Image: Adobe Stock
Let’s head back to the movies for that big-screen experience
After months of being closed, South Africa’s major cinema chains are now open for business – with a few differences.
Image: Adobe Stock
Since South Africa’s national lockdown started in March, movie theatres have been closed and only recently started to reopen.
Major cinema chains Ster-Kinekor and NuMetro opened selected cinemas on 28 August 2020 and Ster-Kinekor opened the remaining cinemas last week.
The country is finally on the much anticipated Level One of lockdown. After being on a strict quarantine for nearly six months, it is now legal to go out for more than just the essentials.
However, the risk of the virus has not completely vanished so you need to take safety precautions.
Movie theatre changes
Here is what to expect when visiting the movie theatres:
- It is compulsory to wear a face mask
- Keep a social distance of 1.5m
- Complimentary sanitiser stations
- If your temperature is more than 37.5°C you will not be able to go in.
Other COVID protocols and precautionary measures which make a trip to the movies slightly different now are:
- Contactless ticket booking: Movie theatres are encouraging you to book your ticket online. Alternately, use the self-service terminals to limit contact transactions.
- Popcorn is pre-packed to minimise sharing. You won’t see those big boxes you’re used to!
- Seating arrangements: Theatres can take 50% of their capacity. Social distancing restrictions must be observed and there will be a two-seat buffer between seats.
Cinemas are now sanitised after each show. This means frequent and thorough cleaning throughout the theatres, as well as nightly deep cleaning.
What movie-goers think
It may be too early to tell if the new regulations have deterred cinema-goers.
Wits drama graduate Vivek Mehta went to the cinema to the Christopher Nolan-directed movie Tenet.
“Tenet was the perfect film to see back in the cinema after such a long time,” Mehta said.
“I love going to the movies and this film reminded me of why the cinema experience is unmatched compared to watching films on TV and smartphones.
“I’m looking forward to seeing more films in theatres, especially local ones.”
Biomedical technology graduate Talisha Moodley said she did not feel unsafe going back to the cinema.
“I feel like they took the necessary precautions,” Moodley said.
“We avoided standing in long queues because there were fewer people. We were also able to enjoy the movie itself with the same cinematic experience.”
