Kino City, the Russian cinema initiative to open 122 new screens in mid-sized cities, is planning to nearly double the number of 3-D screens in the country. The company is looking to install 3-D screens and digital equipment at all of the planned Multimedia and Education Film Centres.

The initiative, led by Russian cinema heavyweights Eduard Pichugin, the CEO of Cinema Invest and founder of the Kronwerk Cinema Chain, and the director and business man Fyodor Bondarchuk, is working with film-screening equipment manufacturers, such as Cinemeccanica and Barco.

Natalia Gordeeva, a spokeswomen for Kino City, said: 'The provision of most modern and best equipped cinemas in the country is the main objective of our project. This is why we are planning to install 3-D facilities in each cinema.'

The new theatres will also be equipped with contemporary acoustic systems JBL and digital screening facilities as well as traditional 35mm film projectors.

Together with Stek.com, a nation-wide operator of satellite communications, Kino City is currently developing the technology to transfer digital film copies via satellite channels. This will also allow live broadcast of concerts, sport events, award ceremonies, and TV bridges, fulfilling Kino City's social development objective.

Construction of the first five complexes will begin this summer and the project is expected to take five years to complete. It hopes the Multimedia and Education Film centres will attract over 100 million customers a year with film screenings and internet services.

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