David Hession from LIFT kicked off the summit with an inspiring keynote on leadership skills. He was followed by Daniel Loria, of Boxoffice Pro, who provided a global perspective on the cinema industry, with a focus on upcoming film releases. UNIC's own CEO, Laura Houlgatte, then offered insights into the European cinema landscape and was followed by Eoin O'Connor from Pearl and Dean who shared perspectives on the local Irish cinema scene. Boxoffice Pro provided an update on BOOST initiatives. Then Aisling O'Brien from Lighthouse dived into their loyalty programme and Robert McCann Finn from Break Out Pictures delved into the role of Irish film in driving industry growth. To close the morning, a panel session focused on Shaping the Future of Irish Cinema. Moderated by Richie Power, CEO of Showtime Analytics, it featured Karl Geraghty (Stella Cinemas), Laura Houlgatte (UNIC), Louise Ryan (Screen Ireland), Mark Anderson (Omniplex Group), and Niamh McCaul (Paramount Pictures), who engaged in a lively discussion about the future of cinema in Ireland.
Attendees enjoyed a well-deserved lunch break, providing further opportunities for networking and informal discussions and the afternoon featured presentations from studios & local distributors, offering a sneak peek at upcoming releases.
Huge thanks to BoxOffice Pro for putting the event together and to The Stella for welcoming us!