Now on its 3rd edition, META Cinema Forum, is the biggest cinema convention covering the Middle East and African Markets. After signing an agreement with the Pan African Film Consortium, the MENA Cinema Forum is now re-branded as META Cinema Forum, inclusive of Middle East and the entire African continent.

The forum takes place on 27 – 28 October 2020 and is set to be one of the only annual events for the cinema industry in 2020 as most global conventions were cancelled as a result of the pandemic and will be executed in a hybrid format. The forum will give delegates the option between attending physically at VOX Cinemas, Mall of the Emirates and Sheraton Hotel, Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, or alternatively delegates can attend virtually from the comfort of their home or offices across the globe via video conferencing technology.

“The cinema industry has been amongst the most impacted sectors by the pandemic, but if the $54 million USD BOX Office sales of Tenet, the first blockbuster release since the pandemic, in its opening week at select international markets has proven anything, is that moviegoing is a habit we do not wish to kick, and that passion for movies and cinema as a form of accessible entertainment is here to stay. Therefore, in close coordination with the major global stakeholders, we came up with a true hybrid event, the first of its kind in the world for the cinema industry, to facilitate collaborations that are required to help with the recovery. The event will highlight the plan for projects in the region, the recovery phase for cinema industry, and content diversification as key critical elements.” says Leila Masinaei, META Cinema Forum Conference Director and Managing Partner of Great Minds Event Management.

 “We are very delighted to work with VOX Cinemas once more as our Strategic Partners, and to be able to stream live the digital content at VOX Cinemas for local audience to enjoy, not to mention, to be the first in the world in 2020 to showcase upcoming movies from various studios and their new release dates.” added Masinaei.

The forum includes a one-day, knowledge packed conference, select slate presentations of upcoming content and films from leading Hollywood and international studios, including Africa for the first time, at VOX Cinemas, Mall of Emirates in Dubai, for participants who wish to attend physically, a live META Cinema Projects Insight session with the most senior cinema leaders in the region and rounded off with a networking after event reception.

Chief Executive Officer of Majid Al Futtaim Cinemas and Majid Al Futtaim Leisure & Entertainment said, “We are delighted to continue our partnership with the META Cinema Forum, given our shared and unwavering commitment to the cinematic experience. At VOX Cinemas, we firmly believe that there is no greater way to experience the magic of movies than on the big screen and, we remain fundamentally confident about the future and resilience of the cinema industry, which has weathered many societal storms and survived more than a century of challenges. There is a real pent-up demand for safe out-of-home entertainment and, now more than ever, guests want the collective, exhilarating and unrivalled experience that cinema provides. We have witnessed a significant increase in our box office following the first wave of new releases and, with a backlog of blockbusters about to light up our screens regionally, cinema is set for a major comeback.”

 Mitchell added, “The recent challenges we have faced as an industry have ushered in a new era of creative innovation and, one of the few certainties to have emerged, is the need for enhanced collaboration. The META Cinema Forum, which will convene a spectrum of stakeholders and leading industry players, provides an important platform for driving innovation and ideas, gaining future insights and generating solutions as we navigate the road to recovery together and ensure that the industry not only survives but thrives. Events such as the META Cinemas Forum are essential, particularly as the region becomes an increasingly important market to the global box office, and we are we are very much looking forward to hosting this year’s first-of-its-kind hybrid event and welcoming guests to VOX Cinemas.”

The third edition is officially supported by some of the biggest cinema operators in the Middle East including VOX Cinemas, Novo Cinemas, Cinépolis Cinemas, and AMC Cinemas.

“We at Cinépolis Cinemas take everything in stride and do everything in our power to keep our workforce intact. We believe in a strong team, and the impact that has on keeping operations moving and keeping our customers healthy and safe as a top priority.  We are extremely optimistic about the future given the lineup of movies set to be released for 2020 balance year and whole of 2021 which looks very strong. The new hybrid model of META Cinema 2020 is just one example of how the industry has quickly and effectively adapted to the Covid-19 pandemic. We look forward to welcoming the movie buffs back to the big screen as there is no comparison for big screen block buster experiences” says Ashish Shukla, CEO, Cinépolis Gulf

The conference will include an invaluable conference covering all the key critical topics of the cinema sector, from projects and plans to technology and content including projects in KSA, UAE, Oman and many emerging markets in Africa. The event will include exclusive research that will for the first time highlight the cinema recovery pathway with stats and facts.

META Cinema Forum is free-to-attend this year, for more information and to register to attend visit their website.