ODEON Cinemas Group has been named as the 2021 recipient of the “International Exhibitor of the Year” award at CineEurope. The award will be presented to Mark Way, President of AMC Europe and Managing Director ODEON Cinemas Group, and Juan Antonio Gomez, Chief Partnership and Content Officer, as part of the CineEurope Awards Ceremony hosted by the Coca-Cola Company on Thursday, October 7, at the Centre Convencions Internacional Barcelona (CCIB) in Barcelona, Spain.
Each year at CineEurope, the award is given to a cinema exhibitor whose accomplishments, new developments, growth, and market leadership make them the standard-bearer for the industry. “It gives us great pleasure to present the International Exhibitor of the Year award to the ODEON Cinemas Group,” said Andrew Sunshine, President of The Film Expo Group. “ODEON Cinemas has built a culture of innovation for cinema, changing the movie-going experience throughout Europe,” continued Sunshine.
This award was meant to be given to Mark and Juan Antonio during the 2020 CineEurope but due to situations out of our control we were unable to honor them that year. It is with great pleasure that they graciously accepted the award again and that we will be able to celebrate with all our friends and colleagues in Barcelona in 2021.”
Mark Way, President of AMC Europe and Managing Director of ODEON Cinemas Group, said:
“It is a huge privilege to receive this award on behalf of all 9,000 ODEON Cinemas Group colleagues. This award is particularly welcome news now, as we have just reopened in all our countries. Our teams are thrilled to be back doing what they love – delivering unforgettable big screen experiences to our guests, who are proving very keen to return, in the safest environment possible. It is testament to all our teams’ hard work and commitment over recent years in improving ODEON’s guest experience, whether that be through great hospitality, the rollout of our Luxe recliner model, our improved food and beverage offer, or through upgraded cinema technology across our estate.
“It is a new dawn for cinema, and the future for ODEON Cinemas Group within that is very exciting. As we begin to recover from the most challenging year in the industry’s history, we look forward to continuing to invest and expand our offering while welcoming millions more guests through our doors in the years ahead.”
Welcoming today’s announcement, UNIC President Phil Clapp:
“We are delighted that ODEON Cinemas Group has been recognised as the CineEurope 2021 International Exhibitor of the Year. This decision reflects, in particular, the extent to which the company has blazed a trail across a number of European territories, not least through the roll-out of their ground-breaking ODEON Luxe brand, taking the cinema environment to new heights and setting new standards for the big screen experience.”
ODEON Cinemas Group, Europe’s largest cinema operator, operates more than 340 cinemas across 10 European countries. ODEON’s stated goal is to create inspiring entertainment experiences for every guest.
The twelve months prior to lockdown, saw the rapid growth of ODEON Luxe, the Group’s premium cinema brand. All ODEON Luxe cinemas feature cutting edge sound & projection technology including Premium Large Format screens, luxury recliner seats and a premium food and drink offering.
ODEON Cinemas Group has taken the opportunity during the pandemic-enforced closures to invest in improving the digital experience for guests. Starting with the UK & Ireland, with the rest of the territories to follow, they have re-platformed their website and app, introduced new kiosks and tills in cinemas, as well as upgrading various backend systems to improve film programming and financial processes. This investment means a faster, better booking experience for guests, plus improved engagement with film fans and members.
About CineEurope
CineEurope 2021 will take place 4-7 October at the Centre Convencions Internacional Barcelona (CCIB) in Barcelona, Spain. CineEurope is the longest-running and most successful European convention and trade show for major, regional, and independent cinema professionals. CineEurope will feature exclusive screenings and product presentations of upcoming films, sponsored events, timely and informative seminars, and the CineEurope Trade Show. CineEurope is the Official Convention of the Union Internationale des Cinémas/International Union of Cinemas (UNIC).
About UNIC
The Union Internationale des Cinémas/International Union of Cinemas (UNIC) represents the interests of cinema trade associations and cinema operators covering 38 countries in Europe and in neighboring regions.
About Film Expo Group
The Film Expo Group is the premier organizer of events in the motion picture industry. The Film Expo Group produces CineEurope, held in Barcelona; ShowEast, held in Miami; and CineAsia, held in Bangkok.
Additional information on CineEurope can be found at www.cineeurope.net