Cinamon cinema, which previously offered IMAX‑format screenings at the Tallinn's T1 shopping mall, said it will not provide IMAX capability at their Kosmos cinema now or in the near future. Apollo cinemas also lack IMAX capability.

This Friday, Christopher Nolan's large‑scale film "The Odyssey" premieres in cinemas worldwide. Its marketing campaign has heavily emphasized the technical side, underscoring that Nolan shot the film entirely with IMAX cameras and specifically for theaters equipped to show it. 

Until April, IMAX‑projected films could be seen at Cinamon in the T1 center. Cinamon later had to leave the building and reopened in the Kosmos cinema, where it also operated from 2014 to 2022. Kosmos had an IMAX auditorium until 2020. 

Cinamon Group CEO Andaç Bagioglu said that Kosmos currently does not have IMAX capability and that bringing IMAX back will not be considered in the near future. 

"'The Odyssey' will screen in the Kosmos auditorium, which has the largest screen in the Baltics. The screen itself is an IMAX screen from the period when Kosmos still had IMAX projectors. Although the screen is the same, we unfortunately will not show 'The Odyssey' in IMAX format or with IMAX projectors," Bagioglu said. 

Apollo representative Maarja Kaalep also noted that although IMAX technology played an important role in creating "The Odyssey," Apollo cannot show the film in IMAX format, not even as special screenings.

So why can't Cinamon simply put the IMAX equipment on a tram and send it to Pärnu maantee? "Leaving Kosmos was a commercial decision, and at the time it made sense for us to take the IMAX system from Kosmos to T1. It may seem like a simple matter of moving equipment from one place to another, but an IMAX system is not just a projector and a sound system. It comes with a lot of responsibility, rules and regulations, and it imposes certain restrictions on the cinema operator." 

Kaalep also pointed out the high technical requirements IMAX demands. "Since such technical capability does not exist in Estonia, it is not possible to show the film here in its originally intended IMAX version," she said. 

A cinema buys the IMAX system outright, but the rights to market the system are "rented" from the manufacturer. "The restrictions cover how IMAX can be advertised, how the IMAX name and logo may be used; even the cinema's own name must receive IMAX approval. In addition, only IMAX films may be shown in IMAX auditoriums. If an IMAX film is in the auditorium, it cannot be used for any other screening," Bagioglu explained.

He added that even when the auditorium is not showing IMAX films, the cinema must pay IMAX Corporation a portion of the revenue from IMAX screenings. "Considering Kosmos has only one large screen and one large auditorium, placing it under IMAX restrictions is not reasonable for us under current conditions." 

Bagioglu also highlighted the cost of relocating the IMAX system. "This 'simple' move is very expensive, even if IMAX previously existed at Kosmos. Given the cost and our obligations to the Estonian state and the tax authority, we have decided to fulfill those obligations first and then reassess whether installing IMAX at Kosmos would be logical." 

The Cinamon CEO confirmed that the cinema still has top‑level laser projectors and a high‑quality sound system. Asked what viewers miss when watching Nolan's large‑format film without IMAX projectors, Bagioglu said every special format has its pros and cons. 

"I remember moments when we showed films in IMAX, according to requirements and the director's wishes, and we received complaints that the sound was too loud and the 'characters on screen' were too large. Customers could not follow the film and felt nauseous. Every visitor has different expectations for a cinema experience," he said, adding that the large Kosmos screen is very close to the IMAX aspect ratio and that viewers miss very little, if anything. 

Maarja Kaalep is also convinced that cinema‑goers will not have to compromise on quality. "The IMAX version uses a larger image format in some scenes, but the film's full story, the director's vision and the spectacle reach viewers in Apollo cinemas as well."

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