MK2

MK2 is a audio-visual group French created in 1974 by Marin Karmitz.

Organization

Pushed by the desire for carrying out its own films, Marin Karmitz creates its own production company MK2, initially exclusively devoted to the short films (in particular its achievements of which Camarades in 1969). Its productions meeting of the problems of diffusion, it decides to become itself exploitant.
La first room " historique" open in 1974: it is the July 14th Bastille . Will follow, always left bank: the July 14th Parnassus , the July 14th Odéon and the July 14th Beaugrenelle .
MK2 establishes then cinemas in districts of the capital disadvantaged in particular on the cultural level, by imposing strong and courageous conditions: film programming of authors of all the planet cinema, films in the original language, events and debates around films, juxtaposed bookstore… The best example is probably given by it to the south of the basin of the Villette, with the two cinemas " jumeaux" , MK 2 Quai de Seine (1996) and MK 2 Quai de Loire (October 2005): they took seat in two old warehouses (which had been built starting from posts and metal frames of Eiffel for the World Fair of 1878), on both sides of the basin. To go from the one to the other, one can borrow the shuttle “Zero for conduct” which can contain 25 passengers and 2 members of the crew (free on presentation of the ticket of cinema).

Initially specialized in the cinematographic exploitation, MK2 diversified in the Années 1980 in the distribution and the production of films, then in the production of documentary for television.

In October 2005, Marine Karmitz, yields its place of managing director of the group to his son Nathanaël Karmitz, 27 years.

The Karmitz family has 98% of the capital and makes a point of preserving her financial independence, in particular with regard to the purse.

Production

Among films produced by MK2, one can quote: Goodbye the children of Louis Malle, Yol of Yilmaz Güney, a business of women and the Ceremony of Claude Chabrol, I Want to Go Home of Alain Resnais, Three Colors: Blue , Three Colors: White and Three Colors: Red of Krzysztof Kieślowski, Chocolate of Claire Denis, Mysterious Skin of Gregg Araki, Profundo Carmesi of Arturo Ripstein, Gabbeh of Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Last Days of Gus Van Sant, Baxter of Jerome Boivin.

Distribution

The group specializes in films of author or type “Art-and-test”, and the discovery of cinematographies or authors foreign.

Exploitation

End 2005, MK2 is the third network with Paris (2 million inhabitants), with 11 cinematographic complexes proposing 64 screens and 10.993 armchairs. The circuit accommodates approximately 5 million spectators per annum. These establishments also lay out, with the ensign of the group, of three restaurants, four coffees, two bookstores, two shops of DVD and a shop of objects of cinema.

Establishments: MK2 Bastille, MK2 Beaubourg, MK2 Beaugrenelle (until 2007), MK2 Library (14 rooms), MK2 Gambetta, MK2 Hautefeuille, MK2 Nation, MK2 Odéon, MK2 Parnassus, MK 2 Quai de Loire, MK 2 Quai de Seine.

Following a conflict of interests within the alliance passed between network MK2 and the group Europalaces (in particular the resumption of the management of the MK2 Beaugrenelle by Pathé), the direction of cinemas MK2 breaks the trade agreement according to which the holders of the chart the Step can reach all its cinemas. Indeed, the chart the Step then allowed all those which have it to as well attend the film shows in rooms Gaumont, Pathé as MK2 by paying a subscription in the month and either while paying with the meeting. Thus, since September 5th, 2007, rooms MK2 are accessible to the subscribers from the chart UGC Illimité , the main competitor of its allies of yesterday, while the chart the Step is not accepted any more in rooms MK2 since November 2007.

VOD

The group opened to in May 2007 a video service with the request (VOD) baptized MK2 VOD proposing currently more than 800 films in remote loading.

See too

the site of the group: http://www.mk2.com
the site of video to the request: http://www.mk2vod.com
shop DVD mk2: http://boutique.mk2.com
List of the cinemas in Paris

Random links: