Press release from the Independent Cinemas Association of Australia
Australia’s largest independent cinemas group, the Independent Cinemas Association of Australia (ICAA) today announced a pact with the New Zealand independent exhibitors association – the New Zealand Motion Picture Exhibitors Association (NZMPEA)
Under the terms of the pact, New Zealand independent exhibitors will become members of the Australian association with a permanent seat on the ICAA board.
“The film industry is a global industry and many of the issues that affect exhibitors locally are increasingly being played out on a global stage” said ICAA Chief Executive, Mark Sarfaty.
“This historic affiliation between Australia and New Zealand is a response to the fact independent cinemas in both countries faces many of the same challenges and working together we will be able to present an Australasian regional response to those challenges”
“Film piracy, digital cinema transition, changes to theatrical release model and the development of new business and new content offers to the public are among the many areas we will be approaching jointly” said Mr Sarfaty
Independent cinemas in both Australia and New Zealand form nearly 30% of their national Gross Box Office dollars and span a diverse range of content from mainstream to arthouse.
The combined membership under the pact will represent over 600 screens across 160 cinema locations.
President of the NZMPEA, Paul Desmond commented, “our members unanimously supported the association with ICAA. We aim to take the best of cinema business practices in Australia and New Zealand to create a more informed regional approach to independent cinema in both countries”
The President of ICAA, Kieren Dell said, “Independent cinemas have traditionally found it difficult to realise the economies of business information, planning and implementation that the major cinema circuits have been able to. We believe that this alliance will go some way towards improving the position of all independent cinemas and will ultimately add value to the unique local experience independent cinema offers to audiences.”