The European Commission has announced a new strategy aimed at helping European cinemas to go digital and to encourage more of them to screen European-made films, thus ensuring a wider choice for cinema-goers. With these measure, the Commission aims at helping European cinemas to integrate this technology which sometimes they would not be able to afford by themselves.

The cost of digital equipment is prohibitive for many small cinemas. For that reason the strategy for digitisation of cinemas put forward by the Commission sets out options for financial support, including state-aid and backing from the European Regional Development Fund and EU MEDIA programme, which supports the film industry.

Although the benefits from digitisation are varied, including the opportunities created by the move to digital is to increase the feasibility of converting films made in the first years of cinema to preserve them for future generations, the cost of conversion and the varying needs of cinemas in Europe made that digital take-up is being held back. Just as an example a new digital projector and server costs around 75,000 Euro, a big investment for small cinema operators.

Key elements of EU strategy for cinema digitisation

• Seize the opportunities offered by standardisation.
• Make the digital transition as short as possible to avoid the cost of producing both celluloid and digital versions of films and a dual distribution/exhibition system.
• Preserve and enhance the diversity of European programming in digitised cinemas.
• Invest in research, equipment and professional training to boost the preservation of film heritage.

Since 2007 the Commission has provided 25 million Euro in support through the MEDIA programme for digital cinema initiatives and other innovative projects. Commission is also planning to launch a new scheme at the end of 2010, which will contribute a further €4 million for digitisation, targeted at cinemas that screen mostly European films.

Some examples of these kind of actions are the art-house cinemas in the Polish region of Malopolska, the North, Centre and Alentejo regions of Portugal and the German Land of Niedersachsen which have received support from the European Regional Development Fund to make the switch from celluloid to digital. Some French regions also plan to use ERDF money for this purpose.