of my preaching ... I found a
way to get it through to everybody that it’s
really easy to spend other people’s money.”
Chambliss notes, “We don’t have a lot of
turnover in our home office or really at the
general manager level at the theaters. But
I think this will encourage the assistant
managers and hourly staff to want to
come work for the company and to remain
working for the company. With today’s
lower unemployment environment, it’s
hard to find good young employees who
want to work behind a cash register at
a concession stand. I do believe this is
going to be something that will help us get
more attractive people working for us at a
younger age.”
“I think there are natural
markets that we serve, which
includes grandparents taking
their grandchildren to the
show, and the young dating
crowd.” —William J. Stembler,
founder and chairman,
Georgia Theatre Company
Founded in 1992 (after earlier
incarnations), Georgia Theatre Company
currently has 263 screens in 25 locations
in four states. Seven of those venues have
converted to recliner seating, “and there
are probably another four to five that could
be identified for possible conversion,”
Stembler says. “The other half of the
circuit is in markets of under 100,000 that
are small-town, and those communities
are generally tickled pink just to have a
nice theater that’s well run. But obviously
as you get into more competitive cities like
Atlanta, it’s recliners or you’re at a tremendous
disadvantage in the coming years.”
Most of GTC’s investments in recent
years have gone into those recliner conversions,
but “we did build a new theater
two years ago in north Georgia and we
built a huge theater, our most successful,
in Augusta five years ago. Bo Chambliss
and Mike Warner, our CFO, have come
up with a proposal for a community a
couple of hundred miles from where we
operate, where the family is in a position
where they want to sell out and it’s going
to require a complete rehab of the theater.
We are looking at that acquisition and
made an offer. In addition, we have at least
one other site that we’d like to build, but
they don’t have the other retail wrapped
up in the general area that we’d like to put
the theater in. That one’s awaiting the real
estate developer to have some success
with the big-box retailers.”
As he hands over more responsibility to
son-in-law Bo Chambliss and his executive
team, Stembler remains optimistic about
the future of movie theaters. “I love to
April 2020
167

THEATER CINEMA SHOWCASE
talk about that. I was president of the
major downtown Atlanta Rotary club 30
years ago, and I had to give a talk to 300
people that were executives in the Atlanta
area. I had just read the book Megatrends
by John Naisbitt. He was talking about
where society was going, about high-tech,
high-touch—that people still wanted to
communicate and be together. In the book
he quoted an Arthur D. Little study from
the mid-’70s that said in 10 years there
would be half the number of theaters in
the country, and the sales would be reduced
by 25 percent. And in those 10 years
in the mid-’70s and mid-’80s, the grosses
doubled. So forecasting is very difficult in
this business.
“I was born in 1946, the worst time of
the business because of the advent of TV
after World War II. And I had to listen to
my father and my grandfather for the
first 10 or some years of my life talking
about the decline. The business went from
something like 4 billion admissions to 800
million between ’46 and ’57. Then today,
we’re between a billion two and a billion
four or five. So it’s actually somewhere in
the late ’50s, early ’60s that it bottomed
out. And then it’s had modest growth,
perhaps not keeping up with population
growth, but sales meanwhile have steadily
increased. Even this last year was the
second-best year domestically and the
best ever worldwide.”
Though he says that he worries about
closing theatrical windows like everyone
else in the theatrical business, “I like to
believe that because of the world market,
which is now over 70 percent of the gross
sales of the Hollywood companies, likely
they’re going to want to keep the model
pretty much like it is. I’m pleased that Bob
Iger and Disney have told us what they’re
going to be releasing in theaters in the
next nine years at Christmas. I just read
Iger’s book, which was interesting. As I see
it, he’s not ready to give up on us. They’re
creating content and they’re building
product to sell at their parks.”
Stembler doesn’t see dramatic growth
on the horizon, “but I think there are
natural markets that we serve, which
includes grandparents taking their grandchildren
to the show, and the young dating
crowd. My children take their children to
the movies all the time. I think it will still
be there unless they take the product away
from us.”
The veteran exhibitor calls his years in
the theater business “a fun legacy.” After
law school, he tried working for the Securities
and Exchange Commission for a couple
of years and was miserable. “I said, I’ve
gotta do something that’s fun. And that’s
what I’ve gotten to do for over 50 years.”
Stembler cites other circuits like Marcus
Theatres and Harkins Theatres as part
of a proud exhibition tradition, the “family
specialized little business. … A lot of the
high-tech people don’t want to touch it,
but we love it and we believe in it. And so
far, so good.”
His decision to give his business to his
employees keeps that tradition alive. “One
advantage of selling to an ESOP is that
your culture gets to go on, versus when
you go elsewhere—it all changes and you
don’t have the same joy of watching the
business.”
168 April 2020

COMING
SOON
FROM
THE TRUTH
IN THEATERS MARCH 20
The Truth
Directed by Hirokazu Kore-Eda
STARRING Catherine Deneuve, Juliette Binoche, Ethan Hawke
IN SELECT THEATERS STARTING MARCH 20
The Painted Bird
Directed by Václav Marhoul
STARRING Petr Kotlae, Udo Kier, Lech Dyblik, Jitka Čvančarová, Stellan
Skarsgaard, Harvey Keitelk, Julian Sands, Aleksey Kravchenko, Barry Pepper
IN SELECT THEATERS STARTING APRIL 17
The True History of The
Kelly Gang
Directed by Justin Kurzel
STARRING George Mackay, Russell Crowe, Nicholas Hoult, Essie Davis,
Charlie Hunnam, Thomasin Mckenzie, Sean Keenan, Earl Cave, Marlon
Williams, Louis Hewison, Orlando Schwerdt
IN SELECT THEATERS STARTING APRIL 24
Made In Italy
Directed by James D’Arcy
STARRING Liam Neeson, Micheál Richardson, Lindsay Duncan,
Valeria Bilello
COMING SOON

Event Cinema 184 | Number Crunch 194 | Long Range Forecast 198 | Booking Guide 199
ON SCREEN
Image courtesy Merie Weismiller Wallace / Focus Features
“If you’re going to have violence in a movie, you need to be
honest about what violence looks like and what it is.”
Promising Young Woman, p. 190
April 2020
171

ON SCREEN COMING ATTRACTIONS
WIDE
RELEASES
The spring movie season lifts off with
Marvel’s newest superhero thriller
and the ninth entry in the Fast and
Furious series
Updated March 1. For the latest schedule,
visit www.boxofficepro.com/release-calendar.
TROLLS WORLD TOUR
April 10 / Universal
Poppy and Branch discover that they are
but one of six different Troll tribes scattered
over six different lands and devoted
to six different kinds of music: funk,
country, techno, classical, pop, and rock.
A member of hard-rock royalty, Queen
Barb wants to destroy all other kinds of
music to let rock reign supreme. Poppy
and Branch, along with their friends, set
out to visit all the other lands to unify the
Trolls in harmony against Barb.
Voice Cast: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake,
James Corden, Sam Rockwell, Chance the Rapper,
Anthony Ramos, Ron Funches, Kunal Nayyar
Director: Walt Dohrn
Rating: PG
Running Time: 94 Min.
Courtesy of Dreamworks Animation
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app to access A.R. content.
Photos and art courtesy of studios / all rights reserved
172
April 2020

PROMISING
YOUNG WOMAN
April 17 / Focus Features
Merie Weismiller Wallace. Courtesy of Focus Features
Everyone said Cassie was a promising young
woman ... until a mysterious event abruptly
derailed her future. But nothing in Cassie’s
life is what it appears to be: She’s wickedly
smart, tantalizingly cunning, and she’s
living a secret double life by night. Now, an
unexpected encounter is about to give Cassie
a chance to right the wrongs of the past.
Cast: Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham, Laverne Cox,
Alison Brie, Connie Britton, Clancy Brown, Jennifer
Coolidge, Molly Shannon, Adam Brody, Alfred
Molina, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Director: Emerald Fennell
Rating: TBA
Running Time: 113 Min.
ANTEBELLUM
April 24 / Lionsgate
Matt Kennedy. Courtesy of Lionsgate
Successful author Veronica Henley finds
herself trapped in a horrifying reality and
must uncover the mind-bending mystery
before it’s too late.
Cast: Janelle Monáe, Eric Lange, Jena Malone,
Jack Huston, Kiersey Clemons, Gabourey Sibide
Directors: Gerard Bush, Christopher Renz
Rating: TBA
Running Time: TBA
April 2020
173

ON SCREEN COMING ATTRACTIONS
BAD TRIP
April 24 / United Artists Releasing
Bad Trip follows two best friends on a
cross-country road trip full of inventive
pranks, pulling the real-life audience
into the mayhem.
Cast: Eric André, Lil Rel Howery, Tiffany Haddish
Director: Kitao Sakurai
Rating: R
Running Time: 84 Min.
Courtesy of Orion Pictures
BLACK WIDOW
May 1 / Disney
Scarlett Johansson reprises her role as
Natasha/Black Widow in Marvel Studios’
spy thriller—the first film in Phase Four of
the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Cast: Scarlett Johansson,
David Harbour, Florence Pugh,
Rachel Weisz, O-T Fagbenle, William Hurt
Director: Cate Shortland
Rating: TBA
Running Time: TBA
Scan image with Fuze Viewer
app to access A.R. content.
Image courtesy Film Frame. Copyright Marvel Studios.
174 April 2020

SCOOB!
May 15 / Warner Bros.
Scooby and the gang face their most
challenging mystery ever: a plot to unleash
the ghost dog Cerberus upon the world.
As they race to stop this dogpocalypse, the
gang discovers that Scooby has an epic
destiny greater than anyone imagined.
Image courtesy Warner Bros.
Voice Cast: Zac Efron, Amanda Seyfried,
Will Forte, Gina Rodriguez, Kiersey Clemons,
Mark Wahlberg, Frank Welker, Jason Isaacs,
Tracy Morgan, Ken Jeong, Mckenna Grace,
Iain Armitage
Director: Tony Cervone
Rating: TBA
Running Time: TBA
THE WOMAN
IN THE WINDOW
May 15 / Disney-20th Century
Image courtesy Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
An agoraphobic child psychologist
befriends a neighbor across the street
from her New York City brownstone, only
to see her own life turned upside down
when the woman disappears and she
suspects foul play.
Cast: Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Julianne Moore,
Jennifer Jason Leigh, Anthony Mackie, Wyatt
Russell, Brian Tyree Henry, Fred Hechinger
Director: Joe Wright
Rating: R
Running Time: TBA
SPIRAL
May 15 / Lionsgate
Photo Credit: Brooke Palmer. Image courtesy Lionsgate
A sadistic mastermind unleashes a twisted
form of justice in this new chapter from
the book of Saw. Brash detective Ezekiel
“Zeke” Banks and his rookie partner take
charge of an investigation into grisly
murders that are eerily reminiscent of the
city’s gruesome past. Unwittingly trapped
in a deepening mystery, Zeke finds himself
at the center of the killer’s morbid game.
Cast: Chris Rock, Samuel J. Jackson,
Max Minghella, Marisol Nichols, Zoie Palmer
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Rating: TBA
Running Time: TBA
April 2020
175

ON SCREEN COMING ATTRACTIONS
F9
May 22 / Universal
In this ninth entry in the Fast and Furious
series, Dom Toretto is leading a quiet life
off the grid with Letty and his son, but they
know that danger always lurks just over their
peaceful horizon. This time, that threat will
force Dom to confront the sins of his past if
he’s going to save those he loves most. His
crew comes together to stop a world-shattering
plot led by the most skilled assassin
and high-performance driver they’ve ever
encountered: a man who also happens to be
Dom’s forsaken brother, Jacob.
Cast: Vin Diesel, Charlize Theron, Michelle Rodriguez,
Tyrese Gibson, John Cena, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges,
Helen Mirren, Lucas Black, Sung Kang, Jordana
Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, Michael Rooker,
Cardi B
Director: Justin Lin
Rating: TBA
Running Time: 135 min.
Scan image with Fuze Viewer
app to access A.R. content.
Image courtesy Universal Pictures
176
April 2020

THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE:
SPONGE ON THE RUN
May 22 / Paramount
Scott Garfield. © 2019 Paramount Pictures Corporation. All rights reserved. Photo Credit: Nicola Dove. Image courtesy Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Image courtesy Paramount Pictures
SpongeBob SquarePants, his best friend,
Patrick Star, and the rest of the gang
from Bikini Bottom hit the big screen in
the first-ever all-CGI SpongeBob movie.
After SpongeBob’s beloved pet snail Gary
is snail-napped, he and Patrick embark
on an epic adventure to the Lost City of
Atlantic City to bring Gary home.
Voice Cast: Tom Kenny, Clancy Brown,
Bill Fagerbakke, Awkwafina, Rodger Bumpass,
Keanu Reeves, Lori Alan
Director: Tim Hill
Rating: TBA
Running Time: TBA
ARTEMIS FOWL
May 29 / Disney
Twelve-year-old genius Artemis Fowl,
a descendant of a long line of criminal
masterminds, finds himself in a battle of
strength and cunning against a powerful,
hidden race of fairies who may be behind
his father’s disappearance.
Cast: Ferdia Shaw, Josh Gad, Judi Dench,
Lara McDonnell, Nonso Anozie, Miranda Raison,
Adrian Scarborough
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Rating: TBA
Running Time: TBA
TOP GUN: MAVERICK
June 24 / Paramount
Facing an uncertain future and confronting
the ghosts of his past, Maverick is
drawn into a confrontation with his own
deepest fears, culminating in a mission
that demands the ultimate sacrifice from
those who will be chosen to fly it.
Cast: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly,
Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Ed Harris, Lewis Pullman,
Jay Ellis, Monica Barbaro, Val Kilmer, Charles
Parnell, Danny Ramirez
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: TBA
Running Time: TBA
April 2020
177

ON SCREEN COMING ATTRACTIONS
LIMITED
RELEASES
The spring lineup of limited releases
includes a new perspective on a
Charles Dickens classic, and former
“Daily Show” host Jon Stewart’s second
outing as writer-director.
CUT THROAT CITY
April 10 / Well Go USA
Four boyhood friends in New Orleans’
Lower Ninth Ward return after Hurricane
Katrina to find their homes decimated,
with no jobs and no help from FEMA.
Out of options, they reluctantly turn to a
local gangster, who offers them one shot
at turning their situations around—by
pulling off a dangerous heist.
Cast: Shameik Moore, Demetrius Shipp Jr.,
Denzel Whitaker, Keean Johnson, Eiza González,
Terrence Howard, Wesley Snipes, Ethan Hawke,
Kat Graham, T.I., Isaiah Washington, Rob Morgan
Director: RZA
Rating: R
Running Time: 132 Min.
ANTLERS
April 17 / Searchlight Pictures
A small-town Oregon teacher and her
brother, the local sheriff, discover that a
young student is harboring a dangerous
secret with frightening consequences.
Cast: Keri Russell, Jesse Plemons,
Jeremy T. Thomas, Graham Greene,
Scott Haze, Rory Cochrane, Amy Madigan
Director: Scott Cooper
Rating: R
Running Time: 99 Min.
Courtesy of Well Go USA
Photo Courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures. © 2019 Twentieth Century Fox Film
Corporation All Rights Reserved
178 April 2020

MARTIN EDEN
April 17 / Kino Lorber
Francesca Errichiello. Courtesy of Kino Lorber
Set in a provocatively unspecified moment
in Italy’s history yet adapted from a
1909 novel by American author Jack
London, Martin Eden follows a self-taught
proletarian who hopes that his dreams of
becoming a writer will help him rise above
his station and marry a wealthy young
university student.
Cast: Luca Marinelli, Jessica Cressy,
Denise Sardisco, Marco Leonardi,
Vincenzo Nemolato
Director: Pietro Marcello
Rating: TBA
Running Time: 129 Min.
THE PAINTED BIRD
April 17 / IFC Films
Alfonso Pompo Bresciani. Courtesy of Roadside Attractions. Courtesy of IFC Films. An IFC Films Release.
This adaptation of the acclaimed novel by
Jerzy Kosinski, set in Eastern Europe at the
bloody close of World War II, centers on
a young boy entrusted by his persecuted
parents to an elderly foster mother, who
soon dies. He suffers extraordinary brutality
meted out by ignorant, superstitious
peasants, and witnesses terrifying violence
by both Russian and German soldiers.
Cast: Petr Kotlár, Udo Kier, Stellan Skarsgård,
Lech Diblik, Harvey Keitel, Barry Pepper,
Julian Sands
Director: Václav Marhoul
Rating: TBA
Running Time: 169 Min.
THE SECRET: DARE
TO DREAM
April 17 / Gravitas Ventures
Miranda Wells is a hard-working young
widow struggling to raise three children on
her own. A powerful storm brings a devastating
challenge and a mysterious man,
Bray Johnson, into her life. In just a few
short days, Bray’s presence reignites the
family’s spirit, but he carries a secret—and
that secret could change everything.
Cast: Katie Holmes, Josh Lucas, Celia Weston,
Jerry O’Connell
Director: Andy Tennant
Rating: PG
Running Time: TBA
April 2020
179

ON SCREEN COMING ATTRACTIONS
FÁTIMA
April 24 / Picturehouse Films
A 10-year-old shepherd and her two
young cousins in Fátima, Portugal, report
seeing visions of the Virgin Mary. Their
revelations inspire believers but anger
officials of both the Church and the secular
government, who try to force them to
recant their story. As word spreads, tens of
thousands of religious pilgrims flock to the
site in hopes of witnessing a miracle.
Cast: Goran Visnjic, Sonia Braga, Harvey Keitel,
Joachim de Almeida, Stephanie Gil, Lúcia Moniz
Director: Marco Pontecorvo
Rating: TBA
Running Time: 113 Min.
DREAM HORSE
May 1 / Bleecker Street
Dream Horse tells the true story of Jan
Vokes, a Welsh cleaner and bartender
who decides to breed and rear a race
horse. She persuades her neighbors and
friends to contribute financially to the
scheme, and the group’s unlikely investment
plan pays off as the horse rises
through the ranks and puts them in a race
for the national championship.
Cast: Toni Collette, Damian Lewis, Joanna Page,
Nicholas Farrell, Owen Teale, Peter Davison,
Siân Phillips, Karl Johnson
Director: Euros Lyn
Rating: TBA
Running Time: 102 Min.
Photo Credit: Kerry Brown / Bleecker Street Photo Credit: Claudio Iannone. Copyright 2020 Picturehouse
THE HIGH NOTE
May 8 / Focus Features
A love story set amid the Los Angeles
music business, from the director of last
year’s Late Night.
Cast: Dakota Johnson, June Diane Raphael,
Tracee Ellis Ross, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Bill Pullman,
Ice Cube, Eddie Izzard
Director: Nisha Ganatra
Rating: TBA
Running Time: TBA
Photo Credit: Glen Wilson / Focus Features
180 April 2020

HOW TO BUILD A GIRL
May 8 / IFC Films
Photo Credit: Dean Rogers Image courtesy Monumental Pictures, Film4, Tango Entertainment
Teenager Johanna Morrigan reinvents
herself as Dolly Wilde, fast-talking sex adventurer,
moves to London, and gets a job
as a music critic in the hope of saving her
poverty-stricken family in Wolverhampton.
Cast: Beanie Feldstein, Emma Thompson,
Chris O’Dowd, Jameela Jamil, Alfie Allen,
Lucy Punch, Paddy Considine, Sharon Horgan
Director: Coky Giedroy
Rating: TBA
Running Time: 102 Min.
THE PERSONAL HISTORY
OF DAVID COPPERFIELD
May 8 / Searchlight Pictures
From birth to infancy, from adolescence
to adulthood, the good-hearted David
Copperfield is surrounded by kindness,
wickedness, poverty, and wealth, as he
meets an array of remarkable characters
in Victorian England. Director Armando
Iannucci brings a fresh approach to the
Dickens classic.
Cast: Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie,
Ben Whishaw, Gwendoline Christie, Peter Capaldi,
Morfydd Clark, Aneurin Barnard
Director: Armando Iannucci
Rating: PG
Running Time: 119 Min.
LA BELLE ÉPOQUE
May 22 / 101 Studios
Image courtesy Toronto International Film Festival
Disillusioned sexagenarian cartoonist Victor
has lost his job and is on the outs with his
wife, Marianne, when entrepreneur Antoine
approaches him with an intriguing proposition—the
chance to revisit the glory days
of his youth by traveling back through time.
He hires Antoine’s virtual reality company
to return him to May 16, 1974, the day he met
Marianne in a café in Lyon, and soon finds
himself drawn to Margo, the actress playing
the younger incarnation of his spouse.
Cast: Daniel Auteuil, Guillaume Canet, Fanny
Ardant, Doria Tillier, Pierre Arditi, Denis Podalydès
Director: Nicolas Bedos
Rating: R
Running Time: 115 Min.
April 2020
181

ON SCREEN COMING ATTRACTIONS
THE LAST VERMEER
May 22 / Sony Pictures Classics
An artist is suspected of selling a valuable
painting to the Nazis, but there is more to
the story than meets the eye.
Cast: Claes Bang, Guy Pearce, Vicky Krieps,
August Diehl, Roland Møller
Director: Dan Friedkin
Rating: R
Running Time: 117 Min.
Photo by Jack English. Courtesy Sony Pictures Classics
IRRESISTIBLE
May 29 / Focus Features
A Democratic strategist helps a retired veteran
run for mayor in a small, conservative Midwest
town. This is former “Daily Show” host Jon
Stewart’s second feature as writer-director.
Cast: Steve Carell, Rose Byrne, Chris Cooper,
Topher Grace, Natasha Lyonne, Mackenzie Davis,
Debra Messing, Will Sasso
Director: Jon Stewart
Rating: TBA
Running Time: TBA
Scan image with Fuze Viewer
app to access A.R. content.
Photo Credit: Daniel McFadden. Image courtesy Focus Features
182 April 2020

CONTINUING TO
BREAK RECORDS
IN EVENT CINEMA
11 TH LARGEST DISTRIBUTOR
IN NORTH AMERICA
25 TITLES EXCEEDING $1M
IN BOX OFFICE REVENUE IN 2019
OVER 5.7 MILLION TICKETS SOLD
IN 2019
150 EVENT TITLES
IN 2019
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
FATHOMEVENTS.COM

ON SCREEN EVENT CINEMA
Image courtesy Fathom Events
2020 AND
BEYOND
Industry Experts on the
Future of Event Cinema
BY REBECCA PAHLE
In the world of event cinema, records
get broken every year. In the U.K.
and Ireland, the birthplace of event cinema,
2019’s yearly box office of £53.7 million
earned from 130 new titles easily eclipsed
the previous record, 2018’s £41.3 million.
The top-grossing title in the U.K. and
Ireland, National Theatre Live’s Fleabag,
became the highest grosser ever in those
territories, with a cumulative revenue of
£4.3 million. For Fathom Events, the year
started strong—with a record-breaking $11
million at the box office in January—and
ended to the tune of a record $80 million.
Contributing to that eight-figure January
gross was their U.S. release of BTS World
Tour Love Yourself in Seoul, one of two
2019 concert films that proved the massive
money-earning potential of K-pop powerhouse
BTS on the big screen (the second,
Bring the Soul: The Movie, was brought
to theaters by Trafalgar Releasing). One
of Fathom’s cornerstone series, TCM Big
Screen Classics, in 2019 saw a 16 percent
increase in both revenue and attendance
from the previous year.
With another year of event-cinema
programming behind us and new
releases lining up to break ground over
the coming months, Boxoffice Pro took
the chance to speak to experts in the space
to find out where things are headed in
2020 and beyond.
Cinema / Culture
According to BY Experience co-founder
Julie Borchard-Young, opera, theater, and
ballet form the bedrock of event cinema.
“Without those three, there would be no
[event cinema] business,” she says. “They
are the meat and potatoes.”
But with event cinema’s record breakers
increasingly coming from other genres—like
anime, TV shows, and concerts—
do the more “traditional” categories still
play a key role?
Distributors in the event-cinema space
are betting that the industry’s “meat and
184 April 2020

Left: Fathom Events
brought the small
screen to the big
screen with Friends
25th: The One with the
Anniversary, one of its
highest 2019 earners.
Below, right: Trafalgar
Releasing and Fathom
Events both found
success in 2019 by
releasing concert
films from the megasuccessful
boy band
BTS. (Pictured is Bring
the Soul: The Movie,
released by Trafalgar.)
potatoes” will continue to satisfy over the
coming years.
Performances from the Metropolitan
Opera, the Bolshoi Ballet, and the U.K.’s
National Theatre, long stalwarts of the
event-cinema space, will continue to hit
the big screen in 2020. And steady—in
some cases, growing—interest in cultural
programming has led various event-cinema
distributors to look elsewhere for
additional programming opportunities.
CineLife Entertainment executive vice
president Bernadette McCabe believes that
“there are a lot of opportunities [in artsbased
programming] that aren’t coming to
U.S. cinemas, and I think we can help bring
some of those to our exhibitor partners or
U.S. exhibitors.” CineLife Entertainment
has several cultural titles on its upcoming
slate, including productions from the
Comédie-Française.
Another company bringing high art to
big screens is Brighton, England–based
Exhibition on Screen, which takes viewers
in 66 countries to some of the world’s
most prestigious art galleries. 2019 saw
the company distribute films on Picasso,
Rembrandt, Van Gogh, Leonardo, and (on
the music side) Beethoven. Looking to
future programming, theatrical distribution
manager Leigh Gibson explains that
Exhibition on Screen’s theatrical partners
want “more of the same.” That, along with
event cinema’s increasingly crowded market,
notes Gibson, motivates Exhibition on
Screen to find “blockbuster-caliber” artists
for its slate and make sure its films “stand
out from the crowd.”
Leigh and Borchard-Young, whose
BY Experience series Great Art on Screen
showcases artists such as Frida Kahlo,
Bernini, and Gauguin, both highlight the
importance of creative storytelling in these
fine art–focused documentaries. “That’s
a promising strand of content that has yet
to really max out,” says Borchard-Young.
“You’ve got this cultural quartet of opera,
theater, ballet, and fine arts that event
cinema is heavily anchored into.”
Above and Beyond
Cultural programming is what built and
helps to maintain the event-cinema brand.
But throughout 2019, event-cinema distributors
found success with other genres.
There’s the aforementioned Bring the Soul:
The Movie, a worldwide hit for Trafalgar
Releasing. Earlier in 2019, BTS World Tour
Love Yourself in Seoul, presented by Fathom
Events and Pathé Live, made $3.5 million.
Elsewhere in the concert space, Trafalgar’s
release of Metallica and San Francisco
Symphony: S&M² made $6 million, while
Depeche Mode: Spirits in the Forest grossed
close to $5 million. Approximately 36
percent of Trafalgar’s U.K. box office came
from contemporary-music releases.
One of Fathom’s highest earners in 2019
was Friends 25th: The One with the Anniversary,
which paired remastered episodes of
the NBC sitcom with special material like
interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.
Other television programming presented
by Fathom in 2019 included I Love Lucy
and The Twilight Zone. Says Fathom Events
CEO Ray Nutt, “Our broadcast/television
Image courtesy Trafalgar Releasing
“You’ve got this cultural
quartet of opera, theater,
ballet, and fine arts that event
cinema is heavily anchored
into.” —Julie Borchard-Young,
BY Experience
April 2020
185

ON SCREEN EVENT CINEMA
vertical really exploded in 2019. … This
notable success has made conversations
and negotiations with current and
future content partners in this space very
productive and encouraging. I can say with
confidence that we will be doing much
more like this in 2020, including some very
recognizable and well-loved series.”
Keeping an eye on event-cinema
success stories is relative newcomer
CineLife Entertainment. The company
has been programming event cinema
since 2018 and found success with its 40th
anniversary rerelease of Halloween that
same year. McCabe, hired as executive
vice president of CineLife Entertainment
this past May, calls 2019 a “building year,”
one in which she and Spotlight Cinema
Networks president Michael Sakin took
Top: This month,
CineLife Entertainment
brings Celebrating
the Sopranos to its
event-cinema partner
theaters.
Above: Phish’s Trey
Anastasio gets an
intimate portrait in
Trafalgar Releasing’s
Between Me and My
Mind.
Image courtesy CineLife Entertainment
Photo: Johnny Saint Ours, courtesy Trafalgar Releasing
stock of the event-cinema landscape while
planning for their own more robust 2020
slate. “Within that landscape,” says Sakin,
“two things popped out: anniversaries and
concert films.”
“It is important,” continues Sakin, that
CineLife Entertainment’s programming
match up with its brand—which, like
that of parent company Spotlight Cinema
Networks, is geared more toward the “arts,
upscale-luxury, educated-type audience.”
For its 2020 concert and classic-film
presentations, CineLife Entertainment
chose the Live from the Artists Den series—pairing
to-be-announced performers
with “iconic or interesting venues,” says
McCabe—and a collection of LGBTQ films
(including Call Me by Your Name and a
20th-anniversary rerelease of The Broken
Heats Club) from the archives of Sony
Pictures Classics. On the TV front, April
sees CineLife Entertainment releasing
Celebrating the Sopranos, a three-part
documentary tribute to the classic HBO
show, the prequel to which will air in the
fall of this year.
While a certain level of experimentation
is necessary, Nutt of Fathom and
Kymberli Frueh, senior vice president of
content acquisitions—programming at
Tralfagar Releasing, both caution against
overextending oneself. “The top lesson we
learned in 2019 was discipline,” says Nutt.
“We have figured out the right number of
titles, event nights, and showtimes that
work for each category and how to best
utilize auditoriums and screen time. Less
is more for event cinema, because we want
to ensure full theaters and an exceptional
fan experience. Moving forward, our focus
is on bigger titles rather than more of
them.” On Trafalgar’s side, Frueh notes
that they’ve capped their events at around
80 a year, giving the company the ability to
“put a lot of sweat equity” into every event
“and to really nurture [each] project to be
the best it can possibly be from a revenue
perspective and also a brand perspective.”
With A Little Help From Our Friends
Whether opera or K-pop, Kahlo or Call Me by
Your Name, event cinema’s most important
feature is partnerships. These are partnerships
between event-cinema distributors
and exhibitors—which work together to
market events—and event-cinema distributors
and their own content providers.
In the latter case, Trafalgar Releasing’s
Frueh cites her company’s global release
186 April 2020

(excluding Japan and South Korea, including
the U.S.) of the first (in 2018) and third
BTS concert films. Big Hit Entertainment,
Trafalgar’s collaborators on the films,
“liked the results, and they liked the way
we handled their release. One of the things
that most of our content partners find
that makes us really unique is that we’re
agile in our approach”—meaning, in some
cases, pulling together a global release in
as few as two or three months. Frueh cites
the summer release of Between Me and My
Mind, a documentary/concert film about
Phish lead guitarist and vocalist Trey Anastasio.
The film “beat all our projections”
despite Trafalgar’s putting the release
together in under three months. “But we
had a really great content team and marketing
team, along with Live Nation. And
everybody rolled up their sleeves and got
behind it, so we could make it a success
with a shorter ramp time.”
When it comes to all-important partnerships
between event-cinema companies
and exhibitors, CineLife Entertainment
has a leg up. Its parent company, Spotlight
Cinema Networks, distributes pre-show
advertising to a network of art house and
luxury theaters across the U.S., meaning
it’s a natural progression for CineLife
Entertainment to secure pre-show advertisements
for its event-cinema events.
In addition, explains Sakin, the network
of exhibitors that has partnered with
Spotlight has come to trust the brand.
That was key to building relationships
with European event-cinema distributors
intent on reaching a U.S. moviegoing
audience, says Sakin. Spotlight’s existing
connections—and the full year Sakin spent
establishing relationships—proved key in
establishing partnerships with European
event-cinema providers. “We’re not looked
at as competitors. We’re looked at as
partners,” Sakin explains. Approximately
70 percent of CineLife’s current 2020 slate
comes from European companies.
A Global Industry
If where content is coming from is
important, so too is where it’s going. Daren
Miller, V.P. of programming, business
affairs, and strategy at Fathom Events,
highlights the success the company had
in 2019—and the growth they “could
potentially see” in 2020—in Canada,
where the company has a relationship
with Canadian distributor Cineplex. “We
distributed more than 20 titles to Canada
that were consistently well attended and
received. Between the passionate audience
and strong economy, we see a robust
opportunity for event-cinema distribution
there.” Cineplex itself, Miller continues,
“knows how to service its audience and
support our programming with dedicated
event-cinema screens (which is a strong
indicator of market demand).” In 2019,
Fathom distributed 28 events to 45 countries,
up from 15 events in 2018.
Frueh of Trafalgar (which distributes
in 121 countries) cites “huge growth” in
Southeast Asia and the Middle East over
the last two years; 2019 saw the company
distribute in Ethiopia, Pakistan, Cambodia,
and Madagascar for the first time.
Borchard-Young of BY Experience, which
distributes in approximately 80 countries,
believes Asia to be a “growth market,”
particularly for opera.
Music-based event-cinema programming,
say both executives, has strong
international potential. Music “is the one
constant that unites the world,” Frueh
argues. “You don’t have to understand the
lyrics” to appreciate the content—whether
it’s audiences in the United States showing
up in droves for BTS or Germans rocking
out to Metallica. To that end, when it
comes to musical programming, Frueh
prizes a global approach, opting for
performers “that are so dynamic with such
well-known brands that the world is very
cognizant [of them]. They’re on their radar,
and it makes it easier to drive attendance.”
Flexibility, argues Frueh, is also key
to meeting global demand. In the case of
Trafalgar’s release of Joni Mitchell tribute
concert The Music Center Presents Joni 75:
A Birthday Celebration, what was originally
envisioned as a more North America–
centric release expanded to international
markets after “we had cinemas starting to
call us in pockets around the world, saying
‘We really want that content.’” Joni 75,
Frueh notes, earned approximately triple
what Trafalgar had expected.
But event cinema’s potential in international
markets, argues Borchard-Young,
doesn’t mean that event-cinema providers
can rest on their laurels when it comes
to the U.S. “I think U.S. markets, believe
it or not, still have potential. What we’re
trying to do with this cultural content—be
it opera, theater, ballet, fine arts—is offer
a bridge” to world-renowned content that
may otherwise not be accessible outside
the local movie theater.
Recipe For Success
Every event-cinema provider—like every
other company in the film industry,
or indeed any industry—wants to be
successful. But in the event-cinema world,
success means a lot more than box office.
A weekend box office report will give you
a sense of how many people showed up to
a movie. But it won’t tell you the number
of empty seats; whether new international
territories were reached; whether new
audiences, who had never been to an
event screening before, were reached—or
whether the event succeeded in shoring up
partnerships, both new and long-term.
“We may have a loyal partner [with] a
release that may not be as strong as a BTS
[film],” says Frueh. “But because of that
partnership … we may take the risk on it
with them to deliver something that we
know may not be as viably successful as
some of the other events that we’ve done.
But it’s important to them. It’s important
to us. In the long term, when we’re looking
at them to feed our pipeline of content,
we’ve got to make sure that we’re delivering
on their needs as well.”
“It’s not just the beans that are
counted at the end of the day,” says
Borchard-Young. “Did we set ourselves up”
for success by reaching new audiences and
sparking demand? “Did we set our clients
up to have growth and success? And if I
answer yes every year to that question, I’m
totally satisfied. Because this is a longrange
game. It’s not [release] a hit title, pat
yourself on the back, and go.”
“Less is more for event
cinema, because we want to
ensure full theaters and an
exceptional fan experience.”
—Ray Nutt, Fathom Events
April 2020
187

