Films drop by 50% as Covid hits cinemas

IRELAND’S cinemas have suffered a huge drop in the number of f i l ms being shown due to the Covid crisis, it’s been revealed.

Figures showed fewer movies were certified for re l e ase t hi s year t han since the early 2000s.

A total of 227 have got the go- ahead this year – a fall of nearly 50% since the same point in 2019.

Ger Connolly, from the Iri sh Film Classification Office, said the reduction is “totally ” a result of the pandemic, which has hit venues globally.

They study comes as cinemas across Irel and stay shut amid ongoing Level 5 restrictions.