(Las Vegas, Nev. – 13 March, 2014) CINEMACON®, the largest movie exhibitor convention in the world, today announced attendance figures showing a five percent increase in attendance over the 2013 show at the same point eleven days before each convention. CinemaCon, the official convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO), runs 24-27 March at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
“On the heels of two straight record years at the box office, the busy and crowded convention reflects the confidence, energy and diversity of the movie distribution and exhibition community,” said NATO’s president and CEO, John Fithian.
For the third straight year, all seven major Hollywood studios will present movie screenings or star-packed previews of their upcoming slates. Thursday’s Big Screen Achievement Awards, brought to you by The Coca-Cola Company, will honor Leslie Mann, Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, Ivan Reitman, Kevin Costner, Andy Serkis, Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, Shailene Woodley, Chadwick Boseman, Nicola Peltz and Jack Reynor with more to be announced.
Along with familiar and welcome distribution executives, an unprecedented number of major studio chiefs will also be in attendance to discuss their slates and the state of the business.
CinemaCon Managing Director Mitch Neuhauser noted, “With such incredible support from the studios, stars, vendors and movie theater owners from around the world, CinemaCon continues to grow and innovate. It gets truer every year: if you’re in the movie business, you have to be at CinemaCon.”
In a special lunch presentation on Wednesday, 26 March, director Christopher Nolan looks at his career and the future of moviemaking in the digital age.
Panels throughout the week will explore ways exhibitors can expand and diversify their audience, from alternative content and event cinema to social media and meeting the challenges of an increasingly global marketplace. A record number of international attendees from more than 70 countries have registered for special International Day programming Monday, 24 March.
With the transition to digital cinema all but complete, cutting edge cinema technology continues to be a focus. CinemaCon will highlight immersive audio, satellite and terrestrial distribution methods, and laser projection in panels, demonstrations and on the sold out trade show floor.
Vendors will offer their latest products to exhibitors seeking a diverse range of experiences to offer their increasingly diverse customers. Luxury reclining seats, high-end food and beverage products, popcorn and candy, soft drink dispensers capable of mixing a seemingly infinite number of soda combinations – everything the cinema operator needs from self-serve concession counter to gourmet restaurant and bar service – await them on the trade show floor.
CinemaCon will attract upwards of 5,000 motion picture professionals from all facets of the industry –from exhibition and distribution, to the equipment and concession areas – all on hand to celebrate the moviegoing experience and the cinema industry. From exclusive Hollywood product presentations highlighting a slate of upcoming films, to must-see premiere feature screenings, to the biggest stars, producers and directors, CinemaCon will help jumpstart the excitement and buzz that surrounds the summer season at the box office.
CinemaCon is delighted to have both the International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA) and National Association of Concessionaires (NAC) as its tradeshow partners. CinemaCon is also delighted to have as its official presenting sponsor, The Coca-Cola Company, one of the industry’s greatest and highly regarded and respected partners in the world of the movies.
The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 31,450 movie screens in all 50 states, and additional cinemas in 78 countries worldwide. NATO’s membership includes the largest cinema chains in the world and hundreds of independent theatre owners, too.
Additional information on CinemaCon, the Official Convention of NATO, can be found at www.cinemacon.com.
For CinemaCon
Heather Lewandoski
Rogers & Cowan
310.854.8147
hlewandoski@rogersandcowan.com
For NATO
Patrick Corcoran
Vice President & Chief Communications Officer
NATO
818.506.1778
pfc@natoca.com