The second edition of the MENA Cinema Forum – largest conference and exhibition dedicated to cinema in the MENA region, organized by Great Minds Events took place at Conrad Dubai from 22nd to 24th October 2019.
From conferences, workshops, corporate meetings, film slates, screenings, post-event receptions, an expo and awards ceremony, and much more, this year’s forum was on a much larger in scale – richer in content and designed to enhance the industry evolution through updates on regional projects and policies, technological and technical advancements in cinemas and best practices in next generation of customer experience and engagement, through a mixture of various content and mediums.
2019 witnessed over 60 speakers, 200+ C-Level Executives, 800+ attendees, 115+ sponsors and exhibitors from 50+ countries.
Day 1 kicked off with an Opening Keynote by the Strategic Partner of the MENA Cinema Conference: Cameron Mitchell, Chief Executive Officer, Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas and Majid Al Futtaim Leisure & Entertainment.
The panel discussion on MENA Cinema Upcoming Project Updates included:
The panel also indulged in a live debate chaired by Jan Runge, MENA Cinema Chairman & Advisor, answering questions from the delegates and attendees at the forum.
Day 1 also featured a presentation focusing on ‘Cinema Strategies and Statistic Updates’ delivered by Rajkumar Akella, Managing Director, Comscore India (Movies)
His discussion included the following:
Ashish Shukla, the Chief Executive Officer of Cinépolis Gulf addressed the audience with project updates from the fastest growing international exhibitor in the region – Cinépolis. He also unveiled a new special and exclusive project and partnership in the UAE.
The event was held across 2 levels at the Conrad Dubai; one to host conference sessions and the other for exhibitors to showcase their products and technologies.
The Trade Show on Day 1 featured technical seminars on:
Day 2 included a mix of presentations and panel discussions that focused on:
Technical Seminars on Day 2 of the forum included:
Day 3 focused on regional content production, best practices in this field and regional and international collaborations. A series of 6 masterclasses addressed pertinent topics such as film financing, script writing, production and acting, catered to professionals and newcomers alike.
New to 2019 were workshops and masterclasses on key topics for a more interactive and hands-on learning experiences – delivered by global leaders to help enhance learning and growth opportunities at the forum.
The workshops held on day 3 covered range of topics and themes:
MENA Cinema Forum also hosted an Expo – The largest exhibition of its kind in the region, and amongst one the largest cinema expos globally, for the second time round, following the success of last year’s round.
The exhibition introduced interesting and interactive attractions including but not limited to floor talks, product demos, themed entertainment, mini-screenings, an Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality zones, rest and refreshment parlors.
The Awards ceremony – presented by Comscore and co-presented by Dubai Studio City, are globally recognized and are a fixture of the big global conventions, and now in MENA. These awards are based on quantitative data measuring performance of all sectors and markets across the globe with identical metrics.
Here’s a list of this year’s winners:
Expanding its scope as an event for the cinema industry – with the aim to engage, wow and inspire, this year included several international and regional content screenings at VOX Cinemas – Mall of the Emirates and Reel Cinemas – Dubai Mall: International films such as The Addams Family, Terminator: Dark Fate, Leonardo – The Works and Zombieland: Double Tap. Other screenings included: local and regional content such as Son-Mother.
Pass holders were given the opportunity to interact with cast and crew of some of these feature films.
At the end of each day of the forum, post-event reception – in a themed setting, offered refreshment and entertainment in a fun and relaxed atmosphere for attendees to mingle and further nourish their friendships and business relationships.
Here’s a video with highlights from MENA Cinema Forum 2019:
The next forum will be held in October 2020.
For more information on the MENA Cinema Forum visit www.menacinema.com
Sources: Zawya and MENA Cinema Forum
Related Article:
Highlights from MENA Cinema Forum 2018
Reel Cinemas recently launched 10 new cinema screens at Al Ghurair Centre – giving the neighbourhood a brand-new place to catch the latest blockbuster releases.
