Digitalisation Gives New Life to Small Czech Cinemas

25-02-2016

Digitalisation Gives New Life to Small Czech Cinemas

By Denisa Strbova

PRAGUE: Small Czech cinemas, which were almost sentenced to death, have gone through surprising development thanks to their digitalisation. Their income reached its highest level in 14 years, which was, according to the Union of Film Distributors, 15.8 m EUR / 427 m CZK .

The attendance in these cinemas was 4.12 m in 2015, the highest since 2009.

Thanks to the digitalisation which is almost finalised, small cinemas are approaching the latest distribution blockbusters shortly after the premiere and can be much more creative in their programme offer, which naturally increases their attendance.

According to Ivo Andrle from Aerofilm distribution company, new possibilities attract younger generation of cinema managers who frequently use social media and succeed to address wider potential audience.

Thanks to the support of the State Cinematography Fund even small Czech towns could be a part of the digitalisation. For 2016, the Fund allocated another 370,000 EUR / 10 m CZK for the digitalisation and modernisation of cinemas.

Published in Czech Republic