Arts Alliance Media (AAM) and South Africa’s leading exhibitor
Ster-Kinekor have announced a partnership for digital conversion of all of
Ster-Kinekor’s sites across the country.
The deal will see Ster-Kinekor’s estate of more than 400 screens
converted to digital within the next 12 months. AAM and Ster-Kinekor are
currently working together to establish the optimum equipment configuration for
the new installations, and the rollout is expected to begin shortly. In
addition to digital cinema hardware, all of Ster Kinekor’s 54 sites will be
installed with AAM’s proprietary TMS software, Screenwriter, to efficiently
manage all digital screens and content.
Arts Alliance Media is currently finalising VPF (Virtual Print Fee)
deals for South Africa with the Hollywood studios, and is expected to make
further announcements within the coming weeks.
Chief Executive Officer of Ster-Kinekor, Fiaz Mahomed, said, “Converting
to digital is a critical step in the progression of Ster-Kinekor as we continue
to grow our business and continue to lead South Africa’s exhibition
industry. We’re delighted to announce this deal with AAM – we’ve seen
their experience in Europe and are looking forward to their expertise helping
us become 100% digital.”
Chief Executive Officer of Arts Alliance Media, Howard Kiedaisch
said, “With AAM’s market-leading experience in Europe, and having recently
confirmed our international expansion to Latin America with our announcement of
a VPF deal with Sony Pictures, we see South Africa as another key territory
where a VPF program could bring tremendous value and Ster-Kinekor is a fantastic
first partner to be working with”.
AAM’s Director of Business Development and Commercial Operations,
Giovanni Dolci, added, “We have been working closely with Fiaz and his team to
devise a solution that would meet Ster-Kinekor’s needs and we are thrilled to
announce this deal to support their digital conversion. Ster-Kinekor is one of
the global leaders in cinema and we look forward to working with them to
continue to advance digital cinema in South Africa.”