ON SCREEN EVENT CINEMA
EVENT CINEMA
CALENDAR
Upcoming special engagements
at nationwide cinemas
Apollo 13
25th Anniversary
Sun. 4/5, Mon. 4/6,
Weds. 4/8
Image courtesy Fathom Events
CINELIFE ENTERTAINMENT
cinelifeentertainment.com
ENGLISH NATIONAL BALLET -
AKRAM KHAN’S GISELLE
(U.S. RELEASE)
Fri. 3/6 - Fri. 3/13
Genre: Ballet
COMÉDIE-FRANÇAISE:
ELECTRA/ORESTES
March-May
Genre: Theater
COMÉDIE-FRANÇAISE: A FLEA IN
HER EAR
March-May
Genre: Theater
COMÉDIE-FRANÇAISE: SCAPIN THE
SCHEMER
March-May
Genre: Theater
Comédie-Française:
Electra/Orestes
March-May
CELEBRATING THE SOPRANOS
Tues. 4/14 - Mon. 4/27
Genre: Documentary
LIVE FROM THE ARTISTS DEN
April
Genre: Music
THE BROKEN HEARTS CLUB:
A ROMANTIC COMEDY
(20TH ANNIVERSARY)
May
Genre: Classics
MA VIE EN ROSE
June
Genre: Classics
A FANTASTIC WOMAN
June
Genre: Classics
CALL ME BY YOUR NAME
July
Genre: Classics
FEDERICO GARCÍA LORCA: MOONS
OF NEW YORK & GIANT MOON
September
Genre: Documentary
DRACULA
October
Genre: Ballet
CERVANTES: THE SEARCH
October
Genre: Documentary
THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR
FROM SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE
October
Genre: Theater
THE WINTER’S TALE FROM SHAKE-
SPEARE’S GLOBE
November
Genre: Theater
EXHIBITION ON SCREEN
exhibitiononscreen.com
EASTER IN ART
From Tues. 4/7
Genre: Art
FATHOM EVENTS
fathomevents.com
855-473-4612
APOLLO 13 25TH ANNIVERSARY
Sun. 4/5, Mon. 4/6, Weds. 4/8
Genre: Classics
SIGHT AND SOUND PRESENTS
JESUS
Tues. 4/7, Thurs. 4/9, Sat. 4/11
Genre: Inspirational
THE MET: LIVE IN HD: TOSCA
Sat. 4/11 (live), Weds. 4/15 (encore),
Sat. 4/18 (encore)
Genre: Opera
GLADIATOR 20TH ANNIVERSARY
Mon. 4/13, Weds. 4/15, Sun. 4/19
Genre: Classics
BOLSHOI BALLET: JEWELS
Sun. 4/19
Genre: Ballet
CLIMATE HUSTLE 2
Tues. 4/21
Genre: Documentary
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: A
LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN
Sun. 4/26, Mon. 4/27, Weds. 4/29
Genre: Classics
Image courtesy CineLife Entertainment
FRIDA KAHLO
From Mon. 7/6
Genre: Art
CONCERTO: A BEETHOVEN
JOURNEY
From Weds. 12/16
Genre: Music
CLUELESS 25TH ANNIVERSARY
Sun. 5/3, Mon. 5/4, Weds. 5/6
Genre: Classics
PATTERNS OF EVIDENCE: RED SEA
MIRACLE PART 2
Tues. 5/5
Genre: Inspirational
188 April 2020

THE MET: LIVE IN HD: MARIA
STUARDA
Sat. 5/9 (live), Weds. 5/13 (encore)
Genre: Opera
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: BABE
25TH ANNIVERSARY
Sun. 8/9, Weds. 8/12
Genre: Classics
BERLINER PHILHARMONIKER LIVE
SEASON FINALE CONCERT
Fri. 6/12 (U.K./Republic of Ireland)
Genre: Music
CAVALLERIA RUSTICANA / PAGLI-
ACCI
Tues. 4/21
Genre: Opera
CHASING WHISKEY
Mon. 5/11
Genre: Documentary
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS:
AIRPLANE! 40TH ANNIVERSARY
Sun. 5/17, Weds. 5/20
Genre: Classics
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: THE
SHINING 40TH ANNIVERSARY
Sun. 5/31, Weds. 6/3
Genre: Classics
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: ANNIE
Sun. 6/14, Weds. 6/17
Genre: Classics
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: THE
BLUES BROTHERS 40TH ANNIVER-
SARY
Sun. 6/28, Weds. 7/1
Genre: Classics
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: GHOST
30TH ANNIVERSARY
Sun. 7/19, Weds. 7/22
Genre: Classics
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: CLOSE
ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND
Sun. 9/13, Mon. 9/14, Thurs. 9/17
Genre: Classics
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS:
PSYCHO 60TH ANNIVERSARY
Sun. 10/11, Mon. 10/12
Genre: Classics
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: ONE
FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST
45TH ANNIVERSARY
Sun. 11/8, Mon. 11/9
Genre: Classics
TCM BIG SCREEN CLASSICS:
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
Sun. 12/13, Mon. 12/14
Genre: Classics
MORE2SCREEN
www.more2screen.com
MATTHEW BOURNE’S THE RED
SHOES
From Tues. 5/19
Genre: Ballet
MYCINEMA
www.mycinema.live
FORGIVEN
Sat. 4/4
Genre: Inspirational
MAX WINSLOW AND THE HOUSE OF
SECRETS
Fri. 4/24
Genre: Family-Friendly
FEARLESS FAITH
Sun. 5/10
Genre: Inspirational
HELL NIGHT
Sun. 5/10
Genre: Horror
ROYAL OPERA HOUSE
roh.org.uk/cinemas
cinema@roh.org.uk
SWAN LAKE
Weds. 4/1
Genre: Ballet
THE DANTE PROJECT
Thurs. 5/28
Genre: Ballet
ELEKTRA
Thurs. 6/18
Genre: Opera
TRAFALGAR RELEASING
trafalgar-releasing.com
JUMP SHOT: THE KENNY SAILORS
STORY
Thurs. 4/2
Genre: Sports
ENORMOUS: THE GORGE STORY
Tues. 4/28
Genre: Music
The Met: Live In HD:
Maria Stuarda
Sat. 5/9 (live),
Weds. 5/13 (encore)
Image courtesy Fathom Events
April 2020
189

ON SCREEN FILMMAKER INTERVIEW
PROMISING
YOUNG
WOMEN
Emerald Fennell Directs Carey
Mulligan in Focus Features’
Candy-Colored Thriller
BY REBECCA PAHLE
190 April 2020

Carey Mulligan has an eye
out for trouble in Promising
Young Woman
Image courtesy Focus Features
“Every week I go to a club. I act like
I’m too drunk to stand. And every
week a ‘nice guy’ comes over to see if I’m
OK.” So speaks Cassie of Promising Young
Woman, the debut feature of writer-director
Emerald Fennell. Years ago, Cassie
dropped out of med school following
the assault of a friend; now her weekend
hobby is showing an endless parade of
dudes how very, very wrong they are in
taking a “drunk” woman home and trying
to get into her pants. But there’s a twist:
the arrival into her life of ex-classmate
Ryan (Bo Burnham) brings the possibility
for healing, along with unresolved feelings
about the event that left her traumatized.
A new mission emerges.
Candy-colored and unabashedly girly
in its aesthetic, Promising Young Woman
offers a welcome take on the revenge
thriller, switching out the raw violence
common to the genre for a more nuanced
interrogation of the pervasive culture
of sexual harassment. In advance of the
film’s April 17 release from Focus Features,
Fennell took the time to speak about her
debut feature—starting with an unabashed
love-fest for her lead actress.
Congratulations on the film. I’ll see
Carey Mulligan in just about anything.
So I was excited for this, and it didn’t
disappoint.
Oh, she’s amazing.
I read somewhere that you thought
there was no way in hell you’d get her
for this film.
Oh God, no, of course not! She’s Carey
Mulligan! She’s incredibly selective about
what she does and who she works with,
so I really didn’t think I stood much of a
chance. Luckily, I somehow managed to
persuade her. And I’m so, so glad, because
I really do think she’s the backbone of all
of this. She grounds the characters in such
truth. It’s a heightened movie, and it’s a
heightened experience, and it needed that.
That’s one of the things I like about
the film: its groundedness. You see
Cassie wrestling with her trauma and
trying to get better, as opposed to
just going on a killing spree.
The revenge movie is a genre that I
absolutely love, but I think it’s also ripe for
subversion. Also, I don’t know any women
who resort to violence, really. It’s very
rare. And so I wanted to write a revenge
movie that was honest about the process
of grieving and the process of trauma. And
also honest about how a woman might
teach lessons or frighten people. What she
does is still very dangerous to herself, and
I think possibly that might even be part of
why she does it. It struck me that I’d never
seen a movie like this with a character who
felt like she might do something that a real
woman might do.
So many revenge movies are escapist,
in a way. Men get away with awful
things all the time in the real world,
and in revenge movies, they get
brutally murdered for it.
It’s escapist, and it’s cathartic. And it’s
effective. But it’s not honest or real. This
movie was about taking those things that
are so appealing to us as audience members—so
neat and tidy—and pulling them
apart and looking at them. For me—the
same as in “Killing Eve”—if you’re going
to have violence in a movie, you need to be
honest about what violence looks like and
what it is. You have an obligation to show it
in a way that feels real. We’re so immune to
violence. When you show what it looks like,
really, it’s much more uncomfortable than
the almost titillating violence that I think
we’re used to on TV and in film. [Fennell
was the show runner and head writer for
season two of the acclaimed BBC show
“Killing Eve.”] There’s a scene in “Killing
Eve” when Eve kills for the first time with
an ax. It’s kind of horrific. I just didn’t want
it to be a moment that was like, “OK, gun,
fine.” Imagine actually killing someone
with an ax as a woman who’d never killed
someone before. It’s always looking at
these things that we’re used to and saying,
“OK, what actually would you feel like?” I
don’t think it’s too much of a spoiler to say
that when there is violence in this film, it
is troubling. As it should be.
Some of the things that Cassie does
are uncomfortable to watch. You’re
like, “No, no, what are you doing?”
The power that women have is to frighten.
That’s what she does. She is frightening. I
didn’t want to shy away from that, from
the fact that some of the decisions she
makes aren’t nice or good. Because she’s
so angry. But it was important to me
nevertheless that things aren’t quite what
they seem, that she’s very particular and
careful about the smoke and mirrors that
she puts in place.
April 2020
191

