IMAX CINEMA OPENS IN DUBLIN

Ireland's first IMAX cinema opened to the public on Sunday in the Parnell Centre, Parnell Street, Dublin. The Sheridan Group has invested £30 million in the centre. The theatre which seats 370, features a specially designed giant screen which fills the peripheral vision and state-of-the-art eight channel digital audio sound to exhibit the world's largest film format - a 70mm, 15-perforation format. The film advances through the projector horizontally in a wave-like action by Rolling Loop film movement. The screen measures 62ft x 82ft, about eight times the size of the average cinema screen and one of the largest in the world.

The theatre's current attractions are the docu-drama 'Everest', which is narrated by Liam Neeson and details a hazardous expedition by climbers, scientists and film makers, and the underwater documentary, 'The Living Sea'.

There are about 160 IMAX cinemas world-wide and about 120 IMAX films have been produced which are normally documentaries lasting about 40 minutes and cost between 6 and 8 million to produce. The Company is currently in pre-production on a film about Ireland. The company hopes that the centre will attract 1/2 million visitors a year.