The spread of coronavirus is getting uncontrollable and to minimize
its extent – government and health authorities all over the world urge the
citizens to stay home and practice social distancing. This means no eating out,
leisurely shopping, traveling, family gatherings, and MOVIE THEATRES.
Even in this digital era, people enjoy going to the cinema
for the latest movies. It is not only a good form of entertainment but a type
of ‘escapism’ that allows them to switch off from reality and enjoy fantasy
for a good 90-minutes.
Unfortunately, that is not possible in these crucial times!
With self-isolation and social distancing the only weapons available
to fight the pandemic, movie theatres have got one of the worst hit. Besides shutting
down theatres across the country, Hollywood has also postponed countless
releases. In fact, the Box Office Mojo
estimates that the domestic box office earnings are down 52% in the week ending
March 12 and 69% this week.
Sadly, this is just the start and with a potential lockdown anticipated
for weeks – even months, the industry should be assisted in every way possible.
In this regard, the National Association of Theatre Owners wrote a statement
and asked the authorities to help them during this time. NATO called on the
Congress and the Administration to ensure that their theatres and its thousands
of employees remain resilient.
infographic by: www.statista.com
