Lightyear Digital Theatre has acquired the legendary Charles Aidikoff Screening Room at 150 Rodeo Drive in the very heart of the prestigious Beverly Hills 90210 “Golden Triangle”.

Just steps from the exclusive Beverly Wilshire Hotel and the sparkling fountains and fashionable stores of Via Rodeo, this highly technically advanced private theatre is certified by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for Academy screenings and is used extensively by the “who’s who” of the motion picture industry.  Hollywood icons such as Elizabeth Taylor and Al Pacino along with music legends like Paul McCartney and Gene Simmons have relaxed in the theatre’s comfortable reclining seating.

The theatre offers screenings in traditional film, high-definition digital format and 3D.  It is recognized internationally for excellence in high quality presentation and technical reliability.  With its large reception area, the theatre also holds regular champagne receptions and other exclusive catered events for major Hollywood celebrities, producers, film studio executives and personalities from the global production community.  Lightyear will be giving the theatre a fresh new look in time for the 2011 Academy Awards season and the “Oscar” bookings are already pouring in.

In a media interview Bob Dominick, Lightyear’s President and Chief Executive Officer indicated that he’s pleased to be extending Lightyear into the heart of Beverly Hills, “The name of this theatre has a long history attached to it as the Aidikoff family has been in the business of motion picture exhibition since the days of silent film.  The former owner Charlie Aidikoff, at the age of 95, is a Hollywood legend himself, he’s known by everyone in the industry and will remain welcome at the theatre for as long as he wishes. We want to keep the Aidikoff name alive in the Hollywood community”.

Lightyear and Charlie Aidikoff entertained Surrey, British Columbia Mayor Dianne Watts, Surrey Councillors Linda Hepner and Barbara Steele and Simon Fraser University Surrey Campus Executive Director Joanne Curry when they visited the Beverly Hills theatre last year.

Following their visit Lightyear installed a world-class “showcase” high-definition digital and 3D research and development theatre system in Simon Fraser University Surrey. This $500,000 donation took the form of a complete retrofit to SFU’s existing 200-seat Westminster Savings Credit Union theatre located on the university campus.  It is now one of the finest audio visual theatres in Canada and enables students to “experience” their work in exceptional quality.

“SFU students will benefit from being able to create exciting new content, whether movies or digital effects, pushing them and their works to new limits as they learn to overcome the challenges of working in high-definition and 3D,” stated SFU President Michael Stevenson. “SFU faculty will also use this platform for their research.”

Bob Dominick added, “To further aid SFU’s School of Interactive Arts and Technology and the School of Contemporary Arts, we will be using our digital broadcasting capabilities to connect the SFU Surrey theatre and the SFU Contemporary Arts facility to our Beverly Hills theatre.  This interactive broadcast connection will permit students to communicate directly with motion picture and entertainment industry executives and celebrities, something I don’t imagine that’s possible in any other North American university”.

A recent Lightyear demonstration at SFU revealed how digitalization of the motion picture industry permits theatres to step away from the entertainment arena and carry out other functions such as enhanced and interactive educational programming.

“We’re very pleased Lightyear Digital Theatre chose SFU Surrey as the location to showcase this innovative education tool,” says Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts.  “We are living in the digital age.  And, here in Surrey, we want to be at the forefront of the technological advancements that are taking place.  From high-definition multi-media lectures to interactive distance learning, it’s the ultimate classroom environment, and it also provides the community with a great new arts facility.”

Lightyear is affiliated with some of the world’s most recognised names in the digital theatre industry and will shortly be launching its roll-out of unique high-definition and 3D digital theatres from Surrey.  These state-of-the-industry 50 to 2,000 seat theatres, in tandem with Lightyear’s dedicated digital broadcast platform, will open up North America to a whole new world of exceptional quality entertainment, education, information, arts and culture.