Today marks the announcement of the first-ever Cinema Week, a six-day event designed to re-engage moviegoers through showcasing in-theater content, activations, giveaways, and special guests.
The event will start on Tuesday, June 22 and run through the following Sunday, putting it after the release of a handful of blockbusters (like A Quiet Place Part II over Memorial Day weekend and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway, and In the Heights in June) but before the crowded slate of studio releases hitting theaters in late June and throughout the summer, including F9 (June 25), Black Widow (July 9), Jungle Cruise (July 30), The Suicide Squad (August 6), and Candyman (August 27).
Cinema Week has the support of several key industry bodies, namely the Independent Cinema Alliance (ICA) and the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), as well as sponsorships from Atom Tickets, Boxoffice Pro, CES+, Cinionic, Coca-Cola, GDC, Hurst Digital, IdeaMan Studios International Showtimes, Letterboxd, National CineMedia, Network Advisors, PaperAirplane, Savantis Solutions, Screenvision, Spotlight Cinema Networks, Torfoot Films, Variety, and Vista Group.
Boxoffice Pro is hosting a webinar tomorrow, April 21, with the ICA’s Rich Daughtridge and FILMFROG Marketing’s Brandon Jones and Melissa Boudreau, organizers of the event, elaborating on the importance of Cinema Week to exhibitors and how exhibitors can participate. Registration is open here.
“Movie theaters connect us. They are where stories are shared and discussed in a communal experience,” said Brandon Jones, Executive Chairman of the Founding Committee of Exhibitor and Studio Partners for Cinema Week. “Following such a challenging year, I’m humbled by the enthusiasm and support from our sponsors and partners who want to help us remind audiences that the magic happens when you go to the movies. There’s nostalgia there. It’s where we go for entertainment, and by launching Cinema Week, we want to preserve the culture of going to the movies.”
Adds Rich Daughtridge, Board Member and Marketing Committee Chair, Independent Cinemas Alliance: “The Independent Cinema Alliance (ICA) is excited to support Cinema Week and the magic of the big screen. Representing more than 5,000 screens, the ICA and our members will do our part to lean into the marketing and advertising initiatives and help move this inaugural event forward. We see this is an opportunity to celebrate moviegoing and to strengthen communities where our members operate their venues.
Cinema Week will be celebrated in more than 28,000 screens nationwide, with independent, regional, and national cinemas—AMC Theatres, B&B Theatres, CineLux, Cinemark, Cinergy, Classic Cinemas, Fridley Theatres, Kerasotes Showplace, Landmark, Malco Theatres, Marcus, Maya, National Amusement Showcase, Regal, Showbiz, Showcase, Silverspot, Warehouse Cinemas, and many more—having signed on to participate.
Designed to energize moviegoers and encourage them to support local movie theaters, Cinema Week activities will vary from location to location; exhibitor, studio, and vendor partners are encouraged to provide audiences with an experience they cannot receive at home. Details outlining activities related to specific locations will be announced soon, with additional news rolling out leading up to the event.
“Nothing compares to the truly awe-inspiring experience of seeing a film on the big screen with sight and sound technology that cannot be replicated at home,” stated Wanda Gierhart Fearing, Global Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, Cinemark. “Cinema Week was created in collaboration among exhibitors and our studio partners to celebrate the immersive, cinematic experience with moviegoers now that theatres are re-opening across the industry.”
Adds Stephen Colanero, Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer, AMC Theatres: “AMC is pleased to participate in Cinema Week and its celebration of going to the movies. Since our theatres started reopening last summer, millions of moviegoers have returned to AMC Theatres safely and enthusiastically. In doing so, they rediscovered the unmatched joy and exhilaration of the big screen experience. We look forward to tens of millions more experiencing the magic of a theatrical cinematic experience in the weeks and months to come.”
And, from Jimmy Tashie, Co-Chairman at Malco Theatres: “With flat screen TVs in most every home, you can now stay home and ‘watch’ movies. Seeing a major action movie at home is not the same as viewing one in a true ‘state of the art’ theatre. Modern cinemas offer viewers a ‘cinematic experience’, the kind that immerses the viewer in a high-tech sight and sound journey that can only be experienced in a modern cinema with large screens and multi-track surround sound channels. Filmmakers know the difference and most prefer their art to be enjoyed by audiences in communal settings where the ‘experience’ is shared by all in attendance. You can watch it or experience it; the choice is yours.”
More information on Cinema Week can be found on www.cinema-week.com or at tomorrow’s webinar, held at 9AM PT/12 PM ET—register here.
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