- The cinemas reopen this Monday respecting a health protocol, in particular limiting their capacity by half to leave one seat out of two vacant.
- Wearing a mask is not compulsory in the rooms.
- Some cinemas offer screenings from midnight on Sundays, others focus on resumption with screenings for AP-HP staff.
They can't wait. “We didn't expect to reopen this early. At one point, we were told of a reopening in early July. So it's a good surprise, we are very happy, ”exclaims Julie, programmer of 3 Cinés Robespierre in Vitry-sur-Seine, in Val-de-Marne. After more than three months of closure, due to the coronavirus epidemic, the dark rooms reopen their doors this Monday, June 22 throughout France, in Paris and in Ile-de-France. "Wednesday, on our side," says Julie. "We are going to make a smooth recovery so that employees and customers take their brands," adds the one who works with a dozen other employees in this municipal cinema in the inner suburbs.
It was during the press conference on May 28, announcing the second phase of deconfinement, that Prime Minister Édouard Philippe had affirmed that cinemas could reopen as of June 22, respecting a strict health protocol. Professionals in the sector particularly affected welcomed this decision. And a few hours before the fateful hour, some decided not to waste another minute to raise the curtain and turn on the overhead projector.
It was the first session
At midnight, on the night of Sunday June 21 to Monday June 22, the Pathé Beaugrenelle and Pathé Wepler cinemas in Paris will re-light their screens, for "an exceptional screening, to celebrate new reunions", indicates the group. All Pathé-Gaumont cinemas will reopen this June 22. “We are very impatient and enthusiastic. It's been almost a hundred days since we closed our cinemas. This is an expected moment from the customers. We notice that there is a real appetite for the experience of going out and going back to the movies. It is encouraging and we are ready ”, explains to 20 Minutes , Aurélien Bosc, president of the Pathé-Gaumont cinemas. But if cinemas reopen, they must comply with very specific rules, starting with a capacity of theaters restricted to 50%, allowing one armchair to be left in two, without however separating couples and families.
"In normal times we have a room with a capacity of 143 seats and another with 375. From Wednesday, it will be half", details Florence of the Henri-Langlois cinema in Franconville (Val-d'Oise), delighted to reopen the cinema and to reopen a program stopped in mid-flight. Four films for the month of March will thus be screened for the first fortnight: La Bonne Epouse , En Avant , De Gaulle and Appel de la Forêt . What about the health protocol in cinemas?
The mask is not compulsory in the rooms
“We will have hydroalcoholic gel at the entrance, we recommend wearing the mask in the hall, pre-purchasing seats to avoid queuing. Furthermore, there will be no food in the dining room. As for the mask, it is not compulsory in the room. Finally, there will be marks on the ground for social distancing and to organize the queue, ”explains Julie from 3 Cinés Robespierre. "At this stage, there is no wearing of the mask in the room but it is recommended in the reception rooms", also confirms Aurélien Bosc from the Pathé-Gaumont cinemas.
Will customers be there? At Gaumont-Pathé, we say not to doubt it. With the others, we nuance. "People seem to be in a hurry but it will pick up slowly. Some have not yet come out too much since the deconfinement ”, analyzes Florence. Same observation for Julie. “We will see if the spectators come but we can take the risk of reopening even if we shoot a little less. But summer is approaching, and for the locals the cinema is important because many will not be able to go on vacation. "
Solidarity sessions
In all in Paris, around twenty of the 35 Parisian stores reopen this Monday, after three months plunged into total darkness. Some cinemas will reopen on June 24, others will have to wait a bit, the mix of their activities (cinema and theater, such as Le Lucernaire in the 6th or L'Archipel in the 10th) or their status of so-called “continuation” halls (which show the films after the national releases) implying other constraints, indicates the city of Paris.
Our Cinema folder
Note that L'Arlequin (6th) and Luxor (10th), are planning two evenings in honor of caregivers with the screening of the documentary De Every Instant by Nicolas Philibert: Tuesday June 23 at 8 p.m. at Arelquin and Thursday June 25 at 8 p.m. in Luxor. The proceeds from these two evenings will be donated to the AP-HP foundation for research.
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- Deconfinement
- Covid 19
- Paris
- Culture
- Movie theater
- Cinema