We’ve just wrapped up a fantastic few days in Barcelona. A huge thank you to everyone who contributed to making CineEurope such a success, and a special shoutout to all EDCF members for their continued support and involvement throughout the week.
Below is a round-up of everything the European Digital Cinema Forum (EDCF) and its members have been up to during the convention, from keynotes and technical sessions to informal gatherings and big-picture conversations about the future of cinema technology.
A running start to the week
The EDCF kicked off CineEurope 2025 early by taking part in the incredible programme prepared by our ICTA friends for their Barcelona Cinema Technology Experience on the Sunday before the launch of the main convention.
The day began bright and early with the now-traditional ICTA Social Run, hosted by EDCF members Adrian Cichosz and David Ong.
Our first industry stop was a visit to Cines ACEC Filmax, hosted by Jaime and Camillo Tarrazon. The venue stands out as the only cinema in the world with three 4DX auditoriums and a ScreenX, and attendees were treated to a demonstration of both.
Alongside the tech showcase, Charlotte Jones from Omdia shared fresh insights into the growth of premium cinema formats across Europe, highlighting trends in investment, audience demand, and the evolving business case for immersive experiences.
From there, we travelled to the legendary Phenomena Experience cinema, where exhibitor and filmmaker Nacho Cerdà shared the history of the venue and offered a stunning 70mm presentation. Watching the lights dim, the curtains slowly open, and the screen light up for a short but powerful scene from Dunkirk set the tone for the afternoon. This was going to be about cinema in all its richness.
This exceptional presentation was followed by a series of seminars and updates from ICTA members.
Carly Brown from Disney gave a standout talk on preparing the sector for the end-of-year release of Avatar: Fire and Ash. She shared the operational challenges of delivering over 1,000 versions, all within what might be a 16-day window from post-delivery to theatrical release. Carly emphasised the importance of transparent communication, robust data handling, and real-time visibility of installed equipment across territories to ensure that every cinema can show the film in the best possible format. We can’t wait for it!
Next was a timely and insightful panel on HDR, EDR, and VDR technologies, moderated by Jan Rasmussen from Nordisk Film Cinemas, and featuring William Feightner from Colorfront and Jonny Whiles from Warner Bros. The conversation touched on the operational and creative implications of working across HDR formats, along with practical concerns such as the studios’ need for post-production automation to reduce versioning burdens, and the risk that image and sound quality enhancements are often the first to be cut when budgets are tight. More broadly, the panel explored how infrastructure limitations in cinemas can block progress on format innovation. This topic remains high on the industry’s agenda, as we continue to build knowledge around these technologies and look toward greater adoption by the creative community.
The EDCF was proud to actively contribute to the seminar programme with a quickfire session featuring Executive Director Guillaume Branders and Mike Bradbury from Odeon Cinemas Group. Their session introduced a radar graph illustrating the many interlinked challenges and opportunities shaping the future of cinema technology — from AI and automation to cybersecurity, accessibility, energy efficiency, and digital print management. Their message was clear: these aren’t isolated issues, but part of a larger, interconnected system. Let’s not just look for the next revolution, but also connect the dots between the practical and the strategic. Let’s start leveraging the many tools we already have in our hands today.
The day closed with a spotlight roundtable featuring the 2025 ICTA EMEA Award winners, who shared what makes their cinemas stand out in today’s competitive landscape. Congratulations again to EMOTION Monheim (Best New Build), Omniplex Wigan (Best Refurbishment), and The Prince Charles Cinema (Best Arthouse)!
The evening continued with the ICTA Awards Reception. A welcome chance to unwind, reconnect, and toast some of the best cinema venues Europe has to offer.
We wrapped up the day at the UNIC Paella Party, the unofficial kickoff to CineEurope. As always, it brought together industry colleagues from across the value chain in a relaxed setting. Great food, great company, and a perfect start to the week.
Tackling challenges and embracing opportunities
We had a fantastic problem-solving session on Monday at CineEurope, which was perhaps the highlight of the week for the EDCF.
