Hollywood Reporter
7th December 2007
Sony inks digital deal with AAM for Europe
By Stuart Kemp
LONDON -- Sony Pictures Releasing International (SPRI) on Thursday became the latest to join the growing group of studio-owned overseas releasing arms to sign up to a digital print distribution future.
SPRI sealed a non-exclusive long-term deal with physical digital service provider Arts Alliance Media (AAM) to forge a pact to supply movies in digital format.
Sony's overseas arm joins Paramount Pictures International, Twentieth Century Fox and Universal Pictures International in pledging its commitment to the digital theater cause.
Back in October this year, PPI signed up to back digital rollout across Europe. Fox and Universal pledged in June to support roll out across close to 7,000 screens in the coming years through their agreement earlier in the year.
Under the agreement, SPRI has pledged to supply its films "to certain European countries" in digital format to AAM-deployed DCI-compliant digital cinema screens. Territories include "those in Western Europe."
The releasing arm has also pledged "to make financial contributions in order to promote digital cinema."
SPRI's decision comes hot on the heels of the decision in November this year by French exhibition chain CGR Cinemas to sign up with AAM to convert all its 400 screens to digital.
SPRI president Mark Zucker said: "Arts Alliance Media's plan to roll out digital cinema in Europe has been embraced by the industry, and the winners are the moviegoers across Europe who will enjoy a state-of-the-art, higher quality theatrical experience."
Zucker noted that via the conversion, "audiences will get to see motion pictures the way filmmakers intended, with beautiful, clear images and pitch perfect sound."
AAM CEO Howard Kiedaisch said Sony's move "is a significant show of support for a widespread digital cinema rollout across Europe."