Barco and Cinionic, the companies at the forefront of worldwide technology and solutions for cinema, join with audiences across Belgium to celebrate today’s reopening of the movie theaters in the country. Moviegoers return to a blockbuster line-up at the cinema after Belgian authorities announced the ability to reopen as of June 9, 2021. In addition to making more than 1000 subsidized movie tickets available to employees, the companies are making the movies accessible to all through a charitable donation of 2000 tickets in partnership with Film Fest Ghent and local charity Enchante.

“2020 confirmed the importance of our corporate culture and beliefs. Cinema and the power it has culturally around the world is core to who we are. It’s in our DNA,” commented Jan De Witte, CEO, Barco.”We are committed to enabling and empowering the industries and communities that we serve. Today, we live by our values and welcome you back to the movies.”

Barco and Cinionic have a long and rich heritage in delivering the world’s leading cinematic experiences. After an extended closure, audiences in Belgium and many other parts of the world can now return to cinemas as local restrictions ease where it is safe to do so. To mark the occasion, Barco CEO Jan De Witte and Cinionic CEO Wim Buyens welcomed Mayor of Kortrijk Ruth Vandenberghe, Film Festival Ghent Managing Director Marijke Vandebuerie, and Fem Cauwelie from Enchante at Barco’s OneCampus in Kortirjk to make the donation.

“Cinema is about coming together for a shared experience, one that is accessible to all. As we chart the reopening of cinemas globally, we see one thing in common, moviegoer excitement to come return,” added Wim Buyens, CEO, Cinionic. “Our dedicated cinema team shares the anticipation to sit back, relax and enjoy a movie in theaters. We are proud to work with like-minded partners to empower moviegoing as cinemas reopen in Belgium.”

The charitable donation, made with long-standing partner Film Fest Gent, will be distributed by Enchanté. The Flemish Government recently recognized Enchanté, a citizens’ initiative, with an Ultima Award for its community work and its network of social partners to promote cultural participation among the underprivileged.

Today’s announcement complements a series of reopenings and industry initiatives worldwide. In North America, more than 28,000 screens are set to celebrate Cinema Week June 22- June 27, as audiences show their excitement for the big screen at the box office. Cinionic and Barco are proud to illuminate more than 95,000 screens with their leading cinema solutions. 

About Barco

Barco designs technology to enable bright outcomes around the world. Seeing beyond the image, we develop visualization and collaboration solutions to help you work together, share insights, and wow audiences. Our focus is on three core markets: Enterprise (from meeting, classroom and control rooms to corporate spaces), Healthcare (from the radiology department to the operating room), and Entertainment (from movie theaters to live events and attractions). In 2020, we realized sales of 770 million euro. We have a global team of 3,300 employees, whose passion for technology is captured in 430 granted patents.

For more information, visit us on www.barco.com, follow us on Twitter (@Barco), LinkedIn (Barco), YouTube (BarcoTV), or like us on Facebook (Barco).

About Cinionic

Founded in 2018 as a cinema joint venture between Barco, CGS, and ALPD, Cinionic unites global leaders committed to creating a new visual standard and moving the cinema industry forward. Cinionic’s future-ready enhanced services and technology solutions provide compelling cinema experiences. The company’s world-class technology portfolio includes award-winning laser projectors, HDR, integrated media servers, and premium cinema experiences, among other innovations.

With more than 95,000 projectors installed globally, Cinionic is trusted by more than 200 exhibitors to help capture audiences at multiple touchpoints in their cinema journey and keep them coming back for more. Today, more than half of the world’s movie theaters are illuminated by Cinionic.

Cinionic has offices in Belgium, the United States, Mexico, Australia, and Hong Kong.

Visit www.cinionic.com and follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, or YouTube for more information.