The announcement by Prime Minister Jean Castex of the extension of the closure of cultural places such as cinemas, theaters and other museums is difficult for the world of culture to accept.

Europe 1 has gathered the testimonies of several players in a sector in great suffering.

A cold shower.

While cinemas, theaters, museums and other performance halls were in the starting blocks to reopen on Tuesday, Prime Minister Jean Castex announced at a press conference that at least three more weeks would have to be shown. patience.

A difficult situation to accept, especially for cinemas since the month of December is the period when the most places are sold, no less than 23 million in 2019. Not to mention that families tend to also consume sweets and drinks during a projection, essential expenses for the turnover of a theater. 

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"I cannot bring myself to the government making such a decision!"

After a lean year, losing the best month of the year is therefore a big blow.

No wonder then that Richard Patry, president of the national federation of French cinemas, said he was "dismayed" and "almost revolted" a few minutes after the government announcements.

"I can not bring myself that the government has taken such a decision! It is completely incomprehensible and it does not correspond to anything", he judges at the microphone of Europe Soir.

An extension of closure "immensely unfair", according to Richard Patry, who denounces a "mistake for artists, technicians and operators who have done everything to be able to re-illuminate the screens during this holiday period". 

And the situation is not much better for theaters, for which December is also important.

One of the biggest players in the sector explains to Europe 1 that it sold 370,000 tickets between September and December last year, or half of its annual sales.

This year, it capped at 70,000 tickets sold, or five times less.

Again, the pill is difficult for the industry to swallow.

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The incomprehension of Jean-Michel Ribes

"I do not understand why the department stores are open while the theaters, in which no cluster has been detected, are closed", reacts Jean-Michel Ribes, director of the Parisian theater of the Rond-Point.

"Why bomb places where the enemy is not present," he asks himself.

"I have the feeling that we do not look with as much attention to the possibilities of continuing life in culture as in other sectors."

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As for museums, being deprived of the influx of end-of-year holidays is also very detrimental, since the most important see their attendance increase by 20% compared to a typical month.

Concretely, 10,000 visitors a day can flock to the Louis Vuitton Foundation or the Grand Palais.

So many starters and recipes that they will have to deprive themselves this year.