The 2010 RAAM Awards open the UK awards season

• Boyle, Till, Kelleher & Williams honoured
• Potter - UP - Coco win top movie awards
• Disney, Entertainment, Fox, Optimum and Warner Bros
• CineWorld Odeon and Vue - continue to perform well
• Phoenix Falmouth - The Lighthouse Dublin best independent cinemas

In what has become the opening UK and Irish cinema awards show the 2010 RAAM Awards got off to a cracking start in London yesterday (February 3, 2010) by honouring leading UK director Danny Boyle; top UK Distributor Stewart Till of Icon Films, Independent cinema operator David Williams of WTW cinemas and John Kelleher the recently retired director of the Irish Film Certification Board.

Based on public voting through the Box Office these awards are presented annually to the individuals and companies working the UK and Irish film distribution and cinema industry.

Film distribution honours were shared amongst Fox, Warners, Entertainment and Optimum with Disney making a mark in the new 3D category.

20th Century Fox won the Distributor of the Year Award, with Disney collecting the kudos for Technicolor 3D film of the Year Up, which maintained its box office lead right up the final day of the year. A special award was presented to Fox to recognise Avatar’s performance in IMAX Cinemas as the top IMAX movie across the UK in 2009. Warner Bros won Film of the Year with Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and Optimum enjoyed the best foreign language movie with Coco before Chanel. Entertainment Film was voted top independent distributor of the year.

As expected, CineWorld won awards in the box office driven UK and Irish cinema of the year categories with Vue setting the pace in the Retail Team of the Year. Independent Cinema awards were presented to the Phoenix Cinema Falmouth and the Lighthouse Cinema Dublin.

Roger Pollock, Executive Vice President – International Distribution and Operations at Paramount Pictures International and a member of the Awards Board said;

“For the first time the UK market passed the £1billion mark. This is a major achievement and shows that despite the recession the UK and Irish cinema had a fantastic year. Box office figures confirm the public vote on the top movies released during the year.

“The primary aim of the award is to recognise the best companies operating in the UK and Irish film distribution and exhibition industry and to say thank you for a job well done.“

In 2009 3D had a major impact on the number of people attending the cinema. Most distributors released one or more 3D films last year with each of the studios really demonstrating the impact big 3D titles can have on the box office.

“Last year was a great year for Film distribution and cinema and we are looking forward to more of the same in 2010.”

Hosted by Paul Coia, 2010 was the 6th year of the awards which were held at the London Marriott Hotel- Grosvenor Square in the hear of London’s Mayfair.

International Award - Danny Boyle

Industry Award - Ireland - John Kelleher

Industry Award - Distribution - Stewart Till

Industry Award - Exhibition - David Williams

Movie of the Year

• Harry Potter - and the Half Blood Prince – Warner Bros

Foreign Language Movie of the Year

• Coco Before Chanel - Optimum Releasing

3D Movie of the Year - Sponsored by Technicolor

• UP - Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

IMAX 3D Movie of the Year

• AVATAR - 20th Century Fox

Distributor of the Year

• 20th Century Fox

Independent Distributor of the Year

• Entertainment Films

Cinema of the Year UK - Sponsored by Variety

• CineWorld - Glasgow

Independent Cinema of the Year UK

• Phoenix Cinema - Falmouth

Cinema of the Year Ireland - Sponsored by Britvic Ireland

• CineWorld - Dublin

Independent Cinema of the Year Ireland - Sponsored by Coca Cola Bottlers Ireland

• The Lighthouse Cinema - Dublin

Innovation in Cinema - Sponsored by BARCO

• Curzon Cinemas

Retail Team of the Year - Sponsored by Britvic UK

• Vue Entertainment

2010 is the sixth year of the RAAM Awards. Established to celebrate success in the UK and Irish cinema and film distribution industry the awards have become an established and important date in the calendar for cinema owners and operators and the film distribution industry. Sponsors of the 2009 RAAM Awards are; BARCO, Britvic UK and Ireland, Coca Cola Bottlers Ireland, Technicolor and Variety.

The RAAM Awards are decided by an independent advisory board drawn from across the UK and Irish cinema industry; current members include; Roger Pollock, Executive Vice President Paramount Pictures International; Trevor Green, joint Managing Director Entertainment Film; Trish Long Vice President and General Manager Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures – Ireland; Tim Richards CEO Vue Entertainment; Justin Ribbons MD Empire Cinemas; Graham Spurling, Director Movies@Cinemas – Ireland; Peter Buckingham, Head of Distribution & Exhibition UK Film Council; Phil Clapp, CEO Cinema Exhibitors Association; Steve Perrin Chief Executive UK Digital Funding Group; David Hancock, Head of Film & Cinema Screen Digest, Tony Meehan RAAM Management.

RAAM Management is a UK based international management consultancy working in the film distribution and cinema sectors.

For further information
Tony Meehan +44 7768 850 855 – tmeehan@raammanagement.com