Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Cinemas push for reopening
CINEMAS across the country are to reopen and entertain movie-goers with the best of the silver screen while observing social distancing and putting sanitising measures in place.
Yesterday, the Labia Theatre was the first to open its doors exactly five months after closing, amid easing lockdown regulations.
For owner Ludi Krauss, a return to the venue was overdue. “I feel nervous,” he said.
“I’ve been home for five months. I came in on Wednesday and I couldn’t remember where anything was. Where the keys were kept.
“It felt so strange and unfamiliar, my heart was beating.”
One of the last-standing independent cinemas in the country, the Labia joins the larger chains who are ready to resume operations over the course of next week.
This follows the approval process and waiting period after Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa on July 7 signed and approved the reopening of cinemas, museums, galleries, theatres and libraries.
In compliance with the government’s regulations, a maximum of 50 people will be allowed to congregate in a cinema.
The resumption of alcohol sales on Monday was a positive for the reopening venue.
“That was a blessing for us. We are quite dependent on alcohol sales.”
Krauss added: “The only thing that’s against us at the moment is the curfew. It means our shows have to be over by 9:30pm to allow audiences and staff to get home.”
AB Moosa, chief executive of the Avalon Group, which operates the
CineCentre at Grandwest, confirmed they were planning for reopening next Friday.
“We’re devising schedules based on social distancing so that there isn’t an accumulated number of people, we stagger showtimes, block seats, all those protocols, and our technology is there for online bookings for both tickets and refreshments.”
The reopenings are happening as big studios have earmarked major film projects for imminent local release such as American director Christopher Nolan’s new film Tenet scheduled to premiere on Friday, five days before it is scheduled to premiere in the US.
Disney’s live-action adaptation of
Mulan is scheduled for release on September 11.
On Wednesday, South Africa’s largest cinema chain Ster-Kinekor announced that it would commence a phased reopening across the country starting on Friday.
Ster-Kinekor deputy chief executive Motheo Matsau said: “We’ve been getting ready to welcome patrons back to the cinema since Government’s announcement on July 6, 2020.
“We have taken every step to ensure the safe return of our guests and staff to the cinema with our staff having undergone extensive Covid-19 operations training.”
Yesterday, Nu Metro announced that the majority of their complexes across SA will reopen on August 28. This follows the company’s health and safety protocols being approved by the government.