ON SCREEN FILMMAKER INTERVIEW
Right: Carey Mulligan
and Bo Burnham groove to
the musical stylings of Paris
Hilton in Promising Young
Woman.
Below: Director of
photography Benjamin
Kracun (far left) and writerdirector
Emerald Fennell
(center) with actors Sam
Richardson and Carey
Mulligan
Bottom: Writer-director
Emerald Fennell consults with
(l–r) Carey Mulligan, Laverne
Cox, and Bo Burnham.
Images courtesy Merie Weismiller Wallace / Focus Features Images courtesy Merie Weismiller Wallace / Focus Features
The rape culture scenarios this movie
confronts—I don’t want to say they’re
in the “gray zone,” because they are
absolutely wrong, but they’re these
situations where a lot of people
still look at them and say, “Well, no,
that wasn’t really rape. She was just
drunk.”
This conversation has been going on for a
really long time. It’s still something that is
completely pervasive everywhere. It was
really important to me, making this film, to
first say, “Where have I contributed to this
culture? What jokes have I laughed at? What
movie scenes have I laughed at? How have
I not supported friends in ways that they
may have needed supporting?” If you’re
going to make a film about this kind of stuff,
you have to really look at yourself first.
Every single person in this film thinks
they’re right. Even the really bad people
who did the really bad thing [to Cassie’s
best friend]. The thing that was important
to me was that nobody is arguing that
the bad thing [didn’t happen]. They just
interpreted it very, very differently. They
say it was consensual and fun. And isn’t
that always the case? It’s something I was
really interested in: So rarely do people say,
“No, that didn’t happen!” They say, “Oh, no,
it did happen, but not like she said it did.”
And that’s very important. When writing
it I had to make sure that none of the bad
things that happen in this film we haven’t
laughed at in comedy movies of the last
15 years. Jokes about girls being drunk or
taking dogs home.
The truth of it is that you also have to
be open-minded and forgiving, as well.
Our culture changes, and we change with
it. That’s how everything gets better. This
film is about people who refuse to admit
and refuse to change. Cassie comes along,
and she has two hands open. One has
forgiveness and one has punishment. And
she always offers both at the beginning.
Every conversation she has with people,
she’s offering forgiveness if they acknowledge
and apologize.
Are you having these conversations
with your actors?
Totally. Everyone who really wanted to
be a part of this movie was very open
and honest. And I think everyone who’s
seen it, and everyone who’s read it, was
like “Oh, God. Oh, shit. This is so much
a part of the culture.” We all had really
proper, nuanced discussions about it. But
the thing for me with everyone was: You
are not a bad person. You woke up this
morning knowing in your heart you are a
good person. And somebody has turned
up and is telling you you’re not. So what
do you do? What would any of us do in
that situation? It could be about anything.
It’s being confronted with a truth that
you’re not willing to recognize. And that
is true just as much for Cassie. Because
when she’s confronted by something she’s
done, you can see the horror. She’s not
immune to it.
Was there a particular event that
led you to write this film? Or was it a
culmination of all these discussions
that have been taking place over the
last handful of years?
192 April 2020

Images courtesy Merie Weismiller Wallace / Focus Features
It wasn’t inspired by [the last few years],
really, because I started writing it before.
It’s something that my friends and I had
been discussing since we were at college
ourselves. The curtain’s been opened,
and the light’s shining on how pervasive
this culture is. It’s something I’ve been
very, very interested in for a long time.
Particularly this idea of one specific part of
our culture, which is the use of alcohol and
drugs in seduction, which remains still a
huge part of the way that people operate.
People who would never think themselves
bad people. I was wanting to make a film
that would be compelling in its own right,
but also underneath would want people to
examine something deeper.
It’s definitely a discussion-sparker.
I assume it’s done that at screenings
so far?
Yeah, it has. Also, from a filmmaking point
of view, it’s been really interesting seeing
how people interpret different facets of
it: the set design, the music choices, the
casting, the costume design. All this is
stuff that we really, really put such great,
great care in. What’s so nice is people have
really responded to this stuff as well. And
that’s nice, because it’s the stuff of making
things that’s so pleasurable, as well as
obviously writing the script and telling
the story.
I’ll be honest: When I watched
the trailer, a lot of those design
elements—the colors, the music, the
girly aesthetic of it—made me think it
would be a different film than it was.
I liked what I saw! But it was a lot
more nuanced than what I expected
it would be.
The whole idea of the movie was to beckon
people in. Beckon and beckon them into
a sort of fun, schlocky [atmosphere].
And then lock them in! And not let them
out. That’s the experience I want when
I go to the movies—to be surprised and
challenged in every way.
For me, what I was trying to do was
to have that sense of things dawning on
us at different times. It’s seeing people
suddenly realize that they’re listening to
Paris Hilton [her song “Stars are Blind” is
featured in a scene] or recognizing [a]
Britney Spears [song], slowed down. The
clothes seem so enticing and feminine.
But actually, they are hiding something
incendiary and frightening. [Cassie is]
actually using them as a clever disguise. I
wanted it to be surprising. For my personal
taste, I like things that are ultra, ultra,
ultra-feminine, but also kind of uncanny.
Also a bit odd or too much.
What are some of your favorite
movies that have surprised you in
that way?
Most recently, Get Out and Parasite, for
their sense of “I really don’t know where
this journey is going, but I’m loving it.”
Films like American Psycho and To Die
For. Macabre humor that looks beautiful.
Anything by Paul Thomas Anderson.
Trojan horse cinema.
That’s it. A Trojan unicorn. That’s the best,
all of it! The kind of woman that Cassie
is projecting is the ultimate Trojan horse.
She uses her blondness and her whiteness
and her sweetness to a very clever respect,
which makes her very dangerous. I’m
interested in the ways that women can be
dangerous.
April 2020
193

ON SCREEN NUMBER CRUNCH
WHAT’S
NEXT?
Looking Back—and Ahead—
at the Cinematic Experience
of the 21st Century
BY SHAWN ROBBINS
Below: Robert Downey
Jr.’s Iron Man marked
the end of an era in
Avengers: Endgame.
As I took my seat for the very first
showing of Avengers: Endgame at
my local Imax auditorium last April, I
couldn’t help but notice the audience. My
wife and I were surrounded by hundreds
of other fans of all ages—moms, dads,
grandparents, millennials, teenagers—
there wasn’t one obviously dominant
demographic.
At the end of the movie, a couple of
teenagers sitting one row behind us were
audibly crying. We heard them describe
how they’d grown up with Tony Stark and
Iron Man, how emotional the entire saga
made them feel. It caught me off guard and
reminded me of the same feelings I’d had
watching other stories come to their end.
It brought to mind the experience of
seeing a certain James Cameron film
in the late 1990s, another memorable
cultural moment that left fans around the
world sobbing by the closing credits. A
stray thought dawned on me: Endgame is
Titanic for teenage boys and comic book
fans. (But don’t get me wrong—I may not
be a teenager, but I was in tears by the
credits of Endgame, too.)
Endgame, and every story that led up
to it, had an indelible and palpable impact
on its fans. It was a cultural event familiar
even to those with little interest in Marvel
movies. We all knew it wouldn’t be the
end of Marvel, of course, or even the final
time we’d see many of its characters, but
it was the end of an era. It was my most
memorable moviegoing experience of 2019
and one I’ll never forget.
So … what’s next?
Image courtesy Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
We can’t expect a cultural phenomenon
like Endgame to be released every year.
We can’t even expect a Force Awakens–like
reboot every decade. Those properties
were arguably the pinnacles of box office
achievement and the most significant
catalysts of communal moviegoing in the
past decade.
We’ve been here before, of course.
Avatar crushed global box office records
toward the end of 2009 and into 2010. It
was very much a transition period then,
too. Major franchises that had defined the
2000s had ended, were approaching their
end, or were simply past their peak: The
Lord of the Rings, the Star Wars prequels,
Pirates of the Caribbean, Spider-Man,
The Matrix, Shrek, The Dark Knight, and
Harry Potter. Life after those, for their
fans, was hard to imagine.
Back then, no one could have predicted
the level of hype achieved by most of the
major film “events” of the 2010s. Disney
didn’t yet own Lucasfilm; additional Star
Wars films were but pipe dreams in fan
circles. Kevin Feige and Marvel were just
ramping up, with only Iron Man and The
Incredible Hulk under their belts, and
many doubted whether a shared cinematic
universe could ever work long-term.
(A decade later, Black Panther and the
two-part conclusion of the Infinity Saga
conclusively proved the naysayers wrong.)
The 2010s were undeniably more
reliant on fewer franchises than the
previous decade had been. Six of the 10
highest-grossing films (domestically)
were either from the MCU or Star Wars
franchise. Compare that to the 2000s,
when only one series (Spider-Man, twice)
topped the yearly domestic box office more
than once. But that stat, and the perception
that the future looks bleak without
any franchises to carry the weight of the
industry, overlooks the other incredible
success stories in recent years. Box office
hits outside Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm
have continuously graced the screens,
the likes of which included Mad Max:
Fury Road, Wonder Woman, Frozen, It,
Get Out, Bohemian Rhapsody, Inside Out,
Inception, Skyfall, Ted, Gravity, The Social
Network, American Sniper, 21 Jump Street,
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, The LEGO
Movie, Gone Girl, The Hunger Games,
Deadpool, Jurassic World, Pitch Perfect 2,
John Wick, How to Train Your Dragon, The
Martian, revivals of the Mission: Impossible
and Fast & Furious series, Zootopia, The
194 April 2020

Scott Garfield. © 2019 Paramount Pictures Corporation. All rights reserved.
Revenant, A Star Is Born, Coco, A Quiet
Place ... and so many more.
With few exceptions, most of the films
on that list far exceeded expectations.
They proved that audiences want more of
everything, not just more of one kind of
movie. Yes, we love our superheroes, but
we love our outside-the-box, script-driven
content, too.
What does the next decade look like
from here? The truth is, no one really
knows for sure beyond the fact that Disney
has a mountain of untitled films slated
until nearly the decade’s end. Barring
some major shift in the release calendar or
multiple movies that come out of nowhere
and blow away expectations, 2020 itself
won’t see the kind of record ticket sales
we’ve become used to.
But that’s OK.
Past years that didn’t set domestic records
still delivered unforgettable movies
with lasting impacts on the industry. Even
cornerstone franchises can’t guarantee
box office records. 2019 delivered many
high-level box office performances, but
it served as a reminder that this remains
an ebb-and-flow, quality-driven business
and that Disney—regardless of its deep
“Top Gun: Maverick is
already creating a wave
of nostalgic buzz from
Generation X moviegoers
that could help it become
a major summer hit.”
roster of intellectual property—can attract
top billing on a release slate, but it takes
an ensemble to truly shine.
2020 boasts its share of films that could
quietly build strong midrange results to
soften the loss of mega-event titles that
have spoiled us in recent years:
No Time to Die will bring to a close
(presumably) Daniel Craig’s widely praised
era as the iconic James Bond.
Black Widow will be Marvel’s return
to the big screen after nearly a year, and
together with Wonder Woman 1984 should
continue the growing appeal of superhero
films to women.
Christopher Nolan’s Tenet looks to bring
back the kind of original, ambitious blockbuster
movie he first became known for.
Top Gun: Maverick is already creating
a wave of nostalgic buzz from Generation
X moviegoers that could help it become a
major summer hit.
In the Heights, Lin-Manuel Miranda’s
Tony-winning musical that came before
mega-hit Hamilton, might be the next
multicultural musical box office smash.
Dune could be the film that finally
elevates the visionary French-Canadian
director Denis Villeneuve (Blade Runner
April 2020
195

