Finally, cinemas are going to be unconfined! After more than three months of closure due to the coronavirus epidemic, cinemas will reopen all over France on June 22, the date of the start of the third phase of deconfinement. One day long awaited by moviegoers that Canal Plus decided to encourage its subscribers to go to dark rooms by not programming any film on its antenna for 24 hours, a first since 1984.
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Ground markings and hydroalcoholic gel ...
In Lomme, in the North, the Kinépolis is the largest cinema in France and Europe. Before the confinement, it could simultaneously accommodate 7,000 spectators and each year, two million people went to watch their favorite films. A few days ago, the health protocol of the complex was unveiled. As in other cinemas, the films released in March will still be showing, but a few sanitary novelties await moviegoers. Like what is done in companies, in shops or in public transport, an arrowed route will be set up, and hydroalcoholic gel will be made available.
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... but no mask required
"There will be a marking on the ground, as well as tarpaulins recalling all the health security rules linked to the visit to the cinema", explains to the microphone of Europe 1 Franck Barrière, director of Kinépolis. "We recommend that our customers wear the mask in the common areas, even if it is not compulsory," he continues, adding that it will however be necessary in the confectionery section.
Condemned seats
To buy drinks and ice creams elsewhere, a "Click & collect" system will be set up: you will have to buy online what you want to snack on in front of your film and collect the popcorn in closed packages. For Kinépolis de Lomme as for other cinemas, social distancing requires: capacity will be reduced by half in theaters, and seats will be numbered ... and seats condemned. "Each reservation will automatically generate a blocked chair to the right and left of each group," explains Franck Barrière.
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"So if you come with your family, the four of you will be next to each other, but you will automatically have an empty chair on the left and on the right," concludes the director of Kinépolis. But in this cinema, a complex that has an area equivalent to that of four football fields, the rules of social distancing should not be a problem ...