Bringing together exhibitors, studios, manufacturers, service providers and integrators, this annual EDCF working meeting offered a unique opportunity to openly engage with a wide range of pressing issues currently facing the cinema industry.
More than 40 professionals took part in the session, including representatives from Nordisk Film Biografer, Kinepolis, Odeon Cinemas Group, Paramount Pictures, Disney, and several EDCF and ICTA members. The session was moderated by EDCF Board member and former President David Hancock – who launched the first problem-solving session in Barcelona – and our newest member, Jan Petersen.
Discussions focused on a number of operational and strategic challenges. Security and playback issues linked to legacy server vulnerabilities were high on the agenda, as were recent difficulties with KDM delivery and gaps in communication around version availability for upcoming studio releases. Participants also explored the growing relevance of alternative content delivery workflows, opportunities to improve energy efficiency through integration with third-party systems, and staffing shortages across technical roles. The idea of a shared industry job board emerged as a potential tool to support recruitment and improve visibility across the sector.
These are not new issues, but they are becoming more complex and increasingly interconnected. Our goal is not only to identify them, but to build momentum for concrete solutions that can benefit the whole value chain. This is about collaboration, and about fostering change and progress across the sector. A detailed follow-up report will be shared with our members and partners in the coming weeks.
Shaping the future, together
Throughout Tuesday and Wednesday, EDCF Executive Director Guillaume Branders continued to meet with current and prospective members to reflect on shared priorities, explore new areas of collaboration, and help shape the future direction of the Forum. There is real energy across the sector right now, and it is clear that many want to work more closely together to ensure that technology continues to serve cinema’s evolution.
EDCF members were also featured prominently in the official CineEurope programme. The convention opened with a spotlight session on Sweden, including a keynote by Anna Croneman from the Swedish Film Institute, a long-standing EDCF member. It was great to see EDCF voices represented right from the start of the week.
On Tuesday, EDCF President and ICTA Board Director Cathy Huis in ’t Veld Esser moderated a well-attended ICTA session on the trade show floor titled Repositioning the Cinema Value Proposition through Streaming Technology. In conversation with Jess Richardson from National Theatre Live and Matt Aspray from Motion Picture Solutions, the panel explored how streaming technology could be a game changer for film and content delivery in cinema.
Wednesday brought more activity on the convention stage. EDCF Board member David Hancock presented at and moderated a UNIC Focus Session titled “How can you make AI work for you in your cinema?” The session highlighted how AI is increasingly being used across the film value chain, from production and distribution to exhibition, and how it can help cinema operators streamline operations, generate content, simplify repetitive tasks, and improve forecasting. The discussion also touched on broader implications for the industry and how cinema can embrace the benefits of AI while keeping the human at the centre.
Earlier that morning, Guillaume Branders gave an update on EDCF activities and future plans during the UNIC Technology Group and Partners meeting. He shared a recap of actions taken since stepping into the Executive Director role in May, including efforts to increase EDCF’s visibility, expand membership, and strengthen collaboration with partners such as ICTA, UNIC and other relevant bodies. He also offered a preview of upcoming EDCF events for the year ahead. More on that soon, as we’ll be sharing a separate announcement post with all the details.
During the session, several manufacturers and service providers in the room also provided updates on their current priorities. A few key themes consistently emerged, including the need for improved energy efficiency solutions, more accessible training opportunities, and clearer processes for film distribution, particularly around content security and delivery. Participants also raised urgent practical concerns such as the Dolby certificate renewal issue, underlining the important role that EDCF can play as a central communication hub for the sector.
As the convention drew to a close, there was a sense of optimism and renewed purpose across the board. Content remains at the core of everything we do, and there is a strong belief in the strength of the 2025 and 2026 slates. This year’s CineEurope was a tremendous success, not just thanks to the excellent work of UNIC, but also to the many EDCF members who took an active role in shaping the event, whether by exhibiting on the trade show floor, sponsoring or equipping the event, or contributing to the conversations that define our industry’s future.
We are proud to be part of such a committed and forward-looking community. We can’t wait for what the months ahead will bring.
