Press Release: European Commission supports digitisation of European cinemas

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. The cost of digital equipment is prohibitive for many small cinemas and the Commission's strategy 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. One of 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.