Convention - Cinemacon 2023: discover the program

By Mulder, 27 january 2023

With exclusive Hollywood product presentations showcasing a slew of upcoming films, must-see preview screenings, top stars, producers and directors, CinemaCon will ignite the excitement and buzz surrounding the holiday season (and beyond) at the box office. CinemaCon's program will be broad, diverse, educational and fun, and will include the world's largest film trade show. It will cater to all facets of the international film industry - exhibition, distribution, marketing, advertising, internet and social media - and, of course, to the manufacturers and dealers of film equipment and concessions who will showcase the latest technological advances and innovative concession offerings at the show, which is being organized in association with our partners at ICTA and NAC. In addition, CinemaCon will again include a special day of programming for the international market on Monday, April 24, 2023.

Caesars Palace will once again be the home of CinemaCon. Caesars Palace, one of Las Vegas' premier hotel-casinos, will offer CinemaCon delegates the best of everything, with its magnificent conference center, the finest hotel rooms, world-class restaurants and the magnificent Colosseum, a state-of-the-art venue that proudly allows CinemaCon to present all studio screenings and presentations in the ultimate theater setting. When it comes to CinemaCon 2023, the best is yet to come. And when it comes to celebrating the moviegoing experience, it all starts at Caesars Palace in 2023 at CinemaCon, the official NATO convention.

The program was unveiled today and here's a quick summary: 

Monday, 24 april 

08:00 AM – 09:30 AM PT : international day breakfast (Program begins promptly at 8:15am)
(location : Palace Ballrooms I and II—Emperors Level)
Will be present : Ajay Bijli, Chairman & Managing Director, PVR Limited, Distribution: Mark Viane, President, International Theatrical Distribution, Paramount Pictures, Jeffrey Cole, Director of the Center for the Digital Future, USC
Notes : If ever there was reason for the motion picture theater industry to meet its demise, the pandemic would have been the perfect culprit. Theaters would have served their last heaping of buttered popcorn, no more flickering light from the projection booth and dare we say, no more first kisses in the back row of the balcony. In this special keynote, Jeffrey Cole will focus on how theaters faced disruption and lived to tell the story, demonstrating to all their clear and essential part in the opening of motion pictures. An expert in the field of technology and emerging media, Cole serves as an adviser to governments and leading companies around the world as they craft digital strategies.

09:15 AM – 12:30 PM PT : international day seminars : Movie Marketing: Welcome to the Digital Age
(location : Palace Ballroom III—Emperors Level)
Panel Members : Danielle Bekas, Co-Executive Vice President, International Marketing, Warner Bros. Pictures
Dan Green, Group Director of Digital, VUE International, Stephanie Mills, Director, Sales, Marketing & Content, Hoyts
Notes : Not even Superman, traveling at the speed of light, could keep up with the way movies need to be marketed today. Blink and you’re behind the eight-ball. More than ever, the global moviegoing audience and the public-at-large are vocal (and visual) forces that cannot be ignored when it comes to the marketing of any given film. From TikTok, Instagram, Twitter to any of the other social media outlets that continue to capture our imaginations and drive consumer behavior, digital marketing is the premiere force to be reckoned with in this day and age.

12:45 PM – 2:30 PM PT : International day lunch and award ceremony
(location : Palace Ballrooms I and II—Emperors Level)
- International Filmmakers of the Year – Andy Muschietti (Director/Producer) and Barbara Muschietti (Producer) (“The Flash”, “It”, “It Chapter Two”)
- Global Achievement in Exhibition - Jane Hastings, CEO, EVT
- CinemaCon Passepartout Award - Niels Swinkels, EVP and Managing Director, Universal Pictures International

3:00  PM– 4:00PM  PT : movie theatres aren’t going anywhere
(location : Palace Ballroom III—Emperors Level)
Jeffrey Cole, Director of the Center for the Digital Future, USC
Notes :  For years, many at the studios had called for tweaks and change in the release of motion pictures with shorter windows or even experiments in day and date. Over the past few years, studios began experimenting by releasing films on the Internet with fees (up to $30), or releasing on their streaming services without fees. The results were clear: day and date didn't work, and fans want to see films in the theater. In this keynote, Cole will focus on how theaters faced disruption and lived to tell the story demonstrating to all their clear and essential part in the opening of motion pictures. Jeffrey Cole has been at the forefront of media and communication technology issues both in the U.S. and internationally for the past three decades. An expert in the field of technology and emerging media, Cole serves as an adviser to governments and leading companies around the world as they craft digital strategies.