Having originally opened to the public with 8 screens back in April 2019, Reel Cinemas now operates 18 screens at Al Ghurair Centre which includes a variety of experiences such as Platinum Suites, Reel Junior for the little ones, an ultra-high-tech premium Dolby Cinema screen and dedicated screens for family-friendly movies.
Cinemagoers will also be able to get their hands on a variety of snacks which include the classics such as popcorn, sweets and soft drinks, plus hot food such as samosas, jalapeño poppers, bhajis, butter chicken fries, and even crêpes.
With the addition of the 10 new screens at Al Ghurair Centre, Reel presently operates 67 screens across 7 locations in the UAE.
Contact us for cinema advertising opportunities at Reel Cinemas.
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Source: Time Out Dubai
Ramadan is a special month of the year in the Middle East, and similar to that of Christmas in the west, the holy month has become a season of increased consumerism and attention to shopping – presenting advertisers with opportunities to capture the attention of consumers.
Here’s a glimpse of the Ramadan and Eid cinema ads from 2019 that screened across our cinema circuit in the Middle East:
Centrepoint
The 15 sec. commercial, booked through OMD, screened in UAE (25th April – 1st May 2019) and Qatar (25th April – 8th May 2019) at VOX Cinemas – City Centre Ajman, Burjuman, City Centre Mirdif, Marina Mall Abu Dhabi, Mall of the Emirates and Yas Mall Abu Dhabi and Doha Festival City.
Homes R Us
The 20 sec. commercial, booked through UM7, screened in UAE from 18th April to 15th May 2019 across VOX Cinemas – City Centre Ajman, Cineplex Grand Hyatt, City Centre Fujairah, City Centre Mirdif, Marina Mall Abu Dhabi, Mall of the Emirates, Al Hamra Mall, City Centre Sharjah and Yas Mall Abu Dhabi, Oscar Cinema – Al Foah Mall and Al Wahda Mall, Cinemacity – 06 Mall, Cine Royal Cinema – Dalma Mall, Khalidiyah Mall, Deerfields Mall and Ruwais Mall, Roxy Cinemas – The Beach and Reel Cinemas – The Dubai Mall.
Bank Muscat
The 45 sec. commercial – booked through MediaOne, screened in Oman from 4th June to 8th June 2019 at VOX Cinemas – City Centre Muscat, City Centre Qurum, Suhar Plaza, City Centre Suhar, MGM, Salalah, Shatti and Sur.
Danube Home
The 7 sec. commercial screened in UAE and Oman from 18th April to 15th May 2019 across VOX Cinemas – City Centre Sharjah, Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Fujairah, Al Hamra Mall, Al Jimi Mall, Panorama, Sur, Salalah, Buraimi, City Centre Muscat and City Centre Suhar, Cine Royal Cinema – Dalma Mall and Reel Cinemas – The Dubai Mall.
Mediclinic
The 9.5 sec. commercial screened in UAE from 16th May to 22nd May 2019 at Reel Cinemas – The Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina Mall and Jebel Ali Club, VOX Cinemas – Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Mirdif, City Centre Deira, Mercato Mall, Marina Mall Abu Dhabi and Yas Mall Abu Dhabi, Roxy Cinemas – The Beach and City Walk, Cine Royal Cinema – Dalma Mall and Oscar Cinema – Al Foah Mall.
Dyson
The 30 sec. commercial – booked through GroupM, screened in UAE from 4th June to 9th June 2019 at Reel Cinemas – The Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina Mall, Jebel Ali Club, Rove Downtown, The Springs Souk and The Pointe and Roxy Cinemas – The Beach and City Walk.
Cartier
The 45 sec. commercial – booked through MediaCom, screened in the UAE from 3rd June to 9th June 2019 at VOX Cinemas – The Mall of Emirates and Reel Cinemas – The Dubai Mall.
Toyota
The 25 sec. commercial – booked through Media Market (WARBA), screened in Kuwait from 25th April to 1st May 2019 at VOX Cinemas – The Avenues.