ON SCREEN NUMBER CRUNCH
Photo: Nicola Dove for Danjaq, LLC and MGM
2049, Arrival) into the blockbuster filmmaker
category.
The Eternals will represent the first
ensemble-based, star-studded entry in
the Marvel Universe since Guardians of
the Galaxy.
Those, and so many more films await
us—and there are still plenty of holes in
the calendar to be plugged by studios who
have yet to announce release dates for
“untitled” films. Maybe one of them is the
next Crazy Rich Asians or Baby Driver.
Maybe some—including the films we
do know about—are the kick-starters of
franchises that will drive the 2020s.
And just one year on, 2021 will see
the return of names built to attract
big audiences. Marvel will release
four films (for the first time ever in a
calendar year)—three of which include
Spider-Man, Doctor Strange, and Thor
(with recent Oscar winner Taika Waititi
returning, no less). Avatar, Batman,
Mission: Impossible, John Wick, The
Matrix, Indiana Jones, Jurassic World,
and more will return.
We all know the dangers of franchise
fatigue, and it’s no guarantee that any of
those titles will hit in the way hoped for,
but some, if not most, just might. No matter
how much we may love (or want to retire)
a specific version of a movie or movie
character, there will always be another
generation in waiting—whether they know
it or not—for their version of those stories
and characters on the big screen.
And what of that pesky question about
streaming versus theatrical? It’s not going
away anytime soon. In fact, it will probably
be louder than ever this time next
year, but the reality will be unchanged:
They are two completely different services,
with different content, and both are
capable of coexisting.
When anyone asks the question, “Is
streaming going to hurt the theatrical
business?” they’re asking the wrong question.
The right question is, “Will theatrical
“No Time to Die will bring to
a close (presumably) Daniel
Craig’s widely praised era as
the iconic James Bond.”
196 April 2020

continue to step up and offer something
that can’t be duplicated at home?”
In other words, will more films be
afforded the chance to develop organically
instead of rushing to meet end-of-year
profit goals? Will more talented filmmakers
from different backgrounds be granted
equal opportunity and resources to bring
their original ideas to theaters?
If the answer is yes, the future of
moviegoing remains bright. Sure, there
probably won’t be an Avatar or a Black
Panther or an Endgame or a Force Awakens
every year. When that kind of lightning
strikes, it reminds us why those kinds of
events are uniquely special.
But is it unreasonable to want to see
more films like Knives Out, Us, Rocketman,
Yesterday, Ford v Ferrari, and Joker fill the
gaps between franchise events each year?
Granted, it’s something of a real-world
miracle when any film works as well as
these did with a mass audience. But these
films succeeded because they began and
ended with a cohesive creative vision from
preproduction to marketing and distribution.
They never took their audience for
granted, and they were rewarded for that.
That will be the true question that 2020
and the years ahead will need to address:
how will unique, cross-quadrant films fare
in the market?
Our industry’s narrative is increasingly
black or white: we are either in the hottest
box office market of all time, shattering
every box office record in sight—or on
the verge of total annihilation, the latest
casualty in this era of digital disruption.
The in-between has largely disappeared.
The films of 2020 aren’t expected to be
record breakers, but they will be no less
crucial to the future of the business. With
fewer blockbuster franchises, there is more
room for what are known as “middle-tier”
hits, the ones that open well and leg out to
$100 to $200 million domestically or $400
to $500 million-plus globally—movies that
don’t capture the same attention as record
breakers but can sustain and enhance the
moviegoing experience.
Our industry’s expectations need to
expand beyond setting records. This is a
business built around great movies—big
and small—helping new and established
talents break out and flourish, and keeping
the theatrical experience vibrant. That
experience will never go away as long as
we embrace the intimate, auteur-driven
dramas as well as the studio tentpoles.
They contribute equally to the magic of
going to the movies.
Even if we don’t see many record
performances over the next 12 months,
the industry won’t come to an end. There
is light ahead, and much talent out there
waiting to define what the next decade will
be like in movie theaters.
As much as we try to read the tea
leaves, there will always be a level of
unpredictability to the box office. What
continues to be dependably unique
and irreplaceable is the experience of
discovering a new movie you love on the
big screen.
SAVE TIME
SAVE MONEY
April 2020
197

ON SCREEN LONG RANGE FORECAST
MAY PREVIEW
Three May Titles with the
Biggest Box Office Potential
BY SHAWN ROBBINS
BLACK WIDOW
May 1 | Disney / Marvel Studios
Our early expectations are that the
semi-prequel nature of this film (taking
place after Captain America: Civil War
and before Avengers: Infinity War) could
deny it the kind of event status a Scarlett
Johansson–led solo film would have had a
few years ago. Her character and presence
remain popular, however, and the film’s
initial trailer has generated plenty of
excitement in its own right.
F9
May 22 | Universal
While the ninth entry in the long-running
Fast & Furious franchise isn’t expected
to reach the heights of its predecessors,
we’re putting faith in the creative team’s
decision to continue on the same track
that has made this series a global hit. The
Memorial Day weekend debut will help
upfront business as well. Initial trailer
trends are encouraging overall.
THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE:
SPONGE ON THE RUN
May 22 | Paramount
Fans could drive this to strong numbers,
especially given the holiday time frame
and the success of the franchise’s first
two big-screen outings. Competition
from other family films could dilute
some of its core audience on opening
weekend, but it could easily make up
ground in ensuing weeks.
198 April 2020

ON SCREEN BOOKING GUIDE
BOOKING
GUIDE
Release Calendar for Theatrical
Distribution in North America
Updated on March 1. For the latest schedule,
visit www.boxofficepro.com/release-calendar
101 STUDIOS
LA BELLE ÉPOQUE
Fri, 5/22/20 LTD
Stars: Daniel Auteuil,
Guillaume Canet
Director: Nicolas Bedos
Rating: NR
Genre: Com/Dra
CITY OF A MILLION SOLDIERS
Fri, 6/12/20 LTD
Stars: Ishaq Elias,
Suhail Dabbach
Director: Matthew Michael
Carnahan
Rating: R
Genre: War/Dra
Image courtesy the Toronto International Film Festival
20TH CENTURY STUDIOS
310-369-1000
212-556-2400
THE NEW MUTANTS
Fri, 4/3/20 WIDE
Stars: Anya Taylor-Joy,
Maisie Williams
Director: Josh Boone
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Hor/SF
Specs: Dolby Vis/Atmos
THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW
Fri, 5/15/20 WIDE
Stars: Amy Adams, Gary Oldman
Director: Joe Wright
Rating: R
Genre: Cri/Dra/Mys
FREE GUY
Fri, 7/3/20 WIDE
Stars: Ryan Reynolds
Director: Shawn Levy
Rating: NR
Genre: Com/Act
BOB’S BURGERS
Fri, 7/17/20 WIDE
Stars: H. Jon Benjamin,
Kristen Schaal
Rating: NR
Genre: Ani
La Belle Époque
Fri, 5/22/20 LTD
EMPTY MAN
Fri, 8/7/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Cri/Dra/Hor
THE KING’S MAN
Fri, 9/18/20 WIDE
Stars: Ralph Fiennes,
Gemma Arterton
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Adv
Specs: IMAX
DEATH ON THE NILE
Fri, 10/9/20 WIDE
Stars: Tom Bateman,
Annette Bening
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Rating: NR
Genre: Cri/Dra/Mys
EVERYBODY’S TALKING ABOUT
JAMIE
Fri, 10/23/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Dra/Mus
DEEP WATER
Fri, 11/13/20 WIDE
Stars: Ana de Armas, Ben Affleck
Director: Adrian Lyne
Rating: NR
Genre: Thr
WEST SIDE STORY
Fri, 12/18/20 WIDE
Stars: Ansel Elgort, Rachel Zegler
Director: Steven Spielberg
Rating: NR
Genre: Mus
THE LAST DUEL
Fri, 12/25/20 LTD
Stars: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck
Director: Ridley Scott
Rating: NR
Genre: Dra
RON’S GONE WRONG
Fri, 2/26/21 LTD
Rating: NR
Genre: Ani
UNTITLED 20TH CENTURY 2021 1
Fri, 4/9/21 LTD
Rating: NR
UNTITLED 20TH CENTURY 2021 2
Fri, 4/23/21 LTD
April 2020
199

ON SCREEN BOOKING GUIDE
A24
646-568-6015
SAINT MAUD
Fri, 4/3/20 LTD
Stars: Jennifer Ehle, Morfydd Clark
Director: Rose Glass
THE GREEN KNIGHT
Fri, 5/29/20 LTD
Stars: Dev Patel, Alicia Vikander
Director: David Lowery
Rating: NR
Genre: Fan
AMAZON STUDIOS
VAST OF NIGHT
Fri, 5/29/20 LTD
Stars: Sierra McCormick, Jake
Horowitz
Director: Andrew Patterson
Rating: PG-13
Genre: SF
BLUE FOX ENTERTAINMENT
William Gruenberg
william@bluefoxentertainment.com
SOMETIMES ALWAYS NEVER
Fri, 4/17/20 LTD
Stars: Bill Nighy, Sam Riley
Director: Carl Hunter
Rating: NR
Genre: Com/Dra
BLEECKER STREET
DREAM HORSE
Fri, 5/1/20 LTD
Stars: Toni Collette, Damian Lewis
Director: Jan Vokes
Rating: PG
Genre: Dra
DISNEY
818-560-1000
Ask for Distribution
BLACK WIDOW
Fri, 5/1/20 WIDE
Stars: Scarlett Johansson, David
Harbour
Director: Cate Shortland
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Adv
Specs: 3D
ARTEMIS FOWL
Fri, 5/29/20 WIDE
Stars: Ferdia Shaw, Josh Gad
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Rating: PG
Genre: Fan
Specs: 3D
The High Note
Fri, 5/8/20 WIDE
SOUL
Fri, 6/19/20 WIDE
Stars: Jamie Foxx, Tina Fey
Director: Pete Docter
Rating: NR
Genre: Ani
Specs: 3D/Dolby Vis/Atmos
JUNGLE CRUISE
Fri, 7/24/20 WIDE
Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt
Director: Jaume Collet-Serra
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Adv
Specs: Dolby Vis/Atmos
THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN
Fri, 8/14/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Ani
THE ETERNALS
Fri, 11/6/20 WIDE
Stars: Richard Madden, Angelina
Jolie
Director: Chloé Zhao
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Adv/SF
RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON
Fri, 11/25/20 WIDE
Stars: Awkwafina, Cassie Steele
Directors: Paul Briggs, Dean Wellins
Rating: NR
Genre: Ani
Specs: 3D
SHANG CHI AND THE LEGEND OF
THE TEN RINGS
Fri, 2/12/21 WIDE
Stars: Simu Liu, Awkwafina
Destin
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Adv/Fan
UNTITLED DISNEY LIVE ACTION
Fri, 3/12/21 WIDE
Rating: NR
DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTI-
VERSE OF MADNESS
Fri, 5/7/21 WIDE
Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch
Rating: NR
Genre: SF/Fan/Adv
CRUELLA
Stars: Emma Stone
Rating: NR
Genre: Com
FOCUS FEATURES
PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN
Fri, 4/17/20 WIDE
Stars: Carey Mulligan, Laverne Cox
Director: Emerald Fennell
Rating: NR
Genre: Cri/Thr
Specs: Dolby Vis/Atmos
THE HIGH NOTE
Fri, 5/8/20 WIDE
Stars: Dakota Johnson,
Tracee Ellis Ross
Director: Nisha Ganatra
Rating: NR
Genre: Com
Specs: Dolby Vis/Atmos
IRRESISTIBLE
Fri, 5/29/20 WIDE
Stars: Steve Carell, Rose Byrne
Director: Jon Stewart
Rating: NR
Genre: Com
LET HIM GO
Fri, 8/21/20 WIDE
Stars: Kevin Costner, Diane Lane
Director: Thomas Bezucha
Rating: NR
Genre: Thr
LAST NIGHT IN SOHO
Fri, 9/25/20 WIDE
Stars: Anya Taylor-Joy, Thomasin
Harcourt McKenzie
Director: Edgar Wright
Rating: NR
Genre: Hor/Thr
Specs: Dolby Vis/Atmos
Photo Credit: Glen Wilson / Focus Features
UNTITLED TOM MCCARTHY
PROJECT
Fri, 11/6/20 LTD
Stars: Matt Damon, Abigail Breslin
Director: Tom McCarthy
Rating: NR
Genre: Thr
200 April 2020

