Spotlight Cinema Networks, American Film Institute Announce Exclusive Cinema Partnership

Spotlight Cinema Networks and American Film Institute (AFI), announce today an exclusive yearlong partnership to showcase rare and never-before-seen footage from the AFI Archive within Spotlight's preshow entertainment to luxury exhibitors and iconic independent film theaters nationwide in October.

Each month, AFI will produce new segments that release vintage treasures housed in the AFI Archive and present them to movie-goers across the country. The AFI Archive includes historic moments with master filmmakers, insights from American screen icons and much more.

The inaugural October preshow will feature stories about the making of the classic thriller NORTH BY NORTHWEST as told by the "Master of Suspense" himself, Alfred Hitchcock.

Spotlight Cinema Networks' preshow informs, engages and entertains sophisticated moviegoers with a modern, elegant feel with luxe color tones. Their rotating preshow entertainment includes one to three short films with a mixture of movie trivia, exhibitor interstitials, and cinema advertising.

"Our partnership with AFI allows our sophisticated, nationwide audience to enjoy their history of iconic films and directors during our popular preshow," said Michael Sakin, President of Spotlight Cinema Networks. AFI's content is a natural fit for us. We're especially pleased to offer it exclusively to our network of art house and luxury exhibitors around the country."

"The mandate of the American Film Institute is to educate and inspire," said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. "Our partnership with Spotlight gives us a unique opportunity to do both by opening the AFI Archive to enrich the theater-going experience across the nation."

Spotlight Cinema Networks is the only cinema advertising company dedicated to serving the needs of art house and luxury exhibitors for cinema advertising, preshow entertainment, event cinema, and digital display distribution. The company is a national advertising vehicle with a focus on the top 25 DMAs providing cinema advertising, in-lobby promotions and integrated experiential programs for advertisers targeting affluent and highly educated moviegoing audiences. In December 2017, Spotlight Cinema Networks launched CineLife Entertainment™ to acquire and distribute event cinema and alternative content titles in the U.S. and international markets. Spotlight Cinema Networks is owned by Wagner-Cuban Companies and Arthouse Marketing Group, and represents the top exhibitors in these genres, including segment leaders Angelika Film Center, Laemmle Theatres, Landmark Theatres, Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas, Flix Brewhouse, and Silverspot Cinemas. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, with offices in New York and Chicago. www.spotlightcinemanetworks.com

American Film Institute (AFI) Established in 1967, the American Film Institute is the nation's nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and inspiring artists and audiences through initiatives that champion the past, present and future of the moving image. AFI's pioneering programs include filmmaker training at the AFI Conservatory; year-round exhibition at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center and at AFI Festivals across the nation; workshops aimed at increasing diversity in the storytelling community; honoring today's masters through the AFI LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD and AFI AWARDS; and scholarly efforts such as the AFI Catalog of Feature Films that uphold film history for future generations. www.AFI.com