Type Private company Website novocinemas.com | Founded 2000 | |
 | ||
Headquarters Dubai, United Arab Emirates Key people Debbie Stanford-Kristiansen, CEO
Selim Azar, CEO Gulf Film LLC | ||
Novo Cinemas is a movie theatre chain owned by Gulf Film LLC operating in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), Qatar and Bahrain. It is headquartered in Dubai and considered as the largest cinema chain in the Middle East. Established in 1989 in the U.A.E., Gulf Film was acquired in 2012 by the ELAN Group (formerly Qatar Media Services (q.media)).
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It was previously known as Grand Cinemas since 2000 until it relaunched on May 6, 2014 under the Novo Cinemas name, with theatres located in Qatar, Bahrain, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras al-Khaimah.
Despite the 2014 rebrand, the Grand Cinemas brand itself continues to exist as a separate corporate entity based in Lebanon, owned by Selim Ramia & Co., one of the co-founders and former executives of Gulf Film LLC.
History
The Grand Cinemas brand name was launched in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 2000. It was relaunched on May 6, 2014 as Novo Cinemas.
The Grand Cinemas operation is owned by Gulf Film. Established in 1989 in the UAE, Gulf Film was acquired in 2012 by Qatar Media Services (q.media).
In July 2005, Grand Cinemas launched the first IMAX in the Middle East at Ibn Battuta Mall Megaplex in Dubai.
In July 2007, the Grand Cinemas franchise expands into Lebanon under the ownership of local businessman Selim Ramia, one of the co-founders of the Gulf Film LLC Group. The company continues presently as an independent entity despite the 2014 rebrand in the U.A.E.