Cinemas form association

A Cinema Exhibitors Association has been formed primarily as a lobby group to protect and enhance the cinema industry and to provide dialogue between members.

Representatives from all the major cinema complexes in Malta and Gozo met at the InterContinental Hotel to finalise the statutes of the association.

Simon De Cesare of Eden Century Cinemas is president of the association while Andrew M. Attard of Empire Cinema Complex is vice-president, Bettina Azzopardi of the Embassy Cinemaworld is treasurer and Tony Coleiro of Eden Century Cinemas is general secretary.

Mr De Cesare said that certain key issues to be dealt with include the proliferation of pirated movies as well as the importation and rental of non-Region 2 DVDs.

This practice, which breaches copyright, unfairly impinges on the viability and the competitiveness of the cinema theatres, he said.