11 September 2009
The Picturehouse Ups The Ante With Five Film Festivals
After three years since its re-opening in 2006, the Picturehouse has shared its passion for cinema with movie fanatics by screening countless arthouse films and independent movies; and the popular arthouse cinema located at The Cathay is now taking on a more active approach towards screening the latest cutting edge movies from film festival winners.
From September 2009 to January 2010, the Picturehouse is playing host to a consecutive lineup of five prestigious film festivals, including the German Film Festival, Israeli Film Festival, French Film Festival, Studio Ghibli Film Series, and Next Reel International Film Festival. (Please refer to Annex A for more information on the festivals.) These five film festivals will collectively showcase a range of quality films that cover many genres for movie-goers of varying tastes and preferences.
Suhaimi Rafdi, Chief Executive Officer of Cathay Organisation says, “When The Picturehouse re-opened in 2006, we had in mind a luxurious cinema environment aimed at nurturing a genuine film appreciation culture in Singapore. Targeted at cinephiles and artlovers, The Picturehouse always provided movie-goers with an avenue to enjoy distinctive, alternative films that offer different perspectives from mainstream movies. In three years, the culture of film appreciation here has matured tremendously, and we are now looking to take the Picturehouse brand to a whole new level by becoming more involved in hosting film festivals and become a truly integral part of the international film buzz.”
The Picturehouse – Singapore’s first arthouse cinema, was originally launched in 1990, at a time when film goers were exposed only to mainstream commercial films. Early independent films like Pulp Fiction, The Wedding Banquet, La Femme Nikita and Cinema Paradiso were all screened exclusively at The Picturehouse, and many Singaporeans remember experiencing their first foreign and arthouse titles there.
The original Picturehouse cinema was a stand-alone hall with one screen and 220 seats, located next to the historic Cathay Building. Gazetted as a heritage site in Singapore, The Cathay Building was the country’s first skyscraper when it opened in 1939. The Picturehouse was eventually shut down in 2000, when the whole building complex was marked for renovations. In 2006, The Picturehouse was relaunched as part of The Cathay Cineplex at The Cathay Building. With a new logo, a new team and new cutting edge films, The Picturehouse welcomed back old friends and new guests.
The Picturehouse is currently owned and operated by Cathay Cineplexes Pte Ltd, and managed by Cathay-Keris Films, the distribution arm of the cinema chain. The Picturehouse Cinema is a luxurious 82-seater with masterfully-crafted designer seats. With plenty of leg-room to spare, patrons can sink back into the chairs and enjoy state-of-the-art sound and visual technology.
The Picturehouse Preview Lounge is connected to the cinema via an exclusive entrance and features a full service bar, with standing capacity of more than 50 people, for functions, pre-movie drinks or post-movie talks and film-related events. Guests can also make use of free internet facilities while waiting, or watch upcoming movie trailers on the plasma screens in the lounge.
For more information on The Picturehouse, please visit www.thepicturehouse.com.sg
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