The Motion Picture Association has named Urmila Venugopalan as its new president and managing director of the Asia-Pacific region. Venugopalan, formerly the MPA‘s executive vice president of strategy and global operations, will succeed Belinda Lui, who is stepping down after five years. The leadership change becomes effective on January 31, 2025.
Last week, at this year’s Association of Moving Images Archivists, five awards were presented by the organization to individuals and organizations who have demonstrated exceptional work in the areas of preservation. The 2024 accolades and recipients are:
The independent Australian cinema chain Dendy Icon Group has announced that Natascha Rey-Barry will lead its marketing, communications and brand strategy across the group, including Icon Film Distribution and Dendy Cinemas.
PVR Inox Limited has appointed Saurabh Bhambri senior vice president, media business. He will lead efforts to accelerate revenue growth, champion digital transformation, streamline business automation, and foster innovation through strategic partnerships to enhance and strengthen the company’s media business segment.
New York Women in Film & Television has given eight scholarships to film, television, and media production students at New York area schools in 2024 as part of the organization’s ongoing commitment to nurturing the next generation of women in media.
CJ 4DPlex has appointed Jun Bang as CEO. Bang is the youngest ever appointed CEO within the CJ Group of companies, also making him amongst the youngest executives to hold the position within Korea's major conglomerate companies. His ascent at the company comes after he spearheaded several key initiatives and played a key role in the rapid success of the global entertainment company.
The National Association of Theatre Owners announced today that it will honor Sean Gamble, president and CEO of Cinemark, with the 2025 NATO Marquee Award during next year’s CinemaCon. Gamble is being recognized by NATO for his unwavering dedication, commitment, and service to the motion picture theatre industry. He will receive the industry’s highest tribute as part of CinemaCon's State of the Industry program on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. CinemaCon will be held March 31-April 3, 2025, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
CinemaNext has appointed Donald McGarva as its new chief executive officer, effective immediately. McGarva brings more than 25 years of executive leadership experience in the entertainment, technology, and business-to-business sectors, with a proven track record of driving business growth, operational excellence, and strategic transformation at global companies in Europe, the U.S., and Asia.
Curzon today announced the appointment of Philip Knatchbull as interim executive chairman. “I’m very excited about the next stage of the Curzon journey and am looking forward to reuniting with so many of my colleagues in this new role,” said Knatchbull. “I spent almost 18 years building Curzon to be the hugely respected brand it is now. I trust the team I assembled and know the company and the industry incredibly well. I return during a pivotal moment for the industry with full confidence in Curzon’s ability to be a strategic and cultural leader."
The Society of Camera Operators is awarding its Technical Achievement Award is Nodo Film Systems - Inertia Wheels Max. The SOC is also proud to recognize two additional technologies with honorable mentions: the Trinity 2 Ecosystem by Arri Americas and the Mantis by Blkbrd.