FREESTYLE RELEASING
310-277-3500
Ask for Distribution
CLOVER
Fri, 4/3/20 LTD
Stars: Mark Webber,
Nicole Elizabeth Berger
Director: Jon Abrahams
Rating: NR
Genre: Com
GOOD DEED ENTERTAINMENT
ENEMY LINES
Fri, 4/24/20 LTD
Stars: Ed Westwick, John Hannah
Director: Anders Banke
Rating: NR
Genre: War/Dra
GREENWICH ENTERTAINMENT
DIANA KENNEDY: NOTHING FANCY
Fri, 4/22/20 LTD
Director: Elizabeth Carroll
Rating: NR
Genre: Doc
GORDON LIGHTFOOT: IF YOU
COULD READ MY MIND
Wed, 4/20/20 LTD
Directors: Martha Kehoe,
Joan Tosoni
Rating: NR
Genre: Doc
BILLIE
Fri, 6/12/20 LTD
Director: James Erskine
Rating: NR
Genre: Doc
IFC FILMS
bookings@ifcfilms.com
THE PAINTED BIRD
Fri, 4/17/20 LTD
Stars: Petr Kotlae, Udo Kier
Director: Václav Marhoul
Rating: NR
Genre: Dra
TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG
Fri, 4/24/20 LTD
Stars: George MacKay,
Russell Crowe
Director: Justin Kurzel
Rating: R
Genre: Dra
THE WRETCHED
Fri, 5/1/20 LTD
Stars: John-Paul Howard,
Piper Curda
Directors: Brett Pierce, Drew T. Pierce
Rating: NR
Genre: Hor
HOW TO BUILD A GIRL
Fri, 5/8/20 LTD
Star: Beanie Feldstein, Alfie Allen
Director: Coky Giedroyc
Rating: NR
Genre: Com
KINO LORBER
CAPITAL IN THE TWENTY-FIRST
CENTURY
Fri, 4/3/20 LTD
Director: Justin Pemberto
Rating: NR
Genre: Doc
MARTIN EDEN
Fri, 4/17/20 LTD
Stars: Luca Marinelli, Jessica Cressy
Director: Pietro Marcello
Rating: NR
Drama: Dra
LIONSGATE
310-309-8400
Y CÓMO ES ÉL?
Fri, 4/17/20 MOD
Stars: Mauricio Ochmann,
Omar Chaparro
Director: Ariel Winograd
Rating: PG-13
Genre: Com
ANTEBELLUM
Fri, 4/24/20 WIDE
Stars: Janelle Monáe
Directors: Gerard Bush,
Christopher Renz
Rating: NR
Genre: Thr
RUN
Fri, 5/8/20 WIDE
Stars: Sarah Paulson, Kiera Allen
Director: Aneesh Chaganty
Rating: NR
Genre: Thr
SPIRAL
Fri, 5/15/20 WIDE
Stars: Chris Rock, Samuel L. Jackson
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Rating: NR
Genre: Hor
April 2020
201

ON SCREEN BOOKING GUIDE
OTL RELEASING
RUN SWEETHEART RUN
Fri, 5/8/20 WIDE
Stars: Ella Balinska, Pilou Asbæk
Director: Shana Feste
Rating: R
Genre: Hor
PARAMOUNT
323-956-5000
Top Gun: Maverick
Wed, 6/24/20 WIDE
FATALE
Fri, 6/19/20 WIDE
Stars: Hilary Swank, Michael Ealy
Director: Deon Taylor
Rating: NR
Genre: Sus
BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL
MAR
Fri, 7/31/20 WIDE
Stars: Kristen Wiig, Annie Mumolo
Director: Josh Greenbaum
Rating: NR
Genre: Com
THE HITMAN’S BODYGUARD 2
Fri, 8/22/20 WIDE
Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L.
Jackson
Director: Patrick Hughes
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Com
AMERICAN UNDERDOG: THE KURT
WARNER STORY
Fri, 12/18/20 WIDE
Stars: Jon Erwin, Andrew Erwin
Rating: NR
Genre: Dra
THE DEVIL’S LIGHT
Fri, 1/8/21 WIDE
Director: Daniel Stamm
Rating: NR
Genre: Hor
CHAOS WALKING
Fri, 1/22/21 WIDE
Stars: Tom Holland, Daisy Ridley
Director: Doug Liman
Rating: NR
Genre: Adv/SF
JESUS REVOLUTION
Fri, 3/26/21 WIDE
Stars: Jon Gunn
Directors: Jon Erwin, Andrew
Erwin
Rating: NR
THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF
MASSIVE TALENT
Fri, 3/19/21 WIDE
Stars: Nicolas Cage
Director: Tom Gormican
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Com
JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4
Fri, 5/21/21 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Act
MAGNOLIA PICTURES
212-379-9704
Neal Block
nblock@magpictures.com
JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE
Fri, 5/15/21 LTD
Director: Dawn Porter
Rating: NR
Genre: Doc
COLLECTIVE
Fri, 5/15/21 LTD
Director: Alexander Nanau
Rating: NR
Genre: Doc
ABOUT ENDLESSNESS
Fri, 6/12/21 LTD
Stars: Martin Serner, Jessica
Louthander
Director: Roy Andersson
Rating: NR
Genre: Dra
MYCINEMA
480-430-7017
FORGIVEN
Sat, 4/4/20 LTD.
Stars: Kevin Sorbo, Jenn Gotzon
Director: Kevan Otto
Rating: NR
Genre: Dra/Thr
FEARLESS FAITH
Sat, 5/10/20 LTD.
Stars: Jason Burkey, Ben Davies
Director: Kevin Rushing
Rating: NR
Genre: Dra/Thr
HELL NIGHT
Sat, 5/10/20 LTD.
Stars: Linda Blair, Vincent Van
Patten
Director: Tom DeSimone
Rating: R
Genre: Hor
Image courtesy Paramount Pictures
THE LOVEBIRDS
Fri, 4/3/20 WIDE
Stars: Anna Camp, Kumail Nanjiani
Director: Michael Showalter
Rating: R
Genre: Rom/Com
THE SPONGEBOB MOVIE: SPONGE
ON THE RUN
Fri, 5/22/20 WIDE
Stars: Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke
Director: Tim Hill
Rating: NR
Genre: Ani
TOP GUN: MAVERICK
Wed, 6/24/20 WIDE
Stars: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Adv
Specs: IMAX/Dolby Vis/Atmos
INFINITE
Fri, 8/7/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: SF
SPELL
Fri, 8/28/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Hor/Thr
TOM CLANCY’S WITHOUT REMORSE
Fri, 9/18/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Thr
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7
Fri, 9/25/20 LTD
Director: Aaron Sorkin
Rating: NR
Genre: Dra
SNAKE EYES
Fri, 10/23/20 WIDE
Stars: Henry Golding, Andrew Koj
Director: Robert Schwentke
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Adv
CLIFFORD THE BIG RED DOG
Fri, 11/13/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Fam
202 April 2020

COMING 2 AMERICA
Fri, 12/18/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Com
THE TOMORROW WAR
Fri, 12/25/20 WIDE
Stars: Yvonne Strahovski, Chris Pratt
Director: Chris McKay
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/SF
RUMBLE
Fri, 1/29/21 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Ani
MONSTER PROBLEMS
Fri, 2/12/21 WIDE
Stars: Dylan O’Brien
Director: Michael Matthews
Rating: NR
Genre: Adv
JACKASS
Fri, 3/5/21 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Com
UNTITLED PARANORMAL ACTIVITY
MOVIE
Fri, 3/19/21 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Hor
MICRONAUTS
Fri, 6/4/21 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Act
ROADSIDE ATTRACTIONS
323.882.8490
THE SECRET: DARE TO DREAM
Fri, 4/17/20 LTD
Stars: Katie Holmes, Josh Lucas
Director: Andy Tennant
Rating: PG
Genre: Dra
SAMUEL GOLDWYN FILMS
MR. JONES
Fri, 4/3/20 LTD
Stars: James Norton, Vanessa Kirby
Director: Agnieszka Holland
Rating: NR
Genre: Thr
STRAY DOLLS
Fri, 4/10/20 LTD
Stars: Geetanjali Thapam,
Olivia DeJonge
Director: Sonejuhi Sinha
Rating: NR
Genre: Cri/Thr
JUDY & PUNCH
Fri, 4/24/20 LTD
Stars: Mia Wasikowska, Damon
Herriman
Director: Mirrah Foulkes
Rating: NR
Genre: Com/Dra
ENDINGS, BEGINNINGS
Fri, 5/1/20 LTD
Stars: Shailene Woodley, Jamie
Dornan
Director: Drake Doremus
Rating: NR
Genre: Rom/Dra
SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES
212-556-2400
ANTLERS
Fri, 4/17/20 LTD
Stars: Keri Russell, Jesse Plemons
Director: Scott Cooper
Rating: NR
Genre: Hor
THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID
COPPERFIELD
Fri, 5/8/20 LTD
Stars: Dev Patel, Peter Capaldi
Director: Armando Innucci
Rating: PG
Genre: Com
THE FRENCH DISPATCH
Fri, 7/24/20 LTD
Stars: Timothée Chalamet, Saoirse
Ronan
Director: Wes Anderson
Rating: R
Genre: Com
SONY
212-833-8500
PETER RABBIT 2: THE RUNAWAY
Fri, 4/3/20 WIDE
Stars: James Corden, Rose Byrne
Director: Will Gluck
Rating: PG
Genre: Ani
GREYHOUND
Fri, 5/8/20 WIDE
Stars: Tom Hanks
Director: Aaron Schneider
Rating: NR
Genre: Dra/War
GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE
Fri, 7/10/20 WIDE
Stars: Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard
Director: Jason Reitman
Rating: NR
Genre: Hor/Com/SF
Magna-Tech Electronic Co.
www.magna-tech.com
(305) 573- 7339
Entertainment & Media Specialists
Architectural Design . Engineering . Worldwide Sales
Installations . CF&E Acquisition & Integration
Cinemas . Museums . Planetariums . Educational Facilities
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April 2020
203