4:00 PM - 5:00 PM PT : national cinema day: a global event
(location : Palace Ballroom III—Emperors Level)
Note : Already a huge success overseas, the first official major undertaking of The Cinema Foundation was to bring National Cinema Day to the domestic marketplace. From the public’s immediate embrace, the great press and media received and thanks to an unequalled collaborative effort between exhibition and distribution, the first-time initiative was also a huge success. How do we assess and build on this success? And how to we broaden the scope of National Cinema Day to make it a truly recognized global event?

5:15 PM - 6:00 PM PT : Welcome to Cinemacon 2023: a pre-opening reception
(location  : Palace Ballroom Foyer—Emperors Level)
CinemaCon, NATO and ICE Theatres invite delegates to a special reception. Join your friends and colleagues as we celebrate the beginning of what we know will be a great week for the industry.

6:15 PM - 8:45 PM PT : Cinemacon 2023 opening night
(location : The Colosseum—Casino Level) (Doors open at 5:45pm)
Sony Pictures Entertainment Kicks Things Off with an Exclusive Presentation Highlighting its Upcoming Releases

9:00 PM - 10:30 PM PT : opening night dinner reception and party
(location : Omnia Nightclub—Casino Level) (Doors open at 9:00pm)
a special opening night celebration and start of CinemaCon 2023. What better way to kick-off the week than by joining this fun, music and dance-filled evening complete with drinks, food, friends, and great entertainment.

Tuesday 25 april

8:30 AM - 12:00 PM PT : The state of the industry and studio presentation from Warner Bros. Pictures
(location : The Colosseum—Casino Level) (Doors open 7:45am)
(Pastries, Coffee, Tea, and Juice will be available in the Lobby of The Colosseum, starting at 7:45am.)
- DLP Cinema Presents “A Salute to the Top Films of 2022” (CinemaCon extends its appreciation to Cinema Concepts and Dolby Laboratories)
- NATO Marquee Award Presentation : Rolando Rodriguez, Senior Advisor, Marcus Corp and Influx and Chairman, NATO
- Industry Addresses : Charles Rivkin, Chairman & CEO, MPA, John Fithian, President & CEO, NATO
- Industry Recognition : Frank Tees (ICTA) and Denise de Zutter (NAC)
Special acknowledgement to NCM – America’s Movie Network for providing the morning’s pre-show content. Warner Bros. Pictures, Celebrating 100 Years of Movie Magic, Invites you to The Big Picture” a Special Presentation Highlighting its Upcoming Release Slate

11:00 AM - 4:00 PM PT : Admit one hospitality lounge areas Sponsored by Cinionic
(Location : Florentine Ballroom—Promenade Level and Palace Ballroom Foyer—Emperors Level)
(Official registration credentials required to gain admittance.)

11:00 AM - 5:00 PM PT : Cinemacon trade show and suites with lunch served
(locations : Julius Ballroom—Pool Level, Augustus Ballroom—Emperors Level, Milano Ballrooms—Promenade Level, Roman Ballroom—Promenade Level)
(Lunch will be available on each Trade Show and Suite level from 12:00pm - 1:30pm. Additional seating available in the Emperors Ballroom - Emperors Level)
Trade Show Suites : Christie (Milano 1), Cinionic (Roman Ballroom), GDC Technology (Milano 3), Mobile Moviegoing & BeforeTheMovie (Pompeian 1),Sharp NEC Display Solutions (Milano 4), Showtime Analytics, Admit One, and Gower Street (Sicily), Vista Group (Livorno)

4:45 PM - 7:30 PM PT : major studio screening (Film details to be announced)
(location : The Colosseum—Casino Level) (Doors open at 4:30pm)

8:00 PM - 9:30 PM PT : it’s party time: celebrate the summer of 2023
(location : Octavius Ballroom—Promenade Level)  (Doors open at 8:00pm)
In typical CinemaCon-style, be prepared to loosen up after a long day and have fun at this studio–themed dinner/party to include fun décor, activities, entertainment, and more, highlighting some of the most exciting upcoming releases.

Wednesday 26 april 

7:15 AM - 8:15 AM PT : continental breakfast
(location  Palace Ballroom Foyer—Emperors Level
Take a grab a quick bite and spend time with industry colleagues, immediately prior to this program that starts promptly at 7:45am.

7:45 AM - 8:45 AM PT : Community building at your cinema through creative marketing
(note : Palace Ballrooms I-II—Emperors Level) (Program starts promptly at 7:45am)
Movie theaters serve as the cultural center for so many communities and maximizing that role is crucial to growing the box office. This panel will offer practical advice on how to increase customer loyalty, generate publicity, make sure that elected officials are aware of the impact your business has, and ultimately drive more attendance.  

