|
 The relaxation has been long
awaited in the world's second-largest film
market, where lockdowns have eased gradually as
infections have dropped sharply since March,
with many restaurants and malls open for months.
Cinemas in low-risk areas will resume operations
but curbs, from limited film showings to
mandatory masks, will still apply, although
those in medium- and high-risk areas will stay
shut, the China Film Administration said in a
statement.
No area in China is now categorised as
high-risk, the government said, however, and
just four neighborhoods in Beijing, the capital,
are graded medium-risk.
"This is breaking news for the industry and
people are thrilled," said Gao Jun, former
general manager of Beijing-headquartered
Xinyinglian Cinema Chain.
"This industry is in a desperate situation
because of high operational cost: the rent."
Cinemas that re-open will have to limit
audiences to 30% of normal and keep vacant seats
between patrons, who are required to book in
advance and not carry in food and drinks, the
film authority said.
The theatres were forced to shut in late January
as China battled the virus that emerged in its
central city of Wuhan late last year, before
spreading worldwide to cause 14 million
infections and 583,000 deaths.
[to top of second column]
|
 Shares in China's largest
cinema owner, Wanda Film jumped on the news, to
end up 1.1% percent, outperforming a drop of 5%
in the benchmark Shenzhen Composite Index.
"Wanda Film's preparations are progressing in an
orderly fashion," the company, which runs more
than 600 cinemas nationwide, said in a
statement, adding that it planned to announce
re-openings.
Last week, it forecast a swing to a first-half
net loss of up to 1.6 billion yuan ($230
million), from a gain of 524 million yuan in the
corresponding period last year.
Social media users welcomed the news, despite
the restrictions. "I have many films that I want
to watch in the cinema!" said one user on Sina
Weibo.
(Reporting by Lusha Zhang, Judy Hua, Sophie Yu
and Brenda Goh; Editing by Ana Nicolaci da Costa
and Clarence Fernandez)
[© 2020 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2020 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
 |