ON SCREEN BOOKING GUIDE
MORBIUS
Fri, 7/31/20 WIDE
Stars: Jared Leto, Matt Smith
Director: Daniel Espinosa
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Thr/SF
ESCAPE ROOM 2
Wed, 12/30/20 WIDE
Stars: Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie
Davis
Director: Adam Robitel
Rating: NR
Genre: Hor/Thr
MONSTER HUNTER
Fri, 9/4/20 WIDE
Stars: Milla Jovovich, Tony Laa
Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Fan
CONNECTED
Fri, 9/18/20 WIDE
Stars: Abbi Jacobson, Danny
McBride
Director: Mike Rianda
Rating: NR
Genre: Ani
UNTITLED SONY/MARVEL SEQUEL
Fri, 10/2/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/SF
MAN FROM TORONTO
Fri, 11/20/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Com
HAPPIEST SEASON
Fri, 11/25/20 WIDE
Stars: Kristen Stewart, Mackenzie
Davis
Director: Clea DuVall
Rating: NR
Genre: Rom/Com/Hol
UNTITLED SPA ANIMATED ORIGINAL
Fri, 12/11/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Ani
FATHERHOOD
Fri, 1/15/21 WIDE
Stars: Kevin Hart, Melody Hurd
Director: Paul Weitz
Rating: NR
Genre: Dra
CINDERELLA
Fri, 2/5/21 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Fan
UNCHARTED
Fri, 3/5/21 WIDE
Stars: Tom Holland, Mark Wahlberg
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Adv
VIVO
Fri, 4/16/21 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Ani
SONY PICTURES CLASSICS
Tom Prassis
212-833-4981
CHARM CITY KINGS
Fri, 4/10/20 LTD
Stars: Teyonah Parris, Jahi Di’Allo
Winston
Director: Angel Manuel Soto
Rating: R
Genre: Dra
THE LAST VERMEER
Fri, 5/22/20 LTD
Stars: Claes Bang, Guy Pearce
Director: Dan Friedkin
Rating: R
Genre: Dra
THE HUMAN FACTOR
Fri, 6/26/20 LTD
Director: Dror Moreh
Rating: NR
Genre: Doc
STX ENTERTAINMENT
310-742-2300
GREENLAND
Fri, 6/12/20 WIDE
Stars: Gerard Butler, Morena
Baccarin
Director: Ric Roman Waugh
Rating: NR
Genre: Thr
UNITED ARTISTS RELEASING
310-724-5678
Ask for Distribution
BAD TRIP
Fri, 4/24/20 WIDE
Stars: Eric André, Lil Rel Howery
Director: Kitao Sakurai
Rating: NR
Genre: Com
VALLEY GIRL
Fri, 5/8/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Com
BILL & TED FACE THE MUSIC
Fri, 8/21/20 WIDE
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Alex Winter
Director: Dean Parisot
Rating: NR
Genre: Com/Adv
RESPECT
Fri, 10/9/20 WIDE
Stars: Jennifer Hudson, Forest
Whitaker
Director: Liesl Tommy
Rating: NR
Genre: Dra/Mus
SAMARITAN
Fri, 11/20/20 WIDE
Stars: Sylvester Stalone
Director: Julius Avery
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Thr
NO TIME TO DIE
Wed, 11/25/20 WIDE
Stars: Daniel Craig, Rami Malek
Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Thr
Specs: IMAX
UNITED GUY RITCHIE
Fri, 1/15/21 WIDE
Rating: NR
UNIVERSAL
818-777-1000
No Time To Die
11/25/20 WIDE
Photo Credit: Nicola Dove for Danjaq, LLC and MGM
TROLLS WORLD TOUR
Fri, 4/10/20 WIDE
Stars: Anna Kendrick, Justin
Timberlake
Director: Walt Dohrn
Rating: PG
Genre: Ani
F9
Fri, 5/22/20 WIDE
Stars: Vin Diesel, Charlize Theron
Director: Justin Lin
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Adv
Specs: IMAX/Dolby Vis/Atmos
204 April 2020

F9
Fri, 4/2/21 WIDE
FAST & FURIOUS 10
Fri, 4/2/21 WIDE
Stars: Vin Diesel, Charlize Theron
Director: Justin Lin
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Adv
Specs: IMAX/Dolby Vis/Atmos
UNTITLED UNIVERSAL EVENT FILM 2
Fri, 4/16/21 WIDE
Rating: NR
WARNER BROS.
818-977-1850
CANDYMAN
Fri, 6/12/20 WIDE
Director: Nia DaCosta
Rating: NR
Genre: Hor
THE KING OF STATEN ISLAND
Fri, 6/19/20 WIDE
Stars: Pete Davidson, Marisa Tomei
Director: Judd Apatow
Rating: NR
Genre: Com
MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU
Fri, 7/3/20 WIDE
Stars: Steve Carell, Taraji P. Henson
Director: Kyle Balda
Rating: NR
Genre: Ani
UNTITLED NEXT PURGE CHAPTER
Fri, 7/10/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Hor
NOBODY
Fri, 8/14/20 WIDE
Stars: Bob Odenkirk
Director: Ilya Naishuller
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Thr
PRAISE THIS
Fri, 9/25/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Com
BIOS
Fri, 10/2/20 WIDE
Stars: Tom Hanks
Director: Miguel Sapochnik
Rating: NR
Genre: SF
HALLOWEEN KILLS
Fri, 10/16/20 WIDE
Director: David Gordon Green
Rating: NR
Genre: Hor
UNTITLED UNIVERSAL EVENT
COMEDY
Fri, 10/23/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Com
UNTITLED UNIVERSAL EVENT FILM
2020
Fri, 11/13/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
UNTITLED AMBLIN PROJECT
Fri, 11/20/20 WIDE
Director: Joel Crawford
Rating: NR
THE CROODS 2
Fri, 12/23/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Ani
NEWS OF THE WORLD
Fri, 12/25/20 WIDE
Stars: Tom Hanks
Director: Paul Greengrass
Rating: NR
Genre: Dra
UNTITLED BLUMHOUSE
PRODUCTIONS
Fri, 1/8/21 WIDE
Rating: NR
355
Fri, 1/15/21 WIDE
Stars: Jessica Chastain, Lupita
Nyong’o
Director: Simon Kinberg
Rating: NR
Genre: Thr
UNTITLED UNIVERSAL ROMANTIC
COMEDY
Fri, 2/12/21 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Rom/Com
UNTITLED M. NIGHT SHYAMALAN
THRILLER
Fri, 2/26/21 WIDE
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: NR
Genre: Thr
UNTITLED UNIVERSAL EVENT FILM 1
Fri, 3/5/21 WIDE
Rating: NR
THE BOSS BABY 2
Fri, 3/26/21 WIDE
Rating: NR
Genre: Ani
Image courtesy Universal Pictures
SCOOB!
Fri, 5/15/20 WIDE
Stars: Kiersey Clemons, Zac Efron
Director: Tony Cervone
Rating: NR
Genre: Ani
Specs: Dolby Vis/Atmos
WONDER WOMAN 1984
Fri, 6/5/20 WIDE
Stars: Gal Gadot, Kristen Wiig
Director: Patty Jenkins
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Adv/Fan
Specs: IMAX/3D/Dolby Vis/Atmos
IN THE HEIGHTS
Fri, 6/26/20 WIDE
Stars: Anthony Ramos, Corey
Hawkins
Director: Jon M. Chu
Rating: NR
Genre: Mus/Rom/Dra
TENET
Fri, 7/17/20 WIDE
Stars: John David Washington,
Robert Pattinson
Director: Christopher Nolan
Rating: NR
Genre: Act/Thr
MALIGNANT
Fri, 8/14/20 WIDE
Director: James Wan
Rating: NR
Genre: Hor
THE UNTITLED FRED HAMPTON
PROJECT
Fri, 8/21/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
THE CONJURING: THE DEVIL MADE
ME DO IT
Fri, 9/11/20 WIDE
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga
Director: Michael Chaves
Rating: NR
Genre: Hor
Specs: Dolby Vis/Atmos
April 2020
205

ON SCREEN BOOKING GUIDE
WELL GO USA
ENTERTAINMENT
THE MANY SAINTS OF NEWARK
Fri, 9/25/20 WIDE
DUNE
Fri, 12/18/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
Rating: NR
theatrical@wellgousa.com
balance,
Genre: Dra/Cri
sparking both an intense rivalry
Genre: SF
THE LODGE
comes from spending a lifetime together.
and romantic desire that may cause him FEB. 7 / NEON CUT THROAT CITY When Joan is diagnosed with breast cancer,
the course of her treatment shines a
THE WITCHES
UNTITLED TOM & JERRY FILM Fri, 4/10/20 LTD
to risk his future in dance as well as his From the directors of Goodnight Mommy,
this chiller follows Shipp a family Jr. who
Fri, 10/09/20 WIDE
Fri, 12/23/20 WIDE
Stars: Shameik Moore, Demetrius
relationships Stars: Anne Hathaway with Mary and his family. Rating: NR
CAST Director: LEVAN Robert GELBAKHIANI, Zemeckis BACHI VALISH- Genre: Ani retreat to their remote Director: winter RZA cabin over
Rating: NR
Rating: NR
VILI, ANA JAVAKISHVILI, GIORGI TSERETELI, the holidays. When the father is forced
Genre: Adv/Com
MORTAL KOMBAT
Genre: Act/Cri/Dra
KAKHA GOGIDZE DIR LEVAN AKIN RATING Fri, 1/15/21 WIDE to abruptly depart for work, he leaves his CAST LIAM NEESON, LESLEY MANVILLE,
TBA UNTITLED RUNNING WB EVENT TIME FILM 113 MIN. Rating: NR children in the care of his new girlfriend, AMIT SHAH, DAVID WILMOT DIR LISA
Fri, 10/16/20 WIDE
Genre: Act
Grace. Isolated and alone, a blizzard BARROS D’SA, GLENN LEYBURN RATING R
Rating: NR
CANE RIVER
THE LITTLE THINGS traps them inside the lodge as terrifying RUNNING TIME 92 MIN.
FEB. GODZILLA 7 / OSCILLOSCOPE
VS KONG
Fri, 1/29/21 WIDE events summon specters from Grace’s
Fri, 11/20/20 WIDE
Rating: NR
This drama about an African American dark past.
GREED
Stars: Millie Bobby Brown, Eiza
college González football star who returns to UNTITLED his WB CAST EVENT RILEY FILM KEOUGH, RICHARD ARMITAGE, FEB. 21 / SONY PICTURES
hometown
Director: Adam
in Louisiana
Wingard
and falls in
Fri, 3/5/21 WIDE ALICIA SILVERSTONE, JAEDEN LIEBERHER, CLASSICS
Rating: NR
Rating: NR
love
Genre:
with
SF/Act
a local tour guide was filmed LIA MCHUGH DIR SEVERIN FIALA,
Veteran British filmmaker Michael
in Specs: 1982 IMAX/3D/Dolby and is just now Vis/Atmos receiving its TOMB RAIDER VERONIKA 2 FRANZ RATING R RUNNING Winterbottom wrote and directed
Fri, 3/19/21 WIDE
theatrical debut after being presumed lost TIME 100 MIN.
this satire of the excesses of the
KING RICHARD
Rating: NR
for Fri, many 11/25/20 years. WIDEIt’s the only feature Genre: by Act/Adv
fashion industry, starring his frequent
Horace Rating: NR B. Jenkins, who died soon after ORDINARY LOVE
collaborator, Steve Coogan.
Genre: Dra/Bio
UNTITLED WB EVENT FILM
filming was completed.
FEB. 14 / BLEECKER STREET
Fri, 4/16/21 WIDE
CAST STEVE COOGAN, ISLA FISHER, ASA
CAST RICHARD ROMAIN, TÔMMYE Rating: NR
BUTTERFIELD, SHIRLEY HENDERSON,
MEYRICK, CAROL SUTTON, BARBARA
SOPHIE COOKSON DIR MICHAEL
TASKER DIR HORACE B. JENKINS RATING
TBA RUNNING TIME 90 MIN.
Joan and Tom have been married for
many years. They are an everyday couple
with a remarkable love, and there is an
ease to their relationship which only
light on their enduring devotion, as they
must find the humor and grace to survive
a year of adversity.
WINTERBOTTOM RATING TBA RUNNING
TIME 104 MIN.
JANUARY 206 2020 April 2020
69

Big screen.
Bigger cause.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® is
leading the way the world understands,
treats and defeats childhood cancer and
other life-threatening diseases. But, we
couldn’t do it without you. By donating
pre-show advertising to screen the annual
St. Jude Thanks and Giving® movie trailer,
you support our lifesaving mission: Finding
cures. Saving children.® The generosity of
you and your patrons helps ensure that
families never receive a bill from St. Jude
for treatment, travel, housing or food—
because all a family should worry about is
helping their child live.
St. Jude patient
Luigi
Art inspired by St. Jude patient Jaden
For more information, please email
chance.weaver@stjude.org or visit stjude.org/theaters
©2020 ALSAC/St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (PRNS1692)
April 2020
207

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