The International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA) has announced the 2023 winners of the ICTA EMEA Awards, celebrating technological leadership, design and innovation in the cinema exhibition sector. The award winners include Cineplexx Ljubljana, Slovenia (Best New Build Cinema of the Year), Cineplex Münster, Germany (Best Cinema Refurbishment of the Year) and Forum Sittard, The Netherlands (Best Classic Cinema of the Year). The owners and operators of the winning cinemas will be presented with their awards on June 18th during ICTA’s award reception in Barcelona, just before the start of CineEurope.
ICTA’s International Directors, Till Cussmann, Cathy Huis in ‘t veld Esser, Oliver Pasch and Jan Runge jointly congratulate all award winners, “We are thrilled to honor these outstanding cinemas and individuals. Their investments into innovating the theatrical experience and their outstanding showmanship contributes hugely to driving local audiences to their cinemas. We are particularly happy that the owner-operators will be present on June 18th to accept their awards in Barcelona. Congratulations to all winners on behalf of your partners in the cinema technology community.”
Christof Papousek, of Cineplexx Group said, “We feel honored to receive this award for our newest cinema in Slovenia. The cinema is an important component for the entire Slovenian market, as there was no adequate cinema offer in the capital for many years. Cineplexx is setting new standards with this cinema and its success is reflected in the positive development of the entire cinema market since the release of Top Gun: Maverick. Our thanks go not only to the team that carried out the work and design, but also to our financing partners and the landlords from Supernova. They made it possible to realise such a project during and shortly after the COVID period. Their trust in us and in our amazing cinema industry combined with solid reserves in our company were the basis for this success!“
Ansgar Esch and Anselm Esch, of Münstersche Filmtheaterbetriebe and Cineplex Münster added, “We are honored to receive this award, coming from the experts at the ICTA it really means a lot to us. It shows us that we are on the right track with our ideas about the cinematic experience like our Ultimate PLF brand and our partnership with CGS. It motivates us to keep on trying to enhance it even further.”
Forum Sittard’s Marie-Rose Vandenbergh and Antoine Vandenbergh shared, “As a fourth-generation family business, this recognition holds a special place in our hearts. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to our parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents, who laid the foundation for our success and instilled in us a profound love for cinema. Their vision and dedication have guided us throughout the years, and we are proud to carry on their legacy. Receiving the Best Classic Cinema of the Year award is a testament to the hard work, passion, and dedication of our entire team. We extend our heartfelt appreciation to each and every member who has contributed to making Forum Sittard the cherished establishment it is today. Additionally, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the ICTA for this esteemed honor. Their recognition further motivates us to continue our pursuit of delivering exceptional cinematic experiences and upholding the rich heritage of the big screen.”
ICTA president Frank Tees added, “Congratulations to the outstanding award recipients and the teams behind these beautiful theaters. And a special thank you to ICTA’s International Board Directors for organizing this highly recognized award.”
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