Regal, IFTA and CNC launch 'Future of Distribution' pilot for idle cinema screens

Regal Cinemas, the Independent Film & Television Alliance and France's CNC unveiled the Future of Distribution pilot at the Lumière Summit in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Variety reports. Participating venues hand idle screens and timeslots to a neutral programmer whose sole brief is maximising attendance. The programme begins in Q4 2026; an initial findings report is due in the first half of 2027.