The International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA) has announced the winning cinemas of the 2025–2026 ICTA EMEA Awards, celebrating excellence in cinema design, technological innovation and showmanship across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The award winners are:
- Kinopolis HafenCity, Hamburg, Germany – Best New Build Cinema 2025–2026
(Dr. Gregory Theile, CEO, Kinopolis Group) - Kino Helios Gdynia, Gdynia, Poland – Best Cinema Refurbishment 2025–2026
(Tomasz Jagiełło, CEO, Helios Cinemas Group) - Stella Cinema Rathmines, Dublin, Ireland – Best Classic / Arthouse Cinema 2025–2026
(Karl Geraghty, Head of Stella Cinemas)
The owners-operators of the winning cinemas will be presented with the awards on June 21, during ICTA’s EMEA Awards Reception at the CCIB (Centre de Convencions Internacional de Barcelona), on the eve of CineEurope. They will also contribute to the panel discussion “Innovation in Practice: Developing Award-Winning Cinema Experiences and The Role of Technology and Showmanship” at ICTA’s afternoon seminar at the Cinesa Diagonal Mar on the same day.
“We are proud to recognise cinemas that combine technological innovation with outstanding showmanship. This year’s winners demonstrate a remarkable diversity of approaches—from cutting-edge new builds to advanced refurbishments and distinctive classic/ arthouse concepts—each setting new benchmarks for the cinema experience in its own way.”
Dr. Gregory Theile, the chief executive officer of Kinopolis Group said, “With Kinopolis HafenCity, we have brought our vision of a modern, high-quality, and forward-looking cinema to life. Driven by our passion for cinema, we set out to create a place where thoughtful design, atmosphere, cutting-edge technology, and exceptional comfort come together to deliver truly memorable experiences. It was our ambition to create a space where audiences can experience films in the most immersive and compelling way possible, while celebrating the unique magic of cinema itself. We are deeply honored and sincerely grateful that the ICTA has recognized Kinopolis HafenCity as the Best New-Build Cinema in EMEA. This award is not only a strong affirmation of our belief in the future of cinema, but above all a tribute to the exceptional dedication, creativity, and commitment of our entire team who made this vision a reality.”
Tomasz Jagiełło, the chief executive officer of Helios S.A., said, “This recognition is especially meaningful to us, as it confirms the direction we have consistently pursued in the development of our cinemas. The Gdynia project was far more than a refurbishment–it was a conscious effort to redefine the cinema experience, uniting technology, design, and audience comfort in one coherent vision.”
Karl Geraghty, the head of Stella Cinemas, said “We’re truly honoured that Stella Cinema has received this award. Our entire team puts their heart into creating a memorable experience for our audience and it means so much to have that hard work recognised. We’re deeply grateful to everyone who has supported us along the way.”
Mark Mayfield, the Chairman of ICTA, added, “These awards recognize not only outstanding buildings, but the vision, passion and expertise required to create truly exceptional cinema experiences. At a time of continued transformation in our industry, it is inspiring to see operators investing with such confidence in the future of theatrical exhibition. Congratulations to all the winners and their teams for setting new benchmarks across EMEA.”
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