When talking about virtual cinema, it is inevitable to talk about technology. Technology as an enabler, a facilitator, sometimes even a necessary evil to make it happen. But actually, technology can be so much more: it can improve release and audience reach and...

Where physical screenings suffered back in 2020 and 2021, virtual screenings blossomed. During the pandemic, film exhibitors did not really have a choice and massively moved its program online. Technically, virtual cinema took a huge leap forward in a short time-frame...

REACH’M is a partnership between virtual cinema pioneers Picl and Medialoc, supported by the Creative Europe MEDIA program. Over the past three years, REACH’M has aimed to expand the audience base for European arthouse films and make them more accessible. By focusing...

The shift to virtual screenings accelerated significantly during the pandemic, as film exhibitors had little choice but to bring their programs online. This rapid transition led to major technical advancements in virtual cinema within a short time frame. Building on...

Shifting European distribution landscape and future audiences. In recent years, audience behavior has evolved. Although cinemagoing in many countries has recovered, in some cases even above the bumper year of 2019, the landscape has fundamentally changed. Consumers...

We delve into the future of virtual cinema, and explore how film festivals are embracing the digital realm as an extension of their physical events. A key example is the Netherlands Film Festival, which is significantly expanding its online platform in 2024. This...

The modern cinemagoer is a hybrid consumer. However, exhibitors have not always maintained the hybrid approach they often had during the pandemic. How can we, even today, embrace a get-together of the online and offline world? How to love your digital screening room...

REACHM'M was present at Beldocs Film Festival in Belgrade to share our experiences of the REACH'M project on future arthouse film audiences and virtual cinema in Europe, with the Serbian Cinema Network. More audience: we all want that. But what is really essential to...

We outline the do's and don'ts of online events in 5 clear lessons. In an interview with the coordinator of the Eye International Conference we illustrate, using this practical example, how we can engage our online audience in a (live) event. Learn how you too can...

We elaborate on how to navigate virtual cinema in the post-pandemic era and delve into the practical aspects of virtual cinema in Europe, extracting valuable insights for us to learn from. We highlight the best practices that emerged from our European research,...

At the UNIC Cinema Days in Brussel, REACH'M presented their insights in the hybrid audience of the future. The UNIC Cinema Days welcome an exclusive group of senior executives and key figures from across the European and international cinema landscape for two days of...

Medialoc has introduced the Virtual Cinema Toolkit, a practical resource aimed at assisting cinemas and distributors in crafting successful business models for virtual cinema. Based on the business model structure and building blocks from the HKU study, this toolkit...

How to love your digital screening room more and more There was no doubt about it. During the corona pandemic, we cried out confidently that “hybrid was here to stay”. It is safe to say that working remotely has indeed proven to stick around. But at film festivals and...

New audience, younger audience, broader audience: we all want that. But what is really essential to know about your audience? In this Prof Talk at the Netherlands Film Festival we share the most promising insights and discuss the future of audiences for arthouse films.

Picl initiated the research project "Everybody in the (Art)House!" that explores a new hybrid audience for arthouse films. The aim is to gain insights into effectively reaching audiences both physically and online. The results of the study were presented in an...

Medialoc and MOOOV have teamed up with Belgian libraries and Cultuurconnect to introduce an innovative initiative aimed at enhancing cultural offerings in Belgium. The library of Turnhout, Belgium, has recently integrated a screening room for Video-On-Demand (VOD)...

Filmtheater Fraterhuis in Zwolle is celebrating the summer season with outdoor film screenings at the atmospheric Celeplein. During two weekends in the month of August, audiences can enjoy special films under the starry sky as darkness falls. Medialoc's offline player...

Virtual Cinema, the online film distribution model in which content is offered in collaboration with local cinemas, creates many opportunities for both European cinemas and distributors. That is what a recent study, initiated by virtual cinema pioneer Picl and...

Last Thursday marked the commencement of the 31st edition of the MOOOV film festival. From April 20th to May 2nd, the festival can be physically attended at 9 locations across Flanders, including Beringen, Brugge, Deinze, Genk, Lier, Sint-Niklaas, Turnhout, Zaventem,...

On Tuesday, January 31st, Medialoc took part in the IFFR Pro Dialogue: Green Filmmaking and Co-Production – a Contradiction or an Opportunity? FilmForward and the Creative Europe Desks NL, Flanders, Luxembourg, in collaboration with IFFR Pro, engaged in a discussion...

How do we win back the audience in the cinemas? This question was the focus of the Europa Cinemas conference in Paris. Picl was there and presented the opportunities offered by Virtual Cinema and online marketing in this area. Read more here.

The Eastern Neighbours Film Festival is expanding its program online. The festival, which takes place physically from November 23 to November 27 at Filmhuis Den Haag, will offer 13 films with English subtitles through the virtual cinema of the Filmhuis. From December...

Virtual Cinema, offering online films by cinemas, is high on the agenda of Dutch cinemas. It is clear that there are many possibilities. But where the opportunities lie and how exactly to approach them are the subject of discussion. On a special conference, organized...

This year at IDFA, Anke van Diejen (Picl, Reach’m) was a panellist at the Industry Talk: Innovations in (online) distribution – Part III. For three years in a row she talks about the changing (online) distribution market during and after Covid. This year she spoke...

From 9 to 20 November, the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) will take place. As in previous years, part of the programme will be available online. However, this year not only via IDFA.nl, but also via several virtual screens of selected...

Medialoc has developed an offline player that allows secure and encrypted offline viewing and projection of non-DCP files, without the need for additional hardware. This offers possibilities for screenings in locations without a (stable) internet connection, e.g....

Picl, the virtual Cinema initiative in the Netherlands and Belgium, together with the University of the Arts Utrecht (HKU) is conducting a study on virtual cinema. Walter van Andel and Corien van der Linden from HKU Art and Economics & Professorship ‘Valuable...

Medialoc, together with the Nederlands Filmtheater Overleg (NFO), has recently connected a large number of film theatres to our MediaContainer. Thus, Concordia, De Fabriek, De Lieve Vrouw, Eye, Filmhuis Den Haag, Forum Groningen, Hoogt on Tour, Ketelhuis,...

Stichting Nederlandse Filmpromotie, the company behind Dutch virtual cinema pioneer Picl, and Medialoc, specialists in digital technological solutions to facilitate hybrid cinema events, have joined forces to help European cinemas and distributors better reach their...