The International Cinema Technology Association today announced the winner of the ICTA Presentation Excellence Award. The Award will be presented to the operator of the CINEMA film theatre in Munich, Klaus Ungerer, on 10th May - during Germany’s cinema exhibitor convention KINO 2023.
With the award ICTA intends to honor cinema operators who embrace cinema technology and continuously strive towards celebrating the cinema theatre as a social and experiential meeting space to the benefit of their audiences. Creativity, digital excellence and a strong focus on audiences were further selection criteria.
The CINEMA film theatre had been nominated alongside 12 further cinemas by members of the ICTA. An international selection committee subsequently appointed the winner. ICTA’s International Directors, Jan Runge, Cathy Huis in ‘t Veld-Esser, Oliver Pasch and Till Cussmann – as well as Benjamin Dauhrer of CINECITTA – congratulate the winner. Jan Runge comments:
“We are delighted that this year’s ICTA award will be presented to Klaus Ungerer and his team at Munich’s CINEMA. The philosophy of the cinema – To Be a Movie Lovers’ Paradise – is ambitious and has been brought to live for many decades. When cinema pioneer Dr. Dieter Buchwald – who passed away in 2018 – took over the cinema, he turned it into a trailblazing icon of Germany’s exhibition landscape. The CINEMA was the first German cinema to be THX-certified (in 1987). Whether popcorn, sneak previews or experimenting with Event Cinema – the CINEMA has long ensured that its audiences are amongst the first to experience new trends in theatrical exhibition. This pioneering spirit is now carried forward by Klaus Ungerer and his team. After a significant refurbishment the CINEMA today offers a high-end cinema going experience with excellent sound, latest laser projection, comfortable seating and a newly renovated foyer. This customer focus is also reflected in the cinema’s website design, which highlights and promotes different cinema technology features. This approach, in our view, is Showmanship at its best.”
Klaus Ungerer is delighted about the Award:
“It’s a great honor to receive this award on behalf of the entire team at the CINEMA. We have always deliberately focussed on implementing the latest technical innovations and original ideas. Especially at a time when it is essential to drive audiences back to the theatre, it is our priority to illustrate what makes the big screen experience so unparalleled. It’s encouraging that this approach is now honored through this award. We truly appreciate and are thankful for the recognition. ”
HDF KINO e.V. President and CEO Christine Berg congratulates on behalf of the German cinema exhibitors’ association:
“Huge congratulations to Klaus Ungerer for this recognition.The CINEMA in many ways is a location that sets standards. Throughout its almost 70 years of existence it has excelled at introducing new technological innovations in the cinema space. Today Klaus Ungerer continues to offer perfect film viewing experiences through the latest projection and sound technologies. That’s the big screen at its best!”
The ICTA Presentation Excellence Award will be presented as part of the German Cinema Convention KINO 2023, on 10th May in Baden-Baden, Germany.