Ymagis, a Paris, France based company, established in 2007 by several cinema executives to help accelerate the transition of European theatres to digital projection, has reached non-exclusive agreements with Paramount Pictures International, Walt Disney Studios International and Twentieth Century Fox who have independently agreed to supply digital content to the projection systems deployed by Ymagis. Ymagis is in advanced negotiations with other US and European distributors and expects to announce other similar agreements shortly.
Ymagis intends to deploy up to 5,500 systems compliant with DCI specifications in several countries throughout continental Europe, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Portugal, Austria, Switzerland and Luxemburg. Ymagis’ ambition is to provide the European exhibition industry with technical and financial schemes that will help maintain its diversity and its dynamism.
Andrew Cripps, President, Paramount Pictures International, said, “Paramount Pictures International are delighted to be working with Ymagis in providing digital cinema to exhibitors and consumers across Europe. This agreement is a vital step in the continued transition of the industry to a digital future and we look forward to helping to accelerate the speed of this transition”.
Anthony Marcoly, president, Sales and Distribution, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International, said, "Disney is delighted to be supporting Ymagis' ambitious efforts to accelerate and promote the installation and exhibition of digital cinema throughout Europe. They are an outstanding organization with the knowledge and expertise to bring quality digital cinema to a large number of European moviegoers. All of us at Disney are extremely excited about the possibilities of 3D filmmaking and have already announced our first ten releases in that format. Ymagis' initiative will allow these films to be shown as intended and insure European audiences the very best possible experience for all theatrical releases."
Paul Hanneman and Tomas Jegeus, Co-Presidents of Twentieth Century Fox International jointly commented "we are very pleased to be supporting Ymagis and this important initiative to deploy DCI complaint systems across the European markets. This will not only enhance the movie going experience but also will help facilitate the expansion of 3-D digital projection and all the opportunities this promises to offer. Ymagis' plan will offer exhibitors another financing and deployment alternative."
Jean Mizrahi, Ymagis’ Chief Executive Officer said, “We are proud to receive the support from Paramount, Disney and Fox in our determination to provide European exhibitors with solutions tailored to meet their requirements. We hope that our experience, which is deeply rooted in the local cinema industry, will help us find appropriate solutions for all kinds of situations, which will vary from one city to another, one country to another, one type of exhibitor to another. We aim to preserve the European cinema industry’s diversity and vibrancy while succeeding in moving the whole industry to digital cinema.”
