A giant screen Imax theater will soon join the screening options in Cannes. The new venue was demonstrated Thursday and will open to the public later this summer as part of the new Cineum Cannes multiplex.
The venue is operated by Compagnie Cinématographique de Cannes which will seek official venue status for the theater, allowing it to be used for future editions of the Cannes Film Festival. It can then be used for other local festivals and market events, including the Cannes Series and MIP.
Imax says the venue will become one of its global flagship sites. It will use the site for premieres and to bring world-class filmmakers to Cannes for exclusive screenings. Footage from the Imax preview of “Jurassic World: Dominion” was screened at the opening event.
The Imax theatre at Cineum Cannes will have 513 seats and include a 22.45-meter screen and feature premium motorized seating. Projection will make use of the latest ‘IMAX with Laser’ technology. This is a 4K system that features a new optical engine, custom designed lenses, and proprietary technology that delivers brighter images with increased resolution, deeper contrast, and the widest range of colors. The venue also includes a 12-channel sound system.
CCC describes the multiplex as “a sanctuary for art, architecture and design.” It was designed by celebrated French architect Rudy Ricciotti and extends across four stories that are built in local white concrete. Cineum Cannes also includes several restaurants and a promenade with an art exhibition space. The inaugural exhibition is “Paradis Artificiels” by visual artist Miguel Chevalier.
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With the addition of Cineum Cannes, Imax will have 17 theaters across France. Its first was opened in 2005.
“This is a milestone event for Imax, as we’ve long sought to expand the world’s foremost theatrical experience to one of the most iconic cities in global cinema,” said Rich Gelfond, CEO of Imax.
“Our audiences both local and those who flock the region annually for the Cannes Film Festival will have the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in a state-of-the-art theatre designed to transport them into the world’s biggest stories,” said Philippe Borys-Combret, CEO of Compagnie Cinématographique de Cannes.