< Previousvistagroup.co Visit us in the Venice room at CinemaCon 2024 Tech solutions for the global film industry Empowering you to create exceptional moviegoer experiences from trailer drop to last show —As we reconvene once again in Las Vegas for CinemaCon, I would like to take the opportunity to reflect on the main events that have shaped our industry in the last year and the challenges we have ahead of us in 2024 and the coming years. The year 2023 was a remarkable one for the theatrical exhibition business around the world. After the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, we have witnessed a strong and steady recovery of the global box office, driven by the pent-up demand for the big screen experience, the successful release of a slate of blockbuster films, and the unending efforts of cinema exhibition companies around the world to make sure our theaters provide the best place for films, big and small, to be enjoyed in a communal environment. According to the latest figures, the global box office revenue in 2023 reached $34 billion usd, a 31% increase over 2022. To put it in a different perspective, the box office level of 2023 reached 82% of the pre-pandemic average of 2017 to 2019. Fueled by the summer phenomenon of Barbenheimer, audiences flocked to theaters around the world and showed their desire for original stories on the big screen. However, the year 2023 was also marked by some events that have posed significant challenges for our industry. The most notable one was the dual strikes by writers and actors, which disrupted the production and distribution of many films. The GCF was active in urging for an agreement between SAG AFTRA and the AMPTP writing to both bodies in early October. Fortunately for our industry, the strike ended a month later, on November 9th. 2024 may have once seemed like the year the industry would make a full recovery of our business. Unfortunately, the strikes of last year caused many films to be pushed into 2025. It is no secret that 2024 will be a challenging year in terms of number and size of films; the first two months of the year are evidence of this. Yet we remain optimistic that the rest of the year will have important films, including some unexpected surprises, that will make 2024 remain on par or close to last year. 2025 will certainly be a year for the records. As we look to the bright future of our industry, the GCF continues to work on behalf of the global exhibition community. In particular, we want to transmit to our partners in production and distribution that the global theatrical infrastructure is not only healthy but thriving. And that audiences are craving more and better content on the big screen. Moreover, the success of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour is evidence that there is more to theaters than movies and that there is a huge upside if it’s done correctly. This CinemaCon will be my last as Chairman of the Global Cinema Federation. I will be passing the baton to Jane Hastings, CEO of Event Cinemas. For me, it has been a great honor to represent exhibition companies around the world. And there is no one better than Jane to take the reins of the GCF. As a reminder, GCF Advisory Board and Affiliate membership is currently free. Advisory Board membership is open to exhibitors with 250 or more screens and trade associations that represent exhibitors. Affiliate membership is open to all exhibitors, no matter how big or small, and you receive the same information as any other member. There will be an Advisory Board Meeting here at CinemaCon 2024 on Sunday, April 7th from 18:00 to 19:00 in Emperors II Ballroom. We hope to see you there! ALEJANDRO RAMÍREZ MAGAÑA CEO, Cinépolis Chairman, Global Cinema Federation The Global Cinema Federation: A Year of Transition On behalf of the worldwide exhibition community, CinemaCon joins in thanking the following studios, our friends and partners for supporting this year’s convention with presentations throughout the week.Engineered for small screen auditoriums to deliver the most impactful visuals. Introducing Christie CineLife+ RBe Now showing at Milano 1 christiedigital.com/cinema-eventsWelcome to CinemaCon 2024! It has been a transformative year at the National Association of Theatre Owners, and I want to take this moment to thank our members and every member volunteer for working with us through some big changes in these past twelve months. Earlier this year, we rebranded several of our committees and turned them into communities. This was in an effort to ensure that NATO members more clearly recognize opportunities to get involved with our association, through groups such as our Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Community, our Young Members Community, and our International Community. In addition, the Independent Theatre Owners Committee was rebranded to more accurately represent the work they do. Today, it is the Independent Theatre Owners Coalition, which is still “ITOC,” for short. This group no longer has a set screen count limit, meaning more of our members who face similar operational challenges can get involved and participate in discussions and events with their peers. Additionally, inspired by an idea that came from members of NATO’s Membership Committee, NATO was excited to officially launch our Ambassador Program in February. This new program is meant to empower engagement, retention, and growth within NATO through initiatives aimed at recruitment of new members, retention of current members, improved onboarding of new members, and increasing diversity of our membership and volunteer pool. NATO Ambassadors will serve as dedicated points of