On Thursday, September 5, Daryl Friedman, global CEO and president of CEDIA, and legendary filmmaker Barry Sonnenfeld delivered a powerful message about the future of smart home technology and the evolving world of home cinema during CEDIA Expo 2024.

Friedman introduced industry icon Sonnenfeld, who has worked on popular films like “When Harry Met Sally,” “The Addams Family,” “Men in Black” and more.

His keynote explored the critical role of home theaters in delivering an unparalleled cinematic experience, highlighting the contrast between movie production and playback environments.

“A huge advantage of home theaters is obviously quality of sound and picture,” said Sonnenfeld.

Sonnenfeld also discussed his own home theater setup and his vision for achieving an extraordinary home cinema experience. “I’ve had a home screening room in three cities. East Hampton, Telluride, and Pemberton, British Columbia. If you ask me what I want from my home theater installer, overwhelmingly, I would say service and education. I want an installer who will teach every person who lives in a house with a home theater how to use the equipment,” concluded Sonnenfeld.