CinemaNext, Ymagis Group’s leading exhibitor services provider in Europe, and Lebanese cinema chain Empire Cinemas today announced the signing of an agreement for the installation of the circuit’s first-ever multiplex in Saudi Arabia. The 10-screen (728 seats) multiplex equipped by CinemaNext Middle East & Africa will open in Jizan, located on Saudi Arabia’s southern Red Sea coast, in the second half of 2019.
“Following the signing of our first large-scale equipment project in Saudi Arabia last month, we are very pleased to be partnering with Empire Cinemas on their first Saudi Arabian location,” explains François Inizan, General Manager of CinemaNext MEA. “With our portfolio of hardware and software solutions, as well as our cinema outfitting services and cutting-edge innovations such as the Sphera premium cinema concept and VR offer, this second agreement marks an important milestone for CinemaNext in further contributing to the excellence of the moviegoing experience in the Kingdom.”
“Saudi Arabia presents a new growth opportunity for cinema exhibitors and this marks a very exciting first step in our development in this effervescent and previously untapped market,” adds Empire Cinemas CEO Gino Haddad. “We are investing in comfort and providing exceptional experiences for moviegoers. In addition to its technical excellence, CinemaNext brings to the table a wealth of unique & innovative products in terms of projection and sound equipment. With our 100 years of involvement in cinema exhibition and CinemaNext’s first-rate services & solutions, we are excited to play an important role in the strong growth of Saudi Arabia’s emerging entertainment sector.”
Empire Cinemas’ Jizan site will feature CinemaNext’s Melody TMS, state-of-the-art projection systems, two 3D-equipped screens and Dolby Atmos & 7.1 surround sound.
With offices in 26 countries and over 13,000 screens installed globally to date, CinemaNext is the largest cinema exhibition services company in EMEA. It provides smart, comprehensive solutions across the board: projection equipment, audio systems, Sphera premium cinema concept, VR activities, Onyx Cinema LED, central systems, cinema outfitting and seating, content management, 3D projection systems & glasses, TMS, digital signage and screens. Clients enjoy the highest level of reliability and lowest cost of ownership through our various services: consulting, design & project management, equipment sales and financing, installation, maintenance, support (NOC), online monitoring, spare and consumables, service agreements and supply chain & logistics.
About CinemaNext (Ymagis Group)
CinemaNext is the Ymagis Group’s business unit dedicated to exhibitor services. Founded in 2007 and managed by professionals from the motion picture and high-tech industries, Ymagis Group is a European leader in advanced digital technology services for the cinema industry. The company’s core business is structured around three main units: CinemaNext (exhibitor services: sales and field services, software solutions, customer service/NOC and consulting), Eclair (content services: post-production, theatrical delivery, digital distribution, versioning and accessibility, restoration and preservation) and VPF (finance solutions) and other activities, including EclairColor and Virtual Reality. A publicly-traded company listed on Euronext, Ymagis Group is headquartered in Paris (France) and counts close to 770 employees. For more information, please connect to https://www.ymagis.com, https://www.cinemanext.com or https://www.eclair.digital
About Empire Cinemas
Empire Cinemas traces its history back to 1919 when Lebanese cinema pioneer Georges N. Haddad, launched his first movie theatre in Beirut, naming it the Cosmograph at its Bourj location (Place des Canons-Beirut Central District). Today, Empire operates in 13 countries with offices in Beirut, Dubai, Cairo, Erbil and Riyadh.