contact, offering personalized support, guidance, and resources to address the unique needs of different groups of members, and even non-members who may be interested in joining our association. We have had an outstanding initial response to this new program, with 24 enthusiastic NATO volunteers who signed up within the first two weeks the program’s launch to become NATO Ambassadors. NATO’s busiest season for new member joins is always ahead of CinemaCon, and NATO Ambassadors are already making an impact in being paired with new members to ensure they get a personalized welcome and onboarding experience with a peer. Many of them are here at CinemaCon this week, and they each have a yellow “NATO Ambassador” ribbon on their badge. If you are a theater owner who has interest in joining NATO, please feel free to ask them questions about NATO membership. If you are a current NATO member who has interest in becoming a NATO Ambassador, you are also welcome to ask them about their experience so far! As always, I am here to help with potential new member and Ambassador questions, too! Moreover, NATO is proud to have worked with our NATO Regional partners on the first official NATO Regional Development Initiative. Each NATO Regional leader was given the opportunity to select up to two of their dedicated members, who have not had the opportunity to attend CinemaCon previously, to receive a CinemaCon scholarship. These are people who have shown a passion for and true commitment to the work of their association, and by attending CinemaCon, they will have even more opportunities to get involved in the plethora of initiatives NATO is working on, all while networking with peers and industry titans. Plus, they get to experience the magic of CinemaCon, from the tradeshow floor to the panels and presentations, and Colosseum events! In addition, each scholarship recipient will be paired with a NATO Ambassador. Everyone ERIN VON HOETZENDORFF Director of Membership and Global Affairs, NATO Communities, Ambassadors, and Regional Development Initiatives – Oh My! An Update from the NATO Volunteer Front (Continued on next page)(Erin Von Hoetzendorff Continued) can remember how overwhelming the first few days of your first CinemaCon was, and NATO Ambassadors will be there to welcome this group and give them the 411 on how to best take advantage of all that CinemaCon has to offer, kicking off a great week ahead for them! The evolution of NATO is still in progress, but the steps we’ve taken so far to grow are significant. Of course, there is no version of NATO that can exist without our members and the many volunteers within our membership. Thanks to you, we will continue to forge ahead as the strongest advocates of the moviegoing experience. We appreciate you and your steadfast support. I hope you have the most amazing week at CinemaCon!As we gather here at CinemaCon, I am thrilled to extend a warm welcome on behalf of The Cinema Foundation. From movie theater owners, operators, and employees to suppliers of new technologies, tools, and delicious food and drink, we are excited to celebrate you. We welcome our studio partners and the filmmakers and stars who will share their stories on our screens. I wish you a wonderful week filled with insightful discussions and networking opportunities, setting the stage for the collective advancement of our industry. In the spirit of fellowship and progress, The Cinema Foundation has worked to focus our efforts on redefining our mission and focus on the key programs and initiatives that will help strengthen the moviegoing industry. We have aimed to ensure that we are aligning our efforts with the evolving needs of our industry, both in terms of business and audience engagement. As a result, we proudly present our redefined mission and vision: Mission: Strengthening the cinema industry & engaging audiences. Vision: Using research, data, education, collaboration, and industry promotion to grow the cinema business and audience. This focused mission and vision underscore our commitment to not only support movie theater owners and their businesses but also to actively engage with audiences, ensuring that moviegoing continues to captivate hearts and minds around the world. Over the next year, we are looking to build on the successes of National Cinema Day and National Popcorn Day and grow our industry promotional arm. We have grown our team to build brand partnerships and sponsorships for industry promotional campaigns and programs that will bring consumer engagement and excitement for moviegoing to your theatres. We will continue supporting data, education, and research. From our partnership with the Center for the Digital Future at USC Annenberg to producing the State of the Industry report, we know that solid data helps secure investment into your businesses. We will also continue supporting educational programs like The Summit and the LA Seminar Series in partnership with the ICTA. We believe that education is pivotal to fostering the growth of our industry. In closing, I want to reiterate that The Cinema Foundation is here to serve as a beacon of support for the entire industry. As your industry’s nonprofit organization, we rely on the generosity and support of our members and partners to continue our vital work. I encourage each of you to consider making a pledge or donation to The Cinema Foundation, as together, we can ensure that the magic of cinema continues to thrive for generations to come. Thank you for your unwavering dedication and support. Let’s make 2024 the best year yet for cinema! BRYAN BRAUNLICH Executive Director The Cinema Foundation A Beacon of Support for the Entire IndustryNext >