How cinemas will be affected by the coronavirus lockdown

Cinemas will be staying open during the Covid-19 pandemic, but it’s not going to be the same experience you’re used to.

The week started with local film distributors saying media screenings for review purposes were cancelled. In light of this, some scheduled releases for today have been held back, both because there won’t be reviews and due to international restructuring of cinematic releases.

But it’s not all bad news – you can still safely visit cinemas thanks to a number of protocols in place.

The biggest change at Ster-Kinekor cinemas is that screenings will only be between midday and 6pm. There will be no morning or night screenings.

The booking system will also cap individual cinema capacity at 100, with two empty seats between each individual person watching a screening.

Here’s how things will change when visiting various cinemas:

Nu Metro

The chain is encouraging social distancing by introducing at least one metre spacing between booked seats. This has been effected using an automated system, whereby customers are automatically separated by two “buffer” seats on either side of their selection.

These buffer seats will not be displayed on the booking system, so guests won’t be able to purchase tickets for those seats. In this way, the cinema capacity is capped at below 100.

Customers will have direct access to hand sanitiser and are encouraged to sanitise regularly. Nu Metro will sanitise seat armrests, cup-holders and tables before every performance.

High-touch point areas such as kiosks, self-service terminals, serving counters, door handles, rails, benches, booths and bathroom areas will receive extra cleaning. Door handles, ticket counters and service counters will be disinfected every 30 minutes during business hours.

Ster-Kinekor

In light of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement of a national disaster and in response to growing concern about the spread of coronavirus, Ster-Kinekor has introduced particular hygiene protocol steps, including the placement of hand sanitisers in cinemas and minimising staff in periods when they are not required.

Ster-Kinekor is encouraging social distancing inside the cinema by ensuring that two seats are left empty between each booked pair of seats. In addition, cinema capacity for each show will be capped at 100.

“We are proceeding with scheduled programming. However, no shows will screen before 12pm or after 6pm,” the chain announced on Wednesday.

Independent cinemas

The Bioscope Cinema in Maboneng only has one week left with screenings before the cinema moves to 44 Stanley in Braamfontein-Werf. For the remaining screenings, the 62-seater cinema will reduce tickets to 30 per screenings, and will be culling screening times.

The Labia Theatre in Cape Town will limit ticket sales for each screening to 50% of capacity, allowing each patron an empty seat next to them should they so wish.

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