On April 8, 2024, Walt Hickey, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author and data expert, spoke at Cinema Con’s International Day Seminar. His presentation addressed the profound physiological and psychological impacts of cinema on viewers, highlighting the industry’s influence on society from naming trends to career choices. He revealed how eye tracking measures audience engagement and discussed cinema’s lasting effects on global culture, tourism, and even crime rates. Hickey’s findings underscore cinema’s role in shaping individual experiences and macro-level trends.