“Thank you, thank you and thank you again! I am very proud that you chose my film for this very special moment, this return to theaters after a year of absence. I know the situation is difficult, so I am even more grateful to you! I would love to be with you, in a city that I know well. The New York spectators who had chosen to go to see “La llorona” this weekend were surprised to see a video message from the Guatemalan director Jayro Bustamante, just before the screening of his film.
Attention to the height of the emotion aroused by the reopening of theaters among amateurs and for the industry. In New York, cinemas were closed since March 17, 2020, their reopening has been postponed several times , before this weekend therefore, with a limited capacity and a strict sanitary protocol. The city has set the gauge at 25% maximum, or 50 people, but many operators have gone even further to reassure customers.
Some rooms operate at 15 or 20% of their capacity, with an almost military organization: seats not available are sealed, reserved seats are personalized, the public is invited to arrive at the last moment. Advance reservation is often required, to allow the operator to organize. Wearing a mask is required and eating or drinking, which almost always accompanies a trip to the movies in the United States, is prohibited, to prevent spectators from removing their masks.
Soon blockbusters
The device will not be enough to bring cinema out of the crisis. But it should allow, at least, a gradual return of the public. The “New York DMA” geographic area which includes New York, New Jersey, parts of Connecticut and Pennsylvania, Long Island and Westchester recorded a 525% increase in attendance over the weekend. However, this shows more the weight of New York in the American film industry than a massive return of the public. Revenue for Friday and Saturday in this area amounted to $ 744,000. Far from a normal weekend, in the pre-Covid period, but not negligible when the industry has been at a standstill for a year.
“Today, 90% of our theaters are open across the country but nothing is as important to us as New York and Los Angeles” (the top two markets in the United States, Editor’s note), said Adam Aron, the boss of AMC, the largest network of theaters in the United States, adding that, despite the reduced capacity, several blockbusters will be released in the coming weeks.
Objective Los Angeles
A boss in the eye of the storm since it was learned his pay had doubled last year to $ 20.9 million, as the majority of its theaters have remained closed and the industry struggles for its survival. Close to bankruptcy , AMC has been recapitalized in recent months to the tune of $ 1.8 billion. The group justified itself by highlighting the efforts that Adam Aron had made to keep the company afloat. The majority of this compensation was granted in shares.
The next step, now, is the reopening of cinemas in Los Angeles, the country’s largest market – between them, New York and Los Angeles account for between 12 and 14% of national revenues. No date has yet been set. In any case, many uncertainties remain and the damage could be considerable for the sector. In several important markets, such as Chicago, Houston or Phoenix, cinemas have reopened for several months, but attendance remains low, because of concerns related to Covid on the one hand, but also because the poster remains hopelessly empty.
Most studios have postponed the release of their biggest productions. “The reopening of theaters in New York and Los Angeles will give studios the confidence that their biggest titles will make a good launch and then continue across the country and internationally”, assured Patrick Corcoran, vice-president of the association of cinema owners, which remains convinced that cinemas still have a future, in the post-Covid world, despite the affirmation of streaming …
–
