Second Imax theatre for SA

Ster-Kinekor has signed an agreement with Imax to install a second Imax theatre, following the opening of its first theatre at Gateway in Durban, in November 2013.

The site for the second cinema will be at the recently opened Ster-Kinekor cinema complex at The Grove Mall in Pretoria East. The installation of The Imax Experience, including Imax 3D, will commence shortly, with the doors expected to open to the public in June this year.

Says Fiaz Mahomed, CEO of Ster-Kinekor Theatres: “Our promise to our audiences is to continue bringing them great cinema moments at their greatest, and we are achieving this by introducing new cinema viewing experiences, upgrading existing sites, opening new sites, installing the latest technology and staying in touch with our customers through a variety of communication platforms. On that note, it is difficult to envisage a greater moment than watching a blockbuster movie on a massive screen within the world’s most immersive cinematic experience. That is what we as Ster-Kinekor and The Imax Experience offer you.

The Grove Mall has been selected as our second preferred site for an Imax theatre. Our new cinema complex in the upgraded entertainment area of this iconic mall is performing exceptionally well and is a promising site for us. The public reaction to the Imax theatre at Gateway has been extremely positive, and it is proving to be a popular choice for an immersive cinema experience. With a number of big blockbuster films releasing in the Imax format this year and a strong cinema-going culture in this part of the country, we are confident that our second Imax theatre at The Grove will perform equally well,” comments Mahomed.

Internationally, Imax theatres are enjoying renewed success and have become a popular viewing option. We are confident that our local audiences in Pretoria, and further afield, will also welcome and support this exciting new development.

Says Andrew Cripps, President, Imax EMEA: “We entered into the initial partnership with Ster-Kinekor last year with the belief that it would not only raise our visibility in South Africa, but also set the stage for mutual growth opportunities in the region. It is encouraging to see that this is already bearing fruit, with the opening of the second Imax theatre in June this year – a mere seven months later.

As with the roll-out to convert all cinemas to digital projection that was completed towards the end of last year at all Ster-Kinekor sites, the return of Imax to the country reinforces the company’s position as the industry market leader.

Construction on the Imax theatre at The Grove Mall in Pretoria will commence during April 2014. The expected completion date is June this year, to coincide with the much-anticipated international release of Michael Bay’s Transformers: Age of Extinction at the end of June. This film is being partially filmed with Imax’s new 3D digital cameras. These specific sequences, which will expand to fill more of the screen exclusively in Imax, will deliver unprecedented crispness and clarity and a truly immersive experience for moviegoers.

With more than 25 full-length feature films scheduled for an Imax or Imax 3D release in 2014, we are confident that this is going to be a big year to watch the best films on the Ster-Kinekor Imax screens,” says Mahomed.

* Follow Gadget on Twitter on @GadgetZA