The General Director of the country’s largest cinema exhibitor, Nuno Aguiar, stated that the seven theaters underwent extensive renovations over recent months, including updates to seating, screens, air conditioning, and sound systems.
The phased renovation, which marked a 700,000-euro investment shared between the exhibitor and Mundicenter—the management company of the shopping center—coincided with the 40th anniversary of this multiplex in Amoreiras.
According to statistical data from the Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual (ICA), the seven theaters at the Amoreiras shopping center hosted 231,622 spectators in 2024, which is almost identical to the audience figures of 2023.
Nuno Aguiar mentioned that the programming profile of these theaters will remain unchanged, balancing between auteur and independent films and the more commercial ones, without significant price changes.
When asked about the average cost of a cinema visit, which according to ICA was 6.18 euros in 2024, Nuno Aguiar described this price as reasonable: “Within what is an entertainment show, cinema has its price, but I believe that for a family outing or for going alone, it still offers acceptable prices, otherwise, we couldn’t provide the best conditions.”
Nuno Aguiar also advocated the cultural experience of cinema-going, despite the coexistence of screens and alternative viewing platforms.
“Maybe the analogy isn’t quite this, but there’s a difference between going to a stadium and watching football at home; just as attending a concert differs from listening to music at home. Movies are made to be seen in cinemas,” he remarked.
This renovation of the Amoreiras cinemas comes in a year when NOS Cinemas ceased operations at theaters in MaiaShopping, in the Porto district in January, and in Tavira Grand Plaza, in the Faro district, last August, as reported by the general director.
Regarding the closures, Nuno Aguiar explained, “The contract ended, and the promoter chose to switch to another type of activity,” emphasizing that the cinema exhibition sector in Portugal is dynamic.
“We closed in Maia and Tavira, but other re-opening opportunities might arise, depending on promoters, us, and opportunities. Not much changed,” he stated.
With these adjustments, NOS Cinemas currently operates 202 theaters across 28 complexes—all situated in shopping centers—including the Azores, and leads a market comprising approximately 500 theaters.
“NOS is openly a commercial cinema exhibitor, and to achieve a critical mass that supports a certain type of cinema, we must have at least five theaters,” said Nuno Aguiar.
According to Aguiar, there aren’t many spaces in district capitals “that have this type of infrastructure.”
“If you ask if it’s in NOS’s interest to manage individual cinemas in some districts? I’d say no,” he responded, stressing that in the cinema exhibition landscape in the country, despite asymmetries in access to this cultural activity, “there’s room for everyone.”
“And we all want cinema in theaters to have a future,” he asserted.
According to ICA, in 2024, NOS Cinemas welcomed 7.7 million spectators in the theaters it operates, representing 65.2% of the total cinema audience in Portugal. In terms of audience, it generated 50 million euros in gross box office revenue, accounting for 68.2% of the 73 million euros recorded in exhibitions.
The reopening of the seven theaters in the Amoreiras shopping center, with more than 600 seats, will be marked on Wednesday by screening the film ‘Amélie’ (2001), directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet.
