Kino Marquee

Overview

Kino Marquee is a virtual cinema platform launched by Kino Lorber in March 2020 in direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic closures of physical cinemas. The platform enables arthouse theaters to screen Kino Lorber releases virtually -- theaters sell tickets through their own websites, and the revenue is split between the theater and Kino Lorber. This model preserved the theatrical distribution relationship between Kino and its arthouse cinema partners during a period when physical screenings were impossible.

The virtual cinema model pioneered during the pandemic has continued as a supplementary distribution tool beyond the pandemic era. Kino Marquee allows audiences in cities without arthouse cinema access, or in situations where physical attendance is impractical, to participate in the theatrical release of independent films through their preferred local cinema's virtual screening.

How Virtual Cinema Works

The virtual cinema model involves several parties:

• The distributor (Kino Lorber) licenses the film for virtual exhibition
• The theater partner sells tickets through their own website or booking system
• The viewer pays the ticket price and receives a time-limited streaming link
• Revenue is split between the theater and the distributor, typically 50/50

This structure maintains the theatrical relationship -- the theater remains part of the distribution chain and receives revenue -- while eliminating the physical infrastructure requirement. For arthouse cinemas that survived the pandemic, virtual cinema provided a revenue lifeline; for smaller cinemas in markets without major arthouse physical venues, it created new programming opportunities.

Significance for Independent Distribution

The Kino Marquee model demonstrated that virtual cinema could function as a genuine supplement to physical theatrical distribution, not just an emergency measure. The platform's continued operation beyond the pandemic suggests a permanent role for virtual cinema in the independent distribution ecosystem.

For filmmakers, virtual cinema expands the addressable theatrical audience by allowing cinemas in smaller markets to program films without the physical print, shipping, and projection logistics of traditional distribution. A film with strong demand in a city without an arthouse cinema can generate theatrical revenue through virtual exhibition at a local theater that participates in the virtual platform.

What Filmmakers Should Know

Kino Marquee is operated by Kino Lorber and is not an independent acquisition platform. Films appear on Kino Marquee as part of Kino Lorber's theatrical distribution activity. Filmmakers seeking distribution through Kino Marquee should approach Kino Lorber's acquisitions team rather than the Marquee platform directly.

For filmmakers studying the evolution of theatrical distribution, Kino Marquee's model is an important case study in how distributors adapted the theatrical distribution structure to changing circumstances and maintained the theatrical release as a meaningful event even when physical cinemas were unavailable.

See Also

For how virtual cinema fits into the broader theatrical distribution landscape, see Streaming vs Theatrical Revenue. For Kino Lorber's overall distribution activity, see the Kino Lorber directory entry.