Arts Alliance Media to convert 55 of Cines ABC screens to digital.

Leading digital cinema company Arts Alliance Media (AAM) has announced a deal with Spain’s Cines ABC chain, which will provide their screens with digital equipment.

In total, 55 of Cines ABC’s screens will be converted to digital, in five sites across the Valencia region. Each screen will receive a digital projector as well as an Integrated Media Block and ShowVault server from Doremi, capable of playing back new High Frame Rate content.

The deal is being done under the AAM/Barco Leasing Program, with the digital cinema equipment financed by AAM and Barco and the cost recouped through Virtual Print Fee (VPF) payments over time.

CEO of Cines ABC, Emilio Pechuán, commented: “It’s great news for our cinemas that we can announce this deal with Arts Alliance Media, being able to benefit from the AAM/Barco Leasing Program meant a low upfront cost for us, and we were able to tailor the deal with AAM to suit our needs. We look forward to offering the quality and choice of digital cinema to our customers.”

“We’re excited to help Cines ABC move into the digital cinema age, and to work with our Spanish partners to rollout and support their digital circuit,” added Guillaume Thomine-Desmazures, senior sales manager at AAM.

Recent Spanish deals for AAM include a VPF deal with Grupo Sade, owners of three cinemas in San Sebastian, and a deal with the ACEC group to digitise screens. In 2011, AAM was also responsible for the first exhibitor in Spain (Yelmo Cines) becoming fully digital.