9:00 AM - 5:00 PM PT : Cinemacon trade show and trade show suites
(locations : Julius Ballroom—Pool Level, Augustus Ballroom—Emperors Level, Milano Ballrooms—Promenade Level, Roman Ballroom—Promenade Level)
(Lunch will be available on each Trade Show and Suite level from 12:30pm - 2:00pm. Additional seating available in the Emperors Ballroom - Emperors Level)

9:15 AM - 12:15 PM PT : Walt Disney studios presentation
(location : The Colosseum—Casino Level) (Doors open 8:45am)

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM PT : “admit one” hospitality lounge areas Sponsored by Cinionic
(location : Florentine Ballroom—Promenade Level and Palace Ballroom Foyer—Emperors Level)
(Official registration credentials required to gain admittance.)

12:30 PM - 2:00 PM PT : lunch at the trade show
(locations : Julius Ballroom - Pool Level, Augustus Ballroom - Emperors Level, Milano Ballrooms - Promenade Level, Roman Ballroom - Promenade Level)
Attendees can now enjoy even more flexibility in the CinemaCon schedule, allowing for more time for meetings, visiting the trade show, etc. So rather than a formal sit-down lunch, you are cordially invited to enjoy a more casual buffet-style lunch at each trade show level.

2:30 PM - 3:30 PM PT : special all-industry seminar (Program in development)
(location : Palace Ballroom III—Emperors Level)

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM PT : Universal Pictures and Focus Features presentaton
(Location The Colosseum—Casino Level) (Doors open 3:30pm)

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PT : dinner reception and party
(location : Caesars Palace—Casino Level) (Doors open at 6:00pm)
an evening of bottomless cocktails, buffet-style dinner, and of course great company and entertainment. 

8:15 PM - 10:00 PM PT : Tentative studio event
(location : The Colosseum—Casino Level ) (Doors open 7:45pm)
As soon as we have news on this potential studio event, the schedule listing will be updated. For scheduling purposes we recommend blocking this time out on your calendars. Stay tuned for more details.

Thursday 27 april 

7:30 AM - 6:00 PM PT : Cinemacon registration
(location : Florentine Ballroom—Promenade Level)

7:45 AM - 8:45 AM PT : NAC seminar
(location : Palace Ballroom II—Emperors Level)
As always, the partners at NAC will be coordinating this special program geared towards the concessions end of the industry. The program is currently being developed so please check back for updates.

7:45 AM - 8:45 AM PT : ICTA seminar
(location : Palace Ballroom III—Emperors Level)
As always, our partners at the ICTA will be coordinating this special program geared towards the concessions end of the industry. The program is currently being developed so please check back for updates.

9:00 AM - 12:30 PM Breakfast at the trade show and trade show suites
(locations : Julius Ballroom—Pool Level, Augustus Ballroom—Emperors Level, Milano Ballrooms—Promenade Level, Roman Ballroom—Promenade Level)
(Note: Breakfast will be served on each level from 9:00am – 10:00am)

9:45 AM - 11:45 AM PT : Paramount Pictures studio presentation
(location : The Colosseum—Casino Level) (Doors open 9:15am)

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM PT : admit one hospitality lounge areas
(location : Florentine Ballroom—Promenade Level and Palace Ballroom Foyer—Emperors Level)
Sponsored by Cinionic
(Official registration credentials required to gain admittance.)

12:15 PM - 2:00 PM PT : studio event or filmmaker lunch program
(location : Octavius Ballroom—Promenade Level) (Doors open 12:15pm)
The Thursday lunch program will either be a studio or filmmaker driven event. We are currently in the process of putting together another great lunch program building on the success of last April’s and past studio-themed programs. 

2:30 PM - 4:30 PM PT : Lionsgate studio presentation
(location : The Colosseum—Casino Level (Doors open 2:00pm)

7:30 PM - 9:00 PM PT : Cinemacon “big screen achievement awards”
(location : The Colosseum—Casino Level) (Doors open 7:00pm for a 7:30pm start time)
Special Industry Acknowledgements The Coca-Cola Company, Official Presenting Sponsor and John Fithian, Outgoing President & CEO, NATO

9:15 PM - 11:00 PM PT : The 2023 big screen achievement awards after party
(location : Caesars Palace Pool of the Gods)  (Doors open 9:15pm)
The Coca-Cola Company joins the industry in celebrating the movie-going experience and the conclusion of CinemaCon 2023. Join us for an evening of great food, fun, and special entertainment.

(source: official website)