The International Union of Cinemas (UNIC), the European cinema trade grouping, has today announced that IMAX Corporation and Vista Group take on the role of principal sponsors of its flagship Women’s Cinema Leadership Programme, already in its fifth year. At the same time UNIC launched a call for mentors and mentees to take part in the next 2022-23 edition.
As joint sponsorship partners, Vista Group and IMAX will become ‘Champions of the Programme’, supporting UNIC’s mission to achieve a more diverse and inclusive cinema industry.
UNIC’s Women’s Cinema Leadership Programme aims to help address the gender gap amongst decision-making positions in the industry, giving talented, up-and-coming female professionals the opportunity to receive mentoring from top women executives.
Welcoming today’s announcement, UNIC CEO Laura Houlgatte commented:
“We are delighted to welcome IMAX and Vista Group as ‘Champions of UNIC Women’s Cinema Leadership Programme’. They share UNIC’s ambition to see more inclusion and diversity in the industry. This partnership will take the programme to the next level as we empower more female professionals to achieve leadership roles and realise their full potential. As alumni of the programme, we couldn’t have better ambassadors than Sarah Lewthwaite of Vista Group and Alessandra Pavan Bernacchi of IMAX. We are very grateful for their commitment.”
“We need a broader and more diverse group of people working at all levels across our industry, full stop. That’s why programs like Women’s Cinema Leadership are so critical to the future of cinema, both for those behind the camera, for executives in the business, and for audiences around the world who expect and deserve to experience unique stories from all creators,” said Megan Colligan, President of IMAX Entertainment.
“Having experienced first-hand the positive impact that the UNIC Women’s Cinema Leadership Programme has, I couldn’t be prouder for Vista Group to sponsor this next edition. While diversity of content can help drive box-office results, we believe that it’s greater diversity in our boardrooms that will create long-lasting success for our industry,” stated Sarah Lewthwaite, Chief Client Officer for Movio, a Vista Group company.
The 2022-23 programme runs for a year from June, following its launch at CineEurope. The deadline for applications is 30 March 2022. To find out more about being a mentor or mentee, please contact dstratan@unic-cinemas.org.
About The International Union of Cinemas (UNIC)
The Union Internationale des Cinémas/International Union of Cinemas (UNIC) represents the interests of cinema trade associations and cinema operators covering 39 countries in Europe and neighbouring regions. More information at www.unic-cinemas.org
About IMAX
IMAX, an innovator in entertainment technology, combines proprietary software, architecture and equipment to create experiences that take you beyond the edge of your seat to a world you’ve never imagined. Top filmmakers and studios are utilizing IMAX theaters to connect with audiences in extraordinary ways, and, as such, IMAX’s network is among the most important and successful theatrical distribution platforms for major event films around the globe.
IMAX is headquartered in New York, Toronto, and Los Angeles, with additional offices in London, Dublin, Tokyo, and Shanghai. As of September 30, 2021, there were 1,664 IMAX theater systems (1,580 commercial multiplexes, 12 commercial destinations, 72 institutional) operating in 85 countries and territories. Shares of IMAX China Holding, Inc., a subsidiary of IMAX Corporation, trade on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange under the stock code “HK.1970.”
IMAX, IMAX Dome, IMAX 3D, IMAX 3D Dome, Experience It In IMAX, The IMAX Experience, An IMAX Experience, An IMAX 3D Experience, IMAX DMR, DMR, IMAX nXos and Films to the Fullest, are trademarks and trade names of the Company or its subsidiaries that are registered or otherwise protected under laws of various jurisdictions. More information about the company can be found at www.imax.com.
About Vista Group International
Vista Group International Ltd (Vista Group) is a public company, founded in New Zealand in 1996 and listed on both the New Zealand and Australian stock exchanges in 2014 (NZX & ASX: VGL). The Group provides software and additional technology solutions across the global film industry. Cinema management software is provided by Vista Entertainment Solutions (‘Vista Cinema’), the originating business of the Group. Movio (authority in moviegoer data analytics), Veezi (cloud-based software for the independent cinema market), Maccs (film distribution software), Numero (box office reporting software for film distributors and cinemas), Powster (creative studio and marketing platform for movie studios) and Flicks (moviegoer ‘go to’ portal for movie information) provide an innovative range of complementary products across additional film industry sectors, from production and distribution, to cinema exhibition through to the experience of the moviegoer. Vista Group has offices located in New Zealand (Auckland HQ), Sydney, Cape Town, London, Amsterdam, Groningen, Timi?oara, Shanghai, Beijing, Los Angeles, and Mexico City.