Everyone at the cinema - National Federation of French Cinemas

  • Cinemas reopen on June 22 after three months of pandemic.
  • Security of reception and quality of programming are central concerns.
  • More than 50 films will be visible on the screens, among which few American blockbusters.

Nearly two thousand cinemas are preparing to reopen their doors this Monday in France. With a fanfare, after three months of waiting. The programming is meant to be beautiful, the safety instructions precise. We must convince the public to return to the big screen, after having frequented the little one for so long.

What a wonder that the clip of @InstitutLumiere to celebrate the reopening of cinemas this Monday #oniratousaucinema https://t.co/ed2ViqkOnx

- Vié Caroline (@Caroklouk) June 16, 2020

According to Médiamétrie, 18.7 million spectators say they are ready to return to the cinema in the next four weeks, it's already not bad. "We tried to maintain their desire throughout the confinement", explains to 20 Minutes Richard Patry, president of the Federation of exhibitors, on the initiative of the campaign # Oniratousaucinéma, a series of short films in which French stars share their love for rooms

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On June 22, movie theaters reopen safely. Hurry. #oniratousaucinema #cinema

A post shared by Caroline Vié (@ caroklouk2) on Jun 10, 2020 at 3:33 am PDT

One seat in two, but no more mask when seated

"We worked like crazy to write the scenario for the reopening in complete safety," says Gérard Lemoine, who is rehabilitating his four cinemas in Palaiseau (91), ie 560 seats. The Minister of Culture, Franck Riester announced this Sunday that he was lifting the obligation to fill the halls with only 50% of their capacity. "It doesn't change much for us," says Gérard Lemoine. Concretely, keeping an empty seat between each group of spectators to respect the physical distance amounts to filling the cinemas only halfway. The public is encouraged to use the alcoholic gel available to them and to wear a mask in the common areas, but no longer when seated. "During the film, we are turned to the screen so we are less likely to get contaminated," said the operator, who, however, favors bagged confectionery, safer than the wall of self-service sweets. "Like many of my colleagues, I remain on a principle of precaution and recommendation without obligation," he said. Many rooms multiply the winks and play the card of humor and conviviality. Thus, one of the rooms of the MK2 Library, in Paris, will be "dressed with 50 Minions instead of vacant places", warns MK2 in a press release.

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"This alchemy between the film and the spectators, what works, is of a completely crazy power" The magic of the cinema, actor Pierre Niney shares it with his best memories while waiting to be able to return to several, alone or with… Ryan Gosling. As soon as we can, #OnIraTousAuCinema!

A post shared by CGR Cinémas (@cgrcinemas) on May 8, 2020 at 5:01 am PDT

A plethora of films on the screens

"We hope for a mass effect, that people will first want to go to the movies, arousing a craze to go see all kinds of films," said Cathy Coppey, president of the O'Ciné network in Saint-Omer during '' a round table organized ten days ago by Comscore and the French Film.

Between repetitions of interrupted films and new releases, the public will be spoiled for choice: around fifty new or recent films will be found simultaneously on the screens. The programmers had to indulge in a real Tetris-like game of Taquin and the public will have to fight their way through this plethoric choice because there is no longer any question of spending only one film in each room: it will be necessary so be attentive to schedules. "But that gives many feature films a chance," says Gérard Lemoine. "We made a commitment to distributors to take back the films that came out just before the pandemic," says Richard Patry. This is the case, for example, of La Bonneouse by Martin Provost, whose very fine career was cut short by confinement.

“We took advantage of the three months of interruption to study who the spectators of our films were before the closure. This was useful for us to refine the reprogramming, ”says Aurélien Bosc, president of the Gaumont Pathé cinemas. Its rooms will reopen on the night of June 21 to 22 at midnight with in particular My cousin by Jan Kounen in preview.

No starting blocks for blockbusters

For American blockbusters, we will have to wait. Most major studios have decided to postpone their releases to the fall or to 2021, an international strategy. Xavier Albert, managing director of Universal Pictures France) nevertheless managed to convince the Los Angeles parent company to release new products. "I am one of the optimists who think that cinema has been sorely missed and that people will come back to it," he said.

The releases of the action movie The Hunt on June 22 and the romantic comedy The Voice of Success on July 15 should prove him right. The choice is now in the hands of the spectators.

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