"The cinemas wipe the plaster": empty rooms because of the sanitary pass?

REPORTAGE

For a sector already heavily impacted by the long coronavirus crisis, the negative effect of the measure is real.

Like other players in the world of culture, cinemas have experienced a sharp drop in attendance since the introduction of the health pass on July 21.

While the controversial pass is now required at the entrance of all leisure and cultural places capable of accommodating 50 people, attendance has fallen by up to -70% over the last five days. 

DECRYPTION -

 Covid: can cinemas avoid the health pass by lowering their gauge?

Thus, in this Batignolles cinema in Paris, where Europe 1 visited, the entrance hall resonates.

"For the

session

, we are only 3 entrances", indicates Guillaume, who, behind his counter, has something to feel alone.

"For an early Monday afternoon, it's quite low," he confirms. 

"We were starting to go up the slope"

With half as many spectators since the introduction of the health pass, it is a new blow for the director of the cinema, Manon Desseauve.

"It's starting to get a little hard ... I really had the impression that we were starting to go up the slope," she laments.

"I was like 'This is it, we are out .. And there, rebelote. I fear that we are again in cash flow difficulties, again in a very, very tense management."

This observation is shared by all the rooms.

Thus, Marc-Olivier Sebbag, General Delegate of the National Federation of French Cinemas, details for Europe 1: "Between -50% and -70% of attendance, depending on the site and depending on the day."

The sector calls for financial assistance

"What alarms us is that places of culture, and cinemas in particular, are confronted first without having the solutions," he continues. "And so the cinemas wipe the plasters." Faced with this situation, the Federation asked the government for urgent financial assistance, including the return of partial activity for cinema employees.