It was today announced that Cinema Expo International, the long-running European cinema industry event, is to be renamed CineEurope, and established as the Official Convention of UNIC, the International Union of Cinemas, of which the CEA is a member.
The announcement coincided with the agreement between CineEurope and UNIC of a formal and long term partnership to ensure that through the event – to be held in June in Amsterdam – the European theatrical industry is provided with the latest and the best possible information on new technologies, industry trends and upcoming films and hears the views and opinions of a range of high profile European speakers.
The aim is to broaden the scope of programming at the convention and attract the widest possible range of European theater owners and operators.
Commenting on the announcement, Robert H. Sunshine, Managing Director of CineEurope, said:
“The name change reflects our continued commitment to the European motion picture community.”
“With CineEurope’s 20 years experience as the leading event for European cinema exhibition and UNIC’s membership and established contacts with international organizations in the film industry, as well as distributors, producers and film technology industries, CineEurope will be stronger and more productive than ever”.
Ad Weststrate, President of UNIC, added:
“I am delighted with the partnership between UNIC and CineEurope, as well as the name change. The support and expertise offered by UNIC members and our contacts in the international industry will make CineEurope an even more important event for European exhibitors and other cinema industry professionals as well as for colleagues in the European Union.. My UNIC colleagues and I look forward to working with the CineEurope team on this venture.”
As the organization representing the overall and diverse interests of its membership, the Union Internationale des Cinémas (UNIC) serves to protect the position of cinema exhibitors. UNIC represents exhibitors from 19 countries, including the UK, as well as enjoying membership from a range of European cinema companies.
Further details on CineEurope will be announced in due course.