Ster-Kinekor, a South African film chain today announced that it has started converting all 438 of its cinemas to the latest digital technology.
Ster Kinekor was founded in 1969 when 20th Century Fox sold its South African theatre business to Sanlam, an insurance company.
Sanlam merged the 2oth Century Fox into its Ster Theatres and Ster Films which it operated under the Ster brand.
Throughout the 1970s Kinekor embarked on a program of opening new cinemas across South Africa. However, due to the introduction of television in 1976, cinema attendances dropped. Because of this, the South African government at the time, allowed Sanlam to merge its two theatres divisions, creating Ster-Kinekor.
According to the film distributor, this means that audiences can now enjoy the release of a new international title together with the rest of the world.
“South Africans can now participate first-hand in the hype of a new blockbuster release, and be a part of the global conversation as it trends across the world,” Ster-Kinekor further revealed.
The company also noted, “A new era in cinema viewing is now a reality.”
And the full digital conversion of Ster-Kinekor’s Irene Mall and Sterland sites has been completed.
“With these latest technological advancements, the entire cinema experience is set to undergo a profound change,” said Ster-Kinekor. “The picture quality is heightened while the state-of-the-art surround sound greatly enhances the overall viewing experience, as each cinema now comes standard with the very latest digital technology and superior equipment.”
Along with the conversion to digital, Sterland now also has one cinema that supports 3D projection, Ster-Kinekor concluded.
The first democratic elections in South Africa of 1994 also introduced a free market, allowing Ster-Kinekor to expand into foreign markets. Three company directors moved their base of operations to the United Kingdom and set up trading as Ster Century.
Its head office is in the Ster-Kinekor Office Park in Sandton, City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality.