New Digital Era At San Sebastian Film Festival

A leader in digital cinema projection, Christie, is supplying a major film event this month.
Through its partner Kelonik, it has become the official supplier of digital projection systems for the 57th San Sebastian International Film Festival, which began on September 18 and runs until September 26.
This is the first time the event, the most important film festival in the Spanish-speaking world, has used digital cinema projectors, meeting DCI standards. Another first for the festival is the screening of 3D films, to be shown at the local velodrome to audiences of 3,000 spectators.
Ricardo Aldarondo, from the San Sebastian Film Festival committee, said: "We are very excited with our first experience in digital projection and 3D. Christie's groundbreaking DLP Cinema projectors are helping us fulfil our dream of turning the velodrome into Europe's biggest 3D theatre. The festival wanted to demonstrate its commitment with this format and to ensure maximum quality and spectacle. Digital projection significantly enhances the movie-going experience by giving the audience a real added extra."
Kelonik has equipped the festival's various screening theatres with six 2K DLP Cinema projectors from the Christie CP2000 range, each one chosen individually to guarantee the highest quality of projection to match the specific features of each venue.
Tomás Naranip, General Manager of Kelonik, said: "Kelonik decided to use Christie projectors in the festival's theatres because of our experience working with their proven quality and reliability, something backed up by Christie's world leadership in digital projection."
For the Victoria Eugenia theatre, the Kursaal chamber room and the Principal theatre, Kelonik has opted for the Christie CP2000-ZX model, while for the Kursaal Auditorium (venue for screening movies in the Official Section, plus the opening, closing and awards ceremonies), Christie CP2000-SB was chosen. FInally, the Antonio Elorza velodrome, transformed into a gigantic 3D projection theatre for the duration of the festival, has been equipped with two Christie CP2000-XB projectors and the XpanD 3D active glasses system.
Around 3,000 spectators per projection will be able to enjoy the 3D experience on a gigantic 400 square metre screen, making the velodrome Europe's largest 3D digital cinema theatre. The venue will premiere in Spain the films for Battle for Terra, Oceanworld and the 3D version of Toy Story, plus a projection of The Nightmare Before Christmas.
The Christie CP2000-ZX, CP2000-SB and CP2000-XB projectors use Christie Brilliant3D, a technology improving brighness while keeping operating costs to a minimum thanks to a unique lens system proving ideal for 3D projections. But apart from an increase of 50% in brightness in comparison with previous systems, this technology allows exhibitors to project 3D films in their largest screens while reducing their lamp and energy costs.
Richard Nye, Christie's Senior Market Development Manager for Cinema in EMEA, added: "It is an enormous privilege for us to see our digital projectors playing a key role in such an important event as this. We are thrilled that our D-Cinema projectors are being used at the San Sebastian Film Festival and we are particularly delighted with the organisers' decision to opt for 3D in a venue as spectacular as the velodrome."
(KMcA/BMcC)