Honda
The 31 sec. commercial – booked through PHD Media, screened in the UAE from 9th May to 5th June 2019 at VOX Cinemas – Mall of the Emirates and City Centre Deira
Du Tuesday
The 62 sec. commercial screened from 16th May to 26th May 2019 across all UAE locations of VOX Cinemas.
Porsche
The 30 sec. commercial – booked through BPG, screened in Kuwait from 2nd May to 8th May 2019 at VOX Cinemas – The Avenues.
Max
The 30 sec. commercial – booked through OMD, screened in Qatar from 29th April to 12th May 2019 at VOX Cinemas – Doha Festival City
Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum City – District One
The 60 sec. commercial – booked through BPN, screened in UAE from 4th June to 3rd July 2019 at VOX Cinemas – Mall of the Emirates, Mercato Mall, Burjuman and City Centre Mirdif, Reel Cinemas – The Dubai Mall and Dubai Marina Mall and Roxy Cinemas – City Walk.
Missed out on advertising in cinema over Eid al-Fitr? Contact a member of our sales team for cinema advertising opportunities over Eid al-Adha in August 2019.
Kibsons International, online home delivery service in in the fresh produce category, booked its second cinema campaign with Motivate Val Morgan in April 2019 – which included a sampling activity and three on-screen advertisements at various cinema locations across the UAE.
Sampling Activity
A sampling activity was booked to be executed in three bursts:
1st Burst
Locations: VOX Cinemas – Nation Towers and Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi
Campaign Duration: Friday 26th April – Sunday 28th April 2019
2nd Burst
Locations: VOX Cinemas – Marina Mall, Nation Towers and Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi, and City Centre Mirdif in Dubai
Campaign Duration: Thursday 2nd May – Saturday 4th May 2019
3rd Burst (scheduled to be executed in June)
Locations: VOX Cinemas – Marina Mall, Nation Towers and Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi, and City Centre Mirdif in Dubai
Campaign Duration: Thursday 6th June – Saturday 8th June 2019
As part of the sampling activity, a box filled with fruits was distributed to moviegoers at the entrance of three screens at each cinema location.
On-screen Advertisement
In addition to the sampling activity, three on-screen advertisements were booked to screen on rotation at VOX Cinemas, Reel Cinemas and Cine Royal Cinema.
Exhibitor: VOX Cinemas
Locations: Marina Mall, Nation Towers, Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi and City Centre Mirdif in Dubai
Campaign Duration: Thursday 25th April 2019 – Wednesday 8th May 2019 (2 weeks)
Exhibitor: Reel Cinemas
Locations: The Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina Mall and Al Ghurair Centre
Campaign Duration: 24 weeks
Exhibitor: Cine Royal Cinema
Locations: Khalidiyah Mall, Dalma Mall and Deerfields Mall in Abu Dhabi
Campaign Duration: 28 weeks
Ad 1:
Campaign Name: Kibsons Grandmother
Commercial Duration: 30 sec.
Ad 2:
Campaign Name: Kibsons Women
Commercial Duration: 30 sec.
Ad 3:
Campaign Name: Kibsons Football
Commercial Duration: 20 sec.
Contact us to book similar cinema campaigns across the Middle East.
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Source: Kibsons International
Avengers: Endgame marks the culmination of what is arguably Hollywood’s greatest ever storyline, one which began with the release of Iron Man more than a decade ago and has captured the imagination of a generation ever since. This blockbuster has broken several records in the past few months which include – the highest-grossing worldwide opening weekend, highest admissions in the UAE, highest trailer views within 24 hours and the longest runtime in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
The unprecedented anticipation surrounding this film has led to exceptional box office numbers.
Highest-Grossing Worldwide Opening Weekend
As announced by Disney, Avengers: Endgame pulled in an estimated $1.2 billion in worldwide box office in its opening weekend – effortlessly smashing the record of $640.5 million done by Avengers: Infinity War which released last year. The figure makes this star-studded movie the first film in history to surpass $1 billion in ticket sales in its debut weekend – creating a new benchmark in the world of cinema.
Highest UAE Admissions
With over 485k admissions, Avengers: Endgame broke records in the UAE for having the highest admissions in the first four days since its release (Wednesday 24th April – Saturday 27th April 2019), beating the record held by The Fate of the Furious (2017) by 39%.
Last year, Avengers: Infinity War ran for a total of 23 weeks in the UAE and did over 730,00 admissions, making it the No. 1 movie in UAE’s ‘Top 10 Movies of 2017’. Avengers: Endgame is most likely to garner a larger lifetime admission figure of close to 750k admissions in the UAE.
As per Gulf News, a Disney source confirmed that Avengers: Endgame released across 300 screens and has collected Dh26.4 million since its opening day. A well-placed UAE cinema source also stated that the 22nd film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe recorded well over 500k admissions across the first five days of its screening, becoming the biggest film to ever release in the country.
As of May 7th 2019, the movie has done over Dh40 million at UAE box office.
VOX Cinemas has also confirmed Endgame’s record run since its opening. As per a spokesperson from VOX, “Avengers: Endgame broke our record for advance ticket sales, more than doubling the number of tickets sold in our previous record for the film Baahubali 2. The movie contributed [towards] 80 per cent of the three-day weekend box office and the highest recorded admissions across VOX Cinemas on 26th April 2019.”
Reel Cinemas reported a ‘record-shattering’ opening weekend with the release of Avengers: Endgame, adding that it had doubled its box-office results over its prequal – which took six days to reach the same collection.
VOX Cinemas and Reel Cinemas, together with other cinema exhibitors across the Middle East – such as AMC Cinemas (KSA), screened the movie throughout the day (on a 24-hour basis) during the opening weekend to match the demand of ticket sales.
In addition to Dubai and Abu Dhabi, VOX Cinemas also confirmed that the film broke records in Muscat (Oman) and Kuwait.
Highest Trailer Views
According to Disney, the first official trailer of Avengers: Endgame – released on December 7th 2018, is the most viewed trailer across 24 hours in movie history with over 289 million views (tabulated across multiple platforms – YouTube, Facebook and Twitter). This anticipated trailer surpassed previous records set by Avengers: Infinity War of 230 million views and The Lion King teaser which racked up 224.6 million views.
Longest Runtime in the MCU
While most MCU movies are over two hours long, Avengers: Endgame is the first installment to cross the three-hours threshold with a runtime of 3 hours and 2 minutes – 22 minutes longer than Avengers: Infinity War.
In 2018, not only did Avengers: Infinity War top the worldwide box office, but it was also the only movie to hit more than the $2 Billion mark in worldwide box office revenue of 2018 – making it the fourth highest grossing movie of all time after Avatar (2009), Titanic (1997) and Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015). Avengers: Endgame is forecasted to be an even bigger hit than its prequel, and moreover, it has a chance of becoming the highest-grossing film of all time – on pace to dethrone Avatar.
Avengers: Endgame is expected to gather momentum as one of the most successful movies in history with fans already booking to watch the movie for the second time round.
Upcoming Marvel Cinematic Universe films:
Spider-Man: Far from Home – 4th July 2019
Black Widow – 1st May 2020
The Eternals – 6th November 2020
Black Panther 2 – 12th February 2021
Shang-Chi – 7th May 2021
Doctor Strange 2 – 5th November 2021
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 – 6th May 2022
Sources: Screenrant, Hollywood Reporter, Gulf News, , The National, Arabian Business and CNBC
Reel Cinemas unveiled the initial phase of its brand-new cinema at Al Ghurair Centre in the UAE on Monday 22nd April 2019.
The first phase of the cinema features 8 screens with a total of 1,210 seats, and is located within a dedicated wing across two floors.
