Prime moment as cinemas go digital
A Hollywood romantic comedy will today become the first film to be shown digitally in cinemas across the country.
Prime, which stars Uma Thurman and Meryl Streep, is being released in digital format rather than the traditional analogue film.
Digital Cinema Ireland, the company supporting the release, is planning to make Ireland the first country in the world to have digital film in every cinema.
“This release marks a milestone in the roll out of digital cinema in Ireland,” said director of operations Kevin Cummins.
Under the new system being rolled out, digital projectors will be installed in cinemas around the country to replace the traditional 35mm film projectors.
Cinemas using the technology will be able to download the latest releases to a computer server via satellite at a lower cost.
The Irish Film Board has said it will lead to a “pretty amazing” picture quality for cinemagoers.
Prime will be shown in digitally today in 11 cinemas, including MoviesDundrum in Dublin, the Gate Cinema in Cork city, the Eye cinema in Galway city, and the Storm Cinema in Portlaoise.
The film will also be released on the traditional 35mm film in another 44 cinemas today.
The new digital technology promises to put an end to flickering and scratching associated with some old projectors. Its promoters say it will ensure a cinema in Tralee has the same immediate access to films as a cinema in Dublin.