Al Ghurair Centre – the region’s first shopping destination and one of Dubai’s longstanding flagship icons, is located in Deira, the heart of Old Dubai, and features over 270 brands and more than 50 restaurants.
This new state-of-the-art cinema follows Reel Cinemas’ latest strategy of digitisation with a focus on reshaping ‘moviegoing’ as a distinctive ‘lifestyle experience’.
Commenting on the opening of the new location, Sami Al Hakeem – Vice President of Al Ghurair Centre said, “The opening of Reel Cinemas has been carefully planned to offer a completely new experience within this part of Dubai and further enhance our daily visitors shopping & leisure experience. This launch is the first of several new brands and announcements lined up for this year under the revitalisation strategy that was launched last year. The all new Reel Cinemas megaplex will be the latest addition aiming to diversify and revitalise the leisure & entertainment offering at Al Ghurair Centre.”
“We are aiming to innovate across every touch point and offer an urban shopping and entertainment experience to our guests,” he added.
Spread across 75,000 sq ft, Reel Cinemas is set to launch its remaining 10 screens at Al Ghurair Centre later this year. With the completion of phase two, the new megaplex is expected to include a total of 18 screens with a total of 1,800 seats, and will feature Platinum Suites, Dolby Cinema and Reel Junior.
We at Motivate Val Morgan would like to congratulate Reel Cinemas on the opening of its new cinema at Al Ghurair Centre, and as the exclusive cinema advertising partner, welcome this new location to our circuit in the UAE.
Contact us for more information on cinema advertising opportunities at Reel Cinemas – Al Ghurair Centre.
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Sources: Images Retail Me and Arabian Business.
We are often asked if the month of Ramadan witnesses a slight drop in admissions. Our analysis shows that in some years, the admissions over the month of Ramadan is higher in comparison to some other months within a respective year.
English & Arabic Monthly Admissions (%) by Year – UAE:
Movies that released during the month of Ramadan (2016 – 2019) with good admissions in the UAE:
Finding Dory
Release Date – 16th June 2016
Admissions – Over 384K
The Mummy
Release Date – 8th June 2017
Admissions – Over 289K
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
Release Date – 25th May 2017
Admissions – Over 286K
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
Release Date – 07th June 2018
Admissions – Over 539K
Aladdin
Release Date – 23rd May 2019
Admissions – Over 790K
Godzilla: King of the Monsters
Release Date – 30th May 2019
Admissions – Over 116K
John Wick- Chapter 3 – Parabellum
Release Date – 5th June 2019 (EID Weekend)
Admissions – Over 252K
X-Men: Dark Phoenix
Release Date – 5th June 2019 (EID Weekend)
Admissions – Over 118K
The Secret Life of Pets 2
Release Date – 5th June 2019 (EID Weekend)
Admissions – Over 110K
Movies releasing over Ramadan in 2020:
Black Widow
Release Date – 30th April 2020
Forecasted Admissions – Over 600K
Movies releasing over EID Weekend 2019:
F9
Release Date – 21st May 2020
Forecasted Admissions – Over 700K
Movie session times in the UAE will remain unchanged during the month of Ramadan.
As a general rule, eating and drinking in public during daylight hours is strictly prohibited, however, the rules for the various cinemas across UAE do alter a bit during the holy month.
Here’s what each of the major cinema players has advised on their policies:
Roxy Cinemas – food and beverage would continue to be served at all of their locations as normal.
Reel Cinemas – open for takeaway only, however cinemagoers will be permitted to eat or drink in the screenings all day. At the Reel Cinemas in Jebel Ali, selected beverages will be available post-Iftar.
VOX Cinemas – During fasting hours, food will only be allowed inside the cinema auditorium but not in the THEATRE by Rhodes and GOLD by Rhodes lounges. Pre-Iftar, all food will be served take-away style and delivered to the customers at their seats insides the cinema
Contact a member of our sales team for more information on cinema advertising opportunities across UAE, Oman, Lebanon, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
Sources: What’s On and MVM Analysis
Samsung – South Korean multinational electronics company, recently completed 10 years since the launch of its Galaxy S series, and to celebrate this joyful occasion, the brand presented their most recently launched flagship smartphone – Galaxy S10, to select people at various locations across the UAE.
As part of this celebration, an integrated cinema campaign was booked through Motivate Val Morgan, which included an exciting and engaging cinema activation (or as we like to call it – ‘Cinevation’) and a 30 sec. on-screen ‘special position’ advertisement.
Cinevation:
Booked through Cheil, the Cinevation was executed on Friday 1st March 2019 at VOX Cinemas – Yas Mall in Abu Dhabi (6:30 movie session) and Mall of the Emirates in Dubai (7:50pm movie session) – alongside ‘Fighting with my family’ starring Dwayne Johnson and Florence Pugh, and was one of many activations executed by Samsung across the UAE. Other touchpoints included Dubai Football Club, Gemayze, UFC Gym, Carrefour, Knowledge Park and The Dubai Mall.
On-screen advertisement:
In addition to the Cinevation, a ‘special position’ on-screen ad – booked through Starcom MediaVest Group, screened for a period of 4 weeks from 14th February 2019 at VOX Cinemas – Yas Mall (Abu Dhabi), Mall of the Emirates (Dubai) and City Centre Mirdif (Dubai), and Reel Cinemas – The Dubai Mall and Dubai Marina Mall.
Contact us to book similar integrated cinema campaigns in UAE, Lebanon, Oman, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.
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RAK Tourism Development Authority’s Cinema Activation
Source: Samsung
Wego – travel search website and mobile application, recently booked a cinema campaign (in collaboration with VisitBritain) through Motivate Val Morgan at Reel Cinemas (UAE), VOX Cinemas (KSA) and AMC Cinemas (KSA).
An engaging off-screen ‘Foyer Display’ embedded with augmented reality technology was installed at Reel Cinemas – The Dubai Mall in UAE from Wednesday 27th February to Thursday 5th March 2019.
Technique:
When a cinemagoer stands in front of the screen, the image of the cinemagoer, together with a background of one of Britain’s most iconic sites (Buckingham Palace, Big ben, etc.) would display on the screen.
Objective:
To encourage cinemagoers to search, compare and book a trip to Britain through Wego.
A similar display was also set up at VOX Cinemas – Riyadh Park Mall in Saudi Arabia from Monday 11th March to Sunday 17th March 2019.
Additionally, two Arabic on-screen ads were booked to screen at VOX Cinemas – Riyadh Park Mall and Red Sea Mall (Jeddah) and AMC Cinemas – KAFD (Riyadh) from Thursday 14th March to Wednesday 20th March 2019.
The first ad – which screened for a period of 3 days, features two female actors posting a video of themselves against the backdrop of one of the most cherished British icons – the Big Ben.
The second ad – which screened for a period of 4 days, features a male actor driving along Britain’s countryside when his friend unexpectedly appears by the side of his window.
Interested in booking a similar on-screen and off-screen campaign through Motivate Val Morgan?
Contact a member of our sales team for more information of cinema advertising opportunities across our circuit covering UAE, Lebanon, Oman, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
Related Articles:
Landmark | Pillar Branding | VOX – Mall of Egypt
Careem | Integrated Cinema Campaign | VOX – City Centre Alexandria
Carriage | Cinema Brand Activation | VOX Cinemas
Narciso | Rouge | Luxury Cinema Campaign
Dyson | Pure Link | Integrated Cinema Campaign
Source: Wego
Congratulations to the winners of the Motivate Val Morgan ‘Aquaman’ Challenge.
Six participants answered all 8 questions correctly and went into a draw, out of which Merver Vergas and Kathrina Cruz emerged as winners of 2 x Reel Cinemas Movie Passes.
The correct answers were:
Stay tuned for more competitions in